Restoring Clifton Mansion: An Ongoing Project

The grand Clifton Mansion, with the tower on the left.

There is an historic mansion sitting in the northeast area of Baltimore in Clifton Park, located in the Belair-Edison section of the city. The home, known as CLIFTON MANSION, was built approximately in the period 1790-1801. The original owner was a merchant named Henry Thompson. He was a captain of the Flying Artillery, 3rd Maryland Brigade, during the War of 1812. That was the same brigade involved in the defense of Fort McHenry, which was made famous by Francis Scott Key writing the "Star Spangled Banner" to commemorate the fact that after the fierce battle, the US flag was still flying and the fort was still under US control.



In 1838, the well-known Johns Hopkins purchase the mansion and converted and expanded it into an Italian villa style. By 1895, the City of Baltimore then purchased the home and its property from Johns Hopkins University and used it as a headquarters for the Department of Parks And Recreation. Over the years, though, the mansion has aged and fallen into a state of disrepair as the city postponed needed maintenance.

Luckily two different organizations have stepped forward to mount a restoration effort, Friends Of Clifton Mansion Inc and CIVIC WORKS, which is utilizing the building as its headquarters. The Mansion has an eighty-foot tower, from which one can get a good view of a portion of the city. It has an attractive Grand Staircase, which can be reached by crossing the marble floor of the entry way. There are also ornate walls and ceilings, with intricate plaster work and woodwork, which must be painted by hand. An arcade extends on the outside covering the entire south end and also wraps around a portion of both the east and west ends. It is truly a building to behold!

Civic Works also manages a six-acre "Real Food Farm" on the property. Started in 2009, it serves to provide fresh produce for local neighbors and serves as a demonstration urban farm, where students from city schools can learn about the environment, sustainability, and the economic potential of growing crops, through hands-on experience.

The view from the top of the tower.

Recently, Civic Works invited members of the public to an event at the mansion, which focused on the legacy of Johns Hopkins, one of the previous owners. The group had found various artifacts, including books and articles that related to the life of Johns Hopkins and they were presented to the public for the first time. The exhibition helps to sustain the commitment of Civic Works to its Baltimore area community and continued restoration of the mansion.

Besides working at the Clifton Mansion property, Civic Works cleans up urban lots and plants gardens on the land.

Thanks to the above links for providing information for this article.

Click here to visit Dr. Monica Diedrich.

Click here: HOW THEY SELL MUSIC