Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-01-24

in the open hearth, must have been i;
delightful resort when wintry winds
{ blew across the hilltops.
Adjoining the billiard room is large
apartment and still another consider
ably smaller. The floors Of these are
now covered with corn.
Below are rooms that may have
CHARTERED servants. A carriage house
occupies the center of the lower floo1
and the eastern end contains the
stable, with IL comfortable stalls
ed hunters and stylish carriage horses,
but seem to be regarded by a drove
of fine Berkshire hogs as their own
| special lounging apartments.
The Chapel.
a little farther away from the man
sion, is the chapel erected for the use
of the family and servants. 1t is near
| ly as large as many country churches
of the prescott day and is surmounted
by belfry and small steeple. The in
terror is devoid of furnishings. At
one end is the altar platform, back of
which is small apartment designed
for the priests robing room. The
building is simple in design, but stands
with quiet dignity of it's own upon a
small elevation. Sturdy oak trees
partly surround it, and in that peaceful
retreat one can feel that the worship
ers, during the solemn hours of ser
vice, could truly lift their hearts
through nature up to Natures God"
Where Ice was Stored.
Cool comfort during summer days
came from cavernous icehouse,
built of huge granite blocks and
banked over with dirt several feet
thick. The distance from the top of
the arched ceiling to the bottom is not
far from 80 feet, and this great, walled
acknowledgement will hold enough ice
for a medium-sized hotel. A passage
way like tunnel, eight or ten feet
long, leads to the pit
The Landscape.
Traces Of the landscape gardening
that beautifed the old place in it's
paimy days may be seen on every side.
The immediate surroundings occupied
several acres browning the hill and
extending back to the west The
stone retaining wall previously men
toned at the base of the hill ran
around two sides of it, bringing the at
tractive lawn out in bold relief A
wooden fence, ruins of which are yet
here and there, divided the front lawn
from that in the rear. In the front
lawn were flower beds with trim box
wood borders, and lockwood lined the
walks and drives. Tall button trees
alternate with spruce, hemIock and
arbor vitae. Farther away are pines
and cedars. Tangle growths show
where roses fiouriShed.
Standing on the front porch and
looking out through the mass of twist
ed, interlaced boughs a scene of rare
beauty is presented-the rolling hills
the valleys, the winding stream, the
far-away forests and the fields, some
green with a rich growth OF newly
shocks of corn. But silence, prolonged
and unbroken," wraps the old man
sion in it's embrace, and the only
living things about are a score or
more of grunting hogs.
The Bridge.
1t is said that the buildings on Folly
Quarter cost Charles Carroll of Carroll
ton 100000. To further enhance it's
beauty he caused & massive granite
and marble bridge to be constructed
across the stream that ran through the
farm, between the dwelling and the
main road. This stream is a branch
of the Upper Patuxent river, and it is
said that trout may be found in it on
the Folly farm. The entrance gate
was then directly in front of the house,
the private road sweeping in a curve
through pretty valley.
The bridge is now used only in
crossing from one part of the field to
the other. It's foundations, piers and
floor are of granite blocks as sub
stantial and enduring as those in the
mansion. The bridge springs from each
shore of the narrow stream to a cen
trail pier, thus having two spans. The
thick side walls, nearly shoulder high,
are of marble, with two square marble
| columns at each end extending a short
distance above the walls. Storms,
rain and time have given the structure
dingy appearance, and marble and
granite look much alike. 1t is said the
bridge cost CONSIDERABLY over S1O,-
600.
In it's PaImy Days.
Mr.. and Mrs. John McTavish made
their home at Folly Quarter for many
years. Their son, Charles Carroll Nc.
lavish, inherited the property and re,
sided there with his family a number
of years.
Mr.. McTavish finally decided to dis.
pose of the estate, and it was sold to
Charles M. Dougherty, a Baltimore
merchant, who paid 100000 for it.
Mr.. Dougherty made the place a
summer home for some time, until he
removed to New Orleans 20 years ago
He took great pride in the place and
kept it up handsomely. Shortly after
his removal he sold it to Royal Phelps
of New York, father-in-law of ex-Gov
John Lee Carroll, through whom il
passed into the possession of it's pres
ent owner, Mr.. Charles Carroll.
Mr.. Carroll renamed the place Car
rollton Hall, but it continues to be
known far and wide as Folly Quarter