The Washington times., 1911-06-10
Mansion Famous in Colonial
Days Is to Go Under
Hammer.
PLACE ONCE HOUSED
LORD BkLTIMORE'S KIN
Structure Probably Will Be Torn
Down to Make Room for
Suburban Lots.
BY GEORGE H. GALL.

Probably the most interesting auction
sale Of piece Of property in Washing
ton or its suburbs which has ever been
held is scheduled for this afternoon at 8
o'clock in front of the Calvert mansion
at Riverdale
That historic old place, a contempo-
,rary Of Mt. Vernon, ranking almost
equally in interest with the home of the
country's first President and the scene
of many brilliant social functions of
Revolutionary days, is TO go this after
noon to the highest bidder.
The house where the Calverts, the
grandchildren of Charles, the fifth Lord
Baltimore, entertained Webster, Clay,
Crittenden, Lafayette, and other dis
tinguished persons OF their time, is now
to enter new epoch IN its long history,
or possibly to be destroyed to make
way for a suburban lot subdivision.
1t has long been one Of tne places
which wise sightseers to the Capital
have been unwilling to miss in their
rounds of the most interesting points
IN and about the city. 1t is located
about six miles from the Capital, and
can be seen in passing either upon the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad or upon the
City and Suburban line Of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company.
Built Long Ago.
The Calvert mansion was Quilt about
the beginning of the nineteenth century.
Some authorities give the date of its
construction as 1872, while others place
1t ten years later. 1t was built by
Henry Joseph Sitter, Of Antwerp Bel
GUM. whose daughter, Resale Eugenia
Stler, was married, on June II, 1879, to
George Calvert, son of Benedict Calvert.
OF Mt. Airy. Mt. Airy was the home of
The son of Charles, fifth Lord Baltimore,
King Georges collector of customs at
the port Of Annapolis prior to the .Decla-
ration Of Independence. This old place
100; located just south of Marlboro. is
stIiI in a good state Of preservation.
Suer was the owner of a great COL
lection of paintings of the Flemish ar
usts, which he brought to America in
chartered American vessel to escape
the depredations of Napoleon. who was
then invading his country. and these
found protection in the house which he
built at Riverdale. After the evacuation
he returned, deciding Riverdale to his
daughter, and settling upon her a for
tune reputed to have been a million dol
lars.
Two Portraits by Gilbert Stuart, now
IN the possession of George H. Calvert
OF this city. exquisitely depict the sim
pie beauty of the daughter Of the Dutch
connoisseur and the stately elegance of
her husband, the grandson of the las.
Lord Baltimore.
Married Gusts.
George Calvert's sister, Eleanor, mar
ried in 1774, John Parke GUSTS, the
adopted son of George WASHINGTON.
This Mrs. GUSTS was the grandmother
of Mrs. Robert z. Lee. the wife of the
Confederate general
The old hOuSe u-aS crps+r,,o.oI 80
brick, covered with cement, and painted
colonial yellow. The main building is
Of two stories. with high. sloping roof
This was the part built by Stier. and
was after the Flemish style of his dav,
The wings were later added by George
SaINert' converting the style into the
Georgian, the prevailing architectural
design of the period.
The sandstone columns of the north
and south porticos are said to have
Been made for the Capitol at Washing
ION, but were found too short for use
on that structure.
The north entrance opens into a FIent-
ish nall with gracefully winding stair
way to the right. Opposite the entrance
q doorway leads from the hall into a
French salon with many high arched
panels between which are classic piIas-
tiers. The woodwork is finished in
StEcco BY artisans brought over from
. Europe Windows il keeping with the
panels, and reaching nearly from the
ceiling 10 the floor look odt upon tire
south front to a gently Sboping land
scape, in which a picturesque lake still
exists. The room is a spacious one, with
high ceiling ana broad dimensions
Two other large rooms. the parlor on
the right. and the dining room on the |
left. adiOin the salon and are entered |
from II through large mahogany doors. |
The rest of the house was carried out |
on the same generous plan, there being |
about twenty rooms in all One of |
these was the Clay room, reserved fer |
that statesmaa's visits. |
Big Estate.
The tract then comprised about 1000 |
acres typical country estate Of the |
early DAYS. such as could be afforded |
onlv By a man Of means. Mrs. Charles |
Benedict Calvert, wife of a son of !
George AMI Rosalie Calvert, died about |
thirtyive wears AFRO. and the place de- |
seconded to her children, Who in 1851 |
sold il to new York syndicate of real |
estate operators. who made a suburban |
subdivition of most of it.
Only about two and a fifth acres row |
remain to be sold with the house The |
old place. worn by the seventy-odd years |
care has little of the stately dignity Of |
public were entertained under its hos |
Fitablc roof. vet TODAY there is much |
% recall it's rast glory
son of Charles Benedict Calvert, and his
pannIicf iy