Evening star., 1937-03-07
CALVERT MANSION
OFFERED FOR SALE
RiverdaIe's Historic Show
place Originally Graced
16,0OO-Acre Site.

Another new master Is being sought
for the famous Calvert Mansion in
Riverdale, one of the historic show
places Of Maryland. which appears to
have been fated In recent years to
continuous buffeting about in the real
estate market.
Its present owner, former Repre-
sentative A. w. Lafferty of Oregon, is
the reason for attention being directed
to the Colonial homestead. by offer
ing it publicly for sale, furnished or
unfinished"
Built about 1894 by George Calvert,
grandson of the last Lord Baltimore,
1t stood for more than a century in
the midst of 16.000-acre estate, and
also was known as the Lord Baltimore
Mansion. Within its walls, Americas
greatest statesmen we're regular vis-
itors and in its northeast guest cham
Der it is reputed that Henry Clay
wrote the Missouri compromise.
Some years ago the historic resi-
dence figured in the news and social
annals when Senator Hiram johnson
of California purchased and resided in
it. Then he sold it to the late SEN
ator Thaddeus Caraway of Arkansas.
whose death soon after left it to his
widow. Mrs. Hattie Caraway, who sue
ceeded her husband In the Senate.
At the time of the exchange Sem
ator johnson did not vacate the prem
ises in time and there was a dispute
over possession.
Sold to Satisfy Mortgage.
Senator Hattie Caraway found the
burden of the huge mansion too much
to bear and the house was sold in Jan.
uary, 1882, to Percy W. Pickford. at
an auction sale to satisfy s22,500
mortgage.
More recently the Calvert Mansion
came into the ownership of Lafferty,
who had served in Congress from
1911 to 1915 and for many years
thereafter practiced law in New York
City.
The Missouri compromise. which
Clay prepared in the old mansion,
did as much as anything else to pre-
cipitate the Civil War. which swept
away its gracious manor life.
The mansion. designed by Henry J.
Stier, an exiled architect from Ant
werp, is distinctly on the English
order of the period and contains 40
rooms.
Apcnrdir,O n trol bn
columns Of the north portico were
originally cut for use in the Capitol.
but by a blunder having been cut
too short they we're purchased by
the Calverts to replace the original
sandstone columns The house has
l8-inch walls, 18-feet ceilings. mag
niflcent fireplaces and an elaborate
drawing room. which formerly was
decorated with a frieze of hunting
scenes.
1t is famous also for a beautiful
Thornton staircase, Colonial chande-
liers and full-length mirrors over
l78 years old.
Estate Covered 5000 Acres.
Originally the mansion occupied the
center Of the l6,00O-acre estate. The
second owner. Charles Benedict CAL
vert, donated part of the mansion
grounds TO the Maryland Agricultural
College (now the University of Mary
land) and was its first president.
The house remained in the pos
session of the Calvert family until
almost the close of the nineteenth
century. The grounds. however, were
gradually sold off. The tracks of the
B. e. o. Railroad, passing within a
few feet of the house, nearly cut the
estate in two and the modern town of
Riverdale has steadily encroached
until only a fraction of the original
property remains
The slave quarters and spacious
stables that could shelter 500 horses
were still standing in 1885, when they