The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1948-07-01
HORSE AND
BUGGY DAYS
by
Ida 10 Martin

man was uISt pushing HIS way Aibo
this garden valley" that is now the
Cumberland Valley, hardy pioneer
men and their brave wives claimed
land; moved onto it; started battling
with the wilds, to establish homes
and build up productive farms for
themselves and for the innumerable
coming generations. One of the first
improvements was of course, In
each case, house. Many of these
were simple log structures, which
have nearly all disappeared with
the passing of time. But some OF
the more able folks put up houses
that have proved to be literally
permanent" One such house, re-
ported to have been one of the very
first built in this valley, is still
standing, and in good condition. In
the near future l will tell about this
house, but this week | want to tell
about another house that is not quite
so old, but figures a little more in
local history.
The following description of it
was written half century ago by
our historian, Herbert c. Bell:
"a hundred years ago Chat would
be a century and half now the
aristocracy of Washington County
lived in the country, and of this
class the most distinguished REPRE-
sentative in the Leitersbsrg Distrirt
was General Thomas Sprigg. His
estate was Sprigg's Paradise, tract
of seventeen hundred acres. Here
he erected a spacious mansion
The main hall is siXty-two feet long
and twelve feet wide, and at each
end there was originally winding
stairway. The drawing room, dim
ming room, etc, connected with this
hall. The ceilings are fourteen feet
high on the first floor and thirteen
on the second The house is con-
structed throughout in most sub
stantial manner and finished with a
degree of care, taste, and expense
rarely found in Washington County
residences at the present day. The
culinary department and servants
quarters occupied a separate wing.
East of the mansion was a garden,
arranged in series of terraces. The
estate was cultivated by slaves,
whose quarters were long, low
building near the turnpike, The es-
tablishment also included a race
track, west of the turnpike, one
mile in length, and sixty feet wide,
with woods on either side
AS the above description indicates,
this mansion was still standing
when Mr.. Bell wrote about it. In
deed most of the people in that
section remember the old house,
called the oldest brick house in the
county, and a large and elaborate
one. 1t was just about fifteen years
ago that. this historic landmark was
burned to the ground. A new house
stands now near by, but the only
evidence of the old mansion is the
terrace banks to the east. This is
along the Paramount to Reid road
near Reid, on the east side OF the
toad, on the farm owned by Earl
Martin of Reid, and the present
house is occupied by his son.
l talked with a number of the
older residents of this area, includ-
ing j. Forney Young, Amos Showal-
ter and some of the Lehmans OF
L.ehmans Mill, all of whom gave
me information I appreciate. All
remember the venerable old man
sion we'll, and spoke of its burning
as a great loss to the, County and
State. Several of these people des-
cribed their horror at seeing the
old mansion on fire. and of running
to help, but fndiqg both the house
and barn on fire at the same time,
and entirely out of control. One
man told of running up to the huge
house and being met by a great
ball of fire that seemed to come
rolling down the old stairway and
out the front door, forcing every
one to run back and stand helplessly
watching a most priced old house
burn to the ground. Thus ended
Sprigg's Paradise, once the center
of society of this section.
One TO the men talked with, re-
calls that there used to be lots OF
visitors from the big cities at this
old estate. He said he saw often
boy come here for vacations, who IS
now the Governor of our State. A
century ago it was even more the