National Register of Historic Places

White Hall

Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland
Listed
August 11, 1977
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000698

About this property

White Hall is a historic home located at Ellicott City, Maryland, United States. It consists of three sections: the east wing, dating from the early 19th century, the center section, and the west wing. In 1890 the house was partially destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1900. Three outbuildings remain on the White Hall property: a small square frame workshop; a smokehouse-privy; and springhouse. White Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Early owners were Caleb Dorsey and his brother Charles Worthington Dorsey, the first County commissioner of the Howard District of Anne Arundel County. Charles Worthington purchased the home in 1828 from Alfred and Ann Dashiel and N.G. Ridgley. with an original building onsite. He built additions to the home in 1857 hiring the architect Nathan G. Starkweather. The home was given to Dorsey's daughter and Maryland Governor Thomas Watkins Ligon. Charles Worthington died at the residence on 26 May 1864. Governor Ligon died at the estate in 1881. The house was passed down throughout the family for well over one hundred years. Cared for and owned by the Ligon and Hains family (the Ligon and Hains family wed in 1930). In 1965, Col Thomas Watkins Ligon sold 350 acres (140 ha) of surrounding land, leaving 41.3 acres (16.7 ha) surrounding the property. The Hains family kept the estate until the late 1990s when it was sold to the first non-family member. In 1976 a 41.3 acre easement of the property was registered to the Maryland historical Trust.

Location

Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland
39.25870, -76.83647

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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The Land
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

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Dorsey Hall
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MacAlpine
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1.1 mi
Brick House on the Pike
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1.5 mi
Woodlawn
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1.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was White Hall listed on the National Register?

White Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 11, 1977.

What type of historic resource is White Hall?

White Hall is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for White Hall?

The period of significance for White Hall is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near White Hall?

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