Picture This: The Gibson Estate Encompassed 130 Acres

Imagine a time when the area that now includes Westview Park and Westview Mall was a grand sweep of open land, upon which were a beautiful home, a carriage house, a race course and a private boarding school for “young ladies.” Such was the estate of James Gibson.

The Central Race Course, in existence since 1854, lay parallel to Johnny Cake Road (spelled as two words at the time) and was near the Ingleside Female Seminary—a school that was run by the wife of James Gibson. The family’s 130-acre property was located near Johnnycake Road and Ingleside Avenue. The school was founded in 1843. 

According to author Jean Walsh: “An advertisement of the day promised ‘thorough instruction, prudent discipline and as a healthful and happy home for the young’.” The school could accommodate  “forty young ladies of the best families” as boarding students for a cost of $200 a year.

Students were taught sacred studies, French, writing, English grammar, arithmetic, astronomy, modern history, chemistry, mythology and music. The girls were also marked on “deportment.” The school burned down around 1885. 

The Gibson family had other strong ties to the community. On Oct. 1, 1944, The Sun ran a lengthy story to mark the Centennial of St. Timothy’s Protestant Episcopal Church. We know that the Gibson family was among the earliest parishioners, even before the existing church was built. 

They gathered in the home of Rev. George Worthington, a clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal Church. “All told there were about 25 persons in the congregation, which consisted of Judge John Glenn and his family, James Gibson and his family, John K. Smith, his wife and children, with a few others. The choir was composed entirely of Gibsons,” according to the article.

James Gibson had died, when this announcement of a public sale of all contents of the property appeared in The Sun on July 20, 1877:

ORPHANS COURT SALE

PUBLIC SALE

OF

HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, PIANOS, VALU-

ABLE HORSES AND COWS, FARMING

IMPLEMENTS, ETC.

At the Farm “Ingleside,” Baltimore county, near

the old Frederick road, one mile from Catonsville,

known as Gibson’s Female Seminary, by public

auction, for cash, on MONDAY MORNING, July

30, 1877, commencing at 10 o’clock, we shall sell by

catalogue, at “Ingleside,” formerly the residence of

the late James Gibson, all the household and kitchen

Furniture, valuable Horses, Cows, Farming Imple-

ments, Wagons, Carts, Harness and fixtures of the

Farm, viz: Parlor and Chamber Furniture, Carpets,

Oilcloths, Mattings, Turkey Carpets, Feather Beds,

large number of fine Curled Hair Mattresses, Blan-

kets, Sheets, Spreads, &c., five superior Pianos by

best makers. Also Kitch Furniture in great va-

riety. Also 5 head of valuable Draft Horses, worthy

special attention, 3 superior Milch Cows, lot of

Poultry, Farm Wagons for four Horses, 2 Jersey

Spring Wagons, Express Wagons, 4 Carriages, 2

Agricultural Implements — Thrashing Machines,

Horse and Power Mowers, Wheat Fan, Horse Rake,

Wheat Drill, Plows, Harrows, Cultivators, Rakes,

Shovels, Forks, &c., with all necessary implements

for conducting a farm of 180 acres. 

By the time of this photograph, which is thought to date from the late 1800s, the property would have transferred to Bernard Baker who expanded its holdings to 250 acres. The Gibson House remained. It is unknown who the occupants were by that time or the identity of the little girl in the garden. What is known is that the Gibson family occupied a prominent spot in the early development of the village of Catonsville. 

Thanks go to Bryce Rumbles, librarian at the Catonsville Branch, and Lisa Vicari, Catonsville Room volunteer and board member, Friends of the Catonsville Library, for their research assistance. Anyone interested in ordering digital reprints of any of the historical images featured in this series, should contact Bryce Rumbles at brumbles@bcpl.net.