Three Elkridge Properties Make Howard County's 'Endangered' List

Each spring, Preservation Howard County publishes a list of historic or culturally significant properties that are threatened by development, deterioration or neglect.

The "Top 10 Endangered Sites" is intended to bring attention to efforts to save the properties, according to Fred Dorsey, president of Preservation Howard County (PHC).

On this year's list, three of the 10 endangered properties are in Elkridge. Two are historic houses—Clover Hill and Belmont—and the other is the nation's first curved railroad bridge, the Thomas Viaduct.

“All three of these Elkridge properties have deep historical roots,” said Mary Catherine Cochran, vice president of PHC.

Located in , Clover Hill was built in the late 1700s by Thomas and Eleanor Lee, descendants of the Lees of Virginia.

Aside from its age, the house is historically significant because “an archaeological dig revealed some Indian mounds there,” said Dorsey.

Clover Hill has been on the endangered list for several years as efforts to establish an adaptive use of the building have been unsuccessful, according to Dorsey. In fact, Clover Hill has been listed in all of the top 10 endangered sites lists put out by the PHC, which began releasing the list in 2001.

“The county would like to find someone to operate it as a restaurant, but it is deteriorating rapidly while waiting for its Prince Charming,” said Cochran. “Picture a nice cafe and sandwich shop that [cyclists], hikers and other park visitors could [frequent] during the day, or a more traditional restaurant a la Kings Contrivance for the evening crowd; the county is in search of a visionary to make it happen.”

Preservationists point to the Pfeiffer’s Corner schoolhouse as an example of what they hope will become of the home. The school was moved first from its original site near the intersection of Route 108 and Snowden River Parkway to a location on Route 108 in Clarksville, and then to Rockburn Park, where it was restored and is now being used for interpretive education, according to Dorsey.

“We have been working closely with John Byrd [director of Howard County’s Department of Recreation and Parks]," said Dorsey of efforts to move Clover Hill forward. "Three parties have expressed interest, but nothing has come through."

This article has been corrected to indicate that the Thomas Viaduct was the nation's first curved railroad bridge. An earlier version stated that it was the first U.S. railroad bridge.