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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20111005WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION Washington County Administrative Annex 80 West Baltimore Street Hagerstown, Maryland 21740-6003 Telephone: 240-313-2430 FAX: 240.313-2431 Deaf and Hard of Hearing call 7-1-1 for Maryland Relay AGENDA HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND CONFERENCE ROOM 1A & B WASHINGTON COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE ANNEX 80 WEST BALTIMORE STREET October 5, 2011 7:00PM M REGULAR MEETING AGENDA - 7:00 PM A. Call to Order & Roll Call B. Minutes —September 7, 2011* C. Communications & Bills D. Unfinished Business 1. Local Review of National Register application, Plumb Grove, 12654 Broadfording Road, Clear Spring , MD * 2. Devil's Backbone Dam plaque. * E. Budget F. New Business G. Other Business H. Closed Session I. Adjournment * = written material enclosed \HDC\aoct20l l.DOC NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MAY MEET IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 10.508, STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ANNOTATED CODE OP MARYLAND. INDIVIDUALS REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS ARE REQUESTED TO CONTACT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT. CONTACT PLANNING DEPARTMENT AT (240) 313-2430 VOICE/ TDD TO MARC ARRANGEMENTS NO LATER THAN TEN (10) WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING. www,washco-md.net RECYCLED PAPER NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 10024-0018 (expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (National Register Bulletin 16A). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the information requested. If any Item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional entries and narrative items on continuation sheets (NPS Form 10-900a). 1. Name of Property historic name Plumb Grove other names Nesbitt -Warner Farmhouse: M1HP #WA -V-015 2. Location street & number 12654 Broadfording Road ❑ not for publication city or town Clear Spring ® vicinity state Maryland code MD county Washington code 43 zip code 21722 3. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this ❑ nomination ❑ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property ❑ meets ❑ does not meet the National Register criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant ❑ nationally ❑ statewide ❑ locally. (❑ See continuation sheet for additional comments). Signature of certifying official/Title Date State or Federal agency and bureau my Signature of certifying official/Title Date State or Federal agency and bureau 4. National Park Service Certification I hereby, certify that this property is: ❑ entered in the National Register. ❑ See continuation sheet. ❑ determined eligible for the National Register. ❑ See continuation sheet. ❑ Determined not eligible for the National Register. ❑ removed from the National Register. ❑ other (explain): Signature of the Keeper Date of Action Plumb Grove Washington County, Maryland Name of Property County and State 5. Classification Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property (Check as many boxes as apply) (Check only one box) (Do not include previously listed resources in the count) ® private ® building(s) Contributing Noncontributing ❑ public -local ❑ district 1 3 buildings ❑ public -State ❑ site sites ❑ public -Federal ❑ structure structures ❑ object objects 1 3 Total Name of related multiple property listing number of contributing resources previously (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing) listed in the National Register 6. Function or Use Historic Functions Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions) (Enter categories from instructions) DOMESTIC/single dwelling RECREATION AND CULTURE/museum 7. Description Architectural Classification Materials (Enter categories from instructions) (Enter categories from instructions) MID 19TH CENTURY/Greek Revival foundation Stone walls Brick roof Wood/shingle other Wood Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets) NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 1 Description Summary: (Expires 5/31/2012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State Plumb Grove, a ca. 1831 Greek Revival style farmhouse of brick construction, occupies an approximately 1 -acre tract within what was once a large farm belonging to Jonathan Nesbitt. The surrounding lands belong to the Washington County Board of Education, but aside from a school complex to the south of the house, the land is still farmed and the setting retains its agricultural character. In addition to the house and its fenced lot, the nominated property contains three support buildings constructed recently. The L-shaped house has five bays with a central entrance sheltered with a temple form porch. The interior plan consists of a central stair and entrance hall, with two rooms on each side, and a kitchen in the rear wing. Exuberant Greek Revival style woodwork characterizes the interior. General Description: Plumb Grove, a ca. 1831 Greek Revival style brick farmhouse sits on a .95 -acre plot of land parceled from a farm belonging to the Washington County Board of Education. The farmland now contains the Clear Spring School Complex, athletic fields, barns and agricultural land. The Plumb Grove house property is enclosed on three sides with a white picket fence and on the fourth side by a post and rail fence. The entire property, including the school's land was once part of the Plumb Grove (Nesbitt) farm. Aside from the school buildings and playing fields, the landscape retains its agricultural character. Plumb Grove faces southeast toward Broadfording Road. (For the purposes of this nomination, the front elevation will be referred to as "east".) A gravel lane leads approximately 1/4 mile from Broadfording Road to the Plumb Grove house. The lane parallels Draper Road, just to its northwest. The house stands on a fairly level plot of land with Fairview Mountain behind to the west and the rolling floor of the Cumberland/Hagerstown Valley extending to the east. The Town of Clear Spring is approximately '/2 mile to the southeast. Plumb Grove is one of three Nesbitt Farms that stand in close proximity to each other. The Otho Nesbitt Farm (WA -V-013) is about''/4 mile to the east, and the Nesbitt Farm (WA -V-012) is about1l/4 mile to the northeast. Plumb Grove is a two story L-shaped brick dwelling resting on limestone foundations. The front elevation is formal with five bays and a central entrance. Bricks are arranged in Flemish bond at the front elevation, with splayed brick jack arches over the openings. Sawtooth brickwork and corbelling finish the cornice at the front elevation. Side and rear walls are laid in common bond with five stretcher courses to each row of headers. Double inside end chimneys joined with a parapet complete the masonry work. The rear L -extension continues seamlessly from the south end wall of the front section. On the north side a recessed double porch spans the length of the NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 0112009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 2 (Expires 5131/2012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State L. The porch side of the L has two bays, a door and a window at the first story, and an tipper level with three bays, two windows and a central door. Doors also open onto the lower and upper porches from the front section of the house. All of these doors have six panels. The absence of a window at the west end of the L's north elevation is the result of an interior boxed stair in that corner. The porch has square posts and is enclosed with a balustrade. - A Greek Revival style entrance porch dominates the front elevation. It has a low hipped roof with a plain entablature below and four large Doric columns, two pair, one pair each placed on either side of the three steps leading to the porch deck. A balustrade links each pair of columns. Plumb Grove has a trabeated entrance with a broad transom and sidelights. These surround an eight -panel door with a vertical molding suggesting that the door is bi-fold, but no evidence is present to suggest that the door was ever hinged in the middle. Attached columns flank the door. Windows have six over six light sash within narrow rounded frames with mitered corners. At the front elevation replacement paneled shutters have been added to the windows. Windows in the rear extension are smaller than those in the front section, but all have six -pane sash. The wide south gable end of the main section of the house has three windows at each level, one at the forward side of the chimneys and two to the west of the chimneys. This arrangement allowed two windows in the southwest rooms of the front section of the house. The north gable end is arranged more symmetrically with one window on each side of the chimneys at each level. The west elevation of the front section, within the angle created by the extension has one window at each level. Thus the northwest and southwest rooms each have two windows and the northeast and southeast rooms each have three. The roofing material is wood shingles, a relatively recent replacement covering. Interior: The front entrance opens into a formal stair and entrance hall with two rooms on either side. The floor plan layout has large rooms diagonally opposed in the northeast, a parlor, and in the southwest, the dining room. The northwest and southeast rooms are significantly smaller. The same is true of the second floor. At the first floor, wide doorways separate the front and rear rooms. The staircase rises against the north wall of the entrance hall and appears strangely out of character with the other woodwork in the house. While the mantelpieces, door and window trim are very bulky and heavily molded, the staircase has a graceful, delicate round railing that sweeps in a single curving form from the top to the base of the steps where it bends in a scroll to NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 0112009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 3 (Expires 5/31/2012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State alight on top of a narrow turned newel. Balusters, two per step, are turned and tapered. Scroll carvings decorate the spandrel along the edge of the stairs. Contrasting with the staircase is the robust and massive door and window trim and mantels. Architraves have large symmetrical moldings and decorated corner blocks. Each mantelpiece is different, but the two most prominent are very elaborate. The northeast parlor mantel has Doric colonnettes, a frieze with central projecting tablet, protruding semi -elliptical bolection moldings and a three part projecting mantel shelf. The dining room mantel has fluted Doric colonnettes, and a frieze with large Greek Key molding running its length. The mantels in the smaller rooms are much simpler, with architraves around the fireboxes and narrow shelves. The building also includes a cellar with a cooking fireplace. The wing to the rear (backbuilding) contains the kitchen with a large service fireplace in the west end wall and an enclosed winder stair adjacent to the fireplace in the northwest corner. The upper story room reportedly housed the Nesbitt slaves/servants. Additional buildings: In addition to the house there are three service buildings in the rear yard, all of fairly recent construction. A brick summer kitchen/wash house was added to the landscape just behind the house and in the traditional work yard. A frame, board and batten covered restroom and storage building with an attached shed stands immediately behind the house's kitchen wing. Behind that is a small frame shed, also covered with board and batten. All of these accessory buildings have been constructed since the 1980s. Resource Count: I contributing building 3 non-contributing buildings. Evaluation of Integrity: Plumb Grove is an excellent example of a Greek Revival style farmhouse from west central Maryland. It remains highly intact with key components — design, layout and woodwork — all present. Although the setting has been altered by the addition of non -historic support buildings, these newer constructions are compatible in materials, scale and design to the 1830s period of the house. The .95 -acre plot of land is part of the original Nesbitt land, and aside from the school development to the south of Plumb Grove, the surrounding land remains in agricultural use, NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 0112009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 4 (Expires 5131/2012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State preserving the setting. Therefore, Plumb Grove retains a high level of integrity of location, setting, materials, design, workmanship, feeling and association. The Maryland Historical Trust holds an easement on the property. Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State 8. Statement of Significance Applicable National Register Criteria Area of Significance (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for (Enter categories from instructions) National Register listing) El A Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad pattern of our history. ❑ B Property associated with the lives of persons significant in our past. C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction. ❑ D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. Criteria Considerations (Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply) Property is: ❑ A owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes. ❑ B removed from its original location. ❑ C a birthplace or grave. ❑ D a cemetery. ❑ E a reconstructed building, object, or structure. ❑ F a commemorative property. ❑ G less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past 50 years. Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the significance of the property on one or more continuation sheets) 9. Major Bibliographical References Period of Significance Ca. 1831 Significant Dates Ca. 1831 Significant Person (Complete if Criterion B is marked above) N/A Cultural Affiliation N/A Architect/Builder N/A (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets) Previous documentation on files (NPS): Primary location of additional data: ❑ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 N State Historic Preservation Office CFR 67) has been requested ❑ Other State agency ❑ previously listed in the National Register ❑ Federal agency El previously determined eligible by the National Register ❑ Local government ❑ designated a National Historic Landmark ❑ University ❑ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey ❑ Other # Name of repository: ❑ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 1 Summary Statement of Significance: (Expires 5/31/2012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State Plumb Grove (Nesbitt -Warner Farmhouse, MIHP #WA -V-015) is locally significant under National Register Criterion C as a particularly fine example of a vernacular adaptation of the Greek Revival architectural style. Built ca. 1831 at the marriage of Jonathan and Ann (Meixsell) Nesbitt, the large five -bay house with its elegant Greek temple -form porch and soaring paired chimneys gracefiilly represented the status of the successful Nesbitt family in its rural setting. Though Plumb Grove was located on the edge of the western Maryland mountains, the nearby town of Clear Spring was a booming National Pike town active with artisans and regular deliveries of merchandise from the port at Baltimore. The Nesbitts had ready access to the state- of-the-art Greek Revival moldings and mantelpieces found throughout the interior of Plumb Grove. The period of significance is ca. 1831 representing the date of construction of Plumb Grove. Resource History and Historic Context: Historic Context Plumb Grove represents an important slice of regional history rooted in the rich soil cultivated and developed into prosperous farms by German husbandmen. A few pioneering farmers and fur traders initially settled the area in the 1730s and 1740s. At that time Lord Baltimore had just opened Maryland's frontier or "back country" for settlement, and Germans were migrating through the area to create settlements in Virginia. Seeking to develop the back portions of Maryland, Lord Baltimore began to encourage settlement on his colony's frontier. Speculators from eastern Maryland responded by acquiring large tracts for subdivision and resale to German farmers. As settlement progressed, political divisions of the frontier occurred. Until 1748, the land was part of Prince George's County. Afterward it was Frederick County until 1776 when Washington County was formed. Settlement was sparse until the close of the French and Indian War in 1763 and the end of Pontiac's rebellion the following year. Thereafter, settlement progressed rapidly as transportation routes improved and word of the rich farmland in the Cumberland and Shenandoah valleys spread. The land was made fertile by numerous limestone outcrops, which give special visual character to the landscape as well as providing material for buildings and fences. The English speculators who had acquired large grants of land as investments began to subdivide and sell into smaller lots of 100-300 acres which were ideal for a profitable family farm. These farms were divided into fields of 20-40 acres and planted with small grains and corn or clover. Other lands were left in pasture and woodlots, as the process of clearing the land was NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 2 (Expires 513112012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State slow. Woodlot and pasture functions were often combined in areas where rock outcrops made cultivation difficult. Allowing cattle and hogs to forage through woodlands helped to keep them open and clear. While the valley lands of Washington County were easily converted to the general/grain farming traditions carried on by German and Pennsylvania -German immigrants, the mountains bordering the valleys on the east and west provided different opportunities for development. Covered with old growth trees and laden with iron ore, the mountains were soon home to several iron furnace operations. The Green Spring Furnace, nestled within the North Mountain ranges to the west, was established in 1765 by Lancelot Jacques and Thomas Johnson.' The insatiable need for wood to provide charcoal for the furnaces ensured that previously forested mountain land was eventually cleared. Through the first half of the 19th century, the west -central region of Maryland became known for grain production. Grain was sold in bulk, or processed into flour and meal, or distilled into whiskey. These commodities were shipped to markets in Baltimore or Philadelphia. Shipping from western Maryland was a problem, and hindered the growth and prosperity associated with grain production. There was no reliable inland water route to the farming areas, although navigation of the Potomac River was seasonally available from the 1790s through 1828. Road transportation served as the primary artery for the freight hauling needs of the region. Maryland, therefore promoted turnpike development, although most of these toll routes were privately funded. The output and growth in population in the western areas of Maryland encouraged construction and improvement of roads. In 1806 the Federal government began the construction of a highway that would lead to the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase lands comprising much of the central portion of the United States. The "National Road" began in Cumberland, Maryland partly following the old Braddock Road, a rough wagon track established by explorers and traders, and led to Wheeling in Virginia (West Virginia) and later on to Terre Haute, Indiana. The main wagon road from Baltimore to Cumberland, a collection of privately owned and operated turnpike segments that ran through the heart of Washington County was eventually upgraded and consolidated to become part of the National Road system. The National Pike, as it became known, was one of the most heavily traveled east -west routes in America with traffic passing all hours of the day and night. Construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal along the Potomac River as an alternative transportation system began in 1828 and reached the western districts of Washington County by 1839. Not only did the canal open a new avenue of transportation for agricultural products but it also became a source of employment for many who lived nearby. The "canal towns" of ' Scharf, p.1295. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 3 (Expires 5/31/2012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State Washington County, as well as throughout the adjoining rural areas, were full of men whose occupation listed on the census as "boating on the canal" or "boatman." Other common occupations in rural Washington County included farmer, farm laborer, and — in areas around the several active iron works — miner, collier, and "works at furnace." The Clear Spring Districts in Washington County benefited from both the National Pike and the C&O Canal in close proximity. Although highway transportation waned as the canal and railroad peaked through the second half of the 19th century, the district ranked among the higher rural district populations in 1880.2 Still, the west -central Maryland "bread basket" saw a slow decline in the dominance of grain production and milling, largely due to the advances in steam powered mills and the railroad. As mid -western farms began to concentrate on wheat, the farms of Washington County developed a more diversified product list, eventually shifting to dairy products, fruit, and vegetable production. By 1900, the "General Farm" designation was commonly found on the census in Washington County. The advent of the automobile in the first decades of the 20th century briefly revived the aging National Turnpike. However, the urbanization and industrialization process of the late 19th century gradually transformed the economy of Maryland. While agricultural pursuits continued in the rural parts of the state, their relative importance as the driving force of the economy declined.3 In 1920, Maryland had become 60% urban with slightly over half the state's population in Baltimore.4 Meanwhile suburban residential districts and recreational areas spread outward from Washington D.C. and Baltimore into Montgomery and Baltimore Counties, a trend that has continued to the present. The conversion of farmland use to dairy and orchards led to the decrease of traditional agricultural industries particularly milling and attendant businesses and industries. After World War II with the advent of the post war booming manufacturing economy and the emerging Cold War, population began to shift once again. This time with the encouragement of the government's new interstate highway system, the defense highways developed in the Eisenhower administration, upwardly mobile and automobile owning city dwellers left the urban environments of Washington DC and Baltimore to create suburban neighborhoods on the edges of the cities. Since the late 1940s, suburban development has sprawled outward into and throughout mid -Maryland substantially reducing agriculture and profoundly altering the rural scene. 2 Scharf, p. 974. 3 Bruchey in Walsh and Fox, p. 483, 484. 4 Crooks in Walsh and Fox, p. 590. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB Na. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 4 Architectural Context (Expires 5131/2012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State Farmhouses from the 18th century through the mid -20`h century exhibit great variety in mid - Maryland, yet all are readily identifiable to the region. Little housing remains from the settlement period. Dwellings that do survive represent the more durable buildings and not the general population of houses. Log was the preferred building material, although probably a disproportionate number of early period survivors are of stone construction. These very early stone houses use the type of stone found in the nearby landscape, often limestone in the Cumberland Valley section of Washington County. Later farmhouse builders introduced brick and light weight framing systems with various milled sidings or shingles. Brick houses were much less common on mid -Maryland's farms in the 18th century than they were in urbanized areas. When 18th century brick farmhouses do occur they are distinguished by the presence of water tables, Flemish bond facades and common bond secondary walls with three or four courses of stretcher rows to each header row. Much more common among mid -Maryland brick farmhouses are those from the 1820-1900 period. Those constructed before approximately 1850 display Flemish bond facades and thereafter, common bond or all -stretcher facades. Farmhouse form followed several traditional paths. Among the earliest buildings were Germanic central chimney dwellings with one or two stories and three or four rooms clustered around a massive group of fireplaces. British settlers more frequently constructed one or one and a half story buildings with a hall and parlor plan, one room deep with inside or exterior end fireplaces. Generally farmhouses spanned three to five bays, sat on cellars and had side gables. By the second quarter of the 19th century typical floor plans consisted of center passages with one or two rooms on either side, or a two or four room plan where the main entrance opened directly into a room. A common arrangement attributed to Germanic traditions exhibits two central front doors, side by side, which open directly into two front rooms. Porches began to appear with frequency, either across the entire front or recessed in an inset containing two or three bays along the front elevation at the kitchen wall. Another variation is an L -extension to the rear of the main part of the house, almost always with a recessed double porch along one side. This L configuration accommodates a kitchen wing, and these rear wings were consistently referenced in 18th and 19th century records as "back buildings," even though they were attached to the main part of the dwelling. Houses were almost universally roofed with wooden shingles, often long and double -lapped, top to bottom and side to side. This shingle type seems to be associated with German traditions. Otherwise, top -lapped thin wooden shingles prevailed with staggered joints and there is evidence NP5 Forth 10-900-a (Rev. 0112009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 5 (Expires 5/3112012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State that thatch was used, along with "cabbin" or clapboard roofs. In the late 19th and early 20"' centuries roofs of slate or standing seam metal appear.5 Resource History Nathaniel Nesbitt was among the earliest settlers in the west -central mountain and valley region of Washington County, then still part of Frederick County, when he acquired several land patents in the 1750s. By 1776, when Washington County was formed, Nesbitt owned over 1,400 acres on the eastern edge of Fairview Mountain. His land was located in an area known for its iron ore deposits and plentiful supply of wood for charcoal production. His valley land was underlain with limestone bedrock, the soil known for its fertility and well -suited to grain production. By the late 18th century, wheat production on Washington County farms, then part of the "bread basket" of the young United States, placed some area farmers among the wealthiest property - owners. By 1790, Nathaniel Nesbitt had nine children, including five sons. His eldest son John was already living in his own household in 1790. Perhaps in preparation for his sons' inheritance, in 1791 Nesbitt had his land resurveyed as Nesbitt's Inheritance, by then down to 708 acres.6 By 1800, two sons, John and Jacob, had separate households while Nesbitt and his remaining three sons worked the land along with three slaves. Up to the turn of the 19th century, the Nesbitt plantation was served by several early transportation routes that proved seasonally unreliable. The Potomac River, just to the south of the Nesbitt land, was used to move farm produce from as early as the middle of the 181h century. In the 1790s, George Washington's Potomac Navigation Company opened channels through the rapids along much of the upper Potomac and began skirting canals around the Great Falls and Little Falls above the port at Georgetown. The river was unreliable however, as winter ice, spring floods, and summer droughts all negatively affected boating. The east -west road, today's Broadfording Road, which ran between Elizabethtown (Hagerstown) and Jacque's Green Spring Furnace where it joined the road to Hancock and beyond (today's Rt. 56), remained a crude and rutted wagon road impassible in bad weather. But with the construction of the National Road, beginning at Cumberland in 1806, sections of road leading from the port at Baltimore to Cumberland were improved as turnpike roads, including a section west from Hagerstown, becoming part of the National Turnpike system, better known as the National Pike. The National s Paula S. Reed & Assoc., "Mid -Maryland: An Agricultural History and Historic Context," draft, Frederick, MD: Catoctin Center for Regional Studies, 2006, Chapter S. 6 Washington Co. Patented Certificate #647, MSA S1208-697, Maryland State Archives. The tract was surveyed in May 1791. Neighbors Samuel and Harry Prather contested the survey in September but then withdrew their caveat in October 1791 and the patent was issued in 1794. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 6 (Expires 5/31/2012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State Pike was an invaluable improvement in transportation through western Maryland and brought dramatic changes to the rural landscape. Nathaniel Nesbitt died in 1807 knowing that his lands would soon be more valuable by their proximity to the National Pike. According to his will, the land was divided among his five sons — Peter, Jonathan, Nathaniel, John, and Jacob.7 Peter Nesbitt died in 1809 and by 1820 all the remaining brothers except Jonathan had removed to Ohio, Indiana, or western Pennsylvania.8 Jonathan Nesbitt, who inherited Lot 2 of Nesbitt's Inheritance including the homeplace, was the only Nebitt listed in the 1820 census. His household included four sons, one daughter, three slaves, and three free blacks. The National Pike section west from Hagerstown was completed in 1823, passing through the recently platted town of Clear Spring (platted in 1821, recorded in 1825).9 Located 11 miles west of Hagerstown, Clear Spring was a natural stopping place for travelers on the Pike to rest themselves and their horses, buy provisions, or repair wagons. The small town of 74 lots stood on part of Nathaniel Nesbitt's Resurvey on Locust Thicket, just a short distance southwest of the Nesbitt homeplace by then occupied by Jonathan Nesbitt [I] (Otho Nesbitt House, WA -V-013). By 1825, Clear Spring included five tavern -keepers, four stores, fifteen carpenters, shoemakers, tailors, wagonmakers and other craftsmen, and a school: The number of tradesmen related to building crafts indicates the demand for such skills in the growing town. In addition, the number of tradesmen related to the business of travel (wheelwrights, wagonmakers, tavern keepers, etc.) provides some indication of the economic importance of the National Pike to the town. The road continued in this important role, as seen by the steady increase in the number of establishments serving travelers — by 1836, Clear Spring had seven hotels.]° The building boom was not limited to just the town as nearby farmers embarked on their own improvements. In 1826, the young widow of Jacob Meixsell of Frederick, Mrs. Frances Meixsell, moved her family to the new town of Clear Spring — the occasion noted by Jacob Engelbrecht in his Frederick diary.'' By 1831, Mrs. Meixsell's daughter Ann was preparing to marry into the Nesbitt family, among the most prominent families in the area. The marriage of Jonathan Nesbitt, Jr. to Ann R. Meixsell took place on March 23, 1831.12 The newlyweds moved into a Washington Co. (WC) Will Book B, page 142. s "Dennis Family Genealogy Pages," Nesbitt/Witmer Group, http://oidennis.com/familyproup. 9WCDBHH,p.741. 10 "Town of Clear Spring," WA -V-414, MIHP documentation, 1992. ""The Diary of Jacob Engelbrecht," CD-ROM, Historical Society of Frederick County, 2001, p. 232 12 WC Marriage Records 1799-1860, p. 148. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 0112009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 7 (Expires 5/3112012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State new brick farmhouse on a 157 -acre section of the Nesbitt plantation, built using distinctive features from the lately popular Greek Revival style. By 1840, the household included three young children and two free -black laborers. The Nesbitt's named their farm "Plumb Grove," as noted in the Clear Spring Academy ledger of the 1840s where the Nesbitt children attended school.13 Several of the farms located on the Lots that made up the former Nesbitt's Inheritance had undergone similar transformations. The log Nesbitt homeplace, located on Lot 2 and still occupied by Jonathan Nesbitt Sr., appears to have been significantly enlarged, first with a stone addition and later, probably after about 1825, with a brick addition. One of the additions is said to have included a ballroom.14 The neighboring house located on Nesbitt's Inheritance Lot 3, was probably built by Daniel Gehr ca. 1830. Gehr purchased the tract from Nathaniel Nesbitt (Jr.) in 1813 for $5,000, indicating there was likely an earlier house on the property. Gehr's new house combined elements of the outgoing popular Federal style with Greek Revival features strikingly similar to those found at Nesbitt's Plumb Grove. In 1837 Gehr sold his house and land to Tobias Johnson.15 (see 1859 Taggert map) The elegant Greek Revival styling of Jonathan Nesbitt Jr's Plumb Grove reflected the social standing of Nesbitt who, in addition to his successful farm operation, represented Washington County in the Maryland House of Delegates in 1842. This house too appears to have replaced an earlier dwelling. Located on Lot 4 of Nesbitt's Inheritance devised to John Nesbitt in 1807, Jonathan Nesbitt Sr. purchased the 137 -acre tract from his brother John in 1816 for $6,000.16 In May 1855, one year before his death, Jonathan Nesbitt Sr. conveyed the Lot 4 farm to Jonathan Nesbitt Jr., in exchange for "the support, maintenance and comfort of the said Jonathan Nesbitt Sr. for and during the term of his natural life."17 The tract included 20 additional acres, for a total of 157 acres. Jonathan Nesbitt Jr's Plumb Grove farm was valued at $10,000 on the 1860 census, while the Nesbitt homplace, occupied by his brother Otho Nesbitt, was valued at $12,650. (see 1859 Taggart Map). Jonathan Nesbitt Jr. died in 1877, followed by his wife Ann in 1885. Of their five children, three had moved to Missouri. Allen Nesbitt bought out his siblings' interest in the farm and remained 13 David Wiles, President Clear Spring District Historical Association, personal communication, March 2011, '' David Wiles, President Clear Spring District Historical Association, personal communication, March 2011. See also "Otho Nesbitt House," WA -V-013, DOE and MIHP documentation. /s WC DB Y, p. 830 (1813, Nesbitt to Gehr) and DB SS, p. 675 (1837, Gehr to Johnson). This house, known locally as "Poplar Hall," was recorded as the "Nesbitt Farm," WA -V-012, MIFIP documentation, 1978. Local lore states that the house was built by John Nesbitt, brother of Jonathan Nesbitt, Jr., and sold to Tobias Johnson. No deeds from Nesbitt to Johnson were found to confirm this. 16 WC DB BB, p. 487, 17 WC DB 10, p. 455. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 0112009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 8 (Expires 5/31/2012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State until 1893 when he sold it to Rosa Warner.18 Rosa Warner was the wife of Clear Spring hotel owner Fred Warner, who used the farm to produce food for his hotel while the house was tenanted. The Warner family retained Plumb Grove until it was sold in 1967 to the Washington County Board of Education.19 The Plumb Grove house remained vacant from 1967 through 1981 when it was sold, along with just under one -acre of land, to the Clear Spring District Historical Association20 The house was in deteriorated condition and the Association embarked on a restoration of the building using Maryland Historical Trust Capital Grant funds. is WC DB 87, p. 425 (1885, Nesbitts to Allen Nesbitt) and DB 99, p. 517 (1893, Nesbitt to Warner). 19 WC DB 456, p. 785. 20 WC DB 712, p. 583. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 0112009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 9 Page 1 Major Bibliographical References: (Expires 5131/2012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State "Nesbitt Farm." WA -V-0 12, MIHP documentation, 1978, www.mht.maryland.gov. "Nesbitt -Warner Farmhouse." WA -V-015, MIHP documentation, 1978, www.mht.maryland.gov. "Otho Nesbitt House." WA -V-013, DOE, 2003, and MIHP documentation, 1978, www.mht.maryland.gov. Reed, Paula S. & Assoc. "Mid -Maryland: An Agricultural History and Historic Context." Draft manuscript, Catoctin Center for Regional Studies, Frederick, MD, 2006. Scharf, J. Thomas. Fl/story of Western Maryland. (Baltimore: 1882), reprint Regional Publishing Co., 1969. "The Diary of Jacob Engelbrecht." CD-ROM, Historical Society of Frederick County, Frederick, MD, 2001. "Town of Clear Spring." WA -V-414, MIHP documentation, 1992, www.mht.maryland.gov, Walsh, Richard and William Lloyd Fox, eds. Maryland, A History. Baltimore: Maryland Historical Society, 1974. Washington County Estate and Marriage Records, Washington County Courthouse, Hagerstown, MD. Washington County Land Records, http://mdlandree.net. Plumb Grove Name of Property 10. Geographical Data Acreage of Property .95 acres UTM References (Place additional UTM references on a continuation sheet) III 81 I2I4 810 4 01 14 319 4106 0I Zone Fasting Northing 21 III I II I 1 Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet) Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected on a continuation sheet) 11. Form Prepared By Washington County, Maryland County and State Zone Easting Northing I III I Ii I I I ❑ See continuation sheet name/title Paula S. Reed, Ph.D., Architectural Historian; Edie Wallace, M.A., Historian Organization Paula S. Reed & Associates, Inc. street & number I W. Franklin St., Suite 300 date June 2011 telephone 301-739-2070 city or town Hagerstown state Maryland zip code 21740 Additional Documentation Submit the following items with the completed form: Continuation Sheets Maps A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location. A Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Photographs Representative black and white photographs of the property. Additional Items (Check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items) Property Owner (Complete this item at the request of SHPO or FPO) name Clear Spring District Historical Association street & number P.O. Box 211 city or town Clear Spring state Maryland zip code 21722 Paperwork Reduction Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings, Response to this request Is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et. sepi. telephone Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18.1 hours per response including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; and the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reductions Project (1024-0018), Washington, DC 20503. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB No, 1024-0018 National. Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 10 Page L. Verbal Boundary Description: (Expires 5/3112012) Plumb Grove Name of Property Washington County, Maryland County and State The Plumb Grove boundary is defined by the outlines of Parcel 242, Washington County Tax Map 34 (see attached), encompassing .95 acres. Boundary Justification: The nominated Plumb Grove boundary represents the acreage owned by the Clear Spring District Historical Association and includes the historic Plumb Grove house and domestic yard, and is the entire area under easement with the Maryland Historical Trust. NATION AX, REGXSTER OF IIISTOXitC PLACES i Effects ofLfsting MAryland Properties - The National Registor of Historic Places is a list of properties acknowledged by the Federal Government as worthy df recognition and preservation for their significance in American history and culture, National Register properties include districts, sites, buildings, structures', and objects of significance to their local community, state, or the nation. The National Register program is part of a national policy to recognize and protect the country's historic and cultural heritage. The National Register is maintained by the Secretary of the Interior and administeradby the National Park Service. In Maryland, the National Register program is administered by the Maryland Historical Trust, the State Historic Preservation Office, Benefits of iistinp In the atldnaf;;ieisier: .1, The prestige of formal 'recognition that a property is of significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering and/or culture. Nomination, involves a multiple -step review process tliafincludes professional evaluations of the significance of the'property. 2, consideration in the planning for federally or state assisted projects. Procedures require. caroM consideration of properties which will be affected by projects involving federal and state funds, licenses, permits, or tax benefits, 3, Eligibility for federal income tax benefits that include: 1) a, 20% investment tax, 'credit for a certified rehabilitation of historic commercial, industrial, and rental, residential buildings and 2) a charitable donation deduction for the conveyance of a perpetual easement to a qualified preservation organization. 4: $lig3bility for it Maryland income tax benefit for approved rehabilitation, 5. Eligibility to apply for grants and low interest loans for historic preservation projects. 6. Consideration of historic values in the decision to issue a surface coal mining permit where coal is located, in accord with the Surface Mining Control and Reclaination Act of 1977. . ZSsting in the National Register: + does NOT mean that the Federal Qovemmant or the Strata of Maryland wants to acquire the property, place restrictions on the property, or dictate the'colors or materials used on individual buildings, Local ordinances or laws establishing restrictive zoning, special design review committees, or review of exterior alterations, are NOT a part of the National Register program. roval of the Federal. + does NOT'require the owner to preserve or maintain the property or seek app Government or the State of Maryland to alter the property. Unless the owner applies for and accepts special federal or state tax, licensing, or funding benefits, the owner can do anything with bis property he wishes so long as it is permitted by state and local law,• does NOT guarantee preservation of th'e property. The'owner is not required to preserve the property, nor is the property protected from the effects of development projects, unless federal or state finding, Licensing or • tax benefits are inYolved, + does NOT stop federally or state funded or licensed projects when these are desired by the owner and shown to be in the public interest. Procedures do require careful consideration 'of federally or state funded or licensed projects which call for alteration or demolition of National Register properties before the license is issued or funds released.. • does NOT impose tax penalties on owners who demolish listed properties. For further information about the National Register program in Maryland or the eligibility ofa property for listing in the National Register, please contact the Office of Survey and Registration of the Maryland Historical Trust at 410- 5147644. For further information concerning tax benefits, grants and loans, please contact the`Office ofPreservation Services at the trust at 410-514-7628.. " ' Mayland CLG Procedures Afmitial (Approved Sept em ber 2004) 45 Appendix VTL• MHT CLC National Register Owner Notification Lefler ( NATIONAL fEGJSTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Criteria for Evaluation The National Register's standards for evaluating the significance of properties were,developcd'to recognize the accomplishments of all peoples who have made a contribution to our country's history and heritage. The criteria are designed to guide State and local governments; Federal agencies and others in evaluating potential entries in the National Register. Criteria for Evaluation The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archeology; engineering and culture is present iii districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association and: a, that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history: or b: that are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or c. that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, peribd, or method of construction, or thatlreprosent•the work of a master, or that possess high artistic. values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components maylack individual distinction; or d. that have yielded, or maybe likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history Criteria Considerations: Ordinarily cemeteries, birthplaces, or graves of historical figures, properties owned by religious institutions or used for religious purposes, structures that have been moved from their original • locations, reconstructed historic buildings; properties primarily commemorative in nature, and properties that have achieved significance within the past 50 years shall not be considered eligible.for the National Register. However, such properties.will qualify if they are integral parts of districts that do meet the criteria or if they fall within the following categories: aa religious property deriving primary significance from architectural or artistic distinction or historical importance; or b, a building or structure removed from its original location but which is significant primarily -for architectural value, or which is. the surviving structure most importantly associated with a ahistoric.person or event; or c. a birthplace or grave of a historical figure of outstanding importance if there is no other • appropriate site orbuilding directly associated with his productive life; or d. adenietery that.derives its primary significance tiom graves of persons of transcendent iniportanoe, from age, from distinctive design features, or from.association with.historic events; or e. a reconstructed building when accurately executed in a suitable environment and presented in a dignified manner as part'of a restoration master plan, and when no other building or structure with the same association has survived; or f. a propertyprimarily commemorative in "intent if design, age, tradition, or symbolic value • has invested it with its own historical significance; or - g. a property achieving significance within past 5.0yearsif it is of exceptional importance.. Maryland CLG Procedures Manual (Approved September 2004) 46 Aonend x VJ/.'MHT GIG ANational Regrrter Own el Notification bather CRITERION C: DESIGN/CONSTRUCTION Properties may be eligible for the National Register if they.embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction. Richland Plantation, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. Properties can qualify under Criterion C as examples of high style architecture. Built in the 1830s, Richland is a fine example of a Federal style residence with a Greek Revival style portico. (Photo by Dave Gleason). UNDERSTANDING CRITERION C: DESIGN/ CONSTRUCTION This criterion applies to properties significant for their physical design or construction, including such elements as architecture, landscape architec- ture, engineering, and artwork. To be eligible under Criterion C, a property must meet at least one of the following requirements: • Embody distinctive characteris- tics of a type, period, or method of construction. • Represent the work of a master. • Possess high artistic value. • Represent a significant and dis- tinguishable entity whose com- ponents may lack individual dis- tinction. The first requirement, that proper- ties "embody the distinctive charac- teristics of a type, period, or method of construction," refers to the way in which a property was conceived, designed, or fabricated by a people or culture.in past periods of history. "The work of a master" refers to the technical or aesthetic achievements of an architect or craftsman. "High artistic values" concerns the expres- sion of aesthetic ideals or preferences and applies to aesthetic achievement. Resources "that represent a signifi- cant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual dis- tinction" are called "districts." In the Criteria for Evaluation (as published in the Code of Federal Regulations and reprinted here in Part II), districts are defined within the context of Crite- rion C. Districts, however, can be con- sidered for eligibility under all the Crite- ria, individually or in any combina- tion, as is appropriate. For this rea- son, the full discussion of districts is contained in Part IV: How to Define Categories of Historic Properties. Throughout the bulletin, however, districts are mentioned within the context of a specific subject, such as an individual Criterion. Grant Family House, Saco vicinity, York County, Maine. Properties possessing high artistic value meet Criterion C through the expression of aesthetic ideals or preferences. The Grant Family House, a modest Federal style residence, is significant for its remarkably well-preserved stenciled wall decorative treatment in the entry hall and parlor. Painted by an unknown artist ca. 1825, this is a fine example ofl9th century New England regional artistic expression. (Photo by Kirk F. Mohney). 17 EXAMPLES OF PROPERTIES ASSOCIATED WITH DESIGN! CONSTRUCTION Properties associated with design and construction: • A house or commercial building rep- resenting a significant style of archi- tecture. • A designed park or garden associated with a particular landscape design philosophy. • A movie theater embodying high ar- tistic value in its decorative features. • A bridge or dam representing techno- logical advances. APPLYING CRITERION C: DESIGN/ CONSTRUCTION DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF TYPE, PERIOD, AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION This is the portion of Criterion C under which most properties are eligible, for it encompasses all archi- tectural styles and construction practices. To be eligible under this portion of the Criterion, a property must clearly illustrate, through "distinctive characteristics," the following: • The pattern of features common to a particular class of resources, • The individuality or variation of features that occurs within the class, • The evolution of that class, or • The transition between classes of resources. Type, Period, and Method of Construction: "Type, period, or method of construction" refers to the way certain properties are related to one another by cultural tradition or function, by dates of construction or style, or by choice or availability of materials and technology. A structure is eligible as a speci- men of its type or period of construc- tion if it is an important example (within its context) of building practices of a particular time in history. For properties that represent the variation, evolution, or transition of construction types, it must be demonstrated that the variation, etc., was an important phase of the archi- tectural development of the area or community in that it had an impact as evidenced by later buildings. A property is not eligible, however, simply because it has been identified as the only such property ever fabri- cated; it must be demonstrated to be significant as well. Eligible • A building that has some char- acteristics of -the Romanesque Revival style and some charac- teristics of the Commercial style can qualify if it illustrates the transition of architectural design and the transition itself is considered an important ar- chitectural development. • A Hopewellian mound, if it is an important example of mound building construction techniques, would qualify as a method or type of construc- tion. • A building which illustrates the early or the developing technology of particular structural systems, such as skeletal steel framing, is eli- gible as an example of a particular method of construc- tion. Distinctive Characteristics: "Dis- tinctive characteristics" are the physi- cal features or traits that commonly recur in individual types, periods, or methods of construction. To be eligible, a property must clearly contain enough of those characteristics to be considered a true representative of a particular type, period, or method of construction. Characteristics can be expressed in terms such as form, proportion, struc- ture, plan, style, or materials. They can be general, referring to ideas of design and construction such as basic plan or form, or they can be specific, referring to precise ways of combining particular kinds of materials. Eligible • A building eligible under the theme of Gothic Revival archi- tecture must have the distinc- tive characteristics that make up the vertical and picturesque qualities of the style, such as pointed gables, steep roof pitch, board and batten siding, and ornamental bargeboard and veranda trim. • A late Mississippian village that illustrates the important concepts in prehistoric community design and plan- ning will qualify. • A designed historic landscape will qualify if it reflects a his- toric trend or school of theory and practice, such as the City Beautiful Movement, evidenc- ingdistinguished design, lay- out, and the work of skilled craftsmanship. Not Eligible • A commercial building with some Art Deco detailing is not eligible under Criterion C if the detailing was added merely as an afterthought, rather than fully integrated with overall lines and massing typical of the Art Deco style or the transition between that and another style. • A designed landscape that has had major changes to its his- toric design, vegetation, origi- nal boundary, topography/ grading, architectural features, and circulation system will not qualify. Swan Falls Dam and Power Plant, Murphy vicinity, Ada County, Idaho. Significant works of engineering can qualify under Criterion C. Built between 1900- 1907 the Swan Falls Dam and Power Plant across the Snake River is one of the early hydroelectric plants in the State of Idaho. (Photo by H.L. Hough). Looney House, Asheville vicinity, St. Clair County, Alabama. Examples of vernacular styles of architecture can qualify under Criterion C. Built ca. 1818, the Looney Rouse is significant as possibly the State's oldest extant two-story dogtrot type of dwelling. The defining open center passage of the dogtrot was a regional building response to the southern climate. (Photo by Carolyn Scott). HISTORIC ADAPTATION OF THE ORIGINAL PROPERTY A property can be significant not only for the way it was originally constructed or crafted, but also for the way it was adapted at a later period, or for the way it illustrates changing tastes, attitudes, and uses over a period of time. A district is eligible under this guideline if it illustrates the evolution of historic character of a place over a particular span of time. Eligible • A Native American irrigation system modified for use by Europeans could be eligible if it illustrates the technology of either or both periods of con- struction. • An early 19th century farm- house modified in the 1880s with Queen Anne style orna- mentation could be significant for the modification itself, if it represented a local variation or significant trend in building construction or remodelling, was the work of a local master (see Works of a Master on page 20), or reflected the tastes of an important person associated with the property at the time' of its alteration. • A district encompassing the commercial development of a town between 1820 and 1910, characterized by buildings of various styles and eras, can be eligible. 19 WORKS OF A MASTER A master is a figure of generally recognized greatness in a field, a known craftsman of consummate skill, or an anonymous craftsman whose work is distinguishable from others by its characteristic style and quality. The property must express a particular phase in the development of the master's career, an aspect of his or her work, or a particular idea or theme in his or her craft. A property is not eligible as the work of a master, however, simply because it was designed by a promi- nent architect. For example, not every building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is eligible under this portion of Criterion C, although it might meet other portions of the Criterion, for instance as a representative of the Prairie style. The work of an unidentified craftsman is eligible if it rises above the level of workmanship of the other properties encompassed by the historic context. PROPERTIES POSSESSING HIGH ARTISTIC VALUES High artistic values may be ex- pressed in many ways, including areas as diverse as community design or planning, engineering, and sculp- ture. A property is eligible for its high artistic values if it so fully articulates a particular concept of design that it expresses an aesthetic ideal. A property is not eligible, however, if it does not express aesthetic ideals or design concepts more fully than other properties of its type. Eligible • A sculpture in a town square that epitomizes the design principles of the Art Deco style is eligible. • A building that is a classic ex- pression of the design theories of the Craftsman Style, such as carefully detailed handwork, is eligible. • A landscaped park that syn- thesizes early 20th century principles of landscape archi- tecture and expresses an aes- thetic ideal of environment can be eligible. • Properties that are important representatives of the aesthetic values of a cultural group, such as petroglyphs and ground drawings by Native Americans, are eligible. Not Eligible • A sculpture in a town square that is a typical example of sculpture design during its pe- riod would not qualify for high artistic value, although it might be eligible if it were sig- nificant for other reasons. • A building that is a modest ex- ample (within its historic con- text) of the Craftsman Style of architecture, or a landscaped park that is characteristic of turn of the century landscape design would not qualify for high artistic value. A Significant and Distinguishable Entity Whose Components May Lack Individual Distinction. This portion of Criterion C refers to districts. For detailed information on districts, refer to Part IV of this bulletin. 20 V. HOW TO EVALUATE A PROPERTY WITHIN ITS HISTORIC CONTEXT UNDERSTANDING HISTORIC CONTEXTS To qualify for the National Regis- ter, a property must be significant; that is, it must represent a significant part of the history, architecture, archeology, engineering, or culture of an area, and it must have the charac- teristics that make it a good represen- tative of properties associated with that aspect of the past. This section explains how to evaluate a property within its historic context' The significance of a historic property can be judged and explained only when it is evaluated within its historic context. Historic contexts are those patterns or trends in history by which a specific occurrence, property, or site is understood and its meaning (and ultimately its significance) within history or prehistory is made clear. Historians, architectural historians, folklorists, archeologists, and anthropologists use different words to describe this phenomena such as trend, pattern,.theme, or cultural affiliation, but ultimately the concept is the same. The concept of historic context is not a new one; it has been fundamen- tal to the study of history since the 18th century and, arguably, earlier than that. Its core premise is that resources, properties, or happenings in history do not occur in a vacuum btttrather are part o r rends or a tterns In order to decide whether a property is significantithin its historic context, the following ve thing tsums be determined: • The facet of prehistory or history of the local area, State, or the na- tion that the p erty represents, • Whether that facet of prehistory or history is si ng ificant; ? • Whether it is at eof property that has relevance and impor- tance in if u7 strating the historic context; • How the property illustrates that IiiThThry; and finally • Whether the property possesses the physical features necessary to conSiTIhe aspect o preMstory or hstory with which it is associ- ated. These five steps are discussed in detail below. If the property being evaluated does represent an impor- tant aspect of the area's history or prehistory and possesses the requisite quality of integrity, then it qualifies for the National Register. HOW TO EVALUATE A PROPERTY WITHIN ITS HISTORIC CONTEXT Identify what the property repre- sents: the theme(s), geographical limits, and chronological period that provide a perspective from which to evaluate the property's significance. Historic contexts are historical patterns that can be identified through consideration of the history of the property and the history of the sur- rounding area. Historic contexts may have already been defined in your area by the State historic preservation office, Federal agencies, or local governments. In accordance with the National Regis- ter Criteria, the historic context may relate to one of the following: • An event, a series of events or ac- tivities, or patterns of an area's de- velopment (Criterion A); • Association with the life of an im- portant person (Criterion -B); • A building form, architectural style, engineering technique, or artistic values, based on a stage of physical development, or the use of a mate- rial or method of construction that shaped the historic identity of an area (Criterion C); or • A research topic (Criterion D). ' Fora complete discussion of historic contexts, see National Register Bidtetirr. Guidelines for Completing National Register of Historic Places Registration Forms. 7 Determine how the theme of the context is significant in the history of the local area, the State, or the nation. A theme is a means of organizing properties into coherent patterns based on elements such as environ- ment, social/ethnic groups, transpor- tation networks, technology, or political developments that have influenced the development of an area during one or more periods of prehis- tory or history. A theme is considered significant if it can be demonstrated, through scholarly research, to be important in American history. Many significant themes can be found in the following list of Areas of Significance used by the National Register. AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE Agriculture Architecture Archeology Prehistoric Historic —Aboriginal Historic —Non -Aboriginal Art Commerce Communications Community Planning and Development Conservation Economics Education Engineering Entertainment/Recreation Ethnic Heritage Asian Black European Hispanic Native American Pacific Islander Other Exploration/Settlement Health/Medicine Industry Invention Landscape Architecture Law Literature Maritime History Military Performing Arts Philosophy Politics/Government Religion Science Social History Transportation Other Determine what the property type is and whether it is important in illustrating the historic context. A context may be represented by a variety of important property types. For example, the context of "Civil War Military Activity in Northern Virginia" might be represented by such properties as: a group of mid - 19th century fortification structures; an open field where a battle occurred; a knoll from which a general directed troop movements; a sunken transport ship; the residences or public build- ings that served as company head- quarters; a railroad bridge that served as a focal point for a battle; and earthworks exhibiting particular construction techniques. Because a.historic context for a community can be based on a distinct period of development, it might include numerous property types. For example, the context "Era of Industrialization in Grand Bay, Michigan, 1875- 1900" could be represented by important property types as diverse as sawmills, paper mill sites, salt refining plants, flour mills, grain elevators, furniture factories, workers housing, commer- cial buildings, social halls, schools, churches, and transportation facilities. A historic context can also be based on a single important type of prop- erty. The context "Development of County Government in Georgia, 1777 -1861" might be represented solely by courthouses. Similarly, "Bridge Construction in Pittsburgh, 1870 -1920" would probably only have one property type. Determine how the property represents the context through specific historic associations, archi- tectural or engineering values, or information potential (the Criteria for Evaluation). For example, the context of county government expansion is represented under Criterion A by historic districts or buildings that reflect population growth, development patterns, the role of government in that society, and political events in the history of the State, as well as the impact of county government on the physical development of county seats. Under Criterion C, the context is represented by properties whose architectural treatments reflect their governmental functions, both practically and symbolically. (See Part VI: How to Identifj the Type of Significance of a Property.) Determine what physical features the property must possess in order for it to reflect the significance of the historic context. These physical features can be determined after identifying the following: • Which types of properties are as- sociated with the historic context, • The ways in which properties can represent the theme, and • The applicable aspects of integ- rity. Properties that have the defined characteristics are eligible for listing. (See Part VIII: How to Evaluate the Integrity of a Property.) PROPERTIES SIGNIFICANT WITHIN MORE THAN ONE HISTORIC CONTEXT A specific property can be signifi- cant within one or more historic contexts, and, if possible, all of these should be identified. For example, a public building constructed in the 1830s that is related to the historic context of Civil War campaigns in the area might also be related to the theme of political developments in the community during the 1880s. A property is only required, however, to be documented as significant in one context. COMPARING RELATED PROPERTIES Properties listed in the National Register must possess significance when evaluated in the perspective of their historic context. Once the historic context is established and the property type is determined, it is not necessary to evaluate the property in question against other properties if: • It is the sole example of a prop- erty type that is important in il- lustra Ling the historic context or • It clearly possesses the defined characteristics required to strongly represent the context. If these two conditions do not apply, then the property will have to be evaluated against other examples of the property type to determine its eligibility. The geographic level (local, State, or national) at which this evaluation is made is the same as the level of the historic context. (See Part V: Hozo to Evaluate a. Property Within Its Historic Context.) LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL HISTORIC CONTEXTS Historic contexts are found at a variety of geographical levels or scales. The geographic scale selected may relate to a pattern of historical development, a political division, ora cultural area. Regardless of the scale, the historic context establishes the framework from which decisions about the significance of related properties can be made. LOCAL HISTORIC CONTEXTS A local historic context represents an aspect of the history of a town, city, county, cultural area, or region, or any portions thereof. It is defined by the importance of the property, not necessarily the physical location of the property. For instance, if a property is of a type found throughout a State, or its boundaries extend over two States, but its importance relates only to a particular county, the property would be considered of local signifi- cance. The level of context of archeologi- cal sites significant for their informa- tion potential depends on the scope of the applicable research design. For example, a Late Mississippian village site may yield information in a research design concerning one settlement system on a regional scale, while in another research design it may reveal information of local importance concerning a single group's stone tool manufacturing techniques or house forms. It is a question of how the available infor- mation potential is likely to be used. STATE HISTORIC CONTEXTS Properties are evaluated in a State context when they represent an aspect of the history of the State as a whole (or American Samoa, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands). These properties do not necessarily have to belong to property types found throughout the entire State: they can be located in only a portion of the State's present political bound- ary. It is the property's historic context that must be important statewide. For example, the "cotton belt" extends through only a portion of Georgia, yet its historical develop- ment in the antebellum period af- fected the entire State. These State historic contexts may have associated properties that are statewide or locally significant representations. A cotton gin in a small town might be a locally significant representation of this context, while one of the largest cotton producing plantations might be of State significance. A property whose historic associa- tions or information potential appears to extend beyond a single local area might be significant at the State level. A property can be significant to more than one community or local area, however, without having achieved State significance. A property that overlaps several State boundaries can possibly be significant to the State or local history of each of the States. Such a property is not necessarily of national signifi- cance, however, nor is it necessarily significant to all of the States in which it is located. Prehistoric sites are not often considered to have "State" signifi- cance, per se, largely because States are relatively recent political entities and usually do not correspond closely to Native American political territo- ries or cultural areas. Numerous sites, however, may be of significance to a large region that might geographi- cally encompass parts of one, or usually several, States. Prehistoric resources that might be of State significance include regional sites that provide a diagnostic assemblage of artifacts for a particular cultural group or time period or that provide chronological control (specific dates or relative order in time) for a series of cultural groups. NATIONAL HISTORIC CONTEXTS Properties are evaluated in a national context when they represent an aspect of the history of the United States and its territories as a whole. These national historic contexts may have associated properties that axe locally or statewide significant representations, as well as those of national significance. Properties designated as nationally significant and listed in the National Register are the prehistoric and historic units of the National Park System and those properties that have been designated National Historic Landmarks. The National Historic Landmark criteria are the standards for nationally significant properties; they are found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, Part 65 and are summarized in this bulletin in Part IX: Summary of National Historic Land- marks Criteria for Evaluation. A property with national signifi- cance helps us understand the history of the nation by illustrating the nationwide impact of events or persons associated with the property, its architectural type or style, or information potential. It must be of exceptional value in representing or illustrating an important theme in the history of the nation. Nationally significant properties do not necessarily have to belong to a property type found throughout the entire country: they can be located in only a portion of the present political boundaries. It is their historic context that must be important nationwide. For example, the American Civil War was fought in only a portion of the United States, yet its impact was nationwide. The site of a small military skirmish might be a locally significant representation of this national context, while the capture of the State's largest city might be a statewide significant representation of the national context. When evaluating properties at the national level for designation as a National Historic Landmark, please refer to the National Historic Land- marks outline, History and Prehistory in the National Park System and the National Historic Landmarks Program 1987. (For more information about the National Historic Landmarks program, please write to the Depart- ment of the Interior, National Park Service, National Historic Land- marks, 1849 C Street, NW, NC400, Washington, DC 20240.) 10 Devil's Backbone Dam Devil's Backbone Dam is believed to be one of the few g remainin q -on final dams from the - - Dated: appears -- --dams -- - height of Washington County's flour production days of the early 19th century and a representative example of masonry dams that predate the Civil War, A 1779 deed to the property includes a phrase providing for ", . . water courses, mill dams, mill pools." According to census records, there was a large commercial mill operating at this location between 1820 and 1880. At least 42 such flour mills existed during this period along Antietam Creek and its tributaries while there were 47 in all of Washington County. In 1880, grain production at this mill reached 62,000 bushels, exceeding all other mills in the Antietam basin A 1909 deed transfer references power machinery and it is likely that at this time, some type of power generation station was being orhad been initiated. Monolithic concrete dams became more prominent by the early 1900s. - Deleted: Although Devil's Backbone ----"'dada--'----------dada'- Dam is relatIvely small and may have been conshucled with unIt masonry in In 1916, the Antietam Electric Light and Power Company purchased the land. This the early oncretoos, ndhave Is been th Rely 9 p y that con etc would have been the company along with Maryland Light and Power and finally Potomac Edison Company material of choice for the construction of a dam in conjunction with the (PE) appear to all have used this parcel of land as a small electric power generation power generation plant. station and likely harnessed the existing dam with some modifications for their operations. It is highly probable that during this period the 2 foot concrete cap was placed atop the masonry dam that existed prior to the 2011 reconstruction. Having abandoned power generation at this location, PE donated the land to Washington County who,Subseguentl developed a park that opened on June 26, 1966. Deleted: soon created