Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory - Maryland


Maryland

Doughoregan Manor

Doughoregan Manor Main House

Main House, Doughoregan Manor, Howard County, Maryland (39.27952N; -77.28866W)


(A) Phase I: Cellar ceiling frame felling date: Winter 1739/40


(B) Phase II: Extension to form center block felling dates: Winter 1762/3, Winter 1763/4


(C) Phase III: Kitchen block felling dates: Winter 1765/6, Spring 1766, Summer 1766, Winter 1766/7


(D) Phase IV: South hyphen felling dates: Winter 1811/12, Winter 1812/13


(E) Phase V: North hyphen felling dates: Winter 1834/5, Spring 1835


A) Joists (6/6) 1739 (C), 1710; Sill beam (0/1). Part of Site Master 1536-1763 DRNx1 (t = 8.81 FORES; 8.21 DC-AREA; 7.87 DRNx6).

B) Joists (3/3) 1763 (C), 1762 (C), 1753. Part of Site Master 1536-1763 DRNx1 (t = 8.81 FORES; 8.21 DC-AREA; 7.87 DRNx6).

C) Joists (6/9) 1766 (C), 1765 (½C), 1762, 1760. Crossbeam (1/1) 1765 (½C). Mantel-beam (1/1) 1765 (C). Ex situ beams (4/4) 1765 (¼C), 1752, 1743. Site Master 1631-1766 DRNx2 (t = 11.23 DRNx9; 10.95 DRNx5; 10.61 CRPx1) Individual sample 1631-1760 drn13 (t = 8.15 DRNx9; 6.42 DRNx5; 5.74 DRNx1). Individual sample 1631-1766 drn15 (t = 5.74 DRNx9; 5.15 CRPx1; 4.53 DRN).

D) Joists (6/15) 1812 (C), 1811 (C). Site Master 1619-1812 DRNx3 (t = 9.09 DRNx9; 8.09 KEEDSITE; 7.22 DRNx1).

E) Joists (6/7) 1834 (C), 1834 (¼C). Site Master 1727-1834 DRNx4 (t = 7.97 DC-AREA; 7.76 DRNx8; 7.38 PA009).


The main house at Doughoregan Manor is a large multiphase brick and stone structure whose form has evolved over time. The original Georgian brick plantation house, which is believed to have been built in the first half of the 18th century, was greatly enlarged and remodeled in the Greek Revival style in the 19th century. In its current configuration it is composed of a center block with a chapel and kitchen attached on either side by hyphens.

 

The center block is a five-bay, double-pile house with a center passage plan. Its present appearance is the result of three major periods of work. The original two-room frame structure was incorporated into a later 32' x 66' five-bay, one-and-a-half story, gambrel-roof brick house, which was later enlarged by the addition of a gable-roof second story with a cupola and widow’s walk. The interior has undergone numerous alterations, but retains Period II raised plaster paneling in the dining room.

 

The south dependency is a t-plan double kitchen that was originally one-and-a-half stories tall, later raised to two stories. The south hyphen is stone and two stories with a passage along its rear wall connecting the kitchen to the main block. The north dependency is a Catholic chapel with a cruciform plan, also originally one-and-a-half stories tall but later raised in height. The north hyphen was constructed of brick and does not communicate with the chapel.

Worthington, M J, and Seiter, I 2011 ‘The Tree-Ring Dating of the Main House at Doughoregan Manor and its Outbuildings, Howard County, Maryland’ , unpubl ODL archive report 2011/06.

Link to Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey here


Oxford

Tree-Ring

Laboratory

The Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory was formed in 2010 by Michael Worthington and Jane Seiter to provide cutting-edge dendrochronological services to architectural historians READ MORE

Contact Information

Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory

Proprietors
Michael Worthington
Jane Seiter, Ph.D

e-mail:
michael@dendrochronology.com jane@dendrochronology.com

Address

25 E Montgomery St.
Baltimore, MD 21230

410 929 1520


Icehouse/Smokehouse, Doughoregan Manor

Icehouse/Smokehouse, Doughoregan Manor, Howard County, Maryland (39.276059, -76.893408)

 

(Felling dates: Summer 1769, Winter 1769/70


Center post (0/1); Braces (4/4) 1768 (½C), 1768, 1765; Corner post (1/1) 1769(C); Studs (1/4) 1768(½C). Part of Site Master 1624-1769 DRNx5 (t = 10.93 DRNx2; 8.90 DRNx6; 8.37 CRPx1). Individual sample 1712-1768 drn55 (t = 6.31 DRNx2; 5.56 KEEDSITE; 5.42 VA2009).


This structure originally served as an icehouse but was subsequently converted into a smokehouse. The icehouse was identified in the 1798 Federal Direct Tax as an 18' x 18' frame structure. The frame portion actually comprises the second story of the structure, which sits on a one-story-high rubble foundation. The upper story is heavily framed and nogged with brick and sided with beaded weatherboard. The pyramidal roof has deep eaves and is surmounted by a ventilator. The second floor is supported by two massive brick arches, with shallow brick barrel vaults running along the four walls that form an opening in the center of the floor. The building is exceptionally well preserved with original louvers, interior drop shutters, and a door with H-L hinges preserving leather washers. A doorway was cut through the foundation wall when the structure was converted to a smokehouse in the 19th century.


Worthington, M J, and Seiter, I 2011 ‘The Tree-Ring Dating of the Main House at Doughoregan Manor and its Outbuildings, Howard County, Maryland’ , unpubl ODL archive report 2011/06.

Link to Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey here


Ash House

Ash House, Doughoregan Manor, Howard County, Maryland (39.275982, -76.893446)


Felling date: c. 1771-5


Wall plates (2/2) 1758, 1691; Rafter (1/1) 1747. Part of Site Master 1624-1769 DRNx5 (t = 10.95 DRNx2; 8.90 DRNx6; 8.37 CRPx1). Individual sample 1630-1758 drn61 (t = 5.47 DRNx9; 5.22 MD2009; 5.19 ANTIETAM). Individual sample 1690-1747 drn63 (t = 5.48 ALLENS; 5.29 MD2009; 5.11 DC-AREA).


The small ash house is a rectangular brick structure entered on the east gable end. The brick is laid in common bond that varies in its stretcher to header ratio. The roof framing uses wrought nails at the collars and to attach shingle lath. This rare, if not unique, survival from the 18th century is in a state of advanced deterioration.


Worthington, M J, and Seiter, I 2011 ‘The Tree-Ring Dating of the Main House at Doughoregan Manor and its Outbuildings, Howard County, Maryland’ , unpubl ODL archive report 2011/06.

Link to Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey here


Bath House

Bath House, Doughoregan Manor, Howard County, Maryland (39.275189, -76.898987)

Felling date: Winter 1767/83


Rafters (5/6) 1767 (C), 1753,1751, 1726; Collar (0/2). Part of Site Master 1593-1769 DRNx5 (t = 10.95 DRNx2; 8.90 DRNx6; 8.37 CRPx1)


The bath house may be a unique example of its type in Maryland. The one-and-a-half story stone structure was constructed of field stone in two phases. Phase I consists of the 18' x 18' eastern half of the building. Phase II is the 14' addition to the west. Below the Period I section is a large bathing pool constructed of brick and stuccoed with hydraulic cement. The pool features a marble tile floor and a stone stool. The hipped roof dates to Period II.

 

Worthington, M J, and Seiter, I 2011 ‘The Tree-Ring Dating of the Main House at Doughoregan Manor and its Outbuildings, Howard County, Maryland’ , unpubl ODL archive report 2011/06.

Link to Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey here


Overseer's House

Overseer’s House, Doughoregan Manor, Howard County, Maryland (39.27228, -76.887156)

(A)Front cellar felling date: Spring 1807


(B)Back cellar felling date: Spring 1808


(A) Joists (4/4) 1806 (¼C), 1803, 1794; Crossbeam (1/1) 1803; Door lintel (0/1). Part of Site Master 1626-1807 DRNx6 (9.90 ALLENS; 8.90 DRNx5; 8.37 DRNx9).
(B) Crossbeam (1/1) 1807 (¼C); Joists (1/3) 1787. Part of Site Master 1626-1807 DRNx6 (9.90 ALLENS; 8.90 DRNx5; 8.37 DRNx9).


The Overseer’s House is a two-story, single-pile stone dwelling, five bays wide. Attached to the east is a one-and-a-half story stone ell with a gambrel roof. The 40' x 27' main block is rough cast, with an exposed rubble foundation and cut-stone quoins, window sills, and lintels. The center bay of the principal or west façade contains a rubble-stone porch supporting a four-column pedimented portico. The portico covers a two-leaf paneled door with a fanlight and flanking 4/4 windows. The center bay of the second story features a tripartite window. The wooden cornice of the main block comprises both dentils and consoles. The hipped roof is shallow and is pierced by two brick interior chimneys.


Worthington, M J, and Seiter, I 2011 ‘The Tree-Ring Dating of the Main House at Doughoregan Manor and its Outbuildings, Howard County, Maryland’ , unpubl ODL archive report 2011/06.

Link to Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey here


Slave Cabin

Slave Cabin, Doughoregan Manor, Howard County, Maryland (39.275189, -76.898987)

Felling date: Summer 1834, Winter 1834/5


Joists (4/5) 1833(½C), 1834(C). Site Master 1751-1834 DRNx7 (t = 7.00 DC-AREA; 6.27 eapenn; 5.82 MCYx1).


The double-pen slave quarter is made of field stone and is one-and-a-half stories tall. The north side has a full porch over two doors that originally led into two separate interior spaces, now joined. Both gable ends have small first floor and gable windows. Each pen has a window through the south wall. The window and door openings have granite lintels, and there are rough granite quoins at the wall corners. The side-gable roof has two dormers on each slope, and is pierced by a central chimney that originally served a double fireplace; the west firebox has been bricked in.


Worthington, M J, and Seiter, I 2011 ‘The Tree-Ring Dating of the Main House at Doughoregan Manor and its Outbuildings, Howard County, Maryland’ , unpubl ODL archive report 2011/06.

Link to Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey here


Laundry

Laundry, Doughoregan Manor, Howard County, Maryland (39.275189, -76.898987)

(A) Primary phase felling date: Winter 1834/5


(B) New roof felling date: Spring 1860


A) Wall plates (3/3) 1834(C). Part of Site Master 1754-1859 DRNx8 (7.76 DRNx4; 5.12 DRNx6; 4.90 HQFx2).B) Wall plates (4/4) 1859(¼C), 1853, 1834; Rafter (1/1) 1853. Part of Site Master 1754-1859 DRNx8 (7.76 DRNx4; 5.12 DRNx6; 4.90 HQFx2).


The laundry is a distinguished Greek Revival structure with a tetra-prostyle Doric portico on the west gable end sheltering a false door. The walls are made of field stone, with cut granite veneer on the west and half of the south sides. The remaining walls are stuccoed and scored to imitate masonry. The south wall has two doors entering into rooms that did not originally communicate with each other. The east half of the south wall steps back to create a covered porch. The north wall has two windows. There is a window in the east gable end. The building has two periods of construction, with Period II consisting primarily of the replacement of the portico and the roof structure, leaving the original wall plates in place. The precise arrangement of the superstructure in Period I is unclear, although some Greek temple form is suggested by the arrangement of the west gable wall and evidence for substantial cornices found in the Period I wall plates. The east room contains a brick boiler.


Worthington, M J, and Seiter, I 2011 ‘The Tree-Ring Dating of the Main House at Doughoregan Manor and its Outbuildings, Howard County, Maryland’ , unpubl ODL archive report 2011/06.

Link to Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey here


Storehouse

Storehouse, Doughoregan Manor, Howard County, Maryland (39.275188, -76.886584)

Felling date: Spring 1774, Winter 1776/7


Joists (8/9) 1776 (C), 1773 (¼C), 1760 (¼C), 1750 (C); Summer beam (1/1) 1762 (¼C) . Site Master 1600-1776 DRNx9 (11.23 DRNx2; 9.09 DRNx3; 8.37 DRNx6). Individual sample 1637-1762 drn133 (7.20 MCYx4; 5.86 MTVx1; 5.85 VA2009).


The storehouse is a gable-fronted, field-stone structure entered on the west end. The building is banked with a cellar entrance in the east end. The door and window openings are arched in brick, and the window openings have iron bars and interior shutters. There is an original winder stair in the southwest corner of the building, and evidence for a board partition wall across the back of the first floor. The partitioned space was plastered and had shelves.


Worthington, M J, and Seiter, I 2011 ‘The Tree-Ring Dating of the Main House at Doughoregan Manor and its Outbuildings, Howard County, Maryland’ , unpubl ODL archive report 2011/06.

Link to Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey here