19 February 2000
Director
National Trust for Historic Preservation
1785 Massachusetts AVenue, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20036
Subject: "PRESERVATION ALERT!!!"
Reference: Doughoregan Manor, Family Homestead of Carroll Family in
Maryland
Dear Director:
There may be a plan to develop a portion fo the original Carroll Family
Homestead in Maryland. I have picked up several emails on the subject and
also a related subject being the preservation of the orignal home of
Charles Carroll, signer of the declartion of independence in Annapolis.
Please review the following to determine whether the National Trust should
be investigating further. I hope that you can consider this to be an
urgent matter requiring immeditate attention. Thank you.
Sincerely
Kevin J. Carroll
email: 104253.731(a)compuserve.com
FIRST MESSAGE FROM Lynne Humphries-Russ
Doughoregan Manor is the family homestead of the Carroll family in
Maryland. It was begun by Charles Carroll, the Settler. Charles Carroll
the Signer is buried there in the family chapel. It is currently owned
by a Carroll family member, as it has been for all time since the
Settler first established it. If the seeming intentions are fulfilled,
the intact 1000 acres will soon be the site of a development. What a
shame for the family but possibly a boon for researchers as the family
has been very tight lipped. The last time the house was toured by any
group was in 1976 for the Bicentennial. Maybe now it will change.
Bittersweet. . . Lynne Humphries-Russ, Reference Specialist
Howard County Historical Society Research Library
From: "Lynne Humphries-Russ" <lynnehr(a)simplegiftspress.org>
SECOND MESSAGE FROM Luke Finlay
Kevin, After reading Lynn Humphries-Russ' message I contacted Sandy Ross,
Executive Director of the Charles Carroll House down the street from me
here
in Annapolis and she told me that the land involved was the "back 50"
so-to-speak, and had very little to do with the manor house and grounds. If
you want to get involved in preserving a family relic, The Charles Carroll
House in Annapolis (where two more Charles Carrolls were born, the second
being Charles of Carrollton) then you and anyone else that wants to protect
the first home of an Ely O'Carroll here in America WE DESPERATELY NEED YOUR
HELP. Please look up
www.capitalonline.com/tour and then click on the
Charles Carroll House entry. Call the House at 410-269-1737 and ask how you
can help pay for all of the work that needs being done. Thank you, thank
you, thank you. Luke Finlay, a Carroll through William Carroll, six term
Governor of Tennessee.
From: "Susan Finlay" <susanfinlay(a)starpower.net>
THIRD MESSAGE FROM Lynne Humphries-Russ
Unfortunately, it is wishful thinking that when the only land that will
be developed will be the "back 50" of the Carroll property. I have lived
in Howard County long enough to know that when the development starts,
it doesn't stop. For many years there was an edict from the Carroll
family NOT to use Doughoregan's name for commercial purposes. Well,
since the St. Charles College site was developed - across the road from
the Manor property and within the area that it was stated would NEVER be
developed - the name Doughoregan is now being used commercially. This
new develpopment and change in the Howard County General Plan for Manor
property is only the beginning, in my humble estimation.
Let me please clarify that I think it is both beneficial and
detrimental. When development happens with foresight and thought, it can
be done well, i.e. the St. Charles College site. It can also be an
abomination. I pray that thought and foresight reigns in Doughoregan's
development. Lynne Humphries-Russ
From: "Lynne Humphries-Russ" <lynnehr(a)simplegiftspress.org>