Tag: Stone Hill

Photos: Greater Hampden Heritage Alliance tour of Stone Hill

This past weekend was a lovely day for the Greater Hampden Heritage Alliance walking tour of Stone Hill. Thanks to Nathan Dennies for leading the tour, Baltimore Heritage board member Mark Thistle for opening up his home (the summer home of Elisha Tyson) and to everyone who attended!

Explore Stone Hill and more Hampden area landmarks with the Greater Hampden Heritage Alliance self-guided walking tour brochure available at shops on the Avenue including Trohv, Sprout, Sixteen Tons, Hampden Junque, Choux Cafe, Zensations, and Bazaar.

2010 Preservation Awards: Elisha Tyson House

Image courtesy Mark Thistel
Image courtesy Mark Thistel

Originally the summer home of industrialist and abolitionist Elisha Tyson in the early 1800s, 732 Pacific Street is a classic Federal style house built with native granite two feet thick. Among many other accomplishments, Tyson helped finance the very profitable Falls Road Turnpike in 1805 and reportedly established safe houses for runaway slaves along the route. The building on Pacific Street was later owned by the Mount Vernon Mill Company and used as a superintendent’s house for the mill complex. Robyn Lyles and Mark Thistle (also a Baltimore Heritage board member) purchased the house in 2005 and finished renovations in 2009. The rehab project included archeology work by the University of Maryland, painstakingly saving windows including the original antique glass, and disassembling and reassembling the porch to save the original materials. 13,000 hours of work later, the finished product is a masterpiece of historic preservation.

The award goes to owners Robyn Lyles and Mark Thistle, SMG Architects, and contractor Traditional Builders. For more information check out this great feature in Urbanite Magazine with a slideshow on the house and a profile on Elisha Tyson. You can also enjoy a few photos from our recent Behind the Scenes Tour of Mount Vernon Mill No. 1, just around the corner from the Elisha Tyson House.
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Behind the Scenes Tour of the Mount Vernon Mill

Image courtesy Baltimore County Public Library

In the 19th century, Baltimore was the world’s leading supplier of cotton duck, a material that was used in items from uniforms and tents to sailcloth and parachutes. Much of it was made at a sprawling complex of mill buildings collectively called the Mount Vernon Mill. Our host, Terra Nova Ventures, has cleaned out the Mount Vernon Mill No. 1 building and is about to embark on a massive historic restoration and reuse project. Please join us on a “before rehab” tour of this great historic industrial space.

Tour Information

Date:   Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Time:   5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Place:  Mount Vernon Mill (2980 – 3000 Falls Road, Baltimore 21211)
The building is on Falls Road just north of Wyman Park Drive and the Stieff Silver Building
Cost:   $15 (includes wine and cheese reception)
Registration: Click Here to Register.

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