May 1960

Sixteen members and one guest of the Carroll Garden Club wended their way to Cylburn, a Wildflower Preserve and Garden Center, operated by the Bureau of Parks and Recreation of Baltimore City and located on Greenspring Avenue. Our President opened the meeting promptly at 2 o’clock and conducted it in an expeditious manner.

Mrs. Edgar Barnes explained many details concerning our tour on May 14th, which seem to be vague to many people.***

Minutes of the April meeting were read and approved, as was the Treasurer’s report, showing a balance in bank of $534.72. With no response to the call for old and new business and after an announcement by Mrs. Talley that there is still available space for entries in the Silver Fancy Show, Mrs. Billingslea, Chairman of Programs, introduced Mrs. Norwood Schaffer, who conducted our trek through the grounds. Prefacing our start, Mrs. Schaffer gave us a few interesting factual highlights on the history of Cylburn. The building of the lovely old Victorian Mansion House was started over 100 years ago and completed in 1880, by Mr. Tyson who was connected with the  Chrome Mines in Baltimore County. After his death, his widow married Major Cotton and they lived on at Cylburn. Mrs. Cotton was considered one of the seven most beautiful women whose portrait hangs in Shriver Hall.

The Edyth John Tyson Cotton

It is regrettable that a conflict of obligations prevented many of our members from attending this meeting, which not only was very pleasant, but also educational.

Genevieve I Cash

Recording Secretary

***From Hanover’s Evening Sun 1960

For the second time in the history of the 23-year-old Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage, Carroll County has been selected for one of the tours. Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. when 15 different homes, outstanding for their historical or architectural interest will be open to the public. Chairman for the tour, Mrs. Edgar G. Barnes, Crookabout, Uniontown, will be assisted by vice chairman Mrs. F. Laurenson Myer, Elf Farm, and Mrs. James M. Shriver, Chinquapin Hill.

Homes included in the pilgrimage are The Homestead, summer residence of Dr. and Mrs. Frederic S. Klein; St. Mary’s Chapel, in the home of James M. Shriver Jr.; Avalon, belonging to Miss Madeline Shriver; Chinquapin Hill, residence of Mr. and Mrs. James M. Shriver; the John Carroll Dunns’ Deep Spring Farm; Pleasant Meadow Farm, belonging to Samuel Bare Jr.; Twin Willows, residence of Lester N. Phillipy; the Historical House; the George M. Finley’s Medford residence, Woodside; Brookside, home of the Miller Richardsons; Hard Lodging, owned by Mrs. F. Earl Shriner; Kilfadda, home of Mrs. Earl L. Buckey; the modern home of the Robert Scotts; the Brady Bryson residence. Father’s Care; and Cold Saturday, belonging to Judge and Mrs. Hamilton Hackney.

The Carroll Garden Club will serve luncheon from 11 a.m. to noon at the Historical House. Luncheon chairmen are Mrs. John Donofrio and Mrs. Joseph Shirley. Miss Lillian Shipley is in charge of luncheon reservations and general information. Sponsored by the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, the Society for the Preservation of Maryland Antiquities, the Maryland Historical Society, the National Society of Colonial Dames of Maryland and the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage includes 13 different tours, with Carroll County climaxing a week of interesting excursions.

Here are some clickable  pictures of a few of the tour sites: