Saving Rich Hill

[L Verge]

For those of you who have followed the Booth escape route, you are aware that Rich Hill, the home of Samuel Cox at which the fugitives stopped after leaving Dr. Mudd, is in sad repair and in danger of being lost.

Over the past year, efforts have been made by the Charles County government, the Charles County Historical Society, the county's Historic Preservation Commission, and the Surratt Society to persuade the owner of the site to deed it over to the Historical Society for restoration, preservation, and historical use.

I arrived at work today to a phone message telling me that the President of the Maryland State Senate, Mike Miller, and the President of The College of Southern Maryland, Dr. Brad Gottfried, have used their influence to persuade the current owner to cooperate. Senator Miller has also pledged to work a bond bill through the Maryland legislature, if he can get support by October 31. If that requires letters of support, hang loose - I may be back begging for your help.

I should mention that Senator Miller's grandfather and father are the citizens who donated Surratt House to the Prince George's County Department of Parks and Recreation in the late-1960s and got our successful project underway.

[BettyO]

Count me in to help!

[Anita]

Laurie, I'm way out here in CA and would love to support this effort. This is a national landmark that needs preserving.

[KateH.]

Not that many of the escape route sites remain. Another one cannot be lost. While I'm not that good with power tools, I can help give it a nice new coat of paint

[BettyO]

I second that, Kate!

I'm pretty handy with a paint brush as well.... and could at least mow the front lawn!

[L Verge]

I'm afraid that it needs about $1.5 million in loving care. The Charles County Historical Society had a well-known restoration architect inspect it before accepting the responsibility, and that's the figure he came up with. They have also decided to "rehabilitate" instead of "restore" in order to save money -- and also to avoid the time-consuming process of getting approvals for everything from the Maryland Historical Trust.

I know from experience that getting approvals from them is a chore - even though necessary from the oversight perspective. Surratt House has an easement with them and is subject to inspection on a yearly basis. In fact, we just passed our latest one with glowing comments.

Another downside of Rich Hill's situation is that the owner destroyed all the 19th-century features of the house back in 1976, when he restored it as a Bicentennial project. The house dates before the Revolution, and its owner was one of the doctors who tended to the dying George Washington; but the house is much better known for its connection to Booth and Herold. The house that they saw in the dark was much larger than what was there in the 1700s. Those 19th-century appendages actually gave the house more character.

Current plans call for offices on the second floor and a small, county history museum on the ground floor. I have been asked to give advice from time to time, so I will pass on news to the students of the assassination when possible.

[Dave Taylor]

Well I am ecstatic over this news! Yesterday I called up a lady I know in the Charles County Historical Society to express my congratulations to her and her organization. I told her to let me know when they were in the fundraising stage so that not only I could donate, but so that I could advertise on my site too. My contact is actually a Garrett descendant and I told her Rich Hill is our surrogate Garrett House. I'm so glad it is going to be saved.

[L Verge]

The Surratt Society doesn't know it yet, but I am going to suggest that they organize a fundraising effort also to support the project. Dave, is your contact the current president of the Charles County Historical Society? She is a cracker-jack and will be just what this project will need. That group has some wonderfully dedicated members - many with 250 years of history in the county backing them up - but also newcomers who are dedicated to history.

[Dave Taylor]

Laurie,

No, my contact is not Mary Pat, the President, but rather another member of the board of directors.

We know that the Surratt Society members have a knack for generosity especially towards worthwhile projects like this.

If they do turn Rich Hill into a museum, it looks like there'll be another stop on the BERT.

[L Verge]

We also have an invite to stop at Belle Grove Plantation en route to Garrett's farm. The 16th NY Cavalry did, so I think we should also.

[L Verge]

UPDATE ON RICH HILL: This landmark on the Booth escape trail may learn its fate by 5 pm today. The current owner is amenable to the donation of the deteriorating house and one acre of land, but a major sticking point is the timeline. He wants guarantees that the Charles County Historical Society will make substantial restorations within five years, and he will not budge on that one issue.

Experts in the field have estimated that the first phase alone will cost $1.5 million. Even with Bond Bills being floated through the State of Maryland, that's a substantial amount of money to raise in a short period of time.

Stay tuned for further details.

[BettyO]

Thanks for the update, Laurie! I'll keep my fingers crossed....

[Gene C]

I bet we could find some "guests of the state" with some construction and home building experience, that could renovate the home for a whole lot less than that.

These experts sure put a high price on their "expertise". And the people they hire have the same over inflated value of their services.

[Dave Taylor]

I really, really hope that everything works out and that the Historical Society is able to take control of Rich Hill. Without a compassionate and devoted group like the Charles County Historical Society as stewards of the property, I fear Rich Hill would be doomed to crumble.

[L Verge]

Gene,

Having been through this process several times, I can assure you that it does require a great deal of expertise to do a successful restoration. It is totally different from starting new - right down to determining what is original and what is not, paint analysis, properly milled lumber for the period, square cut nails, six-pane windows vs. four- or two-pane sashes, etc.

Once that is determined, then you have to find sources for materials. I could devote an hour just to explaining how we acquire the proper ca. 1850 mortar composition for our chimneys - Portland cement is a no-no. I have seen the poor results when low-bid contractors get the job (even when they claim to have experience). Constant supervision by a restoration architect is almost a must.

In the case of Rich Hill, there has been serious neglect for a good number of years. In addition, the wings and appendages appropriate to the Cox ownership were removed by the current owner back in the 1970s. Only the main block of the house (dating to the 1700s) still exists. If they are able to save it, the Charles County Historical Society is hoping to reconstruct the additions during Phase II and Phase III.

As soon as we learn its fate, I intend to approach the Surratt Society into establishing a fund for donations for Rich Hill to be made via the Surratt Society's treasurer and passed on to the Historical Society in increments as the fund grows. A list of donors with addresses will be sent to them also. I intend to be the first one to donate to the fund.

If we can mark three historic graves (to date), we can certainly help save Rich Hill.