Carrollton Hall

During a recent open house, I took some pictures of the fabulous vaulted entry hall ceiling, one of several architectural gems designed by William F. Small in 1831. Charles Carroll had given the land and home on Folly Quarter Road to one of his granddaughters, Emily Caton MacTavish (1793-1867) who later sold it to her son Charles Carroll MacTavish in 1850, then through a series of owners until finally to The Franciscan Friars Conventual who have owned it since 1928.
The door on left with the windows was originally the front entrance.

Front (originally the rear) view of the house. Notice the three upper windows on the side for the attic.

Back (originally the front?)

William F. Small (1798-1832) studied under Benjamin Latrobe (1764-1820), who designed the interior vaulted ceilings and more of the US Capitol, 1803. After the British burned the Capitol in 1814, Latrobe again redid the interior. Small's plans were dated November 1831 but he died in 1832 at 34 before it was completed, the same year Charles Carroll died, age 95. Charles Carroll (1737-1832) was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence and the only Catholic.

South side

John H. B. Latrobe (1803-1891), son of Benjamin Latrobe, studied law under Robert Goodlow Harper (1765-1825) of Baltimore, and became friends with his son, Charles Carroll Harper (1802-1837), grandson of Charles Carroll. John drafted the questionable codicil a year before Carroll died that favored the Caton/MacTavish line of the family, and ruined his friendship with Harper. Blog post HERE

Owners: Charles Carroll (1737-1832) gave the land and home to one of his granddaughters Emily Caton MacTavish (1793-1867) who later sold it to her son Charles Carroll MacTavish (1819-1868) in 1850, then Charles M. Dougherty in 1864, Frederick Brosenne in 1867, Charles M. Dougherty in 1876, Royal Phelps (NY father-in-law to ex Gov John Lee Carroll) who died in 1884 and willed the probably vacant house to Gov Carroll's son Charles Carroll in Paris. In 1910 Carroll leased to Van Lear Black (Baltimore businessman, President of Fidelity Trust Co. and Chair of Baltimore Sun newspaper) who bought in 1917 and sold in 1924 to Morris Shapiro who sold mansion and 236 acres to the Novitiate of the Franciscan Fathers Minor Conventuals of Maryland/The Franciscan Friars Conventual in 1928. HABS

Ceiling of the entry hall

Entry hall (current front door, was the back door originally)

On one side of the hall - described in 1842 as “a dining room and drawing room, each 25 by 20; and [other side of hall] a parlor and library (separated by a handsome staircase…).” HABS sketch

Folding tall doors to seperate the dining and drawing rooms.

2015 tour of house when called Folly Quarter (note folding door on right)

Stairway to second floor

Ceiling over stairs

Second Floor - "The center hall has a domed ceiling with an eight-light oculus in the center."

Lantern (8 sided) on roof to direct light onto the "eight-light oculus"

Attic
"The upper story [attic/third floor] has a passage around the north, south, and west sides of the dome. There are two small rooms to the west side of the passage and large rooms in all four corners, north and south of the passage, and on the east side of the dome. The southwest chamber has a fireplace on the north wall, with a wood mantel, and the east chamber has a fireplace on the north wall, with a wood mantel. At the southwest corner of the dome is a six-panel door leading to stairs up to the attic over the dome. The center of this attic has a balustrade around the eight-light oculus in the center. The ceiling above has plywood infill. There are small closets in the three other corners of this attic." HABS

“Attic, railing around dome” HABS

“Third story passage, vent to attic over dome.” HABS

“Attic, vent from third story passage” HABS

Movie location in 1916: "Carrollton Hall provided one of the settings for the silent movie Mayblossom, staring Pearl White (star of The Perils of Pauline) and set in the old South of the 1850s. The film, directed by E. I. Demarest, was shot in 1916 and released by the Pathe Brothers Company the following year." [Baltimore American, 1 August 1910. Baltimore Sun, 4 March 1911, p. 16. Baltimore American, 18 June 1911 Baltimore Sun, 4 July 1916, p. 8]. HABS. Van Lear Black leased the house 1910, bought in 1917 and sold 1924.

Dairies. Ad for auction, very extensive, July 1842 -
“C H is situated on Elkridge, one of the healthiest and most desirable neihgborhoods in Maryland... “There are two good DAIRIES, supplied by strong springs; one of these Dairies is large; being 63 [53] by 48 feet, exclusive of the Porticos back and front; it is two stories high, built of stone, roughcast; this building is divided into several apartments; on the first floor is a circular dairy, Warm and Plunging Baths, with dressing-rooms to each; a Wash-house, Laundry, etc. and on the second floor are nine rooms. There is also a handsome fish-pond on the west side and seven springs near it, one of which supplies the Baths, one the Dairy, and five the Fish-pond. The other, [dairy] is 23 by 13 feet, with a limestone spring inside of it.” P4 [marble pool costs 100s to build – all buildings cost 100,000 to build...]"

Carrollton Manor in Frederick County with its large land holdings belonged to Charles Carroll of Annapolis who gave it to his son Charles Carroll of Carrollton. About 1820 Carrollton Manor (Tuscarora) was built at 5809 Manor Woods Road, Buckeystown MD.

Carrollton Hall at 12280 Folly Quarter Rd. Ellicott City, MD

The Signatures That Changed the World exhibit for the 250 anniversary of the signing the Declaration of Independance on Aug 2, 1776. Charles Carroll was the only Catholic and lived the longest. One of the displays

Upcoming Fall tours, including Se 30 Art and Architecture at Carrollton Hall. 1:00 and 3 other topics for tours. Information and sign up HERE

Carrollton Hall. Website HERE, and Facebook page HERE

Carrollton Hall. Talk by Elisabeth Mallin, the Director in 2026 at Howard County Historical Society HERE Carrollton Hall. HABS HERE

Lanterns/cupolas on roofs of old homes in Howard County for light and ventilation - Doughoregan HERE, Carrollton Hall, Linwood HERE, Temora, Old Courthouse (now: Capitoline Center), Firehouse #3 (now: Wine Bin) HERE. Blog post still in progress.

Charles Carroll many previous blog posts HERE

HC250 talks, open houses, variety of activities for HC250 and beyond HERE

Window under the current front stairs

©2026 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD