Bleak House - historic home ruin becomes a tot slide

On a hill off the east side of Rain Dream Hill near Wilde lake sits the shell of a stone house - "Bleak House" - once part of "Oakland." The wealthy George Riggs Gaither built the home for his newly married son George (who became a Confederate cavalry officer) and his wife Rebecca Dorsey.  As the home of a confederate, Bleak House was sold during the Civil War in 1863 and the family moved to a safer Baltimore.  During the Depression the home was deserted and was just a few wall fragments by 1960.  The ruins form a creative play space with a slide, a ramp and a few levels to practice stairs.  A small outbuilding, probably the dairy, is beyond the slide in the photo to the left.

Bleak House

George Riggs Gaither (1796-1875) owned the grand home "Oakland" from 1838-1864 (sold during the Civil War). More HERE
  
His son, George Riggs Gaither, Jr. (1831-1899) married Rebecca Hanson Dorsey, granddaughter of Gov Charles Ridgely of "Hampton" in 1851.  A stone house was built on his father’s estate, "Oakland" and probably named "Bleak House" for the Charles Dickens serialized novel of 1852-3.   

Civil War

Capt. George Gaither, Jr. formed the Howard County Dragoons before the Civil War, and according to some sources was sent to Baltimore to help control the Baltimore rioters on April 19, 1861 against a train load of Massachusetts soldiers.  However, Union General Butler viewed the cavalry men's actions differently.

On May 6, 1861 Gen. Butler wrote to Gen. Scott:
"I learn that I am in the immediate neighborhood of the residence ["Doughoregan"] of Major-General [Charles] Carroll, a gentleman who is most bitter in his hostility to the Government, who ordered out the troops [militia] under his command to oppose the passage of the U. S. troops across Baltimore. Two companies of cavalry alone responded to the call from this vicinity. They were commanded by Capt. William H. B. Dorsey and [his brother-in-law] Capt. George H. Gaither ,jr., both violent rebels who have more than once put themselves in a hostile attitude to the United States Government. They have conducted themselves with great violence and in fact are now in arms against the Union although nominally holding commissions from the governor of Maryland. Can anything be done with them? Might they not be arrested and at least restrained until we are certain what will be the disposition of Maryland? But this is a matter for your better judgment.  

Most of the militia company rode down to Leesburg VA and enlisted in the 1st Virginia Cavalry on May 14.  Gaither was captured at the battle of 2d Manasses on Aug. 27, 1862 but was exchanged in a month.  He fought in various battles from Chancellorsville, VA to Gettysburg PA then was mustered out due to ill health in Oct 1863. "Bleak House" was sold in 1863 and his family moved to a home in Baltimore.  He traveled to England for the Confederacy. 

After the war Gaither became a cotton trader until he retired by 1880.  He and Rebecca (1831-1912) had seven children between 1856 and 1875. Their son, another George Riggs Gaither (1858-1921) was Maryland’s Attorney General in 1899 when his father died in Fulton, Howard County.

Tot lot

A young intern at Slater Associates, 17 year old Glenelg High School student Matthew Wessell designed a play area incorporating the remaining stone structure in 1995.  In the fall Osage Orange ('hedge apples', 'horse apples') trees drop their large rock-hard 'fruit' - which my grandtot would approach saying "ball!" (no, not a ball) and want to play with them. Be careful not to have one hit you.

Howard County playgrounds
HoCo gov playgrounds

Best in HoCo sunshinewhispers HERE

Images
Historic picture of Bleak House from Columbia Magazine, winter 1990, p.6 in Howard County Historical Society.
George Riggs Gaither in uniform from Library of Congress

©2018 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD