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.
This door with the side 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.

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 at 34 before it was completed, the same year Charles Carroll died, age 95. Charles Carroll was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence and the only Catholic.

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, grandson of Charles Carroll (1737-1832). 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) had given 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.

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 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


12290 Folly Quarter Rd. Ellicott City, MD

The Signatures That Changed the World 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. HABS HERE

Lanterns/cupolas on roofs of old homes in Howard County for light and ventilation (Doughoregan HERE, Carrollton Hall, Linwood HERE, Temora, Firehouse #3 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


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