T-30

Foxley Hall

Architectural Survey File

This is the architectural survey file for this MIHP record. The survey file is organized reverse-

chronological (that is, with the latest material on top). It contains all MIHP inventory forms, National

Register nomination forms, determinations of eligibility (DOE) forms, and accompanying documentation

such as photographs and maps.

Users should be aware that additional undigitized material about this property may be found in on-site

architectural reports, copies of HABS/HAER or other documentation, drawings, and the “vertical files” at

the MHT Library in Crownsville. The vertical files may include newspaper clippings, field notes, draft

versions of forms and architectural reports, photographs, maps, and drawings. Researchers who need a

thorough understanding of this property should plan to visit the MHT Library as part of their research

project; look at the MHT web site (mht.maryland.gov) for details about how to make an appointment.

All material is property of the Maryland Historical Trust.

Last Updated: 04-05-2004

¢

MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST T-,30

Town of EaRton

INVENTORY FORM FOR STATE HISTORIC SITES SURVEY

HISTORIC

Foxley Hall ANO/OR COMMON

/.-----------------------------------------------------------------1) LOCATION STREET a NUMBER

24 North Aurora Street CITY, l'OWN

Easton _ VICINITY OF

STATE

?-!nryln.'1d 21601

DcLASSIFICATION

CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS -DISTRICT _PUBLIC ..!occUPIEO

XBUILOING¢1 ~PRIVATE -UNOCCUPIED _STRUCTURE _BOTH _WORK IN PROGRESS

--- _SITE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIBLE -OBJECT _IN PROCESS -YES RESTRICTED

_BEING CONSIDERED - YES UNRESTRICTED

:K..NO

DOWNER OF PROPERTY NAME

Elizabeth G, Proctor STREET & NUMBER

P, 0, 'Box 283 CITY. TOWN

_ VICINITY OF

LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE REGISTRY OF DEEDS.ETC Talbot County Court House STREET & NUMBER

\rn.shington Street CITY TOWN

Easton

llREPRESENTAllON IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

FIRST COUNTY

'l'albot

PRESENT USE

-AGRICULTURE _MUSEUM

_COMMERCIAL _PARK

-EDUCATIONAL ~RIVATE RESID~NCE -ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS

-GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC

_INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION

-Ml UT ARY -OTHER

Telephone #:

STATE , zip Cali1'ornia

Liber #: RRS 4J Folio # : 624.

STATE

Mnrylnnd 21601

Town of Easton Survey by Paul Brinlonan DATE

August 29 1967 _FEDERAL ~ATE _COUNTY -1.0CAL r---~~~--------"----'---~-------------------------D E POSITORY FOR

SURVEY RECORDS

CITY. TOWN Ma.rylgnd Historic Trust

Annapolis STATE Maryland

II DESCRIPTION

-EXCULENT

A GOOD

_ FAIR

CONDITION

- DETERIORATED

- RUINS

- UNEXPOSED

CHECK ONE

_ UNALTERED

~LTERED

T -3 o

CHECK ONE

!..ORIGINAL SITE - MOVED DATE __ _

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL A PPEARANCE

Foxley Hall is one of the best-known of Easton's Federal dvellings . Situated close to the sidewalk at Aurora and Goldsborough Streets , the building has been extended with numorous additions to the rear and to the north.

The main house is three bays wide and two and a half stories in height . Its gable roof has two dormers in the west slope; they are decorated with reeded pil asters topped with adamesque sunburst shields. The upper sash is rounded; there is a cornice and return .

The bri clc of the facade is laid in Flemish bond with a molrlecl water table. Window openings have flat arches of brick. Tho mn.in entrance is in the north bay . There nre two basement windows in the front facade ; these have flat arches nnd granite sills. Other window openings arc found 1nside wnlls flanking the enclosed brick chimneys which rise in the cent~...r of each side wall . The small attic windows have six over three sashes. The north ch imney is false .

Tho structure has been greatly change~ since conetruction , especially in the late nineteenth century by Oswald Tilghman. Therefore , most visjble details arc from this period. Most wings clso postdate the original house . Typically, Federal houses in Easton had n two­and- a - hali" story mnin house with a tW'o story renr ell , probably the original form of Foxley Hall .

To the north of the main house , however, is nn unusual one story '~ing with a shallow gable roof . It has a Flemish bond front i"ncade and molded water table which is very similar to those of the main house ; however , the front walls are not continuous , indicating that this wing is in all likelihood an addition. Other brick details include flat window arches and 1/5 English bond side walls. The cornice is shallow with a wide overhang and bold cro\m molding. It resembles the cor nice of the main house . Both appear to date from the second half of the nineteenth century.

The main entrance is framed with an en~ablaturc supporteu by fluted round columns and flat pilasters . The vertical elements rest on s t one bases; the porch is reached by a ilight of five low stone steps . The double entrance doors have deeply molded panels , typical of the late nineteenth century. Thero is e fan- shaped transom light.

To the rear is a urich. ell , two stories high with one room per f"loor. .rt is of bricJ... , laid in English boni: . rhc build.i.ng is covered with a gable roof , and as noted above is probably contempornry with tho 1::iain portion of the house. Indeed this portion r .. at.ts mantl es a nd chairrnils vhich have characteristic Federal period detailing. Through the yea rs brick additions were constructed along the north side of the rear wing. Consequently, the roof lines al'e irregular and tall chimneys with si11plc cai-s rise nt right angles to each other n:t the original bac1< wall of the rear wing , in the north addition near Goldsborough Street , nnd in the north wall of the old shallow roofed north wing. Behi11d tnis small wi ng is a three sided,. octagonal bay window with tall slender windows and ornamental brackets . At :the rear

(CONT. ) CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY

-

:4 ~orth Aurora Str ct Enston, taz·vtnnd 21l'i )l

-Ju 1• ox:loy Anll

o the? hou C'>, overlooh ng the garden, is a t ... o ston· porch wi.th pi rec -work balustrade-. 1 her ls n second porch b" tin t 1 maLn hous •

.lhe iuside of ti.e hou wnr, altered :in the lnte. ninct c.nth cantury. i he- original stair ..as replaced and n wide openj ng cut between the mnin house and rear ving . Ihe stair i~ of oak an rises to the third 1loor nround ru1 open well. Ne eln anu intcrmeuintes nre square u.ncl hnvo oct ,01uil caps. lhC' bnlu ters ha\·o snusagP turnings and rest on a closod string course ornam nterl l<iitu rE'C'ding· .

1wo spacious rooms on the ftr-st floor right oJ th~ stnir hall hnvc.> lat ninrteonth contury dctnils . r i window rmd door trh Lave bulls ye corner hlockc; which resem1bl c details of the pancUng of tl (I stair ,pandrel . fhc pres nt dining room, locnt<'d in t'•<! rear ·wino , und tit<.' bcdroor 1 nbo..,,•c hav(' chairri.i.lls nnd mantles •hich np.PC'ar to da.tf' from the I ede:rnl l rio.i , and windol' shutters onc losed .it'I paneled s ,utter boxe- which reoor:ible the· r.ii .. c> panel toors on the irst flonr . iclntlcs ave r~c tangulnr opcni 'lg , mnntl c h 1 vea nnd 1·t"cdc uetni 1 ing en thc­

ir'lCZt •

The huiluing 1 long empty , has rrcentl:r lC'c: rentC>d as a private dwelling.

I

II SIGNIFICANCE

PERIOD

-PREHISTORIC

_1400·1499

_1500.1599

_1&00·1699

-1700-1799

!.. 1800-1899

-1900-

AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE-· CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW

-ARCHEOLUt;Y-PREHISTORIC

-ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC

-AGRICULTUR(

!>.RCHITECTURE

---ART

_COMMERCE

_COMMUNICATIONS

_COMMUNITY PLANNING

_CONSERVATION

-ECONOMICS

-EDUCATION

_£NGIMEERING

_EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT

_INDUSTRY

_INVENTION

_LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

_lAW

_LITERATURE

_MILITARY

_MUSIC

_PHILOSOPHY

_POLITICS1GOVERNMENT

-RELIGION

-SCIENCE

-SCULPTURE

-SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN

_THEATER

_TRANSPORTATION

_OTHER ISPECIFYI

SPECIFIC OATES BUILDER/ARCHITECT Deborah P. Dickenson

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Foxley Hall represents a type of freestanding brick dwelling commonly built in the Federal period of Easton architecture. Although little o'f the Federal character has survived, the buildinp is impressive in its massiveness and interesting because of its mnny additions. 'l'he interior stair dates from the late nineteenth century and was probably installed by Oswald Tilghmnn 1 the author of a two­volume history of Talbot County.

L27/F179

5116/F65

The corner property on the southeast side of Goldsborough and Aurora Streets was purchased from Joseph Haskins in 1794 by Deborah Perry Dickenson, a lddow, clescendant of Admiral William Perry. In November 1805 she died leaving-Olis property to h_, son Henry Dickenson, including the house,' known as Foxley Hall, which she had built on this corner lot. The house was nametl in honor of Nary Foi:ley Tilghman , daughter of Colonel Oswald Tilghman and his wife, Patty Belle Harrison . Mary Tilghman married John Frazier in 1915.

In 1816 the property was sold to John Leeds Kerr Whose• daughter married General Tench Tilghman. The property still remains in the fnmily"> having descended in line, from Col. Oswald Tilghman to his son, Col. Harrison Tilghman.

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY

T-30 llMAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

Deeds and Land Records, Tnlbot County Court House .

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESS~Y

lliJGEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY ____ N_J. ___ _

VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION

NA

LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES

STATE COUNTY

None STATE COUNTY

mFORM PREPARED BY NAME /TITLE

Marsha L. Fritz, Consultant ORGANIZATION DATE

Historic Enston, Incorporated January 25, 1977 STREET• NUMBER

Box 1171 TELEPHONE !-Ir. Paul Parsons' 301-822-2706 President

CITY OR TOWN STATE ~

Easton Maryland 2160J

The Maryland Historic Sites Inventory was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature, to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA, 1974 Supplement.

The Survey and Inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only and do not constitute any infringe­ment of individual property rights.

RETURN TO: Maryland Historical Trust The Shaw House, 21 State Circle Annapolis, Maryland 21401 (301) 267-1438

P•· I IOI

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!.=lQ Foxley Hall 24 N. Aurora Street

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T-30 Foxley Hall 24 N. Aurora Street

1942, PR r974

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EDMUNDSON

404 406 •08

SCALE 1.24000 vey

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