Franklintown in Baltimore, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Crimea
Photographed By Christopher Busta-Peck, March 18, 2008
1. Crimea Marker
To escape the intolerable heat of Baltimore summers, Thomas Dekay Winans built this country house on land which he had purchased in 1855. Winans had recently returned from Russia, where he made a fortune supervising construction of the transcontinental railroad for Czar Nicholas I. This estate he called "Crimea," after the Russian peninsula of the same name.
The grounds, which originally encompassed nearly 1,000 acres, now include the mansion, a carriage house, a chapel, a honeymoon cottage and a caretaker's house. The mansion is of mid-nineteenth century Victorian architecture, built of Maryland stone with wood trim.
During the Civil War, the owners of "Crimea were known Southern sympathizers. To discourage Union troops from entering the estate, the Winans constructed a hoax fort with fake cannons. Undeterred, the troops of General Benjamin Butler chopped up the estate's orchard for firewood, arrested Winans' father, Ross, and held him in Fort McHenry. Other prominent Baltimoreans ....
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Erected by the City of Baltimore, William Donald Schaefer, mayor.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce
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Location. 39° 18.322′ N, 76° 41.94′ W. Marker is in Baltimore, Maryland. It is in Franklintown. Marker is on Eagle Drive, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1901 Eagle Dr, Gwynn Oak MD 21207, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Crimea Mansion (a few steps from this marker); Orianda House (within shouting distance of this marker); Norman Van Allan Reeves (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Chapel (approx. 0.2 miles away); Caretaker House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Gateway to Leakin Park (approx. 0.2 miles away); Crimea Estate (approx. 0.2 miles away); Leakin Park at the Crimea Estate (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Baltimore.
Photographed By Christopher Busta-Peck, March 18, 2008
2. Marker location
This is the only double sided marker in this series.
Photographed By Christopher Busta-Peck
3. Entrance to the Crimea estate
These eagles face Windsor Mill Road.
Photographed By Christopher Busta-Peck
4. Orianda
Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2021. It was originally submitted on March 19, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,991 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 19, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio.
