Alexandroffsky
This land was once the magnificent estate of Thomas Dekay Winans, an engineer who made a fortune during the 1840's supervising the construction of the first Russian transcontinental railroad. The engineer named his estate "Alexandroffsky," in honor of the small Russian town where he had established his railroad works.
Winans returned to America in the 1850's a rich man. He bought a house on Hollins Street, which he converted to a mansion rivaling the summer palaces of the Russian aristocracy. Architects J. Rudolph Niernsee and J. Crawford Neilson supervised the additions, and the resulting creation was a house of Italianate elegance.
Wishing the grounds of his estate to be as magnificent as the house, Winans had bronze and marble statues placed throughout the gardens. When neighbors objected that some of the statues were obscene, he built a 12-foot-high wall to hide the offending statuary. An aura of mystery arose about the walled estate.
In 1925, Thomas Winans' daughter died and "Alexandroffsky" was bought by commercial developers. In a week-long auction, the house was emptied of its contents, and by 1928, the wrecker's ball had obliterated the last vestiges of the American estate built with Russian rubles.
Erected by the City of Baltimore, William Donald Schaefer, Mayor
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Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Arts, Letters, Music • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Maryland, Baltimore City historical markers series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.
Location. 39° 17.334′ N, 76° 37.717′ W. Marker is in Baltimore, Maryland. It is in Hollins Market. Marker is on West Baltimore Street just west of South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 760 W Baltimore St, Baltimore MD 21201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. National Independence in the Revolution and War of 1812 (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); First Dental College (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Western District Station House (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Neighborhood Goes to Market (approx. ¼ mile away); Irish Railroad Workers Shrine (approx. ¼ mile away); The Carriage Gates of Westminster Burying Ground (approx. ¼ mile away); Baltimore Infirmary (approx. ¼ mile away); The Car That Carried Ike on His Last Trip (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Baltimore.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 20, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 15, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 382 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 15, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
