Rockville in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Chestnut Lodge Historic Site
1887 - 2001
— Explore Early Rockville: Chestnut Lodge —
The Chestnut Lodge Historic Site consisted of the Woodlawn Hotel, Stable and Ice House (1887-1889); Little Lodge (1929); Frieda's Cottage (1936); and 8 acres of forested lawn.
The Woodlawn Hotel was built soon after the railroad line came to Rockville, and it became Rockville's largest and grandest summer resort hotel. It was designed in the Second Empire style and was rich in detail. The Woodlawn Hotel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the entire site is located within Rockville's
Dr. Ernest Bullard, a psychiatrist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, purchased the hotel at auction in 1908. In 1910, it was converted into Chestnut Lodge Sanitarium. By the 1940s, Chestnut Lodge was a nationally renowned institution. The sanitarium became one of the preeminent private mental health facilities in the world. It closed in 2001. Tragically, the Woodlawn Hotel burned down in 2009.
Erected by City of Rockville, Historic District Commission, Department of Community Planning and Development Services.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1908.
Location. 39° 5.038′
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Frieda's Cottage (within shouting distance of this marker); Little Lodge, Upper Cottage, Stable and Ice House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Bingham-Brewer House (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Bingham-Brewer House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rockville Baptist Church and Cemetery (approx. 0.3 miles away); Prettyman House (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Prettyman House (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Prettyman House (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rockville.
Also see . . . National Register of Historic Places nomination Form, West Montgomery Avenue Historic District.
The form was prepared in 1973 by Mr. Christopher Owens of the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission. A statement of the historic district's historical significance can be found on page 3:
The structures within the boundary of the historic district present a summary of the history of Rockville. Rockville became the county seat when Montgomery County(Submitted on April 6, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)was created in 1776 Through most of the nineteenth century, Rockville was a courthouse village surrounded by agricultural land....
Rockville remained a sleepy town until the coming of the Metropolitan Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1873. Summer and weekend visitors stepped off the train to be taken in carriages to one of three grand hotels. The only remaining hotel is located in this district; formerly known as the Woodlawn Hotel, it is now Chestnut Lodge sanitarium (500 West Montgomery Avenue).
Credits. This page was last revised on April 7, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 6, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 46 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 6, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
