Wheaton in Silver Spring in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Harper Family Homestead
Take a moment to think about your home and family life. Thomas Harper and his wife Elizabeth raised six children in this home. Later, their son Richard and his wife Rachel raised fifteen children there. They kept chickens and pigs, had vegetable gardens and an orchard, and rounded out their homestead with a smokehouse and privy (pit toilet) since they had no electricity or indoor plumbing. Can you imagine your family living like the Harpers did so long ago'?
The cabin and smokehouse you see have not always been here at Brookside Nature Center. The cabin came from a freed slave community called Jonesville, just north of Poolesville, in Montgomery County. It was built in 1870 by Thomas Harper and remained in his family until 1935 when it was sold to Harry L. Willard. Mr. Willard's heirs donated the cabin to Montgomery Parks in 1976. It was dismantled, moved, and reassembled as part of the U.S. Bicentennial celebration. The 1850's smokehouse, originally from the Derwood area of Montgomery County was reconstructed here in 1975.
Over time, the Harper family added a full second floor and clapboard siding to their home. As the cabin was dismantled, different construction methods became evident — logs and chinking on the first floor 2 X 4 framing on the second. The cabin was reconstructed in its original form by Park staff and volunteers.
As both structures were dismantled, the logs were labeled with metal tags (left) so the walls could be reassembled in their original form. The space between the logs would have been chinked with a mixture of stones, mud, hog hair, and glue. During reconstruction they were chinked with stones and cement for durability. The chimney, flooring, windows, and other aging parts of the cabin and smokehouse (right) were replaced.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
Location. 39° 3.483′ N, 77° 1.942′ W. Marker is in Silver Spring, Maryland, in Montgomery County. It is in Wheaton. Marker can be reached from Glenallan Avenue. Marker is on the grounds of the Brookside Nature Center at 1400 Glenallen Ave. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1410 Glenallan Ave, Silver Spring MD 20902, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. One Tree's Life (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); What Happened Here? (about 600 feet away); Conservatory (about 600 feet away); Formal Gardens (about 700 feet away); Trial Garden (approx. 0.2 miles away); Composting (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Tree Trust (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fragrance Garden (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Silver Spring.
Also see . . . Brookside Nature Center - History & Resources. A section of the page mentions the Harper Family Homestead. (Submitted on November 9, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 21, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 939 times since then and 64 times this year. Last updated on October 25, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 21, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 7, 8, 9. submitted on May 12, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.