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Drury Farm, (Drury House)

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: 10-29-2003

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DRURY HOUSE / ca. 1800

ihis two and one-half story frame house displays a Federal influence in its end hall and double parlor floor plan. Orig­inally of two story height, a large single dormer was added to the roof ca. 1920. A traditional Southern Maryland feature is the brick pent closet between two exterior chi•neys. At the chimney end is a later one and one-half story frame kitchen wing.

,,-(Capsule)

Drury House

The farm is aYJ. economic unit involving many Droce3ses. It usually contains numerour structures as varied as the functions they perforn. The Drury house and its de~endencies are such a unit and theJ sta;;.d to document the needs of a fa.rs.

In this instance, the far::-i.house is a ·,-;211-built structure which is at least 160 years old. It exhi-oi ts arcl1i tec·tural features identified 11i th specific periods and regions. Thess would incLcde such things c:.s the hair .;;+.aster, ~ent closet, deep cornices, double­parlor, tongue and 6roove panelli~1g and shingled dor:,1.ers. In this respect, Drury house provides some insight into stylistic and and struct~:ral evolution in American build_ng.

T::ie outbuildi::J.;s on t~1is far:ri v~ry il: age but 2ach documents the f:::.ct that lifestyles (even far:::life) have changed. ~leathouses, chickenhouses, det&ched kitc~e~s, ice houses, etc. are no longer vital. T~:ose that are left d::ic-..wnent a "'ui:::.e v;~:e~'l the United 3-tates as a wi1ole ;-.-as _pri:"J32'ilJ a..-ri. Agrarian society a.'1.d far::ilife was not restricted to isolated pockets.

Being a farm struc-;;ure, ::. t :-.iay be said th_ t the barn has tl:is same significance. In Calvert County, a tobacco barn, ho'::ever, remains a vital structure ~erforwing an important fu..~ction. Nevertheless, in the rest of the county, b;:;.rns are becoming increasingly irrelevant a.r;.d unless adapted to nev: uses disa:;_:>pear. :Barns lilce the Drury barn ate structures designed for a specific p:....rpose and achieve an added valae ti1rou;:;h :he arc!:J.i tectural axiom of "form follows function."

The Drury fa.rm complex is a cubostic com?osition of interchanging planes and solids which never once abandon its utilit::i.ri:..W reason for beb.g.

One finds that far:n stractures, particularly barns, receive attention in 19th Century pattern ·::iooks. T~1e Drury barn relates to material found in A. J. :Downing' s Country houses 1850 an.d J. ~I. Ha.mn:iond 1 s Farme::.'s and 1:ech~'1.ics Practical _·u-chi ~ect and Guide in ~~ural ....::conow.y. 1858. Zach of these propose recta.'1.gular buildin,;s and the dia grams aJ-1d information on p&ges 218-224 of Country Houses show and describe barns witil features s-::en in the :Drury barn.

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It is difficult to pin]oint the exact age of b:~s. Because of style and mo.terials, it does not appear as old as the house, but it does _ppe .r to be Late 19th Century in nature.

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Later additions conceal ti1e f2ct that an old.er barn measuring 22 1 6" x

40 1 is actually contained within the cor:. lex.

The contin'-l.ous end-plates which r:-1eas;.L'.'e 38 1 6 11 are str-.ictural evidence

tilat the open siled and corn crib on the south side are par;:; of the original

construction. Much of tne original sid:..ng rer:iai",s, )rotec ted 'cy t::1ese

iddi tions, along •.vi t:n t'c..e doors aw.d harJ.ware. The doors have leather straps

for ha:-1dles. The siding varies in width, the widest board neasuring 16".

l't.e orit;inal ba..""11 is constr:.;;.cted of hand-l.lewn beans fastened. 'iii "'.:h mortise/

tenon and tru.---inels. The sills measure approximately n.:..ne or ten inches in

thickness and ti1e lo:.1gest is 40 1• C:ou:.'1.tins tl:e shed portion, there are

three ~;lates wi1icn run tne length of tne struct...i.re a:.1d are also 40 1 long.

The siding on t:c1e souti.1 side of tr:e original barn is not

but actually s_;ilit allowing ga;s of two or tirree incD.-"s between each board.

The shed roof on this side keeps out rain and this arrangemew.t allows for

maximum. venilation.

MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST

C\-1 m~GI~ 0 hCC\5' 3o+

INVENTORY FORM FOR STATE HISTORIC SITES SURVEY

HISTORIC

Drury House AND/OR COMMON

flLOCATION STREET & NUMBER

MD Route 4 (Southern Maryland Boulevard) CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT CITY. TOWN

Chaney X VICINITY OF )... YtJN'> CR'f £ K STATE

tvlaryland

llCLASSIFICATION

CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS _DISTRICT _PUBLIC _OCCUPIED

LBUILDING(S) ZPRIVATE XUNOCCUPIED

_STRUCTURE _BOTH _WORK IN PROGRESS

_SITE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIBLE _OBJECT _IN PROCESS

_BEING CONSIDERED

DOWNER OF PROPERTY NAME

STREET & NUMBER

Rli·ml Rii1±i I CITY.TOWN D

\lfvK1R\(

_YES RESTRICTED

_YES UNRESTRICTED

_NO

_ VICINITY OF

. IJLOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC.

Ca.:C vert Cow.tv Courthouse STREET & NUMBER

CITY. TOWN

II REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE

CLVT #1 DATE

COUNTY

c8 1 'rer+

PRESENT USE

~GRICULTURE _MUSEUM

_COMMERCIAL __ PA<1K

_EDUCATIONAL ~PRIVATE RESIDENCE

_ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS

_GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC

_INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION

_MILITARY _OTHER

Telephone #:

STATE 1

frio. zip code 20754-

Liber #: Folio #:

JLl3 63 226

STATE

_FEDERAL X...STATE :JLCOUNTY _LOCAL

DEPOSITORY FOR

SURVEY RECORDS

CITY.TOWN STATE

B DESCRIPTION

CONDITION

-EXCELLENT

-GOOD

X..FAIR barns

~ETERIORATED House _RUINS

_UNEXPOSED

CHECK ONE

_UNALTERED

ZALTERED

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CHECK ONE

~RIGINAL SITE

_MOVED DAT~---

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Even without its ad.di tio:-:.s, the :Jrury House is large but ·::i th them it contains over a dozen rooms in a~l. From the exterior, one can see that it is three oays wide, additions to the south side and rear that the siding is overlap clapboards that there are two la:::·ge chinneys ·:ri th a pent on the original south. end of the house. The attic r.,oms were pa.'1.e.:..led and a large dormer added (probably in the 3arly 20th Century) resulting in a third story. The roof has a fairly steep pitch with gabled ends and deep cornices that are typical of the ?ederal Period.

The floor plan consisting of an end-hall and double parlor on the first floor is also ty~;ical of Federal architecture. The relationship of such a symetricaJ. plan with the _t;ent closet, however, that there :aiay have been alterations.

The additions ap_pear to da·ce ~·rom both the 19th and 20th Centuries. These include a one and a half story addition on the south end,(which partially co~-:.ceals ti:le pent), a l:::.rge dor:.:ier on the third floo.:-- s::naller dormers on the south 3.ddi tion and a t.:o story addi tior! on the rear. Since detacr1ed kitchens were common _:rior to modern times, it is not impossible that the so:ith wing appears to telescope as two additions because an exterior kitchen was conJiected to the main i1ouse.

Drury House has not been occupie~ l.ll some time. The exterior is not in good shape. In add tion to beinc badly in need of paL.t, the si:i.ls have rotted, as have paits of the porch and the roof is losin.; shingles. The hair plaster on the interior is c,-acked and falling. :.luch early flooring, hardware, a.'1.d ;:;iantles remain. The hJuse ::as recently been sold and the new owners hope to restore it. (5/11/76).

There are several de.;;endencies on the property, the house was once the center of a large farm. Behind the house are several smaller buildinGs, the privy aTld two othe:cs have vertical sidi:::1g, but a:wther bJ.A.ildin_; which may have been a smoke house has horizo~tal siding. The bo::i.rds in this building vary in ·::id h with some being as wide as 1 211

• Tuey are nailed to CJ. frame of rough he\m tisbers which are joined l"J mortise and tenon with t _ m-~ _els.

These smaller buildings are cluste.c:ed behind the house off of the southeast corner ~here the kitchen is located. Off of the northwest cor-aer and some distcmce 2.wa;f, there is a bLlXIl complex. The barn ca2plex consists of three buildings joined at right angles so as to form an enclosed yard.

All t~rree have vertical sidiY1g and metal roofs, but the _enter structure has an A-framed roof with gable ends and the two end buildi.."lgs have slanting single ~irection roofs. The south side of the l_rr6e~t b3Xll faces the barnyard and it is o;;en. All ti:rree blAildings have vertical sidin.; and r:-;et::..l roofs. All three are beinr; u.sed for drying tobacco. The larc.;est bsxn appears to have been ~esi0-ned for this purpose because of the considerations given to veniL1 ion ie, hingei siding and open side ( sout:::i).

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY

_g SIGNIFICANCE

PERIOD AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW

_PREHISTORIC

_1400-1499

_1500-1599

_160()-1699

~1700-1799 ~1800-1899 _1900.

--ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC

__ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC

X-AGRICULTURI;

~RCHITECTURE

__ART

_COMMERCE

_COMMUNICATIONS

SPECIFIC OATES

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

_COMMUNITY PLANNING

_CONSERVATION

_ECONOMICS

_EDUCATION

_ENGINEERING

_EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT

_INDUSTRY

_INVENTION

_LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

_LAW

_LITERATURE

_MILITARY

_MUSIC

_PHILOSOPHY

_POLITICS/GOVERNMENT

BUILDER/ ARCHITECT

Cf--l

_RELIGION

_SCIENCE

_SCULPTURE

_SOCIAUHUMANITARIAN

_THEATER

_TRANSPORTATION

_OTHER (SPECIFY)

The farm is an economic unit involving many proc;;;sses. It usually con ta.ins numerous structures as varied as the fQ·,ctions they perform. The Drury house and its dependencies are such a unit and they stand to docuwent the needs of a farm.

In this instc:nce, the farmi:loll;:;e is a wdl-built structure which is at least 160 years old. It exhibits architectural features identified with specific periods and r~gions. These would include such thin,Js as the hair plaster, pent closet, deep cornices, d.,uble-psrlor, tongue and groove panelling and shiJgled dormers. In this respect, Drury house provides some insit;ht into stylistic and structur~l evolution in ) .. merican building.

The outbuildings on this f2.rill v ry :n "'-:,e but each documents the fac;:, that lifestyles (even farmlife) have:changed. Meathouses, chickenhouses, detached kitchens, ice houses, etc. are no longer vit~l. Those that are left docuDent a time when ti.1e United Stc;;.~es as a whole was pri:,arily an Agrarian society and fa.rmlife was not restricted to isoluted pockets.

Being a farm structure, it may be said th t the barn has this sac;ie significance. In Calvert County, a tobacco barn, however,.rem.ains a vital structure performing an Lportant function. Ueverthelesz, Dthe rest of t£1e coJ.IJ.ty, barns are becoming increasingly irrelevant and ur1less adapted to new uses disappe~r. Barns like the Drury barn ate ;:;tructures designed for a specific purpose and achieve an added value througn the architectural axiom of "form follows function."

The Drury farm complex is a cubostic composition of interchanging planes and solids which never once abandon its utilitariµm reason for beinG.

One finds that farm structures, particul2I'ly banis, receive a~tention in 19th Century pattern books. The Drury barn relates to material found in A. J. Dcwnir:id s Country houses 1850 and J. H. Hammond 1 s Farmers and l\IechE!llics Pr,~ctical Architect and Guide in Rural 3conom,y. 1858. Each of t~;ese propose rectangular buildings and the diagr:.:.ms and infornation an pages 218-224 of Country Houses ~how and describe barns with features seen in the Drury barn.

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY

Cf-I 0.MAJOI! BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

Downing, A. J., The .' .. rchitecture of Countr.y Houses, N.Y. 1850

Fitch, James, American Building: The Historical Forces that Shaped It, Boston, 1966

Hammond, J., The Farmers and Mechanics Practical .lrchitecture, Boston, 1950. CONTINUE ON SE~AW\TE SHEET IF NECESSARY

II!JGEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGEOFNOMINATEDPROPERTY 1975-138 acres

1976-5 acres

VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION

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

STATE COUllJTY

STATE COUNTY

mFORM PREPARED BY NAME I TITLE

ORGANIZATION DATE

STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE

CITY OR TOWN STATE

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

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