Friday, January 16, 2009

Whose House?

A member of the PTAP team, Robin Martin, brought to my attention a book of Maryland photographs and verse. Written and published by Charles T. Duvall in 1943, The Maryland Scene offers many photographs relating to significant places, persons, and events in the state. He devoted several pages to Port Tobacco, including two landscape views of the area, the Chimney House, and the "Old Port Tobacco dwelling" pictured below.

The house seems to back up onto the high ground on the east side of what is now Chapel Point Road. We know from the 1888 Page survey and various land records that there were several dwelling lots on that side of the road. Question is, which one was captured by Mr. Duvall in this ca. 1940 photograph?

Jim

3 comments:

April M. Beisaw said...

Is that "high ground" or just a cluster of trees?

April M. Beisaw said...

Is that "high ground" or just a cluster of trees?

Jim said...

It isn't clear to me whether or not the trees represent high ground, but the photograph does show the ground sloping down from the rear yard to the front of the house. I know from my own experience that the camera tends to understate grades, so the slope is probably steeper than it appears. Given the lack of topographic relief in the town core, it is likely that this building was at the base of the rise to the east of town.