In 2006, Preservation Maryland partnered with Maryland Life to present Endangered Maryland, a program designed to raise awareness of some of the state’s most threatened historic and cultural sites. While many other lists existed on the national and local level, prior to the inaugural list in the March/April 2007 issue of Maryland Life, there was no list for the state of Maryland.
Since that first call for nominations, we have featured a total of 43 sites from 18 counties. Our 2010 Endangered Maryland list, available here, is a testament to the breadth of historic resources in Maryland. But it also brings attention to the many threats to those resources and the importance of protecting and preserving them for future generations.
Endangered Maryland listings do not have to be places; they can also be traditions. In 2008, we featured the Skipjack Flora A. Price, one of the few remaining Skipjacks once so common on the Chesapeake Bay. Since the Endangered Maryland listing, enough funds have been raised to begin the work of restoring this unique treasure. This year’s listing of the Arabber Community in Baltimore showcases another rich Maryland tradition at risk of dying out.
The list also features stately mansions like Prince George’s County’s Harmony Hall and Baltimore City’s Upton Mansion. Harmony Hall is vacant and threatened by deterioration and vandalism despite efforts by its owners, the National Park Service, and other local groups. Upton Mansion is also without a tenant but, since its 2009 listing, has been given the added protection of being listed as a Baltimore landmark.
Sites from the 2010 list, like Providence Farm, are wonderful examples of the importance of telling the story of our rural past. Providence Farm is a tucked-away 18th-Century treasure featuring wonderful original features. After years of being in extreme peril, efforts to protect the site have picked up steam in the past year and we are hopeful a long-term plan for the preservation of the site will come to fruition.
We are now looking for the next group of at-risk sites to feature in the March/April 2011 issue of Maryland Life. Think about those places that are special to you and consider nominating a site to Endangered Maryland. Please visit our website or the Endangered Maryland page on MarylandLife.com for the nomination form.
For updates on all of the sites featured since 2007, please check out our slideshow.
