From Historic Property to Central Maryland Hotel

Taneytown was founded as a part of one of the area’s first land grants. Nearly 7,900 acres were granted to Edward Diggs and Raphael Taney under a patent designated as the Resurvey of Brothers Agreement. In 1762, the first lots were laid out and first deeds in Taneytown were registered.

Joseph McKaleb, an immigrant from County Antrim, Ireland, originally settled Antrim in 1770. He resided in an old stone house on the property. When he passed away in 1803, the property was inherited by his son, Major John McKaleb, a prominent merchant in Taneytown. Carroll County was formed in 1836, comprised of several ‘hundreds’ from both Baltimore and Frederick Counties. In 1843, following John McKaleb’s death, his daughter Margaret Ann McKaleb became the heir to Antrim.

Between 1844 and 1847, Major Andrew G. Ege, married to Margaret Ann McKaleb, built the Mansion at Antrim. This notable structure was a three-story, 50-foot square brick building, surrounded by a broad veranda and capped with a glass-enclosed cupola offering expansive views. Inside were high ceilings, marble mantelpieces by William Rinehart, and 25 meticulously crafted rooms.

The estate also featured extensive outbuildings, including a barn, carriage house, and hennery, all matching the Mansion’s grandeur. The surrounding landscape was beautifully manicured with varied shade trees and gardens. Notably, the construction was overseen by Benjamin Forrester, who also built the jail of Carroll County. After Margaret’s death in 1851, Ege remarried and eventually moved, selling Antrim to Col. James Piper in 1855. Piper, a noted public figure and landowner, later listed Antrim for sale in 1857.

Historic photo of The Mansion

Advertisement for the sale of Antrim Farm,
1857 edition of The American Farmer

The Civil War, starting in 1861, brought pivotal changes to Antrim. In 1862, Laura Elizabeth Williams, wife of former New Orleans Crescent owner James H. Maddox, bought Antrim for $40,000 and moved her family there. A year later, in 1863, General Meade’s troops passed through Taneytown, with Antrim momentarily eyed as a potential battleground. This was highlighted in Laura Williams’ letter, describing Meade’s Army surveying the fields near Antrim.

“Nearly the whole of Meade’s Army passed through Taneytown…Antrim was selected, so as I have been told since, as the battle-ground. We saw them surveying the fields near the woods, below the house. The intention of Meade, they say, was to attack Lee at Gettysburg, and fall back to this part of the country.”
— Letter to James Maddox from wife, Laura Williams
Dated August 4th, 1863
Sent from Antrim

Following the war, Antrim was purchased by Horatio Nelson Gambrill, a Baltimore manufacturer known for building Druid Mill. He later sold parts of Antrim as town lots. In 1873, George E. Clabaugh bought the 420-acre property, which included a section of the Frederick and Pennsylvania Line Railroad. His son, Harry Morris Clabaugh, became Maryland’s Attorney General and later the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The family owned Antrim for nearly a century, hosting many significant events. George made notable improvements, including installing a Springfield Gas Machine for Mansion lighting.

By 1885, under Harry’s ownership, the estate was farmed by tenants, producing common crops and employing about 15 horses. From 1885 to 1920, the Clabaughs sold much of the land in lots but kept 24 acres around the Mansion until 1961.

Newspaper clipping for
Sale of Antrim, 1878

Newspaper clipping for
Sale of Antrim, 1914

Antrim and its then surrounding 24 acres were purchased by George Crouse, a well-known Taneytown businessman. Although Mr. Crouse never lived in the house, he maintained it and opened it up to large functions and friendly gatherings. Most importantly, under Crouse’s ownership, Antrim 1844 was honorably placed on the National Historic Trust Register. The Crouses decided to place it on the market after George Crouse passed away.

In 1987, Dorothy and Richard Mollett saw Antrim for the first time and instantly fell in love. By 1988, they had transformed the mansion into a bed and breakfast with four guest rooms. This marked the beginning of Antrim 1844’s new chapter as a tranquil retreat near major cities. The Molletts further expanded the accommodations by renovating the Smith House, the Barn and Ice House, and the Carriage House between 1992 and 1997, adding more guest rooms and suites.

The Mansion in the 1980s

The Smith House being moved
to the property in 1991

In 2004, the Birnie and Annan Houses, previously belonging to Dr. Clotworthy Birnie and his nieces, were renovated to add seven guest accommodations. This expansion was followed by the refurbishment of Witherow, Slonaker, and Zepp Houses on Mill Avenue between 2006 and 2007, adding 11 guestrooms.

Historic photo of The Birnie House