We visited the Hampton National Historic Site in Towson this past weekend. This estate was owned by the Ridgely family for 7 generations from 1745 to 1948. The Georgia mansion home was the largest private home in America when it was completed in 1790. The estate was a plantation, one of the largest in Maryland, and hundreds of people were enslaved at the plantation until the end of the Civil War. The property is operated by the National Park Service, so a park ranger gives guided tours of the property. Our ranger guide was really friendly and did a wonderful job guiding us through the house. She taught us about the history of the area, the family, and the estate. She taught us about the architecture of the house and the artifacts visible throughout the house (many of which are original to the home). She also highlighted the lives and stories of enslaved persons who spent part or the entirety of their lives at Ridgely. There is some important Maryland history here at Hampton, and I really appreciated our experience. The house is undergoing some renovations right now and we were a bit tight on time, so we weren't able to explore the grounds (I think you can visit the slave quarters, cemetery, and more on the grounds), so I'd like to go back and explore more of the site's history. As an NPS property, it's free to visit and tour and definitely worth checking out. It's history hidden in plain sight - you've probably driven past it many times without stopping by! read more

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We went on the 1 hour tour inside the house and were amazed by the renovation and details of the estate. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and answered our questions. I would recommend getting tickets to tour the house. We went last year and were only able to walk the grounds. Tickets are only $1 at recreation.gov. read more

Hampton National Historic Site - Hampton house - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Towson, Maryland

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We came across this place while traveling in the area and decided to check it out. I'd never heard of it before, but we were pleasantly surprised. We arrivedin the late afternoon, but because they close at 4, we could not visit the inside of the mansion. However, we were free to wander around the grounds. It had some nicely designed gardens in back; I enjoyed them but they would have been much nicer to see if we'd come a month later and plants and flowers were in bloom. We learned a little about the history of the mansion from the signs on the property. Also the man who runs the visitor center was very nice and made sure we had everything we needed. I only give it 4 stars because I wasnt able to see the inside; that aside, our visit couldnt have gone any better. read more

Hampton National Historic Site - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Towson, Maryland

Hampton National Historic Site is a beautiful and well-preserved site, but it was almost empty, and at first it was unclear why. When we arrived at the visitor center at about 10:30, we were told that we "just missed" the 10 am tour, but they would open the barn across the street at 11 am and give us the next tour at 1 pm. As the site was empty, it would have been possible to re-arrange the schedule. There was no admission fee, so we felt it would be wise to stick around. When the ranger ominously said the "language on the signage" was "no longer how they discussed the site" there was an air of concern. The signage seemed to be more focused on facts related to all the people that lived here. We were told that individuals were concerned about taking photos and posting them on social media because a crime may have been committed at the site in the 1850s. While the evidence of that crime was not conclusive, NPS prefers to imply that the crime did occur. This is part of the overall transformation of a site that was preserved because of the unique architecture of the home to a site that they want to be about something different. The 1:00 PM Tour started promptly with us as the only visitors. Because the site passed to NPS shortly after the family sold the house, the rooms included many original artifacts, providing an incredible feeling of authenticity. Although we were the only ones on the tour, we could not visit the well-preserved and furnished rooms on the second floor because they were not accessible under the standards of the ADA. While the historical significance of the Ridgley home is its architecture, the tour offers much more information about the people that lived there. Our guide offered a perspective that was shaped by current social and political trends, often finding many complaints about the previous owners and their status in 19th Century Maryland. The house tour provides many additional stories about the house's inhabitants that often are based on pure speculation by the guide. While some visitors will like this approach, others with more knowledge of 19th century American history will find some of the discussion on the tour distracting. The fact that such a significant historical site is not more popular could be due to the new interpretation offered by its guides. I think this is still an important site to be preserved and hope in the future they work out some of the current rough edges and present the good and the bad that happened at the site instead of speculation from NPS and its rangers. read more

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I came across the Hampton National Historic Site while driving by the area and seeing it pop up on my maps. I am so glad I did because it was such a beautiful site to explore. Seeing all the buildings with historical information about the plantation was just so fascinating and led us on a magnificent walk with our poooch. I definitely recommend taking time to go to the cemetery, it's not anything spectacular but it was such a nice peaceful area even though after 10 minutes my dog was ready to leave. I guess she wasn't getting along with the spirits there lol. Overall, if you live nearby I definitely would come check it out read more

Hampton National Historic Site - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Towson, Maryland

What an amazing beautiful site. If you're ever near there, you should absolutely stop in. It's free to tour and it's absolutely wonderful. If you're really lucky Heidi, who was amazing will be your tour guide! read more

Pleasant national historic site. Grounds are relatively well maintained and large so you get a pleasant walk in at the park. Well done interpretive content. Decent junior ranger program. Doesn't represent a particularly influence event in American history but is preserving an era. Not a destination park but worth checking out if in area. read more

Great place to get some fresh air and let kids explore! We have been twice this fall and it's almost completely empty during the week. There are lots of area to explore and let kids run free. read more

Hampton National Historic Site - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Towson, Maryland

(Now I will preface this review by saying that I'm a wonkish dork when it comes to just about anything relating to Colonial Era history so for me this place is five stars. To somebody who does not feel the same way it's more likely Hampton will come off a bit dry and boring to you. Maybe closer to three stars.) If you come to Hampton here's what you got: Hours: The grounds are open daily from 8:30-5 BUT if you would like to tour either the main mansion or the lower house they are only open Friday-Sunday from 10-4. (Thanks Sequester!) Past that this location has no ranger coverage Monday-Thursday and even when they are open it's only possible because of volunteers that supplement the rangers to staff the small gift shop and visitor's center area. Location: Hampton is very easy to find right off of 695. Worth noting is that right now their largest parking lot is torn up due to construction and nearest the mansion they only have maybe space for twenty cars. Past that and for any buses I guess you would have to park at the lower house on the other side of Hampton Lane. To Do: Check http://www.nps.gov/hamp/planyourvisit/hours.htm for the current tour schedules as they do change during the year. They also supposedly have special events that go on during the year although I question how well they are promoted seeing as according to their website one was scheduled to take place on the 18th and not a single person or sign mentioned it. They also offer the Junior Ranger Program but apparently at this time they do not have books for all three age levels so you might want to print them out from their website before leaving home or else............ Overall the main gist of Hampton is to show you how both sides lived. On one hand you see the mansion where the Ridgely family lived and across the street you can see the slaves quarters that remind you how their lifestyle was possible and how the story of economic and moral change happened that made forced servitude in the United States obsolete. If you keep an open mind to try and see everything you can spend a good 1/2 day here easily between all of the buildings, the gardens, the still active family cemetery and below ground ice house. read more

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A great way to spend the afternoon. This place takes a lot of time to walk through and appreciate. I would definitely recommend taking the guided tour of the mansion, it was fantastic. The furnishings, artwork and interior are exquisite. The tour guide was great and very knowledgeable. Make sure to spend time walking the rest of the grounds to get the full effect. Don't forget to hit the family cemetery, greenhouses, gardens and the other buildings on the property. I didn't even know this place existed before I picked up a national park passport! read more

Hampton National Historic Site - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Towson, Maryland

We did the tour of the Overseer house and slave (enslaved) quarters. First, the reviews here on Yelp emphasize how nice and tranquil the grounds are, and they are. But this family OWNED HUMANS AND FORCED THEM TO WORK THE LAND! Our guide, Anokwale Ananessemfo, was/is amazing. A true educator. I highly recommend this tour. read more

Once again finding ourselves bored in Charm City, we randomly discovered Hampton as a place of interest. We were surprised to find it so well hidden within the residential area. Not knowing the history or what to expect we waited for the next tour inside the warm visitor's center and watched a short introduction video. Soon after, our tour began with our guide Carol leading the way. Let's just get this out of the way: She's awesome. Carol walked us through each room in engaging style--telling us of the stories and secrets the house holds within its tired walls. She's incredibly knowledgeable and welcomed the dozens of questions our tour group threw at her. She made what would have been an otherwise same old dull walking tour a fun, interesting, and educational experience. As for the house itself, the rooms and history are interesting to see and discover, though perhaps a little creepy. At one point, a couple of the historical pieces appeared to be shaking despite little to no movement near the exhibit... All in all, a worthwhile little trip through history if you're looking for something a bit off the beaten path. read more

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Wow! What a gem. Gorgeous, HUGE grounds and a very interesting tour! Highly recommend this place as a day trip. It has something for everyone. History, beautiful landscaping, amazing ornamental gardens... And our tour guide Carol White was superb. The tour had a pretty large bunch of people and she engaged everyone, and involved the kids! We were hanging on her every word. She was so thorough and knew so much. Several others in the group must have felt the same because I overheard a woman saying that this was by far the best tour guide she'd ever had. Hardly anyone had questions because Carol knew so much that she basically gave us the info before we could ask. It probably sounds like Carol paid me to write this review Take the tour!! So worth your time. read more

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I am a frequent visitor to the Baltimore area but never heard of Hampton NHS until my most recent visit. One of the rangers there said something about the difficulty about not having a famous name attached to your historic home - I disagree. The staff have done a great job interpreting the life of a very well-to-do family (even if they're a generic one) and showing off the splendor of their mansion. The rooms are ridiculously Victorian, the visual equivalent of the number of clowns packed into a clown car, and definitely gaudy. Outside the house, literally across the street, they also interpret the other side of life at Hampton. The story of enslaved people at the site is told in a sincere, informative way; I never felt that they were catering to political correctness but only recognizing an important reality. Great staff, great experience - I'd probably go back to make sure I caught it all. read more

Breathtaking gardens. So much splendor here. Peaceful, tranquil. It's the only place where I can just sit for hours and look beyond, never getting bored with the beautiful surroundings, wiggling my toes in the cool grass. The dew looked like sparkling jewels, within the blades of grass. This place is worth the schlep, for some peace and peace of mind. read more

My family had an amazing visit to this site. Dave, the park Ranger had some great history to tell us and was incredibly friendly! The plantation is small but has some serious historical significance. read more

Hampton National Historic Site - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Towson, Maryland

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Tucked away right off the Dulaney Valley exit in Towson, you would never know this little historical goldmine existed. Apparently, only 1 family owned it until it became an National Historic site which has allowed for mostly original everything. The family was one of the wealthiest in the US during the 1800s and owned more human beings than any during the same time period. The tour guide we had was super knowledgable, with degrees etc, and had answers for anything you asked. after exploring the house, you can walk the expansive grounds to the family's farmhouses, dairy, etc. a wonderful way to spend a day! read more

It's a restored and maintained mansion and grounds. Probably not something that you can make a day of, but a tour and a little walking around outside will leave you with an enjoyable 2-3 hour trip. They don't charge for entry or the guided tours, but they are scheduled to start at certain times so be prepared. I also recommend finding the below ground storage area outside where they kept the ice and perishable goods. Its interesting to go from a hot summer day to a chilly dark bunker after only a few short flights of stairs. read more

Great upkeep of the out door grounds, exhibits are clearly marked including history, great outdoor event for the entire family, if walking is not an issue. Dont miss the Mansion tour. read more

I've lived near Towson for many years and never really new this little treasure was there...until I was invited to a holiday celebration that a friend knew about. Around the holidays they have a great tour/celebration where you get to learn about the Hampton mansion and enjoy snacks and period music (and costumes). It was really a lovely time and great way to experience some history! Not sure when this celebration takes place in 2013....but keep your eyes peeled if you're looking for something different to try! read more

We arrived shortly after the last tour ended, which we knew this coming in. We went to the visitor center to get our passport books stamped and get information. We entered the building and Ranger Mitchell was sitting at the desk with ear buds in his ears and playing a game on his phone. He never once looked up or said a word to us. He had to see us because we stamped our books right in front of him. I got his attention and asked how we got to the mansion. He rudely said, "There are no more tours." I said, I didn't ask you about tours, I asked directions to the house. He began telling us we could drive by it and go see if the lower house was open. I asked if were allowed to get out and look at the house, he said I guess so. I have never been treated so rudely by any park employee or volunteer. To make matters worse, we got to the mansion and the door was open. I walked in to simply ask a question and was "greeted" by another rude employee/volunteer who told me basically to get out that there are no more tours. A visitor who had just finished the tour gave us a brief history of the structure and showed us a couple interesting areas of the property. Thank goodness for someone who still has some sense and is more professional than those park employees/volunteers. read more

This place is straight out from a scene in Pride and Prejudice. My friend had no idea that this was in her backyard and I'm glad she was told to visit. We did the hour long tour (you can only see the inside via a tour) and there was quite a bit of information. If I remember correctly, about 90 percent of the items in the manor are original, which is astounding. It was really neat to learn about the Ridgely family, how the Georgian architecture saved this place from being demolished, and its connection with the first director of the National Gallery of Art. There is quite a bit of walking, but well worth it. Wish we could see the cupola. The flowers in the garden were not in bloom, but still beautiful. Highly recommend listening to the ranger's talk outside, in addition to the inside tour. There is a magnificent, massive tree by the entrance (forgot what kind it is). Wish I had a SLR camera with me. All in all, plan to spend about 2.5 hours. Parking and admission is free. read more

First time visitor even though I've lived in the area most of my life. Enjoyed the house tour and learned a lot about local history. Lovely grounds. read more

I'm a history buff, this place is lame, the stories are not that interesting and you don't get to see but a few special rooms in the house.