Super cool landmark…read more As per the plaque: Constructed in 1860, the Gatehouse was designed by the Baltimore firm of Thomas and James M. Dixon. Built in Tudor Revival Style, it provided for two living units, one on each side of the archway. The Gatehouse resembled a Swiss chalet and became a trademark of the Sheppard. The neighborhood children viewed it as the home of Hansel and Gretel. A tenant alwavs lived in the Gatehouse until 2005. The beautiful Rhododendron Drive was historically entered by driving through the Gatehouse. In 2002 the entire Charles Street entrance was reconstructed and cars no longer entered through the Archway.

**As of February 2018** This place is not easily accessible anymore. First off, you cannot LEGALLY…read morepark under the railroad tracks/bridge area. It is clearly marked "No Standing Fire Lane". You can get a ticket or probably towed. There is no other parking for miles. We drove to the Patapsco State Park Avalon Entrance ($4 entry fee), then to "Lost Lake", where there is a trail called Grist Mill Trail. This trail will take you 2.5 miles into the park where it eventually meets Ilchester Rd (right near the hidden staircase to the ruins). After walking 2.5 miles there, we ran into construction signs and a closure near the Bloede's Dam. Because of the closure blocking the rest of the trail, the only way to get across is to travel down the steep woods and walk across the railroad bridge (cross at your own risk- there are active trains passing through that could kill you) to the other side where the ruins are. There is a scenic overlook in the trails near the Dam where you can get a better idea of how steep the woods are to get to the road. Other options may include crossing at the suspension walking bridge (called the Grist Mill Walking Bridge) which is about a mile from the ruins. I haven't seen anyone go this route, but the hiking is more difficult on the other side of the suspension bridge. It appears until the Dam construction is over, this place is going to continue to be very difficult to get to (unless you want to risk getting ticketed or towed). I hope once the construction clears up I will have another opportunity to see this place!

This is my favorite area in Patapsco state park, I've brought many friends and family here over the…read moreyears. It's beautiful, you can find the ruins of an old mining camp and religious boarding school here. There's even a decent spot to jump off the train tracks into the water below, although take care because the water can be shallow in spots.

Great historic house in town located in back of the resturant. Open sometimes during the warm…read moreseason. A must do on the shore.

the staff is friendly and really supportive. We only had pictures done here for our wedding but I…read morecan completely understand the appeal of hosting a special event/meal here. It's a wonderful location and just made for some great memories!

From the owner: Poplar Hill Mansion is a beautiful historic home. Salisbury, Maryland"s oldest home and first…read morehospital is now an historic house museum open to the public for free tours every Friday & Sunday 12-4 or by appointment any other day. Come learn about the first surgeon in Salisbury, Dr. John Huston, his family, and the enslaved people. See furnishings of the early 1800s, learn about medicine of the time period, and see the exhibits about life in the period of the nation's early history. It also provides affordable rates for private event rentals, and makes a beautiful setting for a wedding, birthday party, anniversary party, baby shower, and more!

On the side of the road near where Greenbelt Road crosses the Beltway is this historical marker…read moresign denoting the Taoping Castle (circa 1750). It is on Walker Road. It reads: On this site, Isaac Charles and Nathan Walker erected a large white oak log house named for their ancestral stronghold in Scotland which the three brothers had fled after the failure of attempts to unseat George I, King of England, as ruler of Scotland. Isaac permanently settled here and obtained land grants for 188 acres. He and his three sons served in the Revolutionary War. The graves of Isaac and his son Nathan are north of here. Taoping Castle was the birthplace of Samuel Hamilton Walker (February 24, 1817 - October 9, 1847). Lt. Colonel of the Texas Rangers and Captain of the US Cavalry, he left home at age 19 to fight Indians and later became a leader and hero of the Rangers. His suggested changes to Samuel Colt's revolver resulted in Colt's success as an arms manufacturer. 1000 Colt-Walker pistols - the first, heaviest and longest revolvers ever issued to American forces - were purchased for the Texas Rangers during the Mexican war. Walker was killed in that war at the Battle of Hua Mantla, Mexico. The family cemetery is all that remains of the Taoping Castle estate.

To start the young man at the front desk was very welcoming, professional, and knowledgeable. The…read moregrounds outside were well kept and extremely clean. Closed toed shoes for walking around the park is a must, I went unprepared with flip flops. The restrooms inside were also clean. There's a gift shop and a library as well. The exhibit was very well done and I absolutely loved how interactive it was, it's also handicap accessible and self guided! I definitely recommend checking out the wildlife drive across the street at blackwater refuge, we saw the statue of Harriet Tubman catching a muskrat to then seeing one at the refuge!

Beautifully done. This National Historical Park is well maintained and full of interactive…read moreexhibits. The space is handicap accessible and most exhibits include easy to read fonts and braille. I would definitely recommend this educational experience to learners of all ages.

Happy Bicentennial Birthday to the ancestor Fredrick Douglass. 200 years and still one of the most…read moreread, quoted, and respected Americans ever. We pour libations for your memory and all the gifts you bestowed.

i never knew this place existed, until i came here with my family to view the sunset. on a cold,…read morewinter day, where the winds gusted to at least 20-25 mph, my mother suggested that we all come here a little before sunset so that we could watch the sun drop into the bay together. i thought she was crazy...i mean, i live on the west coast, where a winter day is about 50-55 and generally clear, so i would have no issues standing outside for half an hour gazing into the horizon. but since this was our family reunion and we wanted to spend quality time together, all 6 members of my immediate family packed into the family van and drove 45 minutes to st. michael's to honour my mother's wish. this trip did not disappoint. even though we arrived about 20 minutes before the sunset, and it was even windier along this jetty, the sunset on this clear day was absolutely gorgeous. we took turns standing outside and staring at the sun and hiding inside the warm van to shield us from the cold and wind, but just a few minutes before the official sunset time, we all went outside, to the very edge of the jetty and watched an absolutely gorgeous sun drop into the bay. it was absolutely breathtaking watching the sky change from blue to yellow-orange to orange to red. even though it was a trek, and it was very cold and very windy, it was totally worth the trip to see this gorgeous sunset. so mom, i don't think you're crazy anymore, you are absolutely right, and i will keep in mind that the next time you ask me to do something to remember that "mother is always right."

Nice and free historic site of a childhood home for one of the nation's founding fathers. It's off…read morethe beaten path, but it's a big property. The visitor center has a small exhibit and an introductory film which is nice but the guide prefaces by saying it "focuses too much on John Dickinson" (?) The exhibit focuses more on the family and the enslaved/servants who lived there, which really rounded out the property, but we did come here because we wanted to learn more about John Dickinson. No gift shop, which was disappointing. The tour itself was very informative, and there was a big crowd visiting when I did. Again, the tour seemed to want to downplay Dickinson and his role in the American Revolution. Likely because he thought the colonies weren't prepared to go to war, he abstained from voting for independence, he is less remembered than other Founding Fathers, but I came to learn about him, and the guide wasn't all that interested in talking about him and what he did accomplish. Still, the furnishings were nice, and we got to learn about Dickinson's father, his wife and family, and his brother who all lived there with a focus on the lesser-known residents. I think that could have all been balanced better. The view of the river is lovely, and there are some out buildings and a garden to stroll through. It's a nice outdoor site, and for free, it's still a good site to visit to see history being preserved.

I like to go in old buildings, look at old furniture, but I am not much of a history person. The…read morehouse was interesting to see, and there were a few pieces of furniture that I loved- such as the rope beds, the chair that was oversized, the large loom, and the travel clock that one of the Dickinsons took with him when he traveled. The guide was nice and interesting. That is saying a lot, because I can get bored very easily. She spent an adequate amount of time in each room. Before we took the tour, we had to see a movie, that was about 15 minutes long, mostly about history. We were the only people there, and I got up during the movie and looked at the other exhibits in the room. I would say travel here if you like history or old houses/furniture.