Crowning The Gravelly Hill... Part 1

Every once in a while, you get to study a community, from its development, through its construction and then on to where it stands today. I've decided to take a look at one such community in the northern reaches of Baltimore. I shall get to the infrastructure which was built to support this community, but for now, I shall look at the homes. I hope you enjoy.

Residence of John M. Palmer, Esq. - 329 Hawthorne Road

329 Hawthorne Road in 2016

John M. Palmer, Esq. bought this lot on May 29, 1893 for $2500 from the Roland Park Company. This residence was designed by Wyatt & Nolting of Baltimore and built by the Roland Park Company between May 1893 and May 1896

Palmer was a partner in Palmer, Harvey & Company, a wholesale fruit and fancy groceries company located at 113-115 Cheapside. He was also a founding member of the Roland Park Presbyterian Church.

The design shows a unique treatment for an all shingled house. Its shingles are laid in projecting tri-courses, relieving the straight lines of the building, otherwise only broken by the slightly projecting bays and gabled porches. The entrance gable, supported by slender turned columns, is plastered, and decorated with a composition ornament. The main roof is gabled, and well broken in front by three dormer windows. The foundation is of rock-faced local stone. The exterior framework above this underpinning is sheathed, papered, shingled (as mentioned above), and originally allowed to weather finish. The roof was originally similarly treated. The trimming color is cream. The shutters which originally graced the house were dark green. The chimney  is of brick and cement capped. Dimensions: Front, 46'2", exclusive of porch projections; side, 37'1" including rear but not the front porch or bay projections. Heights: cellar, 7'6"; first story, 9'3"; second, 8'7"; attic, 7'8". The entrance door opens into a central hall, with a staircase of easy rise at the end, having square newel and four straight balusters to the tread, with seat at the side. Pocket doors (originally painted in white enamel) lead to the parlor and library. The dining room, with a flat arch leading to a nook, with a closet to its side, has fireplace, faced with burnt Sienna tiles and topped with a mantle. Other fireplaces in the house are also tiled, and have mantles of neat design. The butler's pantry is provided with a closet, dressers and a sink. A passage leads to the kitchen which was originally fitted with the with usual fixtures. The finish in the house, except where otherwise noted, is cypress. the second floor is divided into four chambers, all with closets, two with fireplaces, and principal one with a large dressing room. The bathroom was provided with the best fixtures and featured exposed plumbing. A linen room with built in shelving was also on the second floor. The attic has one large, two smaller bedrooms, and hall, all finished off. The entire cellar is cemented, and contained the laundry, heating apparatus, and fuel storage, etc.

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