Hampton National Historic Site | HAMPTON MANSION DINING ROOM

Hampton Mansion Dining Room, Hampton National Historic Site

Hampton Mansion Dining Room, Hampton National Historic Site


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The dining room in Hampton Mansion is located in the southeast corner of the first floor. It is furnished as it would have been in the 1810s and 1820s by the second owners, Charles Carnan Ridgely and his wife Priscilla Dorsey. The only aspect of the room that is not of the time period is the wallpaper, which wasn’t part of the Hampton decor until 1855. The Ridgelys kept detailed records on all home construction and improvement expenses, and this date marks the first time payments were made to contractors for wallpaper. Prior to this, most rooms were painted a light bluff or a light grey. When the National Park Service took over the property in 1948, all wall paper, which was faded and peeling, was striped and the interior was painted based on the original colors.

Sideboard in the Hampton Mansion dining room, Hampton National Historic Site

Sideboard in the Hampton Mansion dining room, Hampton National Historic Site

Ridgely, among other things, went into politics, becoming a Baltimore County representative in the Maryland legislature in 1790, a Maryland state senator from 1796 to 1800, and governor of Maryland from 1816-1819. Thus, he often gave lavish dinners parties where political wrangling was a key activity for the evening.

Serving table in the Hampton Mansion Dining Room, Hampton National Historic Site

Serving table in the Hampton Mansion Dining Room, Hampton National Historic Site

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Last updated on April 16, 2024
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