Patapsco Female Institute has history, Shakespeare and maybe a Ghost.
Of all the historic sites in Howard County one of the most intriguing is the Patapsco Female Institute. The Greek revival mansion was built in 1837 as a girls finishing school. Union troops camped near the grounds during the Civil War to protect the rail lines from advancing Confederate soldiers. The property was turned into a hotel by James E. Tyson, the new owner, in 1891. Just after the turn of the century the Institute became a private residence. In 1917, the structure became a hospital, giving accommodations to wounded veterans returning home from World War I. Prior to coming under the care of the Friends of the Female Institute, the building had also served as private home, a theater and was even left vacant for a number of years.
Today the Patapsco Female Institute is part of State Park system. The ruins have been stabilized and partially reconstructed. It is a popular venue for weddings (I attended one a few years ago on a delightful summer night), theater groups, and photo shoots. Tours are available Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 PM, April through October and other days by appointment. Go to https://www.facebook.com/patapscofemaleinstitute for more information. During the summer months the venue is home to The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. This year’s productions are The Taming of the Shrew and Anthony and Cleopatra. For show times and tickets go to https://www.chesapeakeshakespeare.com. The past few years I attended one of the Shakespeare plays with a picnic dinner and a BYOB. It was a fun night both times, one night I went with my husband and another time with a full groups of friends (we rented a large table). It’s one of the truly delightful things to do in HoCo.
I would be remiss to talk about the Patapsco Female Institute without mentioning the resident ghost. During the years when the property was a finishing school a young student, Annie Van Derlot, contracted pneumonia and succumbed to the illness. Many believe that Annie never left the school. As for me, I believe she has moved on to a more peaceful place. When you visit the Patapsco Female Institute Park, you’ll have to decide for yourself.
