Last summer, the Brooklyn Museum was trying to open up more gallery spaces for its collections. As part of that effort, the New York stalwart decided to sell a holding known as the Trippe House interior in order to raise funds. This raised the alarm of the Maryland Historic Trust.
The Trippe House, also called “Carthegena” and “My Lady Sewall’s Manor,” is a circa 1690 brick house in Secretary, Maryland. Around 1730, Henry Trippe III sought to mark his prominence in Dorchester County by adorning the home with elaborate wood paneling and an ornate staircase. The Trippe Rooms, as they came to be known, included 704 square feet incorporating three first-floor rooms of paneling–a Great Hall, parlor, and stair hall.
Cut to 1917, when the Brooklyn Museum bought the interiors. For 107 years, the Trippe Rooms were displayed among historic architectural interiors from the 17th to 19th centuries. Through preservation and interpretation, millions of visitors had the opportunity to learn about the history of Trippe House’s occupants and the objects they possessed.
Just a week before the scheduled auction in summer 2024, Elizabeth Hughes, Maryland State Historic Preservation Officer and Director of the MHT, got in touch with the Nanticoke Historic Preservation Alliance, which manages the Handsell Historic Site in Dorchester County. NHPA was informed of the exciting chance to acquire Trippe House’s architectural treasures. With an emergency grant from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority and donations from descendants of the Trippe family and NHPA supporters, funds were quickly raised to make a hopeful bid for the items.
Then, on the eve of the auction, the Brooklyn Museum recognized the NHPA’s intent to bring the woodwork back to its original county and offered the materials directly to the group. It was an extraordinary moment for historic preservation on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
“We are delighted that the Trippe House interiors are returning to Maryland, where their history and significance will resonate deeply with the local community,” said Catherine Futter, the Brooklyn Museum’s director of Curatorial Affairs and senior curator of Decorative Arts.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reconnect the Trippe House with its history and ensure that these artifacts remain accessible to the public,” said Midge Ingersoll, Vice President of NHPA. “The return of the Trippe House interiors is not only a victory for historic preservation but also a testament to the power of collaboration and community.”
The interiors will not return to Trippe House, which is now used as a rectory and offices by Our Lady of Good Counsel Church. But they will be just 13 miles away from their original site, installed in a prominent place at NHPA’s forthcoming Three Cultures Center on the Handsell property. Construction on the Center, a barn-inspired structure that will serve as an educational and cultural hub, is to start this year. The Trippe rooms will form a performance and meeting space and house NHPA’s offices, permitting visitors and students to experience 18th-century craftsmanship firsthand.
Futter expressed that the artifacts’ “new home at the Three Cultures Center will ensure that future generations can continue to explore and celebrate the rich cultural and architectural heritage of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.”
“The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority was honored to play a part in returning the Trippe House period rooms to Dorchester, MD,” said Rebecca Flora, Maryland Department of Planning Secretary and MHAA Chair. “This unique piece of our state’s history amplifies the architectural history and stories of the Eastern Shore and shines a light on the valuable resources that can be found in the Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area. Maryland is grateful to the Brooklyn Museum for their care of these rooms over the past 100+ years and their commitment to returning them back to their home state.”
Additional history of Handsell and the Trippe House as well as plans for the Three Cultures Center can be found at restorehandsell.org. The Handsell Historic Site is located at 4837 Indiantown Rd, Vienna, off the Route 331 Exit of Route 50. When Handsell house is closed, a self-guided cellphone audio tour is available on site 7 days weekly during daylight hours. Donations to help support Handsell Site Development and the building of the Three Cultures Center can be made here.
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