About the Blair Mansion Inn

The Blair Mansion Inn was built on a portion of the Pierce-Shoemaker Estate, which was originally granted by King Charles II of England to George Pierce in 1685. The Pierce family settled in the Colo¬nies and built their first home around 1700. Rumor has it that the original home was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the early 1800’s.

In the early 1890’s, Abner Shoemaker, a descendent of the Pierce family, gave 20 acres of his land, known as the “Girls’ Portion”, to his niece, Abigail, and her husband, Charles Rider Newman, as a wedding gift. The mansion was built for the young couple on the northern-most corner of this tract, which extended just over the District of Columbia boundary Line into Maryland, thus enabling the newlyweds to have the privilege of voting in all Maryland and national elec¬tions. The stone was mined (hewed) in the quarries located on what is now Broad Branch Road and the timber came from Rock Creek Park. The only por¬tion of this house, which did not come directly from the District of Columbia area, were the furnishings which were imported from France at a cost of over $100,000 (quite a sum back then). These all combined to make this home an ideal setting for the gracious social festivities of the time.

The exterior of the home was typical of the distinguished plantations of the Old South, surrounded by spacious woodlands. The famed New York socialite and architect, Stanford White, designed the mansion. Mr. White also designed the Madison Square Garden in New York sixteen years later.

In 1959 Blair Mansion Inn was extensively renovated and the semi-circular Terrace Room was added. This represents the only structural change to the old Mansion other than the addition of an efficient and modern kitchen.

You probably will not be arriving by horse or carriage, as was the case when this house was new but the gracious warmth of the original gas and electric chandelier that was then a modern marvel will greet you. Electricity was something new back then and the gas flame was the more reliable of the two light sources.

As you enter the Blair Mansion Inn and look about, it is easy to imagine yourself as a guest of Abigail and Charles Newman. On your right you will see what was once the Newman’s Library and across the hall is the cloakroom, which served as the children’s playroom. The family’s parlor has become our State Room with its mural of the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis. Before dinner, enjoy your favorite cocktail in the warmth of the Newman family’s Dining Room, now known as the Fireside Lounge. Opposite the Terrace Room lies the Beam Room, which functioned as the kitchen for the Newman family and saw many exquisite meals prepared within its walls. A bit further down the hall, the office was once used as the Servant’s Quarters. The building houses eleven fireplaces of which seven are still operational and has the distinction of being the first home in the area to have indoor plumbing.

When you visit the Blair Mansion Inn, you can sense its warm and historic atmosphere. In the foyer and throughout the various dining rooms, you will note many antiques of exceptional interest.

Another item of great interest is the Grandfather’s Clock, also located in the main foyer. This clock achieved recognition when it won the Grand Prize at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. One of the most entertaining relics of the past is a genuine “Nickelodeon” which has pleased our guests time and again with its toe-tapping melodies. It was built in 1910 by Seeburg and represents one of the first jukeboxes in this country.

Come enjoy yourself surrounded by history in this mansion from a bygone era that still lives on as a dining and entertainment venue you will not soon forget. The Blair Mansion Inn awaits you and your guests.