Parkton Home and Garden Tour May 4

Maryland House & Garden Tours Offer Inside Look

At Extraordinary Historic Properties

In Baltimore County’s Parkton

Talbot, Calvert and Kent Counties later in May

BALTIMORE, Maryland (April 27, 2014) – The annual Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage (MHGP) returns for five weekends around the state this spring through Saturday, May 31. The Baltimore County/Parkton eight-stop tour is Sunday, May 4 from 10 am to 5 pm. A Maryland tradition for 77 years, the Pilgrimage offers the opportunity to explore some of Parkton’s most fascinating and noteworthy properties including the 1810 Wiseburg Inn. The tour is $30 when purchased in advance and $35 at the door. Purchase tickets and get more information at mhgp.org or 410-821-6933.

A standout on the Baltimore County/Parkton eight-stop tour is the Castle Calder. While never an actual castle, the local reference to this home descends from Capt. James Calder who was awarded a vast acreage of land in Baltimore County upon his arrival in Maryland from his native Scotland. The original dwelling burned and was replaced by the two-story brick Federal style home in 1876 which was lived in by many generations of the Calder family. Calders are undoubtedly included in the guest log of Wiseburg Inn, in existence since 1810, and another highlight of the pilgrimage. Considered a complete “innyard” – basically a one-stop shop for travelers providing food, lodging, horse changing, sleighs, animal tending and entertainment – the popular inn was the center of community, politics, news and social activities. The current owner retained the original wooden grille work that protected the liquor, which was traditionally locked at night, thus giving rise to the phrase “bar and grille.”