HEC was pleased to receive confirmation last week that the Howard County Historical Society completed restoration of the front porch to the Quaker School House, also known as the Weir Building.  Funding for the grant was provided by HEC through fundraising from our Decorator Show House event–as part of HEC’s grant partnership with Preservation Maryland.

Thomas Bower, HCHS President, thanked Preservation Maryland’s Initiative Manager in part saying: “Before we did the rehabilitation project, much of the porch wood was rotten or in disrepair…The two windows had to be pulled, refinished to their original condition, and reinstalled. Also the ornate cast iron railing was rusting and paint was peeling.”

Referred to in old deeds as the “School House lot”, it is believed that the original stone building incorporated into the present building, existed as early as 1812 and was used at that time as a hospital in the War of 1812. In 1820 it was used as a school for boys.  Click here to read more about the history of the building from The Maryland Historical Trust.

More information about HEC and Preservation Maryland’s Ellicott City Flood Recovery Fund grant program and the recipients can be found here.