Fairfield Farm is a historic farm located near Ellicott City, now Columbia in Howard County, Maryland, United States.
| Fairfield Farm | |
|---|---|
  Location of Fairfield Farm in Maryland | |
| Nearest city | Columbia, Maryland |
| Coordinates | 39°13′52″N 76°51′35″W / 39.23111°N 76.85972°W |
| Architectural style(s) | Stone |
Fairfield farm was a 200-acre farm at the crossroads community of Columbia. The main house on Clarksville Pike (Route 108) was a three-story Victorian with wraparound porches and a Mansard roof. In the 1920s it was the home to Mr. and Mrs. John Lawrence Clark (1853-1924) who also operated a supply store in Ellicott City, becoming the hub of social activity in Howard County.[1] John Clark was on the board for the Ellicott City and Clarksville Turnpike Company, which operated and maintained a road that fronted Fairfield.[2] Their son James Clark, born and married on the farm, would become a prominent Circuit Court Judge, and their grandson James Clark, Jr., became a prominent state senator.[3]
During World War II, the farm was managed by George and Corinne (Clark) Bayless. A tower was installed where the Columbia Presbyterian Church resides today and manned in four hour shifts to look for enemy aircraft.[4] After the war, George Bayless agreed to manage the family farm for life in exchange for on half share of the estate, but rented it out to his brother in-law to farm.[5] A day prior to the death of his mother, the terms were changed sparking a legal battle over percentage of ownership. In 1958, a court of appeals ordered the farm sold, delayed to 1961 in appeals ending Fairfield Farm's existence as a farm.[6][7] The farm was subdivided by the Rouse Company, becoming a key property in the Running Brook subdivision.
See also
edit- Spring Hill Farm (Ellicott City, Maryland) - Historic farm adjacent to Fairfield
- Oakland Mills Blacksmith House and Shop - location of employment, materials and schoolhouse for the Fairfield.
References
edit- ^ "Dance At Fairfield Farm". The Baltimore Sun. 20 August 1911.
- ^ James Clark, Jr. Jim Clark Soldier Farmer Legislator. p. 91.
- ^ "Future Brides". The Baltimore Sun. 29 September 1912.
- ^ James Clark, Jr. Jim Clark Soldier Farmer Legislator. p. 37.
- ^ James Clark, Jr. Jim Clark Soldier Farmer Legislator. p. 96.
- ^ "2 Prisoners Prepare Own Appeals Before High Court". The Baltimore Sun. 26 September 1958.
- ^ "BAD-DEBT TAX REFUND O.K. 'D: Appeals Court Rules On Losses On Sales". The Baltimore Sun. 21 February 1961.