Holly Hall

Holly Hall is a two-and-a-half-story brick mansion displaying Federal architectural features, with a one-story brick wing extending from the north side and two concrete block structures on the grounds. The property sits on a substantial parcel of land that includes remnants of the natural landscape and additional historic buildings.

James Sewall, a War of 1812 commander and early railroad executive, built this residence between 1810 and 1820 while serving as president of Elkton's first bank. The mansion rose during a period when the region was establishing financial institutions and expanding its economic connections.

The name comes from the holly trees that once covered the grounds and still grow in parts of the property today. You can see how the surrounding nature influenced the way people thought about and named their homes in this region.

The estate spreads across several acres and is easily visible from nearby roads, with the main brick building standing prominently on the grounds. The quiet rural setting allows visitors to explore both the architecture and the surrounding landscape at a comfortable pace.

The grounds once sheltered a white oak tree of remarkable size that had grown for several hundred years before it collapsed in early 2009. This ancient tree stood as a living record of the landscape that existed when the house was first built.