.PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

HISTORIC SITES SUMMARY SHEET

" P.G. County Survey # 82A-26 Date c- 1 ? 2 0

Building Name Beliefields

Location fforth side of Duley Station Rd., Groom

Open to Public yes x no

BELLE?IELDS, an early example of a Maryland Georgian

country house is composed of a central block of two stories

plus attic, flanked by two wings. Built circa 1720 by Dr.

Patrick Sim who fled Scotland after the 1715 rebellion to

settle in this county where, in 1718, he married Mary, daughter

of Thomas and Barbara Dent Brooke, of nearby Brookefield Manor.

Colonel Joseph Sim, their oldest son, born here, died on

November 27, 1793. He was a justice of the Supreme Court, and

one of the Annapolis Assembly which, June 22, 1774, denounced

the British closing of Boston Harbor. He represented his

county June, 1775, at the Annapolis Convention which framed

the Association of Freemen of Maryland. He served in the

Convention of Maryland which governed the state at the begin­

ning of the Revolution, and on the first Privy Council of the

state, 1777. He was also a member of the General Assembly,

1780.

Form 10-300 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR "(July 196?) _ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM

(Type .ill entries — complete applicable sections)

pT. NAME~

Maryland C O U N T Y -

P r i n c e George f e row NPS USF ONI Y

l"N T H Y N U M U I 1/

C OMMON:

B e l l e f i e l d s A N Q / Q R H I S T O R I C

Sims D e l i g h t , B e l i e f ! e l d , B e l l e F i e l d s 2. LOCATION

S I R F L T A N T N U M p f c H :

n o r t h s i d e of Du. l e y S t a t i o n Road (13104 Duley station Road) C I T Y O H TOWN:

Croom _ • f A t f c | C O O f I C O I I M T V

Maryland 24 P r i n c e G e o r g e ' s ~OJ3" 3. CLASSIFICATION

CATEGORY (Check One)

j (71 D i s t r i c t (3{ Bu i ld ing

! ] S'lo ' j I Strin l./ic

l " | Ob ,ec t

OWNFRSHIP STATUS

H Public

3B Pr ivoto

1 ] Botl ,

Pub l i c Acqui s i t ion :

I I In P r o C P M

I Be ing Considered

X ] Occupied

I UnoccuninJ

J Preservat ion work

in pro gr os s

A C C E S S I B L E

T O T H E P U B L I C

' Y e s :

I I R e s t r i c t e d

I 1 Jnros tr ic led

131 No '

P R E . S E N T OSC {Chrch On* at MotV "N Appropriate)

P j Agr icu l tu ra l 3 Government Q Park

j I Commercia l O Industr ia l QJ Pr iva te R e s ; > rice

FJ] Educa t iona l ! J M i l i t a r y ] Re l ig ious

f~j Enter ta inment \Z\ Museum ("J Sc ien t i f i c

[_J Transportat ion ' | Comments

CC Other (Specify) -QC Other (Specify-)

h o r s e farm

4. OWNER OF PROPERTY

-

| S » N t K ' s N A W

Mr. and Mrs . John D. Bowling I T R f C I A > l O N U M I I f R f i

Box 38OO RFD #2 C I T Y O R T O Y . N :

Upper Mar lboro S T A T F -

Maryland 5. LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION

•

C O U R T H O U S E . R E G I S T R Y O F D E E D S . E T C ."

P r i n c e G e o r g e ' s County Cour thouse S T K E F I T A N t i N U M O L R :

14735 Main S t r e e t C I T Y O H T O W N :

Upper Mar lboro •

S T A T F .

Maryland

|6 . REPRESENTATION |N EXISTING SURVEYS | T I T L E O F S U R V E Y :

Maryland R e g i s t e r of h i s t o r i c s i t e s LATE O F W K V C V l * 1 9 7 0 IX F r d c r o l 1*1 P O S t t O M ) ' OH S u n VI * '*» Cow***:

Maryland H i s t o r i c a l T r u s t

and landmarks Jf Stnte 1 "1 County | ] Loca

S T R E E T A ' J C N U M O E R :

94 C o l l e g e Avenue ( P o s t Of f i ce Box 1704) C I T Y O R T O W N :

A n n a p o l i s S T A T E . :

Maryland

con c:

~~24~

COPE

24

. . '

c o o t

. . .24 . .

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G*: 0

CD

-i

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5

1 J i - i - i 1 1

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\7. D E S C R I P T I O N "

PG: 82A-26

CONDITION

(Check One)

^X, Excellent O Good Q Fair [~] Deteriorated • Ruins d Unexposed

(Check One) I ! A l te red PC; Una l te red

(Chock One)

P I Moved (X Originol Site

IJLVC f<l 111 l i l t I ' I* I SI M l Al-J I ' l l l t l n l N A I I It fclitiMii) I ' H V I . I C A l . A t ' l ' I . A U AN C t-'

The 163 acre Bellefields estate is located on the north side of Dudley Station Road approximately three miles east of the intersection of Dudley Station Road and U. S. 301 which is roughly 6h miles south of Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

BellefieldB is composed of a central block of two stories plus attic, flanked by two small wings attached on the ends, • of which one flanker was originally a school room. Built of Flemish bond with random glazed headers, all of the windows have splayed lintels of gauged-brick. Raised on a brick base, there is a simple water table, and a four-brick belt course above the first story; there are brick steps before the main (south) entrance and a brick entranceway at the north. This appears recent but may actually be an instance of the towered or pavilioned north side, such as on the garden (north) facade of the Paca House in Annapolis. The most conspicuous features are four tall chimney stacks which are on the exterior of the end walls, and there is one bay of windows between the two chimneys at each end. The muin facade has five bays, and the wings each have three windows, and a south and north doorway respectively. The wood 3hingle roof is steeply pitched.

The only alteration appears to be the addition of window shutters. Perhaps shutters were put on the house at the time of erection. If so this would have been an early instance of their use in Maryland.

Pictured in Henry Chandlee Forman's Early Manor and Plantation Houses of Maryland, Bellefields is lacking the original west wing which contained the kitchen pantry and ser­vice; thus the extant wing is recently built; also shown is the north entrance porch — one story only in height.

This early example of a Maryland Georgian country house is symmetrical, of formal proportions but lacks ornamentation other than that formed by the brickwork (lintels, belt course, etc.). The main (soxith) doorway shows some evidence of change in the brickwork, bu,t there are not indications of pilasters, dentiled cornices, etc. Due to fine condition, Bellefields represents £ substantial Maryland house of ubout 1720.

ma PG: 82A-26 SIGNIFICANCE

ERIOD (Check Ono or More as Appropriate) •

*''• O Pre-Columoian! • 16th Century JJC] 18th Century C I 20th Century

| ~ | ' 15lh Century P I 17th Century |~l " , n Century

sptcinc DAtt'o) atA»piu-„i,in andKn,»*„) c . 1 7 2 0 b e f o r e 1 7 1 8 , b iT t e r 17*^5 IHE'AS o r S I C N I I I C A N T r (Chnck One €>r Murf tin Apritutttintr)

Aboriginal LJ fcducation pq- Political I I U»bon Planning

Q Prehistoric [-j Engineering ['] Religion/Phi. 03 0 l , , c r (Spoitr)

D Historic D ind^.ry ,olophy local history Q Agriculture [~] Invention [~;] Science

JO Architecture [ J Londscape | ] Sculpture

LJ A ' ' Architecture [ | Social/Human-

G Commerce ["] Literature itorian

| | Communications | | M i | , , 0 , ¥ | | | | , r o l r ,

LJ Conservation i~| M u s i c | | Transportat ion

S T A T E M E N T O F S I G N I F I C A N C E

Beliefields, begun between 1718 and 1735, first belonged to Patrick Sim, a Scottish immigrant. He came to America in 1715 fearing retribution for his role in the unsuccessful Scottish rebellion aimed at returning the Roman Catholic Stuarts to the English throne. He abandoned his Scottish estate "Kilcairn" and took up the original 2000 acre Sim's Delight tract. When he died Patrick Sim willed the house and land to his son, Colonel Joseph Sim ( -1793).

Prom 1769-1793, Colonel Joseph Sim was actively and ideologically sympathetic toward independence for the colonies in America. He joined such men as Charles Carroll of Carrollton — in the protest' against English tariffs, through an Anne Arundel County Association petition (1774), and the ensuing Boston Tea Party. He.worked with Thomas Johnson, William Paca and Samuel Chase in their common purposes for the Convention of Maryland, the Maryland Committee of Correspondence (1774-177?), the Council of Maryland (1777); and en-joyed a close relationship with his nephew Thomas Sim Lee, twice Governor of Maryland (1779-1782; 1792-1794). In 1780 Colonel Sim had served a second term in the General Assembly while the Articles of Confederation governed the United States.

In 1779 Colonel Joseph Sim gave his grandson, Joseph Sim, a one-hundred-forty-one acre portion of "Sim's Delight." Patrick Sim, son.of Colonel Joseph Sim ( -1793), also had obtained another portion of "Sim's Delight" which he sub­sequently sold to Benjamin Oden in 1794. Five years later Colonel Joseph Sim's grandson, Joseph Sim, relinquished his share of "Sim's Delight" to Benjamin Oden. After assembling the original tract, Oden gave it a new name — "Beliefields."

Benjamin Oden (17C>2~18?8) nwde a fortune as the adminis­trator of the mercantile interests of Stephen West, Senior. In 1822 he married, at Eellefields, his second wife Henrietta Waring. Oden's daughter from his first marriage, Eliza Oden, was married at Bellefields on February 8, 1825 to Colonel William Puckett Bowie. William and Eliza Oden Bowie were the

SEE CONTINUATION SHEET

I M t t ' l

9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES PG: 82A-26

R e c o r d e r s : Wil l iam Morgan, F i e l d S u r v e y o r , Maryland . /••: •- H i s t o r i c a l T r u s t , June 1969 .

Beth Grosvenor , F i e l d S u r v e y o r , Maryland H i s t o r i c a l T r u s t , August 1 9 6 9 .

• • Nancy M i l l e r , H i s t o r i a n , Maryland H i s t o r i c a l ' . ; •• T r u s t , October 1969 .

SEE CONTINUATION SHEET

Dt

-.

GlOGRAPHICA l . DATA L A T I T U D E A N D - L O N O I I U U L C O O H U I t M ( f . S

D E F I N I N G A H E C T A N O L E L O C A T I N G T H C P D O P f l l l Y

NW

N E

SE

SW

t_ A T I T U OF. L O N G I T U O E

Jeq rees M i n u t e s s e c o n d s U e q r e e s M i n u t e s s e c o n d s

38 - 44 . 52.5*^ 76 • 46 -49.51

38 • 44 • 52 .51 76° 46 -29 .5" 38 • 44 • 36.5V 76° 46 -29 .5" ^8 ; 44 - ILM5J 76° 46 -49 .S"

L A | l I l 1 I - I A It l> I ' , ' f i v. I I , I . I 1 u l l l d l l N A I I r.

D E F I N I N G T i m C I . N I k l l P O I N 1 O F A P D O I T I I I V O F L E S S T H A N T I N A C R E S

L A T I 1 U O L

D e g r e e s M i n u t e s Seconds o

I O N c;i n I D I 1 I

D e g r e e s M i n u t e s S e c o n d s

I X.

] I

;

I-: *

I I

1

1 •

A P P R O X I M A T E A C H E A G E O F ' N O M I N A T E D P R O P E ' R T Y : £i A a C T S S

I 1ST A L I I T A T C I A N I . f f l W N T l l • I O R P R O P ! t< l i t 3 O V I H I . A I M ' I N O S l V v T t 0U C O U N I V U O U I M I > A I i I I ?

C O 11 N 1 Y

C O U N T V

C O U N T Y :

C O U N T Y :

1?. FORM PREPARFD BY N A M C A N Q T l r t t :

Mrs. P r e s t o n P a r i s h , Keeper of t h e Maryland R e g i s t e r O R G A N I Z A T I O N

Maryland H i s t o r i c a l T r u s t Mar. 24 , 1971 STREET AND N U M B E R

94 C o l l e g e Avenue (Pos t Of f ice Box 1704) • C I T Y O R T O * N :

A n n a p o l i s p2. !

As the ilcs inn.itc>l State 1.1.11̂ 011 Otfu cr lor the N.i

tionul Historic Pr.-srrvat mn Ail nl l'lnt. (Pnhl if l,.iw

89-665). I hereby nominate this property for inclusion

in the National Register and certify that it Pias been

evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set

forth by the National Park !?er\ke. "1 be recommended

level of s ignif icance of this nomination ^'

National ; "! State X Local [~|

I 0

<

Name l A ^ l t " A / I ,fo% X ' * '

Orlando Ridou t IV S t a t e L i a i s o n O f f i c e r

Tuie f o r Maryland

S T A T E

Maryland _2_4_ NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION

1 hereby c e r t i f y that t h i s p roper ly is i n c l u d e d in t h i '

Na t i ona I l\ 'ec,ixter.

Chid, Office ot Archeology and Historic Preservation

I ' n i i

ATTT.ST:

APR 1 1871 Keeper of The National Register

Dale b a l l ­

on

rn m

• TO

n

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f

MHT Form 10-300o (July 1969)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

/ NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES , . . . - . • '

INVENTORY • NOMINATION FORM

(Continuation Sheet)

PG: 82A-26 Maryland

Prince George's I OR NPS USI. ONI Y

l N 1 W V r i U M I I I t*

(Numhcr all vntrlet.)

Bellefields

#6. REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS continued

Historic American Buildings Survey

Library of Congress Washington, D. C. code: 11

#8.- SIGNIFICANCE continued

parents of Governor Oden Bowie (1826-1894, Governor of Maryland from 1869-1872), a meml er of the Maryland Jockey Club, one of the founders of the Dirner Party Stakes run at Pimlico Pace Course (1870^ and of the Preakness Stakes.

Eliza Oden Bowie (Mrs. Williajn Bowie) died in 1849. Five years later the widower, William Bowie, remarried; his second bride, Mary Oden, the daughter of Benjamin Oden, was his first wife's half sister. , "

Shortly after his second wedding in 1854 William Bowie £ave his house "Fairview" to his son Oden Bowie. William Bowie and his second bride then moved to Bellefields which Mary Oden Bowie had inherited from her father Benjamin Oden. William Bowie spent the remainder of his life at Bellefields and turned the twelve-hundred acre estate into a • and Hereford cattle farm.

famous, productive, Southdown sheep

The ownership of Bellefields passed, after William Bowie's death, to his three daughters. In 1891 they sold the property. From that date until the end of the Second World War, Bellefieldr had five owners. In 1945 John Dominic Bowling purchased Bellefields and one-hundred-sixty acres and maintains a horse farm at Bellefields. ,

#9.-REFERENCES continued

Bowie, Effie Gwynn. Across the Years in Prince^ George's County, Richmond: Garrett and Mnssic, l947~.

Bowling, Mrs. John D. Interview and personal records.

Earle, Swepson. Chesapeake Bav _Countrv. Baltimore: Thomas-Ellis, 1923.""" "

(1 of ? continuation shoots)

MHT Form 10.3C0o (July 1969)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR N A T I O N A L PARK SERVICE

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTO R IC P LACES

INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM 1.

(Continuation Shcot)

PG: 82A-26 Maryland

C O U N l Y

Prince George 's • FOR NPS USE ONLY

EN T H Y N U M B E R

f/Vumbor olt enttleej

Bellefields

#9. REFERENCES continued

Fonnan, Henry Chandlee. Early Manor and Plantation Houses of Maryland. Easton, Maryland:" the author, 19~34."

Prince George's County Schools. "A Research Action Project Devoted to Aspects of the History of Maryland and Prince George's County." typescript. Maryland State Library,

* Annapolis, Maryland. 1959.

Scharf, J. Thomas. History of Maryland From the Earliest Period to the Present Day, reprint. HatVoro, Pennsylvania:

, - Tradition Press, 1967.

• •

(2 of 2 continuation sheets)

Form 10-301 UNI1F I) b lATF S D L P A K I M l N 1 OF ( I I I INTIfv'IOR (Dec. 1968) NATIONAL F'AKK SERVICI

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

PROPERTY MAP FORM

(Type all entries - attach to or enclose with map)

Maryl.and C O U N TV

Prince George's FOR NPS USE ONLY

E N T R Y N U M B E R

| 1 . NAME

OOMM'.'J Bellefields P̂ l">< '"STc.i-.r. Sims DeJight, BeliefieIds_Belle Fields_

[i~LOCATJON "" 5 I H I L T AMD MUM 111 !•"

north side of Du ley Station Road C I T Y OR TOWN:

Croom

M a r y l a n d C O D E C O U N T Y:

Prince George's CODE.

[3. MAP REFERENCE s o u i - c K:

USGS 7 . "5 m i n u t e map; B r a n d y w i n e Q u a d r a n g l e , M a r y l a n d STATE: ~lT~24"~006 T " " ~~ DATE: 1 9 5 6

4. REQUIREMENTS

TO BE I N C L U D E D ON A L L M A P S

1. Proper ty b roundar ies where r equ i r ed .

2. Nor th ar row.

3 . L a t i t u d e and l o n g i t u d e r r f o r o n c o .

PG: 82A-26

t o

o

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF [HE INTERIOR Q . NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ' ^ ' 0 « 3 / l ~ t 2 ^

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM

(Type -ill unttuts - att.iih to or cncloNf with photograph)

[T~NA"ME ~~~

|cot4MON: B e l l e f i e l d fa . ._ ._ .__ . . (Iwo'owMISTONIC: s inis D e l i g h t , B e l l e f i e l d , B e l l e F i e l d s

2. LOCATION

U

DC

y-

z IXi

LU

Maryland p; _ _ - . ! , tlj

C O U N T '- | |_J

Prince George 's FOR NPsTjSE ONLY "

I 'N 1 IVY N U M I U H P A I I* Q

I d a >

S T R E E T A N D N U M b L R ;

north side of Du<ley Station Road C t T Y I", *» T O W N :

Croom

M a r y l a n d fr. PHOTO REFERENCE

com: ~ 2 4 ~

COWN 1 Y :

P r i n c e George*: "033-j

•HO^O c*r.oi r: W i l l i a m J-!organ_ J u n e D A T E OF P H O T ;

— 1

NEGATIVE FILED AT: M a r y l a n d H i s t o r i c a l T r u s t , 94 C o l l e g e A v e n u e , P o s t O f f i c e Box 1 7 0 4 , A n n a p o l i s , M a r y l a n d 21404 j

[4. IDENTIFICATION D F S C R I B E V I E f l D I R E C T I O N . E T C .

s o u t h e l e v a t i o n

PG: 82A-26 BRANUYWIlNh QUADRAIMQLBl

MARYLAND 7.5 MINII7T SERIES (TOPOORAPHK|

Nli/4 IIMAMOVWINK 19" QUADRANOIJS

070 000 I Ft l '

PG:82A-26 Bellefields (Sims Delight, Bellfield) 13104 Duley Station Road Upper Marlboro Brandywine Quadrangle

PG:82A-26 Bellefields Duley Station Road Upper Marlboro Vicinity Prince George's County, Maryland

For additional information, see also:

• Maryland Historical Trust Preservation Easement Property Documentation Survey FRR Mary 22, v. 1.

• Architectural drawings and field notes (in flat files)

N R. FIELD SHEET p r i n c e George >s PG: 82A-26 Form 10-300 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Dec. 1968) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE / ^ <s*rt\a*1'J~~

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM

(Type all entries — complete applicable sections)

C O U N T Y :

FOR NPS USE ONLY

ENTRY N U M B E R

[T. NAME COMMON:

B e l l e f i e l d s A N D / O R H I S T O R I C :

Sims D e l i g h t |2. LOCATION"

S T R E E T AND N U M B E R :

Duley S t a t i o n Road C I T Y OR TOWN:

Croom

Maryland C O U N T Y :

P r i n c e G e o r g e ' s 3. C L A S S I F I C A T I O N

CATEGORY (Check One)

OWNFRSHIP STATUS ACCESSIBLE

TO THE PUBLIC

Dist r ic t • Building [Xj

Site • Structure Q

Object •

Public

Private

Both

• a

B H

Public Acquisit ion:

In Process

Being Cons idered a

Occupied E

Unoccupied

Preservation work in progress I I

Yes :

Restricted r~J

Unrestricted []

No: S3

PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate)

A g r i c u l t u r a l @Q G o v e r n m e n t

Commercial • I n d u s t r i a l Q

Educational [~J Mi l i t a ry

Entertainment • M u s e u m

Park • P r i v a t e R e s i d e n c e 09

R e l i g i o u s | |

S c i e n t i f i c

T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

O t h e r (Specify) • •

C o m m e n t s

4. OWNER O F P R O P E R T Y OWN ERS N AME:

Mr. Mrs . John Bowling S T R E E T AND NUMBER:

RFD #3 Box 3800 CI TY OR TOWN:

Upper Mar lboro S T A T E :

Maryland 5. L O C A T I O N OF L E G A L DESCRIPT ION

C O U R T H O U S E , REGISTRY O F D E E D S . E T C :

P r i n c e G e o r g e ' s County Cour thouse STREET AND NUMBER:

CI TY OR TOWN:

Upper Mar lboro APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: Tory

S T A T E

Maryland

6. R E P R E S E N T A T I O N IN E X I S T I N G SURVEYS Tl T L E O F S U R V E Y :

D A T E O F S U R V E Y : Federal f l s ,a'e • County • Local • D E P O S I T O R Y FOR S U R V E Y RECORDS:

S T R E E T AND N U M B E R :

o TO

z "0

C I T Y OR TOWN:

R R . HELD SHEET PG: 82A-26 |7. DESCRIPTION

C O N D I T I O N

I N T E G R I T Y

Exce l lent |5t] Good • D (Check One)

Deteriorated [ Ruins [ Unexposed [

("Check One)

Altered • Unaltered £C]

fCheck One)

Moved • Original Site ^X)

D E S C R I B E T H E P R E S E N T AND O R I G I N A L f ! / known) PHYSICAL. A P P E A R A N C E

Bellefields is composed of a large central "block of two stories

plus attic, flanked by two small wings attached on the ends (one

flanker was originally a school room). Built of Flemish "bond with

occasional glazed headers; all of the windows have splayed lintels

of guaged "brick. The house is raised on a "brick base, there is a

simple water table, and a four brick belt course above the first

story5 there are brick steps before the main entrance (south) and

a brick entranceway at the rear (north; this appears recent but

may actually be instance of the towered rear, such as that on the

garden facade of the Paca House in Annapolis). The most conspicuous

features are the four tall chimney stacks which are on the outside

of the end walls, and there is one bay of windows between the

two chimneys at each end. The main facade has five bays, and the

wings each have three windows and a front and rear doorway. The

wood shingle roof is rather steeply pitched.

Only alteration appears to be the addition of window shutters

(perhaps shutters were put on the house at time of erection, but

would have been an early instance of their use in Maryland).

Pictured in Forman's Early Manor Houses (pp 89-90) Bellefields is

lacking the west wing which contained the kitchenpantry, and

service, thus this wing must be a recent rebuilding; also shown

is the north entrance porch — only one story in height.

m m

H TO

C

n

o

N. R. FIELD SHEET PG: 82A-26 SIGNIFICANCE

P E R I O D (Check One or More as Appropriate)

Pre-Columbian Q '6 th Century |

15th Century • 17th Century •

18th Century [JJ

19th Century •

20th Century •

S P E C I F I C D A T E ( S ) (If Applicable and Known) CL'IZO pOSt 1718 — pre 1735

AREAS OF S I G N I F I C A N C E (Check One or More as Appropriate)

Abor jginal

Prehistoric

His tor ic [~|

Agriculture

Art •

Commerce

Communications (

Conservation

Education

Engineering

Industry

Invention

Landscape

Architecture [

L i terature

Mi l i tary •

Music •

Po l i t ica l

R e l i g i o n / P h i ­

losophy

Science

Sculpture

Socia l /Human­

itarian

Theater

a • a

D

•

Urban Planning

Other (Specify) E

Archi tec ture

Transportation

S T A T E M E N T O F S I G N I F I C A N C E (Include Personages, Dates, Events, Etc.)

Patrick Sims came to America from Scotland in 1715 and probably

built Beliefields sometime shortly after 1718 (no later than

1735 ~ Mrs. Bowling, records). An example of an early Georgian

Maryland manor, or country house, Beliefields is symmetrical,

of formal proportions, but lacks almost any ornamentation other

than that formed by the brickwork (lintels, belt course, etc.).

The main (south) doorway shows some evidence of change in the

brickwork, but there are no indications of pilasters, dentiled

cornices, etc. The wings appear to be almost hyphens for un-built

additional wings making up the traditional five part house plan

of the mid-Georgian period, but this is partly the result of the

tallness of this early building, reflecting the earlier arch­

itecture of Maryland and Virginia before the advent of the

Palladian country house, and best illustrated in the tall,

exterior chimney stacks. Due to fine condition, Bellefields

represents a substantial Maryland house of about 1720.

N . R. FIELD SHEE1 PG: 82A-26 9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

Swepson Earle, The Chesapeake Bay Country 1923

Pamphlet prepared "by Mrs. Bowling on "St. Thomas' of Croome"

Henry Chandlee Porman, Early Manor and Plantation Houses of Maryland 1934 PP 89-90

Mrs. John Bowling, Bellefields, Croom, Md.

10. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA L A T I T U D E AND L O N G I T U D E C O O R D I N A T E S

D E F I N I N G A R E C T A N G L E L O C A T I N G T H E P R O P E R T Y

NW

NE

SE

sw

L A T I T U D E

Degrees Minutes Seconds

L O N G I T U D E

Degrees Minutes Seconds

L A T I T U D E A N D L O N G I T U D E C O O R D I N A T E S D E F I N I N G T H E C E N T E R P O I N T O F A P R O P E R T Y

OF LESS T H A N ONE A C R E

L A T I T U D E

Degrees Minutes Seconds O • •

LONGI T U D E

Degrees Minutes Seconds

L I S T A L L S T A T E S AND C O U N T I E S FOR P R O P E R T I E S O V E R L A P P I N G S T A T E OR C O U N T Y B O U N D A R I E S

CODE COUNTY

COUNTY:

COUNTY:

COUNTY:

I t . FORM PREPARED BY N A M E A N D T I T L E :

William Morgan ORG ANI ZA T I O N

U n i v e r s i t y of Delaware D A T E

June 3 , 1969 S T R E E T AND N U M B E R :

Department of Art His tory C I T Y OR TOWN:

Newark S T A T E

Delaware 12. STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION

As the des ignated State Lia ison Officer for the Na­

t ional Historic P rese rva t ion Act of 1966 (Publ ic Law

89-665), I hereby nominate th is property for inclusion

in the Nat ional Regis ter and certify that it has been

evaluated according to the criteria and procedures se t

forth by the Nat ional Park Service. The recommended

level of s ignif icance of this nomination is :

National • State • Local •

Name

T i t l e

Date

NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION

I herebv certify that this property is included in the

National Register.

Chief, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation

Date

ATTEST:

Keeper of The National Register

Date

form 10-445 (5/62)

PG: 82A-26

1. STATE M d .

COUNTY P Q

TOWN VICINITY #79

STREET NO. Duley S t a t i o n Rd. n e a r Duley

ORIGINAL OWNER Sim& D u v a l l ( ? ) O R I G I N A L U S E p r l v d w e l l PRESENT OWNER PRESENT USE same WALL CONSTRUCTION b r l C k

NO. OF STORIES 2.\

HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY

INVENTORY

2. NAME B e l l e g l e l d

DATE OR PERIOD

STYLE

ARCHITECT

BUILDER

o r i g . 1720 p e r i o d ( 1 7 3 5 , Forman)

3. FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE

4. NOTABLE FEATURES, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND DESCRIPTION OPEN TO PUBLIC

Gutted by fire In 1720? Restored In 18^0-1850. Double chimneys on each end, i one-half set In walls. Hal small wing on east and west ends, well in rear excell.cond. owner stated building not burned, but built in 1720, abandoned

in early 20th, rebuilt 1930's wings had fallen down ad were replaced with brick from Wmsbrg.

\SUo CcMsJS (bFt)

VrA»ft>£»~ 3 pW04-5- PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered Interior Exterior

QjUr ** 943 6. LOCATION MAP fP'on Opfmnal) 7. PHOTOGRAPH

3. PUBLISHED SOURCES U"»nor, Tltlm, Pog««) INTERVL

9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER

Earle p*^, y..*- p^^ Bowie, 248, 605,607.763,76^,

766 DATE OF RECORD

..