f-7-50 amelung house & glassworks (mount vina)

F-7-50

Amelung House & Glassworks (Mount Vina)

Architectural Survey File

This is the architectural survey file for this MIHP record. The survey file is organized reverse-

chronological (that is, with the latest material on top). It contains all MIHP inventory forms, National

Register nomination forms, determinations of eligibility (DOE) forms, and accompanying documentation

such as photographs and maps.

Users should be aware that additional undigitized material about this property may be found in on-site

architectural reports, copies of HABS/HAER or other documentation, drawings, and the “vertical files” at

the MHT Library in Crownsville. The vertical files may include newspaper clippings, field notes, draft

versions of forms and architectural reports, photographs, maps, and drawings. Researchers who need a

thorough understanding of this property should plan to visit the MHT Library as part of their research

project; look at the MHT web site (mht.maryland.gov) for details about how to make an appointment.

All material is property of the Maryland Historical Trust.

Last Updated: 01-31-2013

F-7-50 U N I T E D S T A I cS D E P A R T M E N T OF T H E I N T E R I O R

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE M a r y l a n d

N A T I O N A L REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES F r e d e r i c k

INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM E N T R Y D A T E

(Type all entries complete applicable sections)

NAME C OMMON:

Arr.elung House and Glassworks A N D ' O R H I S T O R I C :

American Glass Manufacturing a t New Bremen [ 2 . L O C A T I O N

S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R :

9 m i l e s south of F r e d e r i c k and 4 m i l e s southwest of L'rbana C I T Y OR T O W N : [ "CONGRESSIONAL. D I S T R I C T :

Park M i l l s S T A T E I CODE COUNTY: CODE

Maryland 24 F r e d e r i c k 021 3 . C L A S S I F I C A T I O N

C A T E G O R Y « , . , . „ A C C E S S I B L E f C e c * One) O W N E R S H I P S T A T U S T O T H E P U B L I C

• D i s t r i c t Qg BuiTding D Publ ic Pub l ic A c q u i s i t i o n : [g | Occupied Y " :

a Site • Structure S Pr ivate Q I " P " " " Q Unoccupied D * " " i e * « d

Glassworks Q Both D Be ing Considered Q p , e 5 e r v o t i o n w o r l < D U " ' " " l c ' " d

in p r o g r e s s 5 ^

P R E S E N T USE f C h e c * One or More SK Appropriate)

I 1 Agr icu l turo l Q Government Q Pork Q Tronsportot i on !D Comments

• Commercia l • Industrial [jg Pr iva te Res idence • Other (Specify) \

I I Educa t iona l • Mi l i ta ry Q R e l i g i o u s ; '.

l~~l Enter ta inment Q Museum Q Sc ien t i f i c \

U . O W N E R O F P R O P E R T Y " \

OWNER'S NAME: G l a s s w o r k s House Mr. & M r s . E x e l Y i n g l i n g ; Mr. and M r s . Henry K. B e c r a f

S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R :

Route 1, Adamstown, Maryland Amelung House Park Mills

C I T Y O R T O W N :

M a r y l a n d 24 5. LOCATION OF L E G A L 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 :

H a l l o f R e c o r d s S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R :

St. John's College Campus, College Avenue C I T Y O R T O W N :

A n n a p o l i s M a r y l a n d

C O D E

24

6- REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS T I T L E O F S U R V E Y .

Maryland Reqister of Historic sites and landmarks DATE OF SURVEY: 1 9 7 0 • F e d e r a l j f ^ l S t a l e • C o u n t y • L o c o l

D E P O S I T O R Y F O R S U R V E Y R E C O R D S :

M a r y l a n d H i s t o r i c a l T r u s t S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R :

2525 R i v a Road C I T Y O R T O W N :

A n n a p o l i s , M a r y l a n d 21401 24

F-7-50 Form 10-300o UNIT STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR S T A T E (July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Maryland

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PL ACES COUNTY

F r e d e r i c k INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM

FOR NPS USE ONLY . E N T R Y N U M B E R D A T E

(Continuation bneet) #1 (Number all entrloe)

Amelung House and Glassworks

#6. Representation in Existing Surveys

Amelung House only Historic American Buildings Survey

1969 federal x

Library of Congress Washington, D.C. code 11

|7 DESCRIPTION

F-7-50

CONDITION

(Check One) Glassworks

Excellent Good Foir D e t e n c i o t e d Ruins Unexposed

("C/ieck One;

1 A l te red J g U n o l l e r e d

D E S C R I B E T H E P R E S E N T A N D O R I G I N A L f»f known) P H Y S I C A L A P P E A R A N C E

The Amelung House and Glassworks are located nine railes south of Frederick and four miles southwest of Urbana in Frederick County, Maryland.

When Johann Friedrich Amelung came to Maryland in 1784 he bought about 210C acres of heavily-forested land in Frederick County. Here he built the Glassworks which he hoped would prove a profitable business in the newly-forrr.ed United States. Today there ere no longer any above-ground remains cf the factory, but Amelung's late-Georgian, brick home still stands on its stone foundation.

The house is situated on the south slope of a hill overlooking Bennett's Creek. It is a two-story building with both an attic and a basement. It has a water table just above the stone foundation and a belt course between the first and second flocrs. The front and west end of the house are constructed in Flemish bond brick, while the rear and east end are cf English bond. Each end is twe bays wide. The front is six bays across the second story, and two bays, to the left of the doer and three bays to the right on the first story. This front entrance has a wide doer frame and a transom above its paneled door. Nine steps lead up to the large landing at this entrance.

The windows or. the first and second floors are double-hung, with twelve-over-twelve lights. One tail, narrow chimney rises from each end of the "A".roof. There is a wooden cornice with modillions under the eaves.

The interior paneling of Amelung House is original tc the house (18th century), except for the ballroom and card room which were dismantled and sold in the 2Cth. century. They are presently (1972) stored at the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore. There are four corner fireplaces in the house. The large, deep windows are framed with paneling.

The Amelung House was restored by Mr. and Mrs. Alden Fisher between 1940 and 1947. The present (1972) owners, Mr..and Mrs. henry Eocraft, have also aonc restorative work on the mansion.

Cver the years since the Glassworks were sold in 1U04, most cf its buildings were allowed tc deteriorate. The Corning Glass Company of Corning, New York, felt that the site of this late 18th. century glassworks was worth an archaeological investigation. In 1962-1963, the Corning Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, and Colonial^Williamsburg, collaborated to perform the '"dig."

I ( F-7-50 £. SIGNIFICANCE

P E R I O D (Chech One or Mote es Appropriate)

| | Pre-Colurnbion ' O 16th Century Q 18th Century U i 20th Century

1 I 15th Century • 17th Century £ ] 19th Cen

SPEC.FIC DATElSI f/> Applicable ^ J K - o w n ) J l 0 n c - A d • 1 7 P 5 G l a S S K O X k S C . 1 7 8 5 - 1 7 9 5

AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or AJore as Appropriate)

Aboriginal • r j Education P] Political I—: Urban Plonmng

n Prehistoric f-j Engineering [~] Re I igion'Phi. D Other fSjir-.ifv)

n Hiltor.c ^1 Industry losophy

£ ] Agriculture [ J Invent,on f j Science

• Architecture Q Landscape j - ! Sculpture

LJ Art Architecture

1 Commerce PH Literature

• Communications [-] Military Theater

• Conservation r-j M u s | C T r a n s p o r t a l , o n

) S o c i o I ' H u m a n

i t a r i a n

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

F-7-50

In August 17 84, Johann Friedrich Amelung of Eremen, Germany, arrived in Baltimore after a three month voyage from Europe. Accompanying him were 6 8 workers and enough glassmaking equipment to establish a good-sized factory. His agent and fourteen ether workers arrived in Noveniber of the same year. Twenty-one-hundred acres of wooded land were purchased in Frederick County for the construction of the glassworks and a village which was named New Bremen. On February 11, 1785, Amelung announced in the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser that ,:a company of German manufacturers have arrived and will establish a factory. .

The 1780's was an auspicious time in which to attempt the establishment of a glass manufactory in the United States The young country still had very few factories of any kind, a state of affairs many Europeans wanted to perpetuate. The English and the Germans, in particular, tried to keep their knowledge of glassmaking processes from crossing the ocean, and it is possible that Amelung experienced seme difficulty in recruiting German workers for his Maryland venture. Later, after his manufactory was operating at New Bremen, Amelung was a strong supporter of home industry and one of the first Americans tc express the need for a protective tariff to keep these industries from failing becav.se of the competition from lower-priced imported products.

The New Bremen Glass Manufactory opened in 1785 and began tc produce glass which was at one time valued at $1C,000 per year. The Maryland Journal published the following advertisement of its wares or; May 22, 1789:

'The American Glass Manufactory at New Bremen.— The subscriber having completed his glass manufactory near Frederick Town, State of Maryland, on an extensive plan is now able tc iurnish glass, not only sufficient for the consumption

(cont'd)

becav.se

Form 10-3O0o (July 1969)

UNITED ST FS DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TIONAL PARK SERVICE

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM

(Continuation Sheet} 2 p a q c ?

F-7-50

Mary land

F r e d e r i c k FOR NPS USE ONLY

E N T R Y N U M B E R

(Number ell entiles)


Sites of uwo glass houses, cr glazieries, were found on the north side of Bennett's Creek, about 200 yards clown the hill from Amelung House. A third glaziery was found on the southern creek hank.

The archaeologists excavated the foundations of one of the main factory buiIcings which Paul Perrot, administrative officer of the "dig", called "quite an imposing industrial complex for its age." The building measured 112' S" by 65*. According to I. Noel Hume, archaeological director, "within (the foundations) were two furnaces for melting glass (one believed to have been for bottles and the "other for table glass), nine other evens, storerooms, a wood drying room, and potting zooms." He also said that "the digging has revealed much about the appearance and operation of the one factory building, but nothing is yet known about the workers' houses, the warehouses, schools, stables, mill and other structures which made up the New Bremen community; though all of then are mentioned in the surviving records."

When the excavation work was halted in 19G3, three eighteen inch tin-roofed wooden sheds were built over the exposed furnaces evens, and rock floors to protect them fror. the weather.

P ame la J a me s July 23 , 1972 from notes and other materiel in the MHT files.

F-7-50 F e n . 10-300o UNITE ATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PL ACES


(Continuation Sheet) u o

(Plumber mil entrtem)

#8

A T E

Maryland C O U N T Y

Frederick FOR NPS USE ONLY


Arnelung House and Glassworks

of this State, but also in great part for the neighboring States. He makes window glass transparent and substantial equal to the London crown; an inferior quality equal to the Bristol crown; all kinds of flint glass, such as decanters and wine glasses; tumblers of all sizes and any other sort of table glass. He also cuts devices, cyphers, coats of arms and any other fancy figures on glass, and in a short time hopes to be able to furnish looking glasses of all sizes. He takes this opportunity of returning his hearty and sincere thanks to a patriotic public for the encouragement he has received In giving a preference to the American manufactured glass and hopes by due attention to merit a continuance of their favor.'

This advertisement continued to tell of a warehouse in Frederick where New Bremen glass is sold and mentions that it can also be bought from "Messrs." Thomas anfil Samuel Hollingsworth, Merchants, Baltimore. "^ At one time, Arnelung also had agents in New York and two different agents in Baltimore, but New Bremen's prosperity was short-lived and in 1788, Arnelung applied to the State of Maryland for a loan, saying that "he had brought glass manufacturing to perfection, but had spent $20,000 in the process."6 The State granted him a loan of $1,000 and tax exemption for a five-year period. In May of 1790, he went to New York to petition the U.S. Congress for a loan to help stave off bankruptcy. Although his neighbor, Charles Carroll of Carroll-ton, supported his request, and another man stated that "the New Bremen product was the best ever produced in America, Arnelung's request was denied.^

Arnelung mortgaged part of his property in 1793 and part in 1794. In spite of these attempts at saving the industry, the bankruptcy of the owners placed New Bremen on 'the market in 1795. The Glassworks were not sold in spite of a notice beginning "A bargain! A bargain!" which was printed a dozen times in the March issues of the Federal Intelligencer and Baltimore Daily Gazette. * The property was finally sold in 1804 at a bankrupt sale.

In spite of its end, the New Bremen Glass Manufactory has an excellent twentieth-century reputation, clearly illustrated by the following excerpts from Press Releases issued by the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, during their archaeological explorations of the factory site:

F-7-50 Form 10-300o (July 1969)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES


(Continuation Sheet)# 4 p a g e 2

S T A T E

Maryland



(fiumbmr all tintrlam)

#8 Amelung House and Glassworks

Though active for only 10 years (the New Bremen Glass Manufactory) produced the most refined and distinguished glass made in America until the 19th century

K10/18/63) 9

Paul N. Perrot, Director of the Corning Museum of Glass, called the New Bremen Glassworks "one of America's most distinguished 18th century manufactories," saying that it was "significant not only for the high quality of its output but for the impact it had on other areas of glassmaking which were developed by glass workers who had worked in New Bremen and later moved west." 1(10/24/62)10

Fine examples of New Bremen glass work may be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City: the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York; and Winterthur Museum in Winterthur, Delaware. Today the only above ground portion of the Glassworks that remains standing is John Frederick Amelung's mansion house. A fine example of the late Georgian, early-Federal period of American architecture, it is situated on a hill above the partially unearthed foundations of the factory that once produced "some of the most beautiful glass ever made in America."

Pamela Janes August 1972

#8 Significance Footnotes

1Dorothy Mackay Quynn, "Johann Friedrich Amelung at New Bremen," Maryland Historical Magazine, (September 1948), Reprint in the files of the Maryland Historical Trust, Annapolis, Maryland, p. 5.

2Ibid., p. 3. 3Dorothy Daniel, Cut and Engraved Glass (New York: M.

Barrows & Co., Inc., 1950), p. 116. 4Frederick Gutheim, The Potomac, Rivers of America Series

(New York): Rinehart, 1949), p. 207. Notes in the files of Maryland Historical Trust, Annapolis, Maryland.

(See C o n t i n u a t i o n S h e e t #6)

Form 10300o (July 1969)

UNITE ATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

F-7-50

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PL ACES


(Continuation Sheet) # c

(/Vixmb»r all cntrlet)

#8 Significance

Footnotes

r ATE

Maryland C O U N T Y


ENTRY NUMBER


T.J.C. Williams and Folger McKinsey, A History of Frederick County, Vol. I (Baltimore: Regional Publishing Co., 1967) , p. 268.-

^Quynn, p. 13.

'Ibid., p. 16.

BIbid., p. 20.

^Corning Museum of Glass Press Release (Corning, New York, October 18, 1963).

^Corning Press Release, October 24, 1962.

i:i-Morris L. Radoff, ed., The Old Line State A History of Maryland (Annapolis: Hall of Record, State of Maryland, 1970) , p. 170.

F-7-50 ^AJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

•GEOGRAPHICAL DATA 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 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

N E

SE

SW

L A T I T U D E

Degrees Minutes Seconds

L O N G l T U D E


L A T I T U P E A N D L O " G I ' " J D E C O O R D I N A T E S D E F I N I N G T H t L t i s T t R POINT O F A P R O P E R T Y

O F LESS T H A N T E N A C R E S

L A T I T U D E


L O N G l T U D E


A P P R O X I M A T E A C R E A G E O F N O M I N A T E D P R O P E R T Y : 40 acres,.

IL IST A L L S T A T E S A N D 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

S T A T E : C O D E C O U N T Y

C O U N T Y :

C O U N T V :

C O U N T Y :

VI. FORM PREPARED BY N AME A N D T l T L E:

P a m e l a James ORG ANI Z A T I O N

M a r y l a n d H i s t o r i c a l T r u s t A u g u s t 1972 S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R :

252 5 R i v a Road C I T Y OR T O W N ;

A n n a p o l i s 12. STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIF ICATION

As the designated State Liaison Officer for the Na

tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law

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

in the National Register and certify that it has been

evaluated according to the c-iteria and procedures set

forth by the National Park Service. The recommended

level of s ignif icance of this nomination i s :

Nat iona l • State • L o c a l •

NBme

T i t l e

Bate

Orlando Ridout IV

M a r y l a n d 21401 - 2 4 -NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION

1 hereby certify that this property is included in the

National Regis ter

Direclor. O/ ' ice o /^rcheoIo«y a n d H i s l o r i c Pre . erva i ion

l > l » e

A T T E S T :

State Preserva t ion Officer for Maryland

Keeper ol The National Register

bate

F-7-50

F-7-50

1. STATE

COUNTY

TOWN

STREET NO.

M a r y l a n d F r e d e r i c k

VICINITY N e w B r e m e n

ORIGINAL OWNER J o h a n n F . A m e l u n g

ORIGINAL USE d w e l l i n g PRESENT OWNER

PRESENT USE d w e l l i n g WALL CONSTRUCTION b r i c k

NO. OF STORIES 2 w i t h a t t i c & b a s e m e n t

HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY INVENTORY

2. NAME A m e l u n g H o u s e

DATE OR PERIOD Circa 1 7 8 5 STYLE F e d e r a l ARCHITECT

u n k n o w n BUILDER J. F. A m e l u n g

3. FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE

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

Johann Friedrick Amelung constructed a two-story brick residence near his glass works. Skilled workmen embellished the interior with carved wood trim. The ballroom and card room are now dismantled and are stored with the Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, Md.

The dwelling stands on the south slope of a hill above Bennett's Creek, where the worker's cottages, furnaces and ovens were established along the banks of the creek.

The house rises from a high basement, and has a watercourse and a belt course. The front entrance is framed in a wide door frame, and a transom is mounted above the panelled door. Two bays of windows flank the left of the door, and three bays of windows extend to the right. Double-hung windows of twelve over twelve lights are covered by flat arched lintels over each window. There are six bays of windows across the second floor facade. A wood cornice with modillions gives a finished ornamental appearance. The "A" roof has one tall, narrow chimney at each gable-end.

5. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered y e S Interior p o o r Exterior p o o r

6. LOCATION MAP (Plan Optional) 7.PHOTOGRAPH

• PUBLISHED SOURCES fA"*h«>r. Title, Pages) INTERVIEWS, RECORDS, PHOTOS, ETC.

Johann Friedrick Amelung at New Bremen, Dorothy Mackay Quynn, Maryland Historical Society Maga-zine - Vol. XLIII No 3 Sept. 1948

9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER

Orlando Ridout IV Maryland Historical Trust

DATE OF RECORD M a r c h 3 0 , 1 9 6 8

F - 7 - 5 0 AMELUNG GLASS WORKS Frederick County

A reconstruction of the Amelung glass factory, based on the New Bremen excavations. Drawing courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg.

Ivor Noel Hume, "Maryland's Famed Early Glassworks," The Sunday Sun (Baltimore) Oct. 18, 1964.

F-871 AMELUNG GLASS WORKS Frederick County

F- 7-50 AMELUNG GLASS WORKS F r e d e r i c k C o u n t y

An example of engraved glass produced at the factory John Frederick Amelung operated in Frederick county from 1784 to 1795.

. The glass is now rare and highly prized. This goblet is in the Corning Museum. Archaeologists have bared the factory's ruins.

Ivor Noel Hume, "Maryland's Famed Early Glassworks," The Sunday Sun (Baltimore) Oct. 18, 1964.

F-7-050 Amelung House and Glassworks Site (Mount Vina) 2531 Park Mills Road, Adamstown Jennifer K. Cosham, 26 April 2006

Southeast facade

South elevation


Southwest facade


Northwest facade

North elevation


Stone outbuilding, south elevation

Stone outbuilding, west elevation

F-7-50 62.579

View of the fritting furnace excavated in 1962, covered by the shed in the upper right of photo 1.

This photograph may not be reproduced in any medium without written permission from The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning Glass Center, Corning, N.Y.

No. 2

F-7-50

General , a lmost overal l view of the glasshouse site excavated in 1963. The shed in the upper right covers a fritting furnace excavated in 1962. The foundations of the building measured approximately 112' long by 65' wide, and contained two main melting furnaces , anci l lary ovens and other a c c e s s o r i e s for two complete g lasshouses within the one building. At the end of the work done in 1963, the ent i re excavation was completely refilled to protec t the r ema ins which had f i rs t been covered with p las t i c .


63.535C No. 1

F-7-50 63-521

The l a r g e r of the two main melting furnaces , with a firing pit in the foreground, and one opposite. The four wings, or bas t ions , each contained anci l lary ovens. The wo rkmen gathered the glass from the pots from the a r e a s on the right and the left in the photograph, between the bas t ions . All of these date from between 1785 and 1790.


No. 3

f-7-50 amelung house & glassworks (mount vina)

Documents