Wilde-Lake-Walking-Tour.Pdf
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n Wilde Lake Dam Wilde Lake is a man-made lake, W carved out of a low-lying field. It is named for Frazar Wilde, the chairman of Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, the first financial backer of Columbia. Construction on Wilde Lake dam began on July 26, 1966. Crews worked day and night, seven days a week taking advantage of the extremely dry i summer. The concrete gravity dam was built in less l than three months. The decision to work quickly d proved prophetically prudent; exceptionally intense rainfalls began shortly after completion. A unique feature of the dam is the textured face. e The forms used to pour the cement were lined with five-foot long slabs of bark cut from trees removed from the lake bed. Mort Hoppenfeld, Columbia’s chief planner and designer, conceived the design and L process that gives the dam its unique feature. n The Cove The Cove was billed as Columbia’s first “luxury” apartments in 1967. The design is a a modification of the Cross Keys apartments, an earlier development of The Rouse Company. Bob Tennen - baum, a member of the original design team, notes in k Creating a New City that the site plan for The Cove is inspired by the Italian seaside town of Lazise, pictured e in the June 1967 issue of Architectural Review magazine. Of note is that one of the Cove units functioned as a guest house in Columbia’s early days. There was no hotel in Columbia until Cross Keys Inn opened in 1972. Visiting Merriweather Post Pavilion Walking Tour performers, as well as VIPs and prospective business The dedication of Wilde Lake on June 21, 1967 took developers were housed in one of the three-level townhouse apartments. Among the many visitors who place on the shore of the lake and marked the beginning signed the guest book were entertainers Tom Jones of Columbia. A plaque affixed to a rock near the site of and Norm Crosby. the dedication explains the name derivation. It reads, n Tidesfall The lakefront townhomes of Tidesfall were designed by Hugh Newell Jacobsen and built by “This lake and this village are named for Page Corporation. In a press release dated August 5, Frazar Bullard Wild e…Whose wisdom, foresight 1969, Jacobsen said, “The hard edge forms of white and strong support made Columbia possible.” stucco against the sky, with shadows cast by projecting wings, offer maximum privacy for each house — which I hope expresses a vitality compatible with the spirit of Columbia.” Jacobsen is best known for his modern residences which are rectangular in plan. He has also worked on grand projects such as an addition to the United States Capitol, renovations of The Renwick Gallery For more information about Columbia and its history visit the Columbia Archives and the U.S. embassies in Paris and Moscow. 10227 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, MD 21044 • 410-715-3103 During his 40-year career Jacobsen has won more [email protected] • ColumbiaArchives.org continued on next page COLUMBIA ARCHIVES continued from previous page Dam than 110 awards for design excellence. In 1971, he won The Cove three of those awards for Tidesfall: an Award for Excellence in Architecture by the Metropolitan Tidesfall Washington Board of Trade, a Merit Award by the Dedication Waterfowl Terrace American Institute of Architects, and an Award for Plaque Historic Wilde Lake Barn Excellence in Apartment Design by Architectural Record. Houses The magazine highlighted Tidesfall for “Privacy — and especially private outdoor space — [which] is difficult to achieve at townhouse densities.” Wild Wilde Lake Over the years homeowners have made renovations giving the houses a more individual appearance but they remain a distinct feature of the Wilde Lake shoreline. Aerial Photo 1972 n Waterfowl Terrace The lakefront, custom-designed homes on Waterfowl Terrace were once referred to as Rouse Row. William Finley, Mal Sherman, and Claude McKinney were among The Rouse Company executives being purchased in 1864 by Phillip and Katherine Tabb. Wilde Lake’s most interesting structures is chronicled in an who built these homes. The Finley and Sherman homes Katherine subsequently sold it to her father, Francis 11-episode HGTV Dream House series. subsequently turned over, respectively, to James Rouse, Morris. Morris was a successful New York businessman Columbia’s founder, and Pat Kennedy, long-time 10102 Hyla Brook Road is nestled between 10026 , — a pioneer in many undertakings including paper Columbia Association president. While the lack of public which may have been the overseer’s house for Oakland making and telegraphy. In cooperation with Samuel access to the lake is a nod to exclusivity, the street Manor, and 10106. This little house holds significance Morse he established the initial telegraph line between illustrates Columbia’s goal for economic diversity with for Columbia that overshadows its size. It was the home Washington and Baltimore. Morris was president of custom-designed homes on one side of the street and of Columbia’s first residents, John and Barbara Slayton, Central American Transit Line and of the American more moderately priced houses on the other. who moved in June 1966. John Slayton was hired as the Telegraph Company. first manager of Columbia but tragically died before he n Wild Wilde Lake Local photographer Michael One example of Morris’ pioneering ideas can be found could see Columbia develop. Oberman has observed more than 50 species of wildlife at what we now call the Wilde Lake Barn. It was here that 10 02 6 Hyla Brook This imposing privately owned at Wilde Lake. Among the most constant visitors is the Morris built and used the first pit silos to preserve corn home, purchased by John McDonough in 2002 and Great Blue Heron, the largest and most widespread silage. In 1976, on the centennial anniversary of this renovated and enlarged, was the only one of the original heron in North America. Not as commonly spotted, but invention, the barn was declared an agricultural historical Oakland structures that was not acquired by The Rouse known to be at Wilde Lake, is the Baltimore Oriole. landmark by the American Society of Agricultural Company during the land acquisition thereby making it a These birds build hanging, woven nests in open areas Engineers. Morris’ great grandson, John Morris II, and Columbia outparcel which means it does not fall under the with tall trees. Nicholas DiBrino, who wrote the history of the Morris Columbia Association covenants. George and Edith family, were among the people who came to Columbia n Wilde Lake Barn The barn, the stone houses on Ralston had purchased the home in the late 1950s and had Hyla Brook Road and the small building at the Wilde for the installation of the plaque that can be found on the no interest in selling even when they were aware that a city Lake dock were all originally part of the over 1,000- acre side of the barn facing the historic houses on Hyla Brook would grow around them. While McDonough’s renovation Oakland Manor. Built by Charles Sterrett Ridgely in Road. DiBrino wrote that Morris loved fine horses and is extensive, adding 3500 square feet, there is a nod to the 1811, the property passed through several hands before bred some of the best thoroughbreds of his day. He historic heritage. He retained the existing windows, the imported from England the celebrated horse, Eclipse, 100 year-old oak floor in the parlor and the 200 year old which sired Ruthless, Regardless and Remorseless. Those pine floor in one second story bedroom. The dormers were who follow horse-racing might know that Ruthless won added to replicate those on the barn. During construction 6 the first running of the Belmont. 6 the stone walls were found to be structurally unsound and 9 1 o t needed to be re-mortared to reestablish structural stability. o Wilde Lake Barn h n Historic Houses on Hyla Brook Road P 10 10 6 Hyla Brook began as a blacksmith shop in the n Wilde Lake Dedication Plaque The first plaque to early 1800s. It is historically significant for Columbia be affixed to the large boulder commem orates the because it was the site of Columbia’s temporary post dedication of Wilde Lake on June 21, 1967 marking the office that opened August 15, 1966. In 1981, Bruno beginning of Columbia and honors Frazar Bullard Wilde Reich purchased the small stone and stucco structure. He whom James Rouse credited with making Columbia spent 16 years creating the unique structure that now adds possible. The second plaque honors Rouse and was installed to the architectural landscape. Its transformation to one of on the occasion of Columbia’s tenth birthday..