The Neo-Georgian mansion has columned porticos, Palladian windows and a hilltop setting, It was designed by Appleton P. Clark, Jr., and constructed in 1902 as a summer home for Captain James F. Oyster, Mrs. James Oyster and their family. In 1908, the Oysters sold the residence and its 99 acres (400,000 m2) to Charles I. Corby and his wife, Hattie. It was used as a summer home until 1914 when it was remodeled by architect Charles Review Review Answer House Keene, and became the permanent abode for the Corby family. Mr. Corby died in 1926 after acquiring nearly 400 acres (1.6 km2) of surrounding land and maintaining a fully operational dairy farm and a private golf course. With the death of Mrs. Corby in 1941, the home was purchased by the Sisters of the Holy Cross in 1943 and became known as St. Angela Hall, serving as a convent and school.
On June 21, 1983, after major restoration of the facility, Strathmore opened its doors to the public. Ownership and usage of the land is not well-known until 1823 when a toll road was built to connect Georgetown and Frederick. One of the road’s tollgates was near the intersection now known as Strathmore Avenue. As shown on an 1879 map, local landowner Frank Ball operated a stagecoach station and blacksmith shop on his farm at this location.
Read on to trace the history of the Mansion at Strathmore, from its turn-of-the-century roots as a grand summer estate to its transformation into a spirited arts center. The complex is thus accessible for patrons coming from Washington, D.C., as well as the northern part of Montgomery County, Maryland via the Metro rail system. In 1942, Filipino president Manuel L. Quezon used the Mansion to set up temporary governmental headquarters and World War II operations for the former Commonwealth of the Philippines. Our website works best with the latest version of the browsers below, unfortunately your browser is not supported.
The Corby Years
The soothing sounds of local musicians fill the room as you enjoy Afternoon Tea in a cozy atmosphere. Please use and/or share my information with a Coldwell Banker agent to contact me about my real estate needs. Strathmore is a premier art institution of the region, hosting more than two dozen exhibitions a year. Located on the Bou Family Terrace, “Tetra Con Brio,” a monumental sculpture of cast bronze, steel, and polished concrete, stands 12 feet (3.7 m) tall and weighs 4,500 pounds. In 1998, the Montgomery County Council and the Maryland State Legislature approved matching capital support ($48 million each) for the Music Center at Strathmore.
- The Mansion at Strathmore is home to intimate artistic programs presented by Strathmore.
- Tunable sound-absorbing curtains behind the bronze grilling and banners in the ceiling can be deployed out of sight to dampen or enliven the sound.
- Enjoy a concert in the acoustically superb Music Room, explore our galleries and current exhibitions, indulge in Afternoon Tea, stroll through the sculpture gardens, and find a special something at the Shop at Strathmore.
- The soothing sounds of local musicians fill the room as you enjoy Afternoon Tea in a cozy atmosphere.
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The Mansion at Strathmore is home to intimate artistic programs presented by Strathmore. Strathmore, which began as a turn-of-the-century mansion featuring small chamber performances and art exhibitions in 1983, developed its plans for the Music Center over 20 years ago. In 1985, Strathmore’s Board of Directors and President and CEO Eliot Pfanstiehl began discussions about the need for a larger educational and performance space. In 1996, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of former president John Gidwitz, expressed interest in creating a second home in Montgomery County, and joined Strathmore as a founding partner of the Music Center at Strathmore. Your generosity brings distinctive programming and renowned artists to Strathmore’s stages and galleries and ensures that everyone in our community can experience the joy and wonder of the arts. Today, the organization’s hallmark is the Music Center at Strathmore, with a 1,976-seat concert hall and education complex that debuted in 2005.
A Home for the Arts
The Mansion at Strathmore is home to intimate artistic programs presented by Strathmore. Enjoy a concert in the acoustically superb Music Room, explore our galleries and current exhibitions, indulge in Afternoon Tea, stroll through the sculpture gardens, and find a special something at the Shop at Strathmore. In 1996, the Mansion closed for a $3.2 million renovation that created the Gudelsky Gallery Suite, and a 4-story addition that houses the Lockheed Martin Conference Room, an expanded Shop at Strathmore, and new administrative offices.
In 1979, Montgomery County, Maryland acquired the Mansion and 11 acres of land from ASHA. The house was renamed Strathmore Hall, after the newly established nonprofit, and the Mansion with its surrounding grounds were developed as Montgomery County’s first center for the arts. After extensive restoration, the Mansion at Strathmore opened its doors to the public on June 24, 1983. This classic and sunny condo offers gracious living in a fantastic Cleveland Circle location!
After the design team was selected in 2001, work began under the direction of the county. It is the home to hundreds of performances and events per year presented by Strathmore Hall Foundation, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, National Philharmonic, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Levine Music, City Dance, interPLAY Orchestra, and others. Strathmore is in the process of researching the history of the land that we occupy to ensure proper acknowledgment of those who were here before us.