Ooh, Aah, Look at these LIVE Gala Auction Items!

Whether or not you will be attending the Gala in the Garden - "Cast Off for the Caribbean!" on Saturday, June 16th, you can place bids on the fabulous LIVE Auction items! Call 301-373-2280 to learn more.
All proceeds directly benefit the educational programming at Sotterley!

Something Special for Father's Day!

Half Price Day for Dad at Sotterley Plantation!

Sotterley Plantation is pleased to announce a special gift for all fathers on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 17, 2012. From Noon ~ 4 p.m., fathers will receive the Guided Tour of the 1703 Plantation House for HALF PRICE.
We welcome you and your father to stroll the exquisite blooming gardens, walk the plantation grounds and nature trails, see the historic outbuildings including our original 1830’s Slave Cabin, or picnic out on the lawn while enjoying the breathtaking views of the Patuxent River. Top off the day with buying a memorable gift at the Museum Shop, located in our Visitor Center. It will be a day he will never forget!
For more information on upcoming Sotterley Plantation events, visit our website at http://www.sotterley.org/.

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Our Generous 2012 Gala in the Garden SPONSORS!

1812 Living History Event - Second Date Set

The War of 1812 – “The Choice”

Living History Event #2

The second War of 1812 Living History event, “The Choice” will be held at Sotterley Plantation on Saturday, July 14th at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

The war with the British brought hardship to the plantation but a chance at freedom for the enslaved. At the living history presentations you will meet the people who lived and labored at Sotterley during the summer of 1814. Come to one of our events and be a part of the drama as slaves must make a difficult and daring choice. What will you decide?

In FY2011, Sotterley was awarded grants from the Maryland Heritage Area Authority, the Maryland Humanities Council, and the Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium to create a living history script from Sotterley’s unique story of the War of 1812, as well as the costuming and props needed for the production. Now that the script and costuming had been completed it was time to begin production, and Old Line Bank stepped forward to generously sponsor the production phase of this project. Due to the support from these three organizations, Sotterley will now be able to share a unique story with a perspective rarely told about the War of 1812.

This event is FREE to the public, but space is limited. Advanced reservations can be made by calling the Sotterley office at 301-373-2280.

Civil War Living History - A Definite Success!

Much thanks to the Maryland Historical Society for bringing last Saturday's Civil War Living History event to Sotterley Plantation. Because of their generosity, and that of the Maryland Humanities Council, this performance was free to the public.

Performing artists, Britt Olsen-Ecker and Roderick Howard II, brought to life the stories of two historic Maryland heroes ... and wow-ed the audience! Clara Barton was known as the “Angel of the Battlefield” and was founder of the American Red Cross; her courage and generosity commanded the respect of every soldier. Christian Fleetwood, a Baltimore-born free black man who as a Union soldier willingly risked his life during the Civil War, became one of the first African-American to receive the Medal of Honor for bravery.
 
And much thanks to all who attended!

Standing Ovation for the Sotterley Garden Guild!

On Tuesday, May 22nd, the Sotterley Garden Guild was awarded a proclamation from the Historic Preservation Commission for preserving and maintaining the Colonial Revival Garden at Sotterley Plantation. Mr. Rob Gibbs nominated the Sotterley Garden Guild for this prestigious award, which was presented by the Board of County Commissioners.

Congratulations to the Sotterley Garden Guild! Sotterley's gardens are, without a doubt, magnificent and one of the main attractions here on site! All connected with Sotterley applaud you and are most grateful for each and every one of you!

The Colonial Revival Gardens - Past & Present

The land along the Patuxent which we know as Sotterley has been cultivated for centuries. However, the gardens we know today date from the early 20th century. When wealthy New Yorkers Herbert Satterlee and wife Louisa, daughter of J. P. Morgan, purchased a faded plantation in 1910, they found few clues about the personal gardens of colonial or antebellum predecessors except a few tool inventories and a blush noisette rose.


With the help of a landscape architect, the Satterlees divided the area of land just north of the manor house into geometric plots and developed what is known as a Colonial Revival garden for their pleasure and the pleasure of their guests. They established perennial beds, a cutting garden, a vegetable plot, and an herb garden. They installed boxwood, rambling roses, and the large peony hedge that continues to thrive along the north border of the garden.


Mabel Satterlee Ingalls took possession of Sotterley Plantation at mid-century. With attention to even the smallest detail, she devoted herself to the further development of these gardens. She added coral bells, more roses, Persian lilacs, and bulbs imported from the Netherlands. She entertained frequently, and her guests were treated to plantation-grown produce and a bounty of flowers from the cutting garden.

Lacking Mrs. Ingalls’ attention and resources after her death, Sotterley Plantation was placed on the list of Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. These gardens, however, have remained a constant, thanks to volunteers who banded together to maintain Sotterley’s Colonial Revival heritage.

The gardens you see today at Sotterley depend on volunteers who are committed to the upkeep and improvement of the gardens. These volunteers work not only directly to maintain the flower beds and other plantings but have also been instrumental in repairing Sotterley’s sundial, restoring a long-missing flagpole, a manor-shaped bird house, and planting several pear trees and a direct descendant of the English oaks grown at Sotterley Hall in England.


Sotterley’s gardens still beckon, from venerable peonies and roses to cosmos and flowering sage, and remain a mecca for visitors of all kinds:

for artists,

for families,

and for solitary wanderers.

Another Great Way to Enjoy Sotterley!

Did you know that in addition to our Guided Tours of the 1703 Plantation House and Self-Guided Grounds Tours, we now offer Audio Tours of both? This is also a great way to tour Sotterley Plantation and learn about our over 300 years of history. Check in at our Visitor Center and join us!