Group Looks to Bring New Life to Historic Property

If you take a trip down a long stone path near Crofton Middle School, you'll take a trip back in time. 

The Linthicum Walks property stands as a piece of history from nearly three centuries ago, and a group of local volunteers is now working to give it new life. 

The Friends of Historic Linthicum Walks recently incorporated, and has plans to turn the old colonial house into a place for the arts. 

"We basically took on the vision of turning this house into a regional, cultural arts center," said Katie Dentler, the president of the group. "Believe it or not, this house loves to be used like that."

The history of Linthicum Walks dates back to before 1700. The Linthicum family lived on the property for nearly two centuries, and then the King family occupied it from 1924 to 1977. Through the years, the house grew larger, but the original section, believed to have been built in the 1780s, is still intact. 

The house and property is now owned by Anne Arundel County and maintained by the Department of Recreation and Parks. 

Over the years, there have been various volunteer groups working to preserve the property and use it as a space for activities. This latest effort includes plans to hold events and classes, which would fund attempts to keep the house open as an art gallery or even studio space. 

Dentler says she envisions building a catering kitchen to allow for private functions and cooking classes, and there has been talk of maintaining a vegetable garden to demonstrate the concept of "farm to table."

Of course, all of this requires money and manpower, so the group is now working to bolster its community outreach. It will soon have a website, and board members have started reaching out to civic leaders for support.

"We're just starting our outreach to the community, so they know about this gem that's tucked away," Dentler said. 

Not long ago, preservationists did secure a $50,000 state grant—matched by the county—to renovate the downstairs of the home. But the second and third floor require considerable work as well.  

"It's going to take a lot of monetary support and physical support for this to be a viable proposition," said Friends of Historic Linthicum Walks board member Antoinette Kellaher. 

The Linthicum Walks property is located on Davidsonville Road, just west of Crofton Middle School. For more information, email historiclinthicumwalks@gmail.com.