Darnall's chance

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Located in Prince George's County, Maryland, Darnall's Chance is an historic house museum which opened to the public in 1988. It is operated by the Maryland National Capital Parks and Planning Commission.

The plot of land that Darnall's Chance House Museum sits on was patented by Col. Henry Darnall in 1704. It passed through his family to his granddaughter Eleanor who, with her husband Daniel Carroll, sold 6 3/4 acres of the plot to James Wardrop, a Scottish merchant, in 1741. Wardrop built a 15-room brick dwelling house within a year, and it is that house that currently stands on the property.

After living at Darnall's Chance as a bachelor for six years Wardrop married Lettice Lee, who was 22 years old. The tour at Darnall's Chance focuses on Lettice's life, as she lived in the house for almost thirty years, married 3 times, and was an unusual 18th-century woman. It also includes more general information on the other women who lived at Darnall's Chance and in Prince George's County at that time.

Darnall's Chance House Museum can be reached at 301-952-8010. It is open for tours on Friday from 10am to 4pm, Sunday from noon to 4pm, and at other times by appointment. Public programs offered at the Museum include tea lessons for young ladies, a pirate-for-a-day program, and an annual gingerbread house contest and show. The Museum also rents its tented patio, which has a capacity of 125, for weddings and other events.