Columbia, Md (Map, News) - The stone walls of the Woodlawn Slave Quarters had become nearly unrecognizable, covered in vines and debris, and crumbling from decades of neglect.

Today, those walls have been fully restored, and the Woodlawn Slave Quarters stand as a symbol of a piece of the county’s past.

“Particularly in a new town, it’s important to remember the past,” Columbia Association President Maggie Brown said.

Community leaders and residents gathered at the site, tucked behind the Woodlawn Manor off Bendix Road in Columbia, on Sunday to celebrate the restoration of the slave quarters.

Troopers from the Baltimore chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers, dressed in uniforms representing the post-Civil War black soldiers, attended the event, and Pat Leake, dressed as Harriet Tubman, sang a medley of slave-era songs.

Work began in March to rebuild the 18-foot-by-40-foot structure, dating back to the mid-1800s. The Columbia Association spent $225,000 to restore the decaying building, which sits on land leased by the association.

The building was given a new roof, repaired windows and rebuilt walls. A new dirt floor and new chimney also were added.

“This has been a fascinating experience,” said Barbara Kellner, a member of the association’s Woodlawn Slave Quarters Preservation Task Force and manager of the Columbia Archives.

From 2001 to 2005, the quarters were included on Preservation Howard County’s Top 10 list of endangered historic sites, a list that calls attention to the projects. This prompted the Columbia Association to have it restored.

“It’s a real success story to come off of our list,” said Fred Dorsey, second vice president of Preservation Howard County.

The land was part of a 1,200-acre estate owned by Arthur Pue, which was divided among his children when he died in 1847. Pue owned slaves, as did John Thomas, a later owner of the land, Kellner said.

The long-term goal for the property is to create a “cultural, recreational and educational site,” Brown said. More research must be done about the people and the property, and more money must be raised to continue these efforts, she said.

smichael@baltimoreexaminer.com

Comments from Examiner Readers

5:43 AM MST on Sun., May. 6, 2007 re: "Official: Boys and Girls Club in Southeast may close after review"

Jenna taylor said:
This is terribly unfortunate. As a college student who works part-time at my local Boys & Girls Club I know how devastating this will be to some of the club's members. Many of the children see their Boys & Girls Club as a safe haven from the harsh realities they are exposed to at such a young age... being around adults who are good role-models and care about their futures is so critical to their development... with all the loaded people in D.C. someone with big bucks should step in and get the club financially back afloat.

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10:38 PM MST on Sat., May. 5, 2007 re: "Official: Boys and Girls Club in Southeast may close after review"

Examiner Reader said:
Maybe if they didn't their Executive Director a quarter of a million dollar$ a year they could afford to keep thier clubs open!

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