Best Farm House

Built by the Vincendiere family, the Best Farmhouse was originally known as L'Hermitage.

NPS/Marcey Frutchey

Quick Facts

Location:

Frederick, Maryland

Significance:

L'Hermitage, Special Order 191, Battle of Monocacy

Designation:

National Battlefield, National Register of Historic Places, National Historic Landmark

OPEN TO PUBLIC:

No

Amenities

5 listed

Audio Description, Cellular Signal, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Parking - Auto, Scenic View/Photo Spot

In 1794 and 1795, the Vincendières, a French planter family from the colony of Saint-Domingue (Haiti), began acquiring lands that would comprise a 748-acre plantation that they called L'Hermitage. The Vincendières came to the United States in 1793 to escape civil unrest associated with the French Revolution and the successful revolt by people enslaved in Saint-Domingue. Today's Best Farm consists of the southern 274 acres of the original 748-acre L'Hermitage plantation.

Even before the Vincendiere's purchased the land, they began construction of the main house. This may reflect their intent to eventually purchase the land or the terms of their lease. Standard tenant agreements in colonial Maryland required the tenant to build and maintain a dwelling. Architectural studies of the main house have identified its stylistic influence as a combination of "French Colonial and Caribbean Island, mixed with Early Federal," which are noted in the original hipped roof, the large rooms, high ceilings, and alcoved, double-hung windows.

The main house was constructed in several phases. The earliest portion is believed to date circa 1794 and consists of the south wing of the house, which is made up of a stair passage, cellar, and two south rooms; this portion of the house originally had a hipped roof. A two-story, four-room north addition was constructed relatively soon after the original south wing, and initially had a shed roof. Both the south and northern addition of the main house are built of stone and covered in stucco.  A detached, single story, log kitchen was also constructed west of the main building in the 1790s. In the mid-19^th century, a wood frame addition was added to connect the kitchen to the main house. A second floor was added to the kitchen in the late 19^th century.

For most of its existence the L'Hermitage/Best Farmhouse served as a rental home with long-term tenants. The Best Family leased the farm for most of the 19^th century. The Wiles family began leasing the farm in the 1920s and continued to live there for a few years after the National Park Service acquired the property in 1991. Assessments of the building in the 1990s and early 2000s revealed extensive termite damage. Because rehabilitation or restoration would have required removing a significant amount of the original materials; park managers decided to stabilize the building and preserve its presence on the landscape. A peak inside the ground floor windows reveals modern construction supporting the ceiling and second floor.

Duration:

6 minutes, 19 seconds

Fresh Confederate troops emerge out of Frederick, push Union troops back towards the River and take up positions in and around the Best Farm buildings, forcing General Lew Wallace to make a drastic decision.