Mc Dowell Hall was designed in 1742 as the Colonial Governor's Mansion. Known as "Bladen's Folly," the incomplete structure was left to deteriorate. Thomas Jefferson in 1766 observed that in Annapolis "they have no public building worth mentioning except a Governor's House, the hull of which after being nearly finished, they have suffered to go to ruin." In 1784 St. John's College acquired the building and completed construction for use as the classroom, dormitory, and administrative college building. McDowell Hall was restored after a fire partially gutted it in 1909.
The building was agained restored in 1989, with Bohl Architects acting as the restoration architects. This six-story brick building includes 23,000 square feet of space for classrooms, assembly, and student union with a small food service facility. All interior woodwork and plaster cove moldings were restored. All necessary "modern" fixtures such as smoke detectors, sprinkler heads and lighting have been seamlessly integrated into the historic building.
Exhaustive research was conducted through files in the Maryland State Archives, college records, and on-site observations during the demolition phase of the renovations to determine the 1744 floor plan. The result was recognized by the 1991 Preservation Award of the Maryland Historical Trust, and the 1990 Award for Excellence in Architecture from the American Institute of Architects.
For more information on the restoration of McDowell Hall please visit http://bohlarchitects.com/McDowell_H/mcdowell.htm.
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