Rossborough Inn

Before the University of Maryland, there was the Rossborough Inn. This weathered, yet elegant, building has witnessed more history than most. It stands before you, a vestige of a time when stagecoaches rumbled along the Washington-Baltimore Turnpike. The Rossborough Inn, completed in 1803, predates the university itself by over half a century. It’s the oldest structure on campus, a silent observer of the university’s growth and evolution. Originally, this was a bustling tavern, a welcome respite for weary travelers making their way between two burgeoning cities. John Ross, a land speculator, built this inn hoping to capitalize on the traffic along the turnpike. He likely never imagined his namesake establishment would become a landmark, outlasting countless other buildings and businesses. The very name “Rossborough” echoes a forgotten era. It refers to the name of the area in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, derived from landowner Richard Ross. “Rossborough” or sometimes “Rossburg” persisted into the 1920s, a ghost of the past clinging to the present. The inn’s fortunes, like those of many early businesses, eventually declined. By 1835, it transitioned from a tavern to a farmhouse, owned by Charles Benedict Calvert. His family owned the nearby Riversdale Plantation. A few years later, Calvert donated the land, including the Rossborough Inn, to the Maryland Agricultural College, the precursor to the University of Maryland. During the Civil War, the Rossborough Inn played a small, yet significant, role. Confederate General Bradley T. Johnson used it as his headquarters when his brigade occupied the university grounds. Imagine the hushed discussions, the strategic plans unfolding within these walls. Over the years, the Rossborough Inn has served many purposes, from a faculty residence to the home of the University of Maryland Faculty and Alumni Club. It even housed a restaurant called “The Carriage House.” Today, it serves as the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. But amidst the mundane administrative tasks, there are whispers of something more. Rumors persist that the Rossborough Inn is haunted, perhaps by spirits connected to its Civil War past. Some claim to have seen a woman in a yellow gown, believed to be the ghost of Miss Bettie, the inn’s manager during the war. Look closely at the keystone above the front door. Do you see the carved head of Silenus? It’s made of Coade stone, a rare and durable material. This small detail, like the inn itself, is a reminder of a rich and layered past, quietly enduring amidst the bustle of modern life.