Maryland Historical Trust Inventory No.

15/9

Maryland Inventory of
Historic Properties Form

1. Name of Property (indicate preferred name)

historic Captain Claggett/Hilton Farm

other Dusty Hill Farm

2. Location
street and number 28055 Ridge Road not for publication

city, town Damascus vicinity

county Montgomery

3. Owner of Property (give names and mailing addresses of all owners)

name Robert M Hilton & Evelyn D

street and number 28055 Ridge Road telephone

city, town Damascus state MD zip code 20872-2432

4. Location of Legal Description

courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Montgomery County Courthouse liber 32147 folio 526
city, town Rockville tax map FY53 tax parcel P888 tax ID number 00931661

5. Primary Location of Additional Data

Contributing Resource in National Register District
Contributing Resource in Local Historic District
Determined Eligible for the National Register/Maryland Register
Determined Ineligible for the National Register/Maryland Register
Recorded by HABS/HAER
Historic Structure Report or Research Report at MHT
Other:

6. Classification
Category Ownership Current Function Resource Count
district public agriculture landscape Contributing Noncontributing
building(s) private commerce/trade recreation/culture buildings
structure both defense religion sites
site domestic social structures
object education transportation objects
funerary work in progress Total
government unknown
health care vacant/not in use Number of Contributing Resources
industry other: previously listed in the Inventory
7. Description Inventory No. 15/9

Condition
excellent deteriorated
good ruins
fair altered

Prepare both a one paragraph summary and a comprehensive description of the resource and its various elements as it
exists today.

The dwelling house, a center cross gable structure, was once representative of area houses dating from the late 
1800s but has been greatly altered.   Unusual features noted at the time of survey in 1973 included a fine molded 
cornice with returns on the front gable, patterned gable shingles, and a diamond shaped window.  The structure 
has paired stove chimneys flanking the center cross gable, a feature found on several other period residences in the 
area. The molded cornice has been altered and no longer has the front gable returns described in 1973. The 
historic house has been expanded with several incompatible additions.   
 
The integrity of this farmstead has been severely compromised through a variety of alterations to historic 
structures and the construction of numerous modern buildings, including mobile homes, metal sheds, and 
contemporary dwellings.  
 
The farmstead includes many structures. The bank barn has been covered in part with modern siding.  A concrete 
dairy barn has a standing seam metal roof covering the gambrel roof which has a hay hood in one gambrel end. 
Maryland Historical Trust
Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. 15-9

Historic Properties Form

Name Capt Clagett/Hilton Farm

Continuation Sheet

Number 7 Page 1

Clagett-Hilton House
Front façade, 2-2008
Maryland Historical Trust
Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. 15-9

Historic Properties Form

Name Capt Clagett/Hilton Farm

Continuation Sheet

Number 7 Page 2

Clagett-Hilton House
Side façade, 2-2008
Maryland Historical Trust
Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. 15-9

Historic Properties Form

Name Capt Clagett/Hilton Farm

Continuation Sheet

Number 7 Page 3

Clagett-Hilton Farm
Barn, 2-2008
Maryland Historical Trust
Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. 15-9

Historic Properties Form

Name Capt Clagett/Hilton Farm

Continuation Sheet

Number 7 Page 4

Clagett-Hilton Farm
Dairy Barn, 2-2008
Maryland Historical Trust
Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. 15-9

Historic Properties Form

Name Capt Clagett/Hilton Farm

Continuation Sheet

Number 7 Page 5

Clagett-Hilton Farm, 28055 Ridge Road

8. Significance Inventory No. 15/9

Period Areas of Significance Check and justify below

1600-1699 agriculture economics health/medicine performing arts
1700-1799 archeology education industry philosophy
1800-1899 architecture engineering invention politics/government
1900-1999 art entertainment/ landscape architecture religion
2000- commerce recreation law science
communications ethnic heritage literature social history
community planning exploration/ maritime history transportation
conservation settlement military other:

Specific dates Architect/Builder

Construction dates

Evaluation for:

National Register Maryland Register not evaluated

Prepare a one-paragraph summary statement of significance addressing applicable criteria, followed by a narrative discussion of the
history of the resource and its context. (For compliance projects, complete evaluation on a DOE Form – see manual.)

William Clagett acquired this property in 1860 from the Moxley family of Friendship Farm (10/1).   Clagett built a 
store and house at 28001 Ridge Road about 1874, and donated land for a school near the lot at 28041 Ridge Road 
in 1884. It is for William Clagett that the adjacent community of Clagettsville was named.   
 
G M Hopkins identifies Clagett as Capt W C Clagett in 1878.  William Scharf, historian, noted in his 1882 History of 
Western Maryland that Capt W C Clagett lived near the community of Clagetttsville.  It is not known why Clagett 
was known as Captain Clagett, or if he served in the Civil War. 1 
 
Robert M Hilton acquired the farm, being 138.62 acres, from his father Ray Hilton, in 1962.  In 1976, Robert 
Hilton’s farm 140 Holstein milk cows and 90 heifers.  Under his ownership, the farm, known as Dusty Hill Farm,  
processed 600 gallons of milk a day.2   
 

1
G M Hopkins 1878 map. William Scharf, History of Western Maryland, 1882. Janie Woodfield Payne interview with Michael
Dwyer, 8-24-1976.
2
Deed 2968:670. Frederick Post, 6-26-1976. Michael F Dwyer Inventory Form, 15-9 Clagett-Hilton Farm, 1973.
Maryland Historical Trust
Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. 15/9

Historic Properties Form

Name Capt Clagett-Hilton Farm

Continuation Sheet

Number 8 Page 1

Martenet and Bond map, 1865 
Maryland Historical Trust
Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. 15/9

Historic Properties Form

Name Capt Clagett-Hilton Farm

Continuation Sheet

Number 8 Page 2

 
Hopkins 1878 map
Maryland Historical Trust
Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. 15/9

Historic Properties Form

Name Capt Clagett-Hilton Farm

Continuation Sheet

Number 8 Page 3

 
Capt Clagett House 
1973 photograph, Michael F Dwyer
9. Major Bibliographical References Inventory No. 15/9

Dwyer, Michael F. Captain Clagett/Hilton Farm, #15‐9, MHT Inventory Form, 10‐23‐1973. 
Johnson, Ruth W. “Agriculture: country treats gold mine like dog.” Frederick Post, 6‐26‐1976.   
Payne, Janie Woodfield . Interview with Michael Dwyer, 8‐24‐1976. 
Scharf, William, History of Western Maryland, 1882. 

10. Geographical Data

Acreage of surveyed property 107.66 acres
Acreage of historical setting
Quadrangle name Quadrangle scale:

Verbal boundary description and justification

11. Form Prepared by

name/title Clare Lise Kelly
organization MNCPPC- Montgomery County date 12-2009
street & number 1109 Spring Street, Suite 801 telephone 301.563.3400
city or town Silver Spring state MD

The Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature
to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA,
1974 supplement.

The survey and inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only
and do not constitute any infringement of individual property rights.

return to: Maryland Historical Trust

Maryland Department of Planning
100 Community Place
Crownsville, MD 21032-2023
410-514-7600