Brookeville Mill Worker House c.1800

Award-Winning Historic Estate on 26 Private Acres
Experience timeless elegance and modern sustainability in this impeccably restored, award-winning stone house, nestled on 26 acres of rolling pastures and mature trees. This one-of-a-kind property offers a rare blend of historic charm and contemporary amenities, all just a short drive from both Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.

Originally built in c.1800 as a worker’s house for the Brookeville Woolen Mill, this architectural gem has been masterfully restored from a partial stone shell with meticulous attention to detail, preserving its original stone & stonework while integrating high-end finishes and energy-efficient upgrades—including solar panels for low-impact living.

The main residence boasts four spacious bedrooms and three full bathrooms, including a luxurious primary bedroom with pastoral views. An attached in-law suite with a private entrance offers flexible living options.

Ideal for those seeking privacy, open space, and refined rural living, this estate also features expansive pastures, ideal for livestock or hobby farming, and multiple outdoor living areas perfect for entertaining or quiet reflection.

A truly rare opportunity to own a historic estate that harmonizes classic craftsmanship, sustainability, and proximity to major metropolitan hubs.

Historic Brookeville Woolen Mill Worker’s House Significance

The main significance of this house derives from association with and context for the Brookeville Woolen Mill (Maryland Historic Trust site #23-9). The Woolen Mill was in use throughout much of the 1800’s into the early 1900’s and the subject house is of similar construction to both the Woolen Mill and the Miller’s house. The subject house is located 300 yards southwest of the Brookeville Woolen Mill. There is oral family history in the Hottel family (owners of the subject house through much of the twentieth century) that links the subject house to the Woolen Mill and supports its use as Mill worker’s housing. There is aerial photographic evidence from 1943-1944 (Sandy Spring Quadrangle Maryland map) that a short unimproved dirt road, ran directly between the Mill and the subject house, literally connecting them. The subject Brookeville Woolen Mill Worker’s House site and the Mill itself were both embedded in contiguous parcels of Holland family land from the time of the land acquisitions of James and John Holland, (1742 and 1768 respectively). The Mill Worker’s House site persisted in the Holland family until its sale by Willie Grafton Holland to the Hottel brothers in 1931. The time period from 1768-to-1931 spanned the era of the Brookeville Woolen Mill operation. The Brookeville Woolen Mill is reported to be the only surviving one of its type (woolen felting mill) in the State of Maryland. This gives support for a possible statewide significance for the Brookeville Woolen Mill Worker’s House.
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Chain of Title

783 Tax Assessment – John Holland, Sr. is assessed £125 for 110 acres of part of “Bordley’s Choice”. The assessment is based on a record of 2 small dwelling houses, framed tobacco house, 35 acres cleared, 2 acres bottom which may be made meadow, sapling land, and midling soil. It is possible that the subject Mill Worker’s Stone House site is one of these, since land records quoted here confirm that the 110 acre parcel contains the subject site and that it borders the Holland family “Prospect Hill” site.

1798 Tax Assessment – John Holland, Jr. is assessed for 92 acres and John Holland Sr. is assessed for 18 acres; two parts of the original 110 acre purchase of “Bordley’s Choice”. John Holland, Sr. is also assessed for 114 acres of “Gittings Hah Hah”.

Feb. 23, 1816 – The will of John Holland, Jr. is recorded at at Liber 2 folio 491 in the will records of Montgomery County, MD. His brother James Holland is the executor. James is married to Hannah Hammond Welsh. They have 5 sons and 3 daughters, all born c.a. 1800-1810.

1831 Tax Assessment – James Holland is assessed for 117 acres of “Gittings Hah Hah” and several other parcels. James becomes the principal land holder in the Holland family, accumulating a total of approx. 369 acres.

c.a. 1834 – James Holland dies leaving a verbal will.

Oct. 2, 1834 – Indenture Agreement executed between Grafton Holland (son), Phillip Holland (son), Charles Holland (son), and Samuel Holland (son) of the first part and Sarah Holland (daughter), Ann Holland (daughter), and Mercy Ann Holland (daughter) of the other part as recorded at Liber B.S. 6 folio 560 in the land records of Montgomery County, MD. This Indenture Agreement among the children and sole inheritors of James Holland (father) provides for the payment of $1,000 to each of the daughters by the sons and allows the daughters to remain in the Holland mansion, Prospect Hill (Maryland Historic Trust site #M-23- 72), until their marriage or death. This indenture agreement resulted from the “verbal will of their late father, and by their own good and mutual agreement”. Each of the sons has particular responsibilities under the verbal will, e.g. Charles Holland is to manage Prospect Hill for the benefit of the family and enjoy Prospect Hill farm profits in return.

Oct. 18, 1834 – Estate of James Holland (father) to Grafton Holland (son), deed recorded for 92.13 acres in response to Indenture Agreement of Oct. 2, 1834. Description of this parcel of land confirms that it contains the site of the subject Mill Worker’s Stone House.

Oct. 18, 1834 – Estate of James Holland (father) to Phillip Holland (son), deed for 105.16 acres, recorded at Liber B.S. 6 folio 572 in the land records of Montgomery County, MD. Description of this parcel of land confirms that it contains a second portion of the 59.75 acres plus 1 square perch parcel (see entry of March 13, 1928) that is relevant to the subject Mill Worker’s Stone House.
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