My fascination with old mansions started when I was

in college during the 1960's.

The Clairvaux Mansion was located on US 15, bypass intersection with Motter Station Rd, one-half mile south of Mt. Saint Mary's College. After a fire [early 1970s] the only thing left standing was the stately brick walls. When the firemen arrived on the scene they found the house to be completely engulfed with flames they decided to let it burn itself out. It is believed the fire was started in the kitchen area on the west side of the house. The fire was discovered by persons residing near the dwelling. This was the third fire at the estate. One of the fires destroyed a summer house, the other a barn.

For several years Clairvaux was owned by Daniel F. Roddy family who sold it to the Rial family. Mrs. Rial owned the property from 1941 until she entered a nursing home. At this time she sold the property to her son-in-law, Col. G. E. Borst of Washington, D.C. Sometime after the fire, Col. Borst sold the remaining property back to Mt. St. Mary's College.

During the early years of Clairvaux House, it served as a refined boarding house, later as an Inn. Due to the home's historic importance Fire Chief Guy McLauglin said when questioned that he would not venture an estimate as to a monetary extent of loss prior to contacting the owner of the property. The home at the time of the fire was one hundred years old. It was built by Dr. James A. Shorb who named the estate "Clairvaux."

The fire was said to be of a suspicious origin. It was also thought that vandals may have set it. Just prior to the one hundred seventy-eighth celebration of the College's anniversary of existence they felt that the walls of Clairvaux should be demolished. At the present time the land is being cultivated and has raised soy beans as well at wheat thereon. One historian of that area I met on the grounds stated he did not understand why the college had not left the gardens at Clairvaux in tact as it was a wonderful tourist attraction.

William Elder was the original owner of the Clairvaux property, however, it was not known as Clairvaux at that time nor did William at any time build on this property. In his will he deeded this piece of ground to his son Aloysius. At a later date Aloysius gave the property to the College reserving the burial ground which was near his father's home, Pleasant Level, for his family and himself to be buried there. When Aloysius made his will he gave the cemetery to the College and at present time they are still the owner of the cemetery. The college sold the property to Dr. James A. Shorb the builder and owner of Clairvaux. The house and land passed through many hands before the College was able to buy it back.

Information and history of this property came from deeds, wills, and from an article that appeared in the Emmitsburg Chronicle, from the Maryland Hall of Records, and from a book "We Discover the Old Dominion."

The happy ending is, the College now has the land in its possession.

I have fond memories of exploring the many rooms of this main structure when it was still standing. I was stuck by not only the size of this home, but the lavish elements in the interior that had survived the ravage of time and neglect. On any given visit, you could see evidence in many of the rooms that the structure was being used/abused by homeless folks and a party site for teenagers. It was not uncommon to see the areas on the floor where small fires had burned to warm a room. Sadly, as the above article mentions, the grand old mansion was destroyed by fire not long after I graduated from MSM.