The Destruction of the Tome Mansion

Pickering Photo 1936

  According to Guyas Cutas, the Tome Mansion was completed in 1872. It was a well built solid structure made of blue hued Port Deposit dressed granite. Being engineered as a Bank it was built to withstand the weathers of time. It also served as Mr. Tomes home and contained every modern amenity of that time, including running water from a cistern and gas to run the lights and for general heating.

After Mr. Tomes death in 1898, the mansion was given to the Tome Institute Board of Directors by Mrs. Evalyn Tome to make the best use of it. It served as a meeting house as well as becoming a tenant structure by the the 1940's. Around that time an estimate was made on a roof repair supposedly around $10,000 a truly fat sum for that time. A decision was made by the Institute to sell the mansion, in which the Lions Club of Port Deposit acquired it and had it raised to build a community swimming pool.

The demise of the building came 30 years to early as in 1978 Grace Humphreys along with other concerned citizens incorporated the port Deposit Heritage Corporation (a Nonprofit) and had the entire town placed on the National Historic Registry.

Lingering questions remain for those of us who were not there to stop this now accepted tragedy to a truly phenomenal landmark.

• Mansion Lifespan (1872-1948), 76 years young amazing since many homes in this town are pushing two hundred plus years

• Secondly, the roof was made of Delta slate and should have lasted between a hundred and one hundred and fifty years conservative.

• Rumors persist that the Bainbridge Officers Club offered to buy it at a fair price. Regardless the structure would not been raised but preserved.

• Lastly, that those who may have razed the building had hopes of acquiring the fine granite for other projects were sorely treated to Jacobs last laugh as much of stone on the building was thinner finished capstone and face stone that broke during the deconstruction.

There are many tough questions that need to be asked to get the story correct. As so much time has past that what is obvious today, may have been not so obvious then.

If anyone would like to add to this story. please Contact Us and this page will be updated with the information.

A swimming pool replaced the Mansion.

Last Known Picture of the Mansion before Destruction