Miller House

Miller House

Washington County Historical Society Offices and The Miller House Museum

The fine old brick mansion at 135 West Washington Street in Hagerstown is the headquarters of the Washington County Historical Society. Research indicates that the main structure of the house was built for William Price, a prominent young attorney, who acquired the property in 1823. The mansion is a typical town house of the late Federal period. In the entrance hall is the original hanging stairway rising in a graceful curve to the third floor. There are several bedrooms with furnishings from the 1850s through the 1870s. Exhibits include papers and historic items from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War and the C&O Canal. A wonderful clock collection may also be found within the walls of Miller House showcasing clocks large and small from local clockmakers of yesteryear. Clocks from afar may also be found in the collection. Another collection found at Miller House is an exquisite assortment of antique dolls showing what may have been found in Washington County households of long ago.

Interior Hallway of Miller House

The oldest section of the existing house was built by Peter Bell, Jr. in 1818. Peter Bell was a potter, who was working on the site as early as 1804. He made redware pottery that is classified as being part of the Shenandoah Valley pottery group. Peter Bell had eight children, among whom were John, Samuel and Solomon Bell. They were all very important Shenandoah Valley potters. John worked mainly in Waynesboro, PA and Samuel and Solomon worked together in Strausburg, VA. The Miller House has an important collection of Shenandoah Valley pottery, including works by three generations of the Bell family.

The Miller House Library contains many early documents and church records of Washington County. Staff onsite are more than helpful in helping patrons find their roots in Washington County.

The garden is gradually being developed and has been created as a memorial to the late Victor Davis Miller, III, President of the Historical Society from 1966-1968. It is one of the finer gardens found in the downtown of Hagerstown.

Miller House Garden

If you have questions about the Historical Society, please contact James D. Neville, Executive Director of the Washington County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1281, Hagerstown, Maryland, 21741-1281, (301) 797-8782 or email us at: histsoc@earthlink.net

Thank you!