About
Founded: 1892
Chapter I is a vibrant community of accomplished women who combine productivity, purpose, and camaraderie. As our letterhead proudly states, we are: “Women in Philanthropy and Historic Preservation Since 1892.” We are proud to honor our heritage while embracing innovation and change. Recognizing the demands of modern professional life, our Board of Managers’ meetings, programs, and events are thoughtfully scheduled on weekday evenings, weekends, and via video conference to accommodate our full schedules. We also maintain a consistent communications platform through our newsletter, distributed in both print and digital formats to members, candidates, and prospective members alike.
Chapter History: Chapter I was established on April 8, 1892, by our founding President, Mary Ann Washington Keyser, the eldest daughter of Lawrence Washington. Since our founding our members have been actively engaged in philanthropy and historic preservation in Baltimore City. In 1919, Mary Washington Keyser bought and donated the Enoch Pratt Mansion to the Maryland Historical Society and financed and oversaw the building of the remarkable fire-proof gallery known as Keyser Memorial Wing. At the turn of the century, our founding Vice President, Mary Frick Garrett Jacobs, amassed a large valuable collection of European artwork and her gift of the collection helped establish the Baltimore Museum of Art. In our early years, our members helped finance the acquisition of Homewood, Charles Carroll’s Federal period Palladian house, and the surrounding property for the Johns Hopkins University campus. Our archives, which were recently donated to the Maryland Center for History and Culture, document more than a century of significant women’s philanthropy.
Historic Preservation & Education: Since 1949, Chapter I has demonstrated its commitment to historic preservation through its ongoing support of the eighteenth-century Georgian manor house, gardens, and estate located at Hampton National Historic Site in Baltimore County, Maryland. Chapter I has on loan to the National Park Service at Hampton a decorative arts collection with over seventy items. We have funded the restoration of and furnishings for the Ladies Parlor, which bears the Chapter’s name. Chapter I has been appointed by the National Park Service to serve as a consulting party for the thirteen-million-dollar Legacy Restoration Fund grant that was awarded to Hampton to rehabilitate fourteen historic buildings. Our projects have included funding the restoration of a standing clock made by Thomas Wagstaffe in London in 1760 and owned by Capt. Charles Ridgely, the builder of Hampton. Our most recent project is the restoration of a pair of English Georgian (Chippendale) mahogany armchairs, c.1765, which are original to the house.
Scholarships: Since 2007, Chapter I has annually funded two scholarships bearing Chapter I’s name. The Colonial Dames of America Chapter I Scholarship at Washington College supports the Quill and Compass Scholars Program administered by The Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. The Chapter I scholarship provides tuition for undergraduate students pursuing coursework in history, political science, and American studies. The students we support are also given special consideration for other Starr Center opportunities, such as the Explore America Summer Internships, which match students with full-time, fully paid summer jobs at places such as the Smithsonian, Library of Congress, National Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, and more.
Our second scholarship, The Colonial Dames Fund at St. Mary’s College, supports students enrolled in the Summer Field School in Archaeology at Historic St. Mary’s City. The program is one of the longest-running historical archaeology field schools in the United States. Participants earn academic credit while engaging in an immersive six-week program that teaches the foundational principles of historical archaeology. The field school’s focus has been on St. Mary’s Fort (ca. 1634), constructed by the first wave of European colonists who arrived in Maryland in 1634. During the last few years, Chapter I has also committed funds to support The Pathways to Archaeology Field School Scholarship awarded to undergraduate and graduate students from historically underrepresented groups in the field of archaeology.
Additionally, we have funded a curatorial internship at the Maryland Center for History and Culture to provide an educational opportunity for a graduate student and to facilitate the preservation of our archives dating from 1892, which tell a history of women’s philanthropy in Baltimore.
Programs and Events: Each year, Chapter I brings together members, candidates, and prospective members for a full calendar of events. We gather in December for our annual “Christmas Mimosa Party”, hosted and catered by the Board. In the spring, members, candidates and their gentlemen guests are invited to our Annual Meeting and Cocktail Reception. Partnering with the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Maryland, we have hosted tailgate gatherings for prospective members at the Grand National Steeplechase. The Warriors are also our guests at our annual Fall luncheon, lecture and silent auction fundraiser. The pinnacle of the year is our annual Colonial Ball, an elegant white-tie evening of dining and dancing co-hosted with the Warriors. More than a celebration, the Ball serves as a meaningful fundraiser, supporting Colonial-era education and historic preservation projects.