Belair Mansion

Historic Sites, Built in 1743

Belair Mansion is an 18th-century Georgian-style plantation house located on Tulip Grove Drive in Bowie, Maryland. It was the home of Maryland governors Samuel Ogle and his son Benjamin Ogle, and later William Woodward. Belair Mansion is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Belair Mansion was built by Governor Samuel Ogle in 1743, on a tract of land he purchased in 1737. The mansion was graced by a deer park, vineyard, and a greenhouse, scrupulously laid out among terraced gardens around the mansion. Enamored of thoroughbred race horses, Ogle also established a famous stable on the Belair estate.

The Belair estate remained in the Ogle family throughout the 19th century, until New Yorker William Woodward bought it in 1898. An ardent horseracing fan himself, he expanded the mansion and restored the stable. The structure is presently the Belair Stable Museum.

Levit Company bought 2,000 acres of the Belair estate, including the mansion in 1957. Levit donated the mansion to the City of Bowie in 1964. The house was subsequently restored and opened as a museum, retaining its 250-year old legacy.

The Belair Mansion Museum displays paintings owned by the Ogle family, including portraits of Ogle family members; engraved silver, privately issued prints of Belair race horses; and a 1932 bronze of Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox by Eleanor Iselin Wade.

The Belair Mansion is operated by the City of Bowie. It is available for weddings, receptions, other special events and private functions. Souvenirs and collectables can be purchased from the museum gift shop.