Historic site is on the block
Baltimore Sun
After restoring a home on the site of the Carroll County, Md., birthplace of Francis Scott Key, millionaire history buff William F. Chaney is selling it.
The property’s connection to the writer of “The Star-Spangled Banner” captivated Chaney, who bought Terra Rubra -- the name means “Red Earth” -- for $1.3 million two years ago.
He spent several hundred thousand dollars removing wall-to-wall carpeting, putting electrical wiring underground, replacing hardwood floors and creating brick paths to make the 150-acre property resemble its 1850s state. The site remained in Key’s family until about 30 years ago. Listed for sale at $1.995 million, the property has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.
