Historic Maryland Estate Linked to Figures of Early American History Listed for $15 Million

A sprawling Georgian manor estate in Leonardtown, Maryland, known as Mulberry Fields, has been listed for $15 million. The property spans nearly 500 acres and includes a six-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom main house with a direct shoreline on the Potomac River. The estate also features over a dozen additional buildings, farmland, and woodland.

The main house's construction is dated to after 1763, though the land's acquisition began in 1755. Mulberry Fields is noted as the only surviving Georgian manor house in St. Mary's County. The house retains much of its original character, including seven fireplaces, wood-paneled rooms, original moldings, and doors. A two-story portico was added around 1820.

Historically, the property operated as a plantation where enslaved people worked. Records indicate that during the War of 1812, enslaved individuals from Mulberry Fields escaped to British forces.

The property's notable former owner, William Clarke Somerville, inherited Mulberry Fields and renamed it Montalbino. Somerville, a major in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812, later traveled in Europe and reportedly met figures such as Lord Byron and the Duke of Wellington. He also formed a friendship with the Marquis de Lafayette. Somerville died in France in 1826 while on a diplomatic mission, and Lafayette reportedly notified his family.

The Jansson family acquired Mulberry Fields in the mid-20th century and has spent decades protecting it from development, including successfully opposing a proposed riverfront casino. Erik Jansson, a son of the family and an environmental activist, lived at the estate and worked to protect the Potomac River. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

The current listing price of $15 million was set in July. The property had previously been listed for $20 million and $30 million in 2023. Public records show a sale in 1990 for $32,000.