Hopkins Dining Room
This elegantly proportioned room was added in 1810 for Colonel Henry Thompson who had built Clifton. The spectacular painted decorations were carried out in 1852, creating the sense of dining under an arbor. This room may suggest that Clifton was a summer home more than any other room in the house because of the arbor effect of the ceiling, with its flowering vines and blue sky beyond.
As part of the massive enlargement of Clifton for Johns Hopkins, all of the principal rooms were fitted with carved Italian white marble mantels. The mantels were removed in the 1960’s. The mantel that is seen installed today is a period mantel from a large house in Baltimore that is contemporary with Clifton. The carpet is a period design, and was produced by the last company employing hand-operated looms in the United States. Because Clifton is not an historic house museum, per se, the room is furnished as if Johns Hopkins’ family is still in residence. Important historic events occurred in this room, such as the meetings that put the B and O Railroad at the service of the Union.
