Building the James Brice House 1767-1774

This beautifully illustrated book by Orlando Ridout IV places the Brice House in Annapolis, Maryland in its historical and architectural context. It also features a color reproduction of James Brice’s entire account book with a detailed index. The James Brice house is one of the grandest and most stylish houses built in colonial America. It has served as a reminder of the glory days of Annapolis, America’s first peacetime capital and home to many of the most elegant homes in early American architecture. The account book that James Brice kept from 1767 – 1801 is an extraordinary record of the personal and professional expenses and income of a colonial family, as well as one of the most detailed records of the building of an important period townhouse.

Orlando Ridout IV is an author, historic preservationist, and community activist who has lived in Anne Arundel County, Maryland his entire life. He is a direct descendant of John Ridout who arrived in Maryland in 1753 as the secretary to Horatio Sharpe, colonial governor of the colony. When the governor returned to England, John Ridout inherited Sharpe's beautiful estate, Whitehall. Ridout also built his own beautiful townhouse in Annapolis. The very strong sense of history and place has guided the Ridout family in Anne Arundel County ever since. Orlando was the director of the Maryland Historic Trust from 1962 - 1976 and the first state historic preservation officer from 1966 - 1976. He was also a founding member of what is now the Historic Annapolis Foundation. He was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1950 - 1962. In 1964, he helped to write the Anne Arundel County charter.