Lover's Window at Mount Calvert

Lover's Window with etchings clearly visible. blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)

Mount Calvert Historical and Archeological Park offers visitors a fascinating window into the past through the excavation of a plantation on which relics from Native Americans, the colonial town, and the plantation itself have been discovered and preserved.

Some of the artifacts have been placed on display in the museum inside the main house at Mount Calvert. One of the more interesting discoveries at the site did not involve digging and sifting but was discovered within the house itself. One particular internal window, which has been preserved between layers of protective plexiglass, has been dubbed the “Lover’s Window” as a reference to the tell-tale etchings that have been carved into the panes.

The most curious of these are the names “M B Beanes” and “W N Dorsett” inscribed above a heart pierced by an arrow. It is presumed the individuals to whom these belong were Mary Bradley Beanes and William Dorsett.

Beanes was the granddaughter of John Brown, Sr., who built the house in 1789. Dorsett lived on the neighboring plantation. Dorsett married Amelia Thomas in 1827, and Beanes married Frederick Thomas in 1831. It is unknown whether the two ever shared a relationship or if perhaps it was just a crush.

Know Before You Go

Mount Calvert is open for hiking, and the house features a permanent museum exhibit entitled "A Confluence of Three Cultures." There is a canoe and kayak launch on the grounds from which rentals or personal crafts may be put in by those wishing to explore neighboring Jug Bay.