Rachael’s Dowry Bed and Breakfast has become one of the top inns in the state of Maryland. Listed on the National Register of Historic places the building was completed by 1790. It was believed to be part of the Underground Railroad and was frequently visited by George and Martha Washington.
The Inn was completely renovated and opened as a bed and breakfast in 2010. The continued preservation of the building and its journey to becoming a top bed and breakfast is thanks to Linda Smith, who purchased the building in 2016. She has been overseeing daily operations ever since. Smith has a career that spans back decades, but it wasn’t always in the hospitality industry. Before she opened the bed and breakfast she spent 34 years working in high tech global marketing for large corporations.
Smith moved to New Zealand when she was working for a large multinational telecommunications company to help the company complete a business transformation. She transitioned to the aviation industry while still in New Zealand and completed yet another successful business transformation. Smith proved herself to be a highly successful person within the field, but after working in a corporate setting for so long she wanted to return back to the United States and run her own company.
Upon returning to the states, Smith was seeking to possibly open a manufacturing company, but she reflected on time she had spent with her sister when they would talk about opening a bed and breakfast. She spent nine months searching the market for the perfect bed and breakfast. Smith’s search came to an end when Rachael’s Dowry became available. Smith appreciated the deep history of the Inn which was built in the late 1700s by a family of brickmakers. The building served as a home to the Warner family, prominent local citizens related to George Washington, who would frequently visit with his wife Martha.
The home was believed to have been part of the Underground Railroad as a safe house for runaway slaves. It remained in the family until 1920 when it was converted into a funeral home for the next 45 years. In the 1960s the building became a hippie commune until 1978 when it was purchased by a local business man who turned it into a bed and breakfast. The new owner renovated the building while keeping intact the original architecture and flooring. He owned the bed and breakfast until 2016 when Smith purchased it. The inn is located in the historic neighborhood of Ridgley’s Delight in downtown Baltimore.
“I took over the bed and breakfast, so I could preserve the history of the building while offering people a great place to enjoy their time in downtown Baltimore. I didn’t always plan to own a bed and breakfast but now that I do it’s been one of the best experiences of my life,” says Smith. “The bed and breakfast has become a staple of the community, and I am so grateful for everyone that comes to stay here.”
Media Contact:
Name: Linda Smith
Email: [email protected]
