Touchstone House - 48 South Main Street

This house was built in 1857 for the James Touchstone family.

The main living area is elevated to the second floor from flood waters, as was the trend with frequent threats of ice gorges before the dam was built.  The street level was mainly for storage and is made from Port Deposit granite, while the upper levels are brick walled with Georgia yellow pine floors.  Due to the narrow lot, the porch is on the side.  The wrought iron fence in front of this house - as well as most every other iron fence in town - was made by James Touchstone or Joseph Ballance.  

James Touchstone was a blacksmith and founded an iron works shop next door - where the Presbyterian church now stands.  Joseph Ballance purchased the shop in 1872 after James Touchstone passed.

James Touchstone had also been Quartermaster of the 7th MD Regiment in the Civil War and served two terms in the Maryland House of Delegates.

Port Deposit
  1. Rock Run Mill - North Main Street between Mill Street and Granite Avenue
  2. First Baptist Church - 282 North Main Street
  3. Bethel A.M.E. Church - 196 North Main Street
  4. Midtown Market - 190 North Main Street (area)
  5. St. Teresa's Roman Catholic Church - 162 North Main Street
  6. The Old Sorrel - 158-160 North Main Street
  7. Site of the former McNeilly House - 131-133 North Main Street
  8. Midtown Market (more recently) - 175 North Main Street
  9. (former) Tome Memorial Methodist Church - 102 North Main Street
  10. Paw Paw Building - Port Deposit Heritage Museum - 98 North Main Street
  11. Nesbitt Hall - 99 North Main Street
  12. Creswell's Marble Shop - 97 North Main Street
  13. The Blackburn House - 75 North Main Street
  14. The Swiss Chalet - 68 North Main Street
  15. Municipal Building - 55 North Main Street
  16. Boyle House - 29 North Main Street
  17. Abrahams Building - 15 North Main Street
  18. 1 Center Street
  19. Museum - U. S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge - 6 South Main Street
  20. Gerry House - 18 South Main Street
  21. Falls Hotel - 26 South Main Street
  22. Presbyterian Church - 44 South Main Street
  23. Touchstone House - 48 South Main Street
  24. Steps (to Liberty) - 64 South Main Street
  25. Archway to Washington Hall (site of former Tome School) - 60 block South Main Street
  26. The Carriage House - 80 South Main Street
  27. McClenahan Mansion - 90 South Main Street
  28. The Gas House - on the Promenade
  29. Jacob's Ladder - 98 South Main Street
  30. Promenade - along the waterfront
  31. VFW - Jerry Skrivanek V.F.W. Post 8185
  32. What's the background story of the V.F.W. organization?
  33. What's the story of a military tank in the parking lot at the VFW?
  34. Who was Jerry Skrivanek and why does he have a VFW named after him?