The Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage as a Preservation Force in Maryland (1930-1994)

The Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage (MHGP) is an organization which stages a series of house tours across Maryland during the first few weeks of May each year. While the MHGP's by-laws define the organization as a fund raiser for preservation projects, the organization has a much broader impact on Maryland's preservation community. After a discussion of the history of architectural tourism and of the MHGP, this thesis examines the impact of the MHGP, identifies trends in the annual tours, and speculates about the possible causes and solutions to these problems. Quantitative data gleaned from the records of the MHGP has been used to support the analyses. The final analysis reveals that the MHGP plays an important role in educating the public as well as raising money, and can continue its long history of success with a few organization changes.