Point Patience: Home to Those Who Serve

Story by Kathy Warren and Photography by Robert Gerardy

One of the greatest rewards of home ownership is the ability to create spaces which truly reflect our personal style through the way we choose to decorate them. So what happens when you are a military family who relocates every few years and has to turn temporary quarters into a place that feels like home?

No matter how many moves you've been through, or where your current duty station may be, infusing personality into someone else's home can be both challenging and rewarding as many military families can attest.

For Admiral Donald Gaddis and his wife Lisa, the historic property known as Point Patience is the place they currently call home. Built in the early 1800s, this historically significant home is located on a lovely piece of waterfront. The Federal style brick house is situated on a point of land jutting into the Patuxent River on the Solomons Annex, owned by the U.S. Navy.

Point Patience, which is thought to have been destroyed by the British in 1814 and later rebuilt, has undergone many changes over the years. It has been a private residence, a resort hotel, and today it serves as the Admiral's residence.

With its unique character and enviable location, Admiral Gaddis and his wife feel very fortunate to call Point Patience home even if they know it is only for a short while. Like the previous occupants, they understand that they are stewards of this wonderful house and will proudly pass the torch on to its future residents when the time comes.

This article appeared in the Fall 2010 edition of our magazine.