A bachelor workaholic, Isaacs took over his family's Maryland clothing manufacturing business at 32. His hobbies were dogs, horses, and the decorative arts.  He was president of the Maryland Kennel Club for twenty years, and his Brookfield Stables -- with locations in Maryland, New York, Florida, and California -- produced exceptional racehorses, including Intent, which twice won the San Juan Capistrano Handicap and after retirement sired Intentionally.

After purchasing LONG BRANCH and beginning its restoration, Isaacs learned that he had terminal cancer. He decided to leave the house and the 400-acre farm to a non-profit foundation and open LONG BRANCH to the public. Isaacs died in 1990, shortly after the restoration of the house was completed.

Isaacs spent his final months supervising the furnishing of LONG BRANCH with period pieces and fabrics he chose on visits to showrooms as far away as New York. The Harry Z. Isaacs Foundation was headquartered in Baltimore, but a local board of directors, chaired by M. Tyson Gilpin of Boyce, was created to oversee the daily operation of the estate. Colette Poisson, an assistant to Isaacs who had advised him in the restoration and furnishing of the house, became the curator, and Joseph B. Hickey, a nationally known competitive horseman, signed on as the resident farm manager. On April 3, 1993, LONG BRANCH was opened to the public.

This concludes the on-line tour. The historic house is even more beautiful in person, so please take time to visit us. Historic house tours (groups less than 10) are available spring through fall, Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.