A St. Mary’s County Landmark Remembered After Flames Consume ‘Three Bears House’

LEONARDTOWN, Md. — A rural landmark known locally as the Three Bears House was removed by fire Wednesday, Feb. 10, leaving a gap on Bull Road in Leonardtown that many residents said they will mourn for years.

County officials confirmed the unusual structure, noted for its telescoping wood-frame design with three distinct sections of descending size, was intentionally burned and dismantled on Bull Road near Leonardtown, according to social media posts from St. Mary’s County Maryland and local observers.

Early Memories Of A Rural Treasure

For decades, the Three Bears House drew curiosity from drivers, walkers and photographers alike because of its rare construction and evocative name. Its distinctive look, a narrow main house with two progressively smaller additions, was consistent with traditional “telescope” houses once common on large farms but now increasingly rare.

The early history of the land remains partly unclear; records were often imprecise in earlier centuries, with deeds lost in an 1831 courthouse fire. But existing documentation shows that a parcel of roughly seven acres described as “improvements,” likely referring to buildings, was purchased at auction in 1915 for $19.25 by Lewis G. Thompson.

Thompson lived in the dwelling until 1945. Later owners included Houston and Ma Ross, and eventually Lloyd and Mary Cusc, who bought the property in January 1946 and made it their home.

The house was later rented out for decades, including to the Russell family from the early 1960s through 1999. Even then, residents remembered it as a cozy, if aging, place, complete with oil heaters and hand-carried water.

Recent History

According to a historical video, Mary Cusic’s life became intertwined with the house for nearly eight decades. In January 1946, she and her husband, Lloyd F. Cusic, purchased the small farm shortly before their wedding; a decision she helped make after saving enough money from her wartime job in the mail room at National Geographic in Washington, D.C., to contribute to the down payment.

The newlyweds began their life together there without electricity or running water, drawing water from a well and relying on kerosene lamps before power was installed. Even after the couple moved into a nearby home in the 1950s, Mary retained ownership of the Three Bears House, watching as it weathered time and tenants. She died in early 2025 at age 101, having remained connected to the property almost until the end.

Decline And Final Days

Over many years, the house deteriorated. Plaster crumbled from walls, floors weakened, and insects and weather contributed to the slow decay of the wooden frame. A family of turkey vultures even took up residence in the attic in later years, deterring would-be visitors.

According to the historical video about the property, Cusic declined preservation efforts, saying, “Whatever it falls, it falls.”

But to neighbors and history enthusiasts, the Three Bears House was more than its physical components; it was a tangible reminder of the county’s rural heritage, a roadside curiosity that anchored many memories.

Commenters on the St. Mary’s County Maryland Facebook post reacted with shock.

“That thing was still standing?” a commenter wrote on the county’s Facebook post.

Others reacted with nostalgia.

“Oh wow. I loved that old Three Bear House,” one person commented. “I made up stories in my mind about people who lived there, and as they gradually grew the house.”

Another commenter called it simply “a landmark.”

Another echoed that sentiment, writing, “True landmark for that area. Surprised it was not a historical landmark.”

What Comes Next

Local residents, artists and history buffs are discussing ways to commemorate the site, from signage to archival photo displays, though no formal plans have been announced.

The house may be gone from Bull Road, but its presence lingers in photographs, memories and the comments of those who watched it age. In a county where change often comes quietly, the loss of the Three Bears House marks the end of one small but meaningful chapter in its rural past.

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