The Top Ten List's sole entry on the historic "National Road," now Route 144, is the Lisbon Hotel in Lisbon, built by Caleb Pancoast and reputed to be the oldest surviving building in the village, according to a 1986 Lisbon Historic District guide. The same guide calls it a "grand hotel" by the 1860s, attracting visitors from Baltimore by coach and by train. From Howard's Roads to the Past, by Barbara Feaga, we learn that the hotel also housed a post office in 1851.

The structure is deteriorating rapidly and in need of restoration.

Update
Little progress was made last year towards the restoration of this privately owned site. Our hopes were to highlight this historic resource as a catalyst for the revitalization of the entire community of Lisbon. The town of Lisbon is unique in that it is currently zoned for small parcels, typical of towns from the 18th and 19th centuries and unique for western Howard County. Unfortunately, possible contamination of the ground water from a gasoline spill over 20 years ago may limit Lisbon's potential for small-town residential growth. PHC is continuing its effort to breathe new life into the hotel and adds the town of Lisbon to its Monitor list in the hopes that creative solutions can be found to surmount these roadblocks.