The “ghost” of Commodore Joshua Barney — a naval hero who served in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 — interrupted a community meeting being held by the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks at the North Laurel Community Center this month.

Donning military attire and carrying a cane, a Barney impersonator, Savage resident Chuck Dick, staged the show to call on the county to preserve the Joshua Barney House, a historic mansion that has been vacant for nearly two years.

Residents in Savage worry the neglected historic site, which is already falling into disrepair, will open up to a private developer who could subdivide the land and build more houses.

“Our greatest fear is there is a pattern that historic buildings, once they're gone, developers come in and develop the property,” said Susan Garber, chairwoman of the Savage Community Association. “As long as the house is there, the property cannot be subdivided. If the house isn't there, it opens it up to all kinds of possibilities.”

The county does not have any plans to preserve the historic site because financial constraints do not allow it to take up every historic site in need of preservation, said Andy Barth, the county's press secretary.

“We hope that some private owner will buy it and restore it,” Barth said.

The house dates to the mid-1700s, and was built on land owned by the Ridgely family of Howard County. Barney purchased the house in the early 1800s and lived there from his retirement until shortly before his death in 1818. The house is one of 39 sites in the county that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Jennifer Palmer, a Savage resident, said the house could have been the perfect match for her wellness, detox and spiritual center, Nourishing Journey.

Palmer imagined using the land for yoga and healing events as the center hopes to expand from its location in Columbia.

The house has been in private ownership in recent years and on the market.

The bank that currently manages the property did not respond to requests for comment.

On and off the market for several years, the house, on Savage Guilford Road, has been used for varying purposes, including a boys school in the 1940s, and most recently a bed-and-breakfast. The location makes it suitable for a variety of uses, including a wedding venue or a meeting house.

“It really could be a wonderful place,” said Ellen Long, a Savage resident. “We should champion the heroes of the past.”

Her husband, Ron Coleman, said he was concerned the county was not paying sufficient attention outside downtown Columbia, where a massive development effort is under way.

“We need to champion the cultural heritage of this part of the county,” Coleman said. “It enriches our lives in this part of Howard County, but a lot of our political figures seem to see our area as a dumping ground. Small towns like ours and those along the Route 1 corridor are forgotten ground.”

Barney escaped capture twice in the War of 1812 and volunteered to fight at the 1814 Battle of Bladensburg.

Barney, who was wounded in the battle, decided to move to Kentucky in 1818. The war veteran died in Pittsburgh, en route to Kentucky, of complications from the wound he had suffered.

“If we're going to preserve our future, we have to preserve our past. Save the Joshua Barney house,” Long said.