The farm's historic significance comes from its ownership by Whittaker Chambers (1901-1961), a pivotal figure in American Cold War politics.

[4] The Whittaker Chambers Farm is located a few miles north of Westminster and is roughly bounded by East Saw Mill Road to the southwest and Pipe Creek to the northeast.

Under subpoena on August 3, 1948, he testified about the existence of a "Ware Group" spy ring; it included Alger Hiss, an official in the State Department during the 1930s.

In December 1948, Chambers hid and then retrieved microfilm from a hollowed-out pumpkin on his farm, which he turned over to investigators and which led directly to the indictment of Hiss.

[8] In May 1988, Interior Secretary Donald P. Hodel granted national landmark status to the Pipe Creek Farm.

[15][13][16] He told the Baltimore Sun: "This is where my parents died ... My end-of-life goal has been to reassemble it and make it available to the next generation as a farm.