The "ghost" of Commodore Joshua Barney — a naval hero who served in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 — interrupted a community input meeting being held by the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks at the North Laurel Community Center this month.Donning soldier's attire and carrying a cane, the 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 sitting 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.The Commodore Joshua Barney House in Savage is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, but faces an uncertain future."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 the county 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.One such attempt fell through as the property sits in "real estate limbo," said Garber.The house dates back to the mid-1700s, and was built on land owned by the Ridgelys of Howard County. Joshua 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 existing location in Columbia.Those plans are in limbo because the bank that manages the property said it wasn't available for sale, Palmer said.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 inn.The location makes it ideal 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 deeply concerned the county was not paying sufficient attention outside downtown Columbia, where a massive development effort is underway."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."Joshua Barney escaped capture twice in the War of 1812 and volunteered to fight at the 1814 Battle of Bladensburg. After volunteering in the battle, Barney decided to move to Kentucky in 1818. The war veteran died in Pittsburgh, en route to Kentucky."If we're going to preserve our future, we have to preserve our past. Save the Joshua Barney house," Long said.