A Place of History Marker

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Scotland in St. Mary's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

A Place of History

By Don Morfe, March 11, 2012

1. A Place of History Marker

Inscription. Point Lookout is a witness to much of our nation’s history. As you survey the vast expanse of Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River, remember those who have come before.

Early Inhabitants
Five thousand years ago, Native Americans first came to this shore, drawn by the natural bounty. The earliest inhabitants were hunters and gatherers; later, the Conoy Piscataway tribe farmed these lands, growing tobacco and corn.

Spanish sailors were the first Europeans to sight the Point in the 1500’s. Then in 1608 Captain John Smith, one of the founders of Jamestown, explored the peninsula.

War and Peace
In times of war, the Point has played a strategic role. In the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, Americans kept a lookout here for British ships. During the Civil War, it was a Union stronghold.

When Europeans arrived, this area was inhabited by people from the Conoy Piscataway tribe. They grew corn and tobacco while harvesting the Bay’s abundance of oysters, clams, crabs, and fish.

Pottery shards found on the beaches are evidence of Native American use of this site, stretching back many thousands of years.

In times of peace, hotels and resorts have drawn steamer boats of pleasure-seekers from Washington and Baltimore.

A State Park
The State of Maryland now protects the prehistoric,

By Don Morfe, March 11, 2012
2. A Place of History Marker

historic and natural treasures of Point Lookout.

Location. 38° 2.49′ N, 76° 19.308′ W. Marker is in Scotland, Maryland, in St. Mary's County. Marker is on Maryland Route 5. Click for map. Marker is in this post office area: Scotland MD 20687, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A Seaside Resort at Point Lookout (here, next to this marker); "Contraband" Camp (a few steps from this marker); Smallpox Epidemic (about 400 feet away, in a direct line); Death at Point Lookout (about 400 feet away); Point Lookout-Hammond Hospital (about 700 feet away); John Wilkes Booth (about 700 feet away); Point Lookout State Park (about 700 feet away); A Crucial Point (about 800 feet away). Click for a list of all markers in Scotland.

By Don Morfe, March 11, 2012

3. A Place of History Marker

By Don Morfe, March 11, 2012

4. A Place of History Marker

Credits. This page originally submitted on October 15, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Md 21234. This page has been viewed 68 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 15, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Md 21234. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.