| Maryland (Prince George's County), Accokeek — Calvert Manor |
| | Originally a grant of 3,000 acres by Cecil Calvert, second Lord Baltimore, to his nephew, William Calvert, 1662. The area was visited by Captain John Smith, 1608, by Captain Henry Fleet, 1629, and by Governor Leonard Calvert and Father Andrew White, 1634. — Map (db m3566) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Accokeek — Christ Episcopal Church Accokeek |
| | Erected in 1745 when it was declared by the General Assembly of Maryland to be the "lower chapel of ease" for King George's (Piscatoway) Parish, Christ Church was the outgrowth of a chapel established about 1698 by private contributions. In 1823 it received recognition as a "separate" congregation and in 1869 became the parish church of St. John's Parish. In 1856 this structure was destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt in 1857. — Map (db m3567) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Accokeek — First People of the Potomac — Piscataway Park |
| | When Europeans first arrived on the shores of North America, they found a continent inhabited by perhaps tens of millions of people! These people had arrived more than 10,000 years earlier, and through many generations had created complex societies, formed viable political systems, built monumental structures in the Mississippi River valley, and farmed the land long the Potomac River.
The Piscataway people have lived in southern Maryland for close to a thousand years. Their language and . . . — Map (db m8560) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Adelphi — Adelphi Mill |
| | This old grist mill built in the summer of 1796, probably by two brothers Issacher adn Mahlon Scofield. In 1811 the mill was also used for wool carding. The miller's cottage is of the same period. — Map (db m3628) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Beltsville — Ammendale Normal Institute |
| | This is the site of Ammendale Normal Institute, built to house the novitiate and school of the Christian Brothers, a teaching order of the Roman Catholic Church. It is located in an area known as Ammendale, after Admiral Daniel Ammen, inventor, author and Naval Officer. In 1880, the Christian Brothers purchased this 20-acre property from Admiral Ammen, who earlier that year had donated St. Joseph's Chapel and adjoining land.
The novitiate opened in 1880, and the Ammendale stop on the . . . — Map (db m2984) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Beltsville — Beltsville Agricultural Research Center - West |
| | The American Society for Horticultural Science hereby recognizes the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center - West as an ASHS Horticultural Landmark for an outstanding history of research that has benefited the science of horticultural research in the United States and the World. 23 February 2001. — Map (db m19183) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Beltsville — Brown’s Tavern |
| | This plaque and garden commemorate the site of Brown’s Tavern, a Prince George’s County Historic Site that served travelers on the former Baltimore-Washington turnpike from the early 1830’s to the early 1990’s. It was constructed and owned by the stagecoach company of Richard Stockton and William B. Stokes. John Brown purchased the tavern in 1835 and operated it until his death in 1862. The tavern was the centerpiece of the Del Haven White House Motel and Cottages, which opened in the early . . . — Map (db m2983) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Beltsville — Ebenezer Meeting House — First Methodist Episcopal Church in Beltsville, Maryland |
| |
In 1863, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church puchased one acre of land at this location from Evan Shaw, a Plantation Owner, at a cost of ten dollars.
Ebenezer Meeting House was built on this location and was in use until about 1861. A cemetery was located near the log meeting house. Several gravesites still remain. — Map (db m947) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Beltsville — Site of Rhodes’ Tavern |
| | Lieutenant-General George Washington “dined at Rhodes” December 18, 1798, on his last journey from Philadelphia to Mount Vernon. — Map (db m2982) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Beltsville — Site of Van Horn's Tavern |
| | An important stopping place in colonial days. Mentioned by Washington, Lafayette and other noted men after the Revolution. Count de Rochambeau's troops camped here in June 1782 on the return march from the victory at Yorktown. — Map (db m3574) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Beltsville — The First Telegram “What Hath God Wrought” |
| | The first telegram “What Hath God Wrought” was sent from the Capitol in Washington to Baltimore May 24, 1844 over wires laid along the right of way of the B&O Railroad adjacent to this highway. The telegraph was invented by Samuel F.B. Morse (1791–1872). — Map (db m20368) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Beltsville — Van Horn’s Tavern |
| | On Vansville Hill, Prince George's County, Maryland. President George Washington stopped there on July 19, August 7, and September 12, 1795. — Map (db m355) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — Bladensburg Floods (1742-1954) |
| | Floods were practically a way of life in Bladensburg until the late 1950s, when an intensive flood control project was completed. Noted attorney and author William Wirt, who was born in Bladensburg in 1772, makes mention of the floods at Bladensburg in his unfinished autobiography. Wirt wrote:
The house nearest the Eastern Branch [Anacostia River] was occupied by old Mr. Martin - I know not why. The Eastern Branch is subject to heavy freshets [floodwaters], which have flowed up to Mr. . . . — Map (db m8218) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — Colonial Ropemaking |
| | One of the maritime industries that was present in the colonial port of Bladensburg was the making of rope and various other types of cordage. In colonial and nineteenth century America, this activity took place in a manufacturing facility known as a ropewalk. A ropewalk was an extremely long and narrow building, in which rope was made. Workers walked the length of the building in the course of laying down strands of rope.
The following advertisement, promoting the ropewalk of prominent . . . — Map (db m8222) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — Duels and the Bladensburg Dueling Grounds |
| | The Bladensburg dueling grounds were th escene of at least 26 recorded duels during the nineteenth centur. Although the location of these duels was considered part of the Bladensburg area when they were fought, today the dueling grounds lie within the town boundaries of Colmar Manor. This was a favored place for the gentlemen of Washington, including congressmen and military officers, to settle their disputes since it was just beyond the Washington, D.C. line.
The most famous duel to take . . . — Map (db m8177) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — Encampment of Coxey's Army (1894) |
| | In the wake of the economic "Panic of 1893", social reformer Jacob Coxey and his "Army of the Commonwealth," consisting of approximately 500 unemployed workers, marched from Ohio to Washington, D.C., to demonstrate at the Capitol for unemployment relief. Following their march on Washington, Coxey and his Army were invited to stay at the George Washington House Hotel in Bladensburg by its proprietor. On May 14, 1894, the group's rank-and-file members camped in the hotel's backyard while Jacob . . . — Map (db m6070) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — First Unmanned Balloon Ascension (1784) |
| | On June 17, 1784, the first documented balloon ascension in America took place in a field near the town of Bladensburg. The man responsible for this remarkable event was an enterprising Prince George's County innkeeper and lawyer named Peter Carnes. Carnes conducted teh balloon ascension as a public exhibition. It was originally intended to be a tethered, manned ascent, but while the balloon was being brought closer to town for the exhibition, a gust of wind blew the passenger basket against a . . . — Map (db m8217) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — George Washington House — (Circa 1752) |
| | The George Washington House, often referred to as the Indian Queen Tavern, was built by tavern keeper Jacob Wirt. Prior to the Revolution, when Bladensburg was a thriving port town, this building was rented out to Cunningham and Company, a Scottish mercantile firm, which traded in tobacco. The building later served as a tavern and stagecoach stop for weary travellers during their journeys along the Old Post Road, a major route linking the north and south. From 1774 to 1783 it was run by . . . — Map (db m3575) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — Historic Bladensburg Waterfront Park - Port Town History — The Ports of Bladensburg and Beall Town |
| | In 1742, the town of Bladensburg was created on the banks of the Anacostia River (also known as the Eastern Branch of the Potomac river) through an act of the Maryland General Assembly for the purpose of promoting trade and commerce. The act stated that the new port town was to be located on "the Eastern Branch of the Potomack River in Prince George's County near a place called Garrison Landing." The legislation was in response to a petition from the inhabitants of Beall Town to have a new town . . . — Map (db m8220) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — Joshua Barney's Barge and the Chesapeake Flotilla |
| | Joshua Barney's Barge is a 4/5 scale, authentic working replica of an American warship of the Chesapeake Flotilla from the War of 1812. This barge was built as a project of the Prince George's County tricentennial in 1996 by The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, in cooperation with the Living Classrooms Foundation of Baltimore and students from Bladensburg High School and Annapolis Road Middle School. Joshua Barney's Barge is used to reenact events associated with the War . . . — Map (db m8219) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — Peace Cross |
| | 1917–1918. This memorial cross dedicated to the heroes of Prince George’s County, Maryland who lost their lives in the Great War for the liberty of the world.
Albert N. Baden, Henry H. Boswell, Herman E. Burgess, Clarence Butler, Vincent G. Cooley, James Cooper, Matthew Curtin, H. Irvin Dennison, Wilmer A. Disney, Joseph B. Edelen, George W. Farmer, Thomas N. Fenwick, Edward H. Fletcher, Joseph Henry Ford, Ernest O. Garner, Milton E. Hartman, Thomas E. Hawkins, Frank Holmes, . . . — Map (db m5187) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — Railroad History in Bladensburg |
| | In its infancy in America, the railroad came to Bladensburg. In 1833, construction began in Baltimore on the 32-mile-long Washington line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. It originally passed directly through Bladensburg, however, the main line was later altered to bypass the town, leaving it serviced only by a secondary line. The first train on the new Washington line ran on August 25, 1835. Eight hundred passengers, including numerous dignitaries, boarded 18 cars pulled by four new . . . — Map (db m8221) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — The Battle of Bladensburg (1814) — The War of 1812 |
| | On August 24, 1814, British forces broke camp at Melwood Park and moved northwest to Bladensburg. The Baltimore militia, under the command of General Tobias Sansbury, was positioned west of the Anacostia River along the Bladensburg-Washington Road in the area of present day Cottage City, Colmar Manor, and Fort Lincoln Cemetery. Marching in the intense heat along the river road paralleling today's Kenilworth Avenue, the British arrived in Bladensburg about noon and attacked the American . . . — Map (db m6069) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — The First Telegraph Line (1844) |
| | In 1844, the first magnetic telegraph line was being constructed between Washington and Baltimore by its inventor, Samuel F. B. Morse. The line followed the railroad tracks from Washington, through Bladensburg, and on to Baltimore. Congress had appropriated $30,000 in 1843 for the experimental telegraph line, and construction on it commenced in the spring of the following year.
One of the first tests of the unfinished line occurred just north of Bladensburg near Riversdale, the estate of . . . — Map (db m6072) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — Veterans Memorial |
| | Korea
June 1950 - July 1953
Vietnam
July 1959 - May 1975
DUTY - HONOR - COURAGE — Map (db m5188) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bladensburg — World War II Honor Roll |
| | Honor Roll
In memory of the men and women of Prince George's County who made the supreme sacrifice that freedom might live.
Prince George's County
World War II — Map (db m5189) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bowie — Belair |
| | Governor Samuel Ogle (1692-1752) owned Belair, built circa 1745. The Georgian Palladian style house stands on a tobacco plantation that included gardens, a vineyard, deer park, horse stables and numerous dependencies. Ogle's son, Benjamin (1748-1809), also served as Maryland's governor from 1798 to 1801. Belair house five generations of Ogles before passing out of family ownership in 1871.
James T. Woodward (1837-1910) purchased the estate in 1898, and began to revive Belair. His nephew . . . — Map (db m3578) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bowie — Belair Mansion |
| | Belair was built circa 1740 by Samuel Ogle, Governor of Maryland. Through the years the mansion became known as the "House of Governors" because governors Thomas Bladen, Benjamin Tasker Sr., Benjamin Ogle I, Oden Bowie and Christopher Lowndes were also associated with it at different times. — Map (db m3576) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bowie — Belair Stable |
| | In 1747 Maryland's Provincial Governor Samuel Ogle (1692-1752) brought to Belair the first documented breeding pair of thoroughbred horses, Spark and Queen Mab. Hailed as the Cradle of American Thoroughbred Racing, Belair's legacy continued with Ogle's brother-in-law, Colonel Benjamin Tasker, Jr. (1720-1760), importer of Othello and Selima, two of the most noted horses of colonial turf.
During the ownership of William Woodward (1876-1953), the Belair stud flourished again. From the first . . . — Map (db m3580) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bowie — Bowie Railroad Station Museum |
| | The Baltimore and Potomac Railroad, chartered in 1853, inaugurated train service on July 2, 1872 with a line to Washington, and on January 1, 1873 opened the Pope's Creek line to southern Maryland. At the junction of the two lines the town of Bowie grew up. In 1902, the Pennsylvania Railroad bought out the B&P. House lots sold for $25.00 and soon shops, a hotel, railroad buildings, churches and houses began to spring up in Huntington City. Since the depot was known as Bowie station, the town . . . — Map (db m646) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bowie — Holy Trinity Church |
| | The original house of worship on this site, part of "Martha's Choice", was a chapel of ease. It was donated by the Queen Anne's Parish by the Reverend Jacob Henderson and his wife Mary, widow of Mareen Duvall, Esq. In 1844 it became Holy Trinity Parish. — Map (db m3582) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bowie — Sacred Heart Chapel - White Marsh — (Formerly St. Francis Borgia) |
| | Sacred Heart Chapel was built about 1741 by Jesuit Priests on the property known as White Marsh. The priests turned their 2,000 acre bequest into a thriving plantation. During the 1780's the American clergy met several times at White Marsh, and here on May 18th, 1789, they nominated John Carroll to be the first American Bishop. In the 1800's Jesuit novices studied at White Marsh, including Pierre de Smet, misisonary to the Indians. On Pentacost, 1853, fire destroyed everything on the hill . . . — Map (db m3584) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Bowie — The Bowie Caboose |
| | A caboose was the accustomed conclusion to any freight train, and served many roles. It allowed crewmen to keep a lookout for how the freight cars were functioning as the train moved along. It provided a place to rest and eat for the crew working on a freight train. Also, lanterns called “marker lights” indicated the end of a passing train, and served as a warning to approaching trains that came up the track.
The crew could sit in upper level seats with a view of the length of . . . — Map (db m648) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Brandywine — John Wilkes Booth — and his companion David Herold |
| | Entered Charles County near this spot after assassinating President Abraham Lincoln in Washington on April 14, 1965. — Map (db m24211) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Brandywine — St. Paul's Episcopal Church — Baden |
| |
Parish Church of St. Paul's Parish, one of the thirty original parishes established in 1692 in the Province of Maryland. The present structure was built in 1733 to replace the earlier church at Mt. Calvert that was in existence prior to 1692.
The Right Rev. Thomas John Claggett, D.D., first Episcopal Bishop consecrated in America, served as rector of the parish following the American Revolution while he was Bishop of Maryland. — Map (db m3568) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Cheltenham — Cheltenham United Methodist Church — (Formerly Westwood Methodist Episcopal Church) |
| | Founded in 1873 at Westwood Farm, home of Julius H. Pyles. The cornerstone was laid on October 30, 1879 and the church constructed by the congregation. Enoch Pratt, Baltimore City philanthropist, attended the dedication. The pupit was handmade from a cherry tree taken from the property. Early ministers traveled from Bladensburg on horseback.
The Sunday School building was added in 1945. — Map (db m3608) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Cheltenham — Church of the Atonement, 1875 — St. Thomas' Episcopal Parish |
| | Here a "Carpenter Gothic" church was consecrate July 1875 by Bishop William Pinkney of Maryland. Built on land purchased by Enoch Pratt, formerly Thomas F. Bowie's estate "Cheltenham" and William Talbert's "Finches Discovery". Bell tower constructed in the 1880s in memory of Rev. Samuel R. Gordon, rector 1853-1882. Cemetery laid off 1884. Regular services discontinued November 1925, church deconsecrated and torn down 1947. John Thomas Eversfield (1833-1885), beloved local physician, is buried here. — Map (db m17427) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Clinton — Crucifix |
| | Erected by friends and relatives of Reverend Father Horstkamp to commemorate the tragic death of his mother Mary Eve Horstkamp on August 28, 1931. — Map (db m6235) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Clinton — His Lordship’s Kindness |
| | Name derives from 7000-acre grant by Lord Baltimore in 1703. Although present house, known as Poplar Hill for many years, may date from latter part of 18th century, it was believed built c. 1728 for Anne Talbot, niece of 14th Earl of Shrewsbury upon her marriage to Henry Darnall III, attorney general of Maryland 1744-1756. Robert Darnall, Justice of Prince George's County, lived here c. 1770-1803. From 1821 to 1853 it was home of Robert D. Sewall, member of the county's levy court. — Map (db m4165) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Clinton — John Wilkes Booth |
| | The assassin of Lincoln stopped here at the house of Mrs. Surratt to secure ammunition on the night of April 14, 1865. He rode on to "T.B." and then to Dr. Mudd's who set his broken leg. — Map (db m3612) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Clinton — Slaves’ Infirmary [on His Lordship’s Kindness] |
| | The brick portion of this building, probably constructed in the early 1800s, is believed to have served as an infirmary for the enslaved population. Here, African-American women often served as midwives and healers, delivering babies or attending to ailments that may not have required a physician. — Map (db m4166) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Clinton — Surratt Tavern — Confederate Safe House — John Wilkes Booth - Escape of an Assassin |
| | Owned and operated by the ardently pro-Southern Surratt family, this building was used by Confederate agents as a safe house during the Civil War. Built in 1852, the structure was a tavern, hostelry and post office.
Surratt's son, John, Jr., a Confederate courier, came into contact with actor John Wilkes Booth in 1864. Booth planned to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln, and Surratt was to help convey Lincoln to Richmond. The tavern was to serve as a way-station during the kidnapping. Weapons . . . — Map (db m4188) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Clinton — Thrift School — 1884-1909 |
| | One of the oldest surviving one-room schoolhouses in Prince George’s County, Thrift School was built in 1884. It replaced an earlier school from 1869 located on the same site. The School Commissioners, having acquired the one-acre tract from the Bryan Family 15 years earlier, contracted J.B. Townshend to rebuild the school for $495. The school’s first two modern innovations were acquired in 1905—a water closet and a typewriter.
The school was closed in 1909 after area residents . . . — Map (db m6084) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — "From Stagecoach to Streetcar to Subway: A College Town Emerges" — City of College Park — Anacostia Trails Heritage Area |
| | College Park was incorporated by referendum in 1945. However, the city’s origin goes back much further. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, College Park began to emerge from farmland both as a transportation hub and as a center for education. First stagecoaches and then automobiles traveled the turnpike between Baltimore and Washington. College Park was also accessible by rail, which was a popular way to visit Maryland’s new Agricultural College, which later became the . . . — Map (db m13161) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — "The University of Maryland Is Deeply Rooted in History" — City of College Park — Anacostia Trails Heritage Area |
| | From its pre-Civil War roots as the state’s first agricultural college and one of America’s original land grant institutions, the University of Maryland has emerged as a public research university of national stature, highly regarded for its broad base of excellence in teaching and research. Maryland's progress has been marked by tragedy, triumph and the incremental evidence of a rich history.
In 1856, a group of Maryland planters secured a charter for the Maryland Agricultural College, . . . — Map (db m13160) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — Architectural History of the Maryland Agricultural College |
| | The College Park Campus began on this hilltop. In 1856, Charles Benedict Calvert of Riversdale gave 420 acres for the founding of Maryland Agricultural College. The original College building was the Barracks, a beautiful six-story gothic structure completed in 1859 and located very near this site. Over the next fifty years it served as classroom and residence hall for the approximately 100 student military cadets. The cadets relaxed in what they called the Grove - these woods which fronted the . . . — Map (db m9772) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — Calvert Hall |
| | In honor of
Charles B. Calvert
Born August 20, 1808
Died May 12, 1864
through whose efforts was established the Maryland Agricultural College, the first college in America chartered expressly for agricultural experimentation and instruction.
"So soon as you give a professional and at the same time a liberal education to the farmer you at once arouse a professional pride to make his own the most honorable of all pursuits."
Extract from a letter of Charles B. Calvert . . . — Map (db m14610) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — City of College Park |
| | Welcome to the City of College Park
The city is perhaps best known as home to the flagship campus of the University of Maryland. More surprising is that a significant chapter in early aviation history began here in 1909 at the world's oldest continuously operating airport. Today, University sports, academic conferences and competitions, and cultural events draw thousands of visitors to College Park each year.
The City has grown as a series of neighborhoods. Beyond busy Route 1 . . . — Map (db m5740) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — Clarence Mitchell, Jr. — (1911 - 1984) — Member of the University of Maryland Board of Regents 1982-1984 |
| | Affectionately known as the "101st Senator" of the United States of America, Clarence Mitchell, Jr. was an effective proponent of civil rights. A shrewd political strategist and an artful orator and parliamentarian. His contributions to the state and the nation are living testaments of his unqualified commitment to social justice. As Director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Washington bureau for 30 years, he devoted his energies to the passage of civil rights . . . — Map (db m23360) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — College Park Airport — First Military Airport In The United States |
| | The following notable events occurred on this airfield
1909 - Wilbur Wright instructed first flying officers of Signal Corps, U. S. Army
1911 - First Army flying school established here
First bombsite tested from an aircraft
1912 - First group cross country flight originated here. Destination Chevy Chase, MD
First machine gun fired from an aircraft
First radio message sent from an aircraft
1922 - First flight of a helicopter made by Henry Berliner
One of the . . . — Map (db m5743) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — Founders’ Gateway |
| | (Right Tablet) Erected in honor of those through whose contributions was established The Maryland Agricultural College (list of names)
(Left Tablet) The University of Maryland The Maryland Agricultural College was founded on this campus in 1856, to become the second agricultural college founded in America. In 1864 it became the Land Grant College of Maryland, and in 1916 it was taken over entirely by the state, to become the Maryland State College. In 1920 all of the property of the . . . — Map (db m167) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — Millard E. Tydings — 1890 - 1961 |
| | This Building is Named in Memory of Millard E. Tydings 1890 - 1961 Distinguished Public Servant and Friend of Education Alumnus of the University Decorated Officer, World War I Speaker of the House of Delegates State Senator Member of the House of Representatives and the United States Senate from Maryland Member of the Board of Regents of the University November 15, 1969 — Map (db m23344) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — Morrill Hall — University of Maryland |
| | Built in 1898, Morrill Hall is named for Senator Justin Morrill who introduced legislation (in 1861) leading to the creation of a system of land grant colleges, of which the University of Maryland is a member. The building survived a devastating fire in 1912 which destroyed adjacent structures. Morrill Hall remains the oldest academic building in continuous use. — Map (db m21915) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — The Rossborough Inn |
| | Erected in 1798 in the infancy of the nation and a few years before the founding of the University of Maryland. The Rossborough Inn stands as one of the landmarks of the nation's and of the University's growth. This historic structure has been restored by the University of Maryland with the aid of the federal government and is dedicated to the spirit of loyalty and the traditions of democracy as exemplified in its alumni and students.
Placed June 2, 1939, with appropriate exercises by the alumni association of the University of Maryland. — Map (db m13163) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — University of Maryland Memorial Chapel |
| | Erected as a memorial
and
dedicated October 12, 1952
to those
University of Maryland
men and women
who gave their lives
in the service of
their country — Map (db m6622) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), College Park — Welcome to the Luther Goldman Birding Trail |
| | The Luther Goldman Birding Trail is dedicated to the memory of Luther Chase Goldman (1909 - 2005), a noted Prince Georges County Resident, field biologist, pioneer national wildlife refuge manager, renowned wildlife photographer, and nature tour leader who became the first official photographer of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service during a career that spanned nearly four decades.
Luther lived in nearby College Park, frequently hiked these trails, and loved to watch birds here. He knew, as . . . — Map (db m7870) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Colmar Manor — Abraham Lincoln |
| | This statue of the Great Emancipator portrays in his last days the thin, tired, war-worn president in thoughtful and deep meditation and is considered one of the finest bronze statues ever made of President Lincoln. It was created by one of America’s foremost sculptors, Andrew O’Connor, who also did the statue of Lincoln which now stands in front of the State House in Springfield, Illinois. It was cast by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island, in the most permanent . . . — Map (db m17479) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Colmar Manor — Battle of Bladensburg |
| | This is the site of the Battle of Bladensburg which took place in the War of 1812. Commodore Joshua Barney and his 500 Marines were greatly outnumbered by the British Expeditionary Force of 4,500 trained regulars. The battle raged for four hours but eventually the overpowering numerical odds won out for the British who went on to burn the Capitol and White House. On this location, Commodore Barney was wounded and taken prisoner.
This memorial is in honor of Commodore Joshua Barney who made . . . — Map (db m5068) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Colmar Manor — Dueling Grounds |
| | On this site, now part of Anacostia River Park, more than 50 duels were fought during the first half of the 19th century. Here, on what became known as "the dark and bloody grounds", gentleman of Washington settled their political and personal differences. One of the most famous disputes was that between commodores Stephen Decatur and James Barron which was settled here on March 22, 1820. Commodore Decatur, who had gained fame as the conqueror of the Barbary pirates, was . . . — Map (db m3613) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Colmar Manor — Fort Lincoln |
| | These earthworks are a portion of the original fortifications which made up Fort Lincoln. This fort was build during the summer of 1861 to serve as an outer defense of the city of Washington. It was named in honor of President Lincoln by General Order No. 18, A.G.O., Sept. 30, 1861. The brigade of Major General Joseph Hooker was the first to occupy this area. In immediate command of the fort was Captain T.S. Paddock. The Civil War cannons have been placed here through the courtesy of the . . . — Map (db m5069) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Colmar Manor — Historic Fort Lincoln Cemetery |
| | Fort Lincoln Cemetery was chartered in 1912 by an act of the Maryland General Assembly and presently contains 178 acres.
Here, at Fort Lincoln Cemetery, masterworks of marble, granite and bronze stand in solemn dignity and provides a tranquil setting for those visiting the final resting places of their loved ones.
Fort Lincoln property consists of parcels from three early land grants: Scotland (1685), Barbadoes (1685) and Chillum Castle Manor (1763). A few of these early land owners . . . — Map (db m3614) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Colmar Manor — Old Spring House |
| | This venerable building dates back to the year 1683, when one of the early colonists built his home on the overlooking hillside. The spring still feeds cool water to the trough inside the spring house. This was the only method available in those days for cooling milk, butter and other dairy products.
This land was a part of the original grant from Lord Baltimore to George Conn, and remained in the Conn family for more than 200 years. This is one of the oldest buildings standing in the state of Maryland. — Map (db m5070) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Colmar Manor — The Lincoln Oak |
| | This gnarled and ringed stump, attesting to its age, is all that remains of the majestic oak tree that once shaded the old Spring House.
Steeped in history, it was put to rest by the forces of nature. Its passing will never be forgotten and its existence will be remembered forever as a sentinel over these historic grounds. — Map (db m5071) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Croom — Aviation History — Columbia Air Center |
| | In 1941, aviation history was made when the first Black owned and operated airfield licensed in America opened on this site. Mr. John W. Greene, Jr., a pioneer in Black aviation, was instrumental in developing the airfield, originally called "Riverside Field."
With the advent of World War II, civilian flying was restricted, and many private airfields were utilized by the military to train pilots. Riverside Field was occupied by the U.S. Navy until 1944 for training missions.
After the . . . — Map (db m6394) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Croom — Man and the River — Footprints Along the Shore |
| | The shores of the Patuxent River bear evidence of human habitation dating back more than 8,000 years. Along the River many tribes of Indians practiced primitive farming, pottery making, and hunting with bow and arrow.
The New World colonists brought bustling trade to the River, and port towns developed in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The Patuxent was crucial to both the Americans and British in the War of 1812. Commodore Joshua Barney's Chesapeake Bay Flotilla was trapped . . . — Map (db m6613) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Croom — St. Simon's Episcopal Mission |
| | One of three Episcopal congregations in southern Maryland created after the Civil War for African Americans. Founded ca. 1892 as a Sunday school by Rev. Francis P. Willes and his sisters. Later became a mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. Provided vocational training for blacks through the Croom Industrial and Agricultural Institute. Visited by Pauli Murray, first black female Episcopal priest. Chapel was demolished in 1976. — Map (db m3619) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Croom — St. Thomas' Parish Church |
| | Successor to the 17th century Anglican Church at Mount Calvert, this cruciform, brick church was authorized in 1732 and completed in 1745 during the rectorate of John Eversfield, 1728-1780. Built by Daniel Page it served as chapel of ease for the northern part of St. Paul's Parish, Prince George's County, until 1850. Since 1850 it has been parish church of St. Thomas' Parish, Prince George's County. — Map (db m3620) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Croom — The Duckett Cabin |
| | This hand hewn log cabin was built in Aquasco, Maryland around 1880 as a farm tenant house. This one up and one down design with one room and a loft was typically used for slave cabins during the early 1800s. By the late 1800s, it was the standard style for most low-income households in rural America. Notice that the chimney is leaning on a pole. This was a safety precaution adopted in response to frequent chimney fires. The pole could quickly be removed, allowing the chimney to fall away from . . . — Map (db m6096) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Croom — The Sears House |
| | It Came in the Mail! Sears Roebuck and Co. Mail order Homes. Simplex Sectional Cottages.
The mail-order home in front of you was purchased by Mr. Lowe Steed from Sears, Roebuck and Company in 1923 for $400. It is a quaint, three room, no-bath cottage. An outhouse could be purchased seperately for around $40. The house did not have plumbing or electricity and was heated by the kitchen stove when the Steed family lived in the house in the 1930s during the Great Depression.
Sears, . . . — Map (db m6327) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Edmonston — Edmonston Veterans Park |
| | This park is dedicated to the men and women of the armed forces who have served our nation with heartfelt thanks from the residents of Edmonston, MD.
[Logo]: Edmonston, Maryland, est. 1924. — Map (db m14675) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Edmonston — The Remarkable Plummer Family — From Riversdale to Mount Rose — Anacostia Trails Heritage Area |
| | Near this spot at Ingraham Street and 46th Avenue in the town of Edmonston, Adam Francis Plummer a former slave at Riversdale, moved his family to the house he built, Mount Rose, in 1870. The ten acre property adjoining Riversdale became a family enclave, with sons Henry Vinton, Nicholas Saunders and Robert Francis building houses nearby.
Despite being born into slavery, the Plummers overcame many obstacles, seeing Henry Vinton become the first Black chaplain [and therefore an officer] in . . . — Map (db m23739) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fairmont Heights — In Honor of the Men and Women of Fairmount Heights who Served in World War II |
| | [The four plaques containing the text of this marker are missing] — Map (db m8272) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — “Coach” James W. Crawford — 1938 - 1992 — In Memoriam |
| | Friendly’s first football coach 1971-1991. His teams won three Md. State championships and compiled a record of 166-46-1. Crawford was a “man for all seasons.” Erected in gratitude by the Class of 1993 and Redskin Robert Green ’88. — Map (db m14791) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — “Warburton Manor” — Patented 1661 |
| | Home of the Digges Family (descendants of Edward Digges, governor of Virginia, 1652–1668). The most intimate friend of George and Martha Washington in Prince George’s County, where they visited many times. Washington spent his forty-third birthday here. Now site of Fort Washington, designed by L’Enfant 1814. — Map (db m3663) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — 15-inch Rodman Smoothbore |
| | Among the largest cannon used in the Civil War Monumental in size, these two immense guns remain as sentinels ready to repel an attack on the Nation's capital. With their extended range and commanding location above the river, they were the key defensive feature of the fort. Perhaps because of their formidable weight, the guns (original armament of the fort) have not been moved since their installation in 1864. Immobile as these huge guns may appear, a well drilled crew of 12 men could . . . — Map (db m7636) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Battery Decatur and Disappearing Guns |
| | American coastal defenses were modernized from the 1890s to 1910 with the development of the Endicott System. Emphasis in military tactics shifted the masonry fortifications to more effective weapons based on rifled steel guns, improved breech-loading systems, better propellants (gunpowder), and reinforced concrete gun emplacements. Here you will see the remains of Battery Decatur, a reinforced concrete emplacement completed in 1891. It mounted two 10-inch disappearing guns similar to the Fort . . . — Map (db m7955) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Capital Guardian — The Endicott System |
| | Coastal fortifications moved into the 20th century with the development of the Endicott System. At Fort Washington, eight reinforced concrete batteries were constructed near the old fort to mount modern artillery. Many support buildings were erected including officer and enlisted quarters. In 1921, after the fort was no longer needed as a coastal defense, it housed part of the 12th U.S. Infantry Regiment. The Endicott System consisted of several types of weapons designated to repel all classes . . . — Map (db m7960) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Capital Guardian — Fort Washington |
| | Building the Second Fort On September 8, 1814, only 12 days after the destruction of Fort Warburton, Pierre L'Enfant was commissioned by the Government to reestablish a fortification here. Work began that October but increasing friction between L'Enfant and the Government caused suspension of the project in July 1815. Shortly thereafter, L'Enfant was replaced by Lt. Col. Walker K. Armistead. Completed in October 1824, at a cost of $426,000, this structure stood as the only permanent . . . — Map (db m7963) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Capital Guardian — The First Fort |
| | Troubles with Britain caused Congress in 1807 to authorize an improved system of forts along the Atlantic Coast to guard harbors, rivers, and seaports. The first fort, Fort Warburton, was completed in 1809. Located near the river in front of the present fort, it was a small structure mounting 13 guns. Destruction of the First Fort During the War of 1812, the British, determined to retaliate for the American invasion of Canada and the destruction of York, planned to attack Washington, D.C. . . . — Map (db m7980) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Caponiere |
| | During the 1840s improvements were made to this wall, defensively the weakest part of the fort. The parapet was raised and an outer work, called a caponiere, was added. The protected passageway on your left will lead you to the outerwork that mounted four howitzers in the chamber ahead and two on the upper level. These weapons are no longer here but you will see the tracks they were mounted on. These traverse rails made it easy to position the howitzers for firing. — Map (db m8075) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Counterscarp Battery |
| | Along the outer wall of the ditch you see the counterscarp battery, named for its location on the "counterscarp," or outer wall, of the dry ditch. This structure sheltered troops who could direct musketry toward the river or into the ditch itself. The reverse fire tactic enhanced the protection of this area of the wall. — Map (db m8068) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Firepower on the Potomac — Fort Washington Park |
| | (Left Panel): Three pair of these large 10-inch caliber disappearing guns were the key feature of the 1890s river defense system. Each weapon could direct its 650-pound projectile at enemy ships within a seven-mile range. Battery Humphries is one of three similar structures located at Fort Washington Park. (Right Panel): Fort Washington is the site of the first permanent fort constructed between 1814-1824 to guard the Potomac River approach to our Nation's Capital. Today, the . . . — Map (db m8083) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Fort Foote — Protecting the Nation’s Capital |
| | High on a bluff, a hundred feet above the Potomac River, twelve heavy guns commanded the approach to the city. Smaller cannon were placed to protect Fort Foote from landward attack. Numerous buildings were constructed to house and support the large garrison of troops that built the fort and manned the big guns. Construction of this Civil War earthworks began in 1863. It was the largest and southernmost bastion in a ring of 68 forts that were hurriedly laid out, armed and manned. Fort Foote . . . — Map (db m4168) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Fort Washington Park |
| | Fort Washington Park is the site of the first permanent fort constructed between 1814-1824 to guard the Potomac River approach to our Nation's Capital. Today the park offers many recreational opportunities and programs. Explore the historic sites and enjoy the natural areas of this 341-acre reserve. — Map (db m4554) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — King's Depression Carriage |
| | Capt. Rufus King, Jr. devised a counterweight system and front-pintle mount that would allow the 49,000 pdr. Rodman Gun to depress during loading. Except for the brief periods of exposure to enemy fire during the aiming and firing of the gun, the crew could remain protected behind the high parapets of the fort. — Map (db m7625) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Main Gateway |
| | Two sets of gates protected the main entrance, or sally port. During the improvements made in the 1840s the drawbridge was added to make the approach to the gates more difficult. The drawbridge, operated by a unique system of iron counterweights and chains, was designated to close rapidly in case of land attack. (Sidebar): The entrance was also guarded by cannon. Thirteen guns, mounted on the parapet, covered the approaches to the gateway. To protect the area next to the wall and . . . — Map (db m7982) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Minefields |
| | Minefields were an important part of the Endicott System of defense at the turn of the century. You are standing on the site that controlled the minefield operation. Groups of underwater mines anchored in the river downstream from the fort could be fired electrically from here when enemy ships passed nearby. The guns of Batteries White (visible below to your right), Many, and Smith protected the minefield from enemy minesweepers and destroyers. — Map (db m8065) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — New Guns for an Old Fort |
| | Remnants of former gun emplacements are the reminders of the three generations of armaments that occupied this V-shaped Water Battery. Each generation reflects the latest technologies and precision in the manufacture of armaments. 1830 - The first guns to be positioned were considered adequate to sink the wooden-hulled ships of a passing naval flotilla. 1872-1898 - The fort was redesigned after the Civil War and made larger; more powerful guns were installed. New technology in casting from . . . — Map (db m8080) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Northwest Bastion |
| | Protecting the fort against land attack Armed with smaller field and siege guns, the landward bastions could deliver a sustained cannonade of 12- and 30-pounder shells. The long central traverse provided protection and contained magazines and bombproofs. — Map (db m7632) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Prince George’s County - St. John’s Church |
| | Erected 1723. (King George's Parish established 1692). Credible evidence and honest tradition record that Washington attended services here on numerous occasions. — Map (db m3662) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Shot and Shell |
| | Fort Washington's solid masonry walls offered good protection against shot from smoothbore cannon of the early 19th century. When rifled artillery was introduced in the late 1850s and used during the Civil War, effectiveness of masonry structures decreased. The new weapons fired projectiles that fit the bore tightly and were given a stabilizing spin by the grooves in the barrel. These improvements gave the rifled guns a range, accuracy, and hitting power nearly three times greater than the . . . — Map (db m8063) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Site of Silesia School — 1902-1925 |
| | In 1902 children from nearby farms traveled by horse and buggy to the Silesia School, a one room school house. The school's contribution of education for this area continued until 1925. In 1959 the school and part of this land was sold to the Congress Heights Baptist Church. That congregation used the school as a mission chapel until 1965 when Fort Washington Baptist Church was built near the Silesia School. The Fort Washington Baptist Church commemorates the site with this plaque in honor and . . . — Map (db m7639) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — The Cisterns |
| | A reliable supply of drinking water for the garrison was a priority at Fort Washington. Three wells dug early in the fort's construction proved inadequate. By 1823, four cisterns were installed to store rainwater. Located underground at each end of the barracks and officers' quarters, these cisterns had a total capacity of 19,000 gallons. Rainwater from the gutters and downspouts of the buildings flowed through a filter box into the cisterns. The water could then be removed by a handpump. — Map (db m8071) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — The Defenses of Washington |
| | At the start of the Civil War, Washington was protected by only one fort, Fort Washington guarding the Potomac River approach. The capital city was uncomfortably close to Confederate forces operating in Northern Virginia. by 1864, a system of earthen fortifications had been completed. The forts were well garrisoned and armed with large numbers of guns of diverse sizes and calibers. The war ended in the spring of 1865, and a year later all but a few forts were abandoned and their brief service ended. — Map (db m7635) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — The Mortar Battery |
| | Named Battery Meigs, these two pits contained eight large 12-inch mortars. Each huge mortar was capable of hurling a 700-pound projectile in a high arc. The simultaneous firing of all eight would insure a clustered group of shells falling on the decks of an attacking battleship. The rate of fire of these weapons depended upon the speed and skill of the 12 men needed to serve each mortar. The practiced teamwork of 96 men rushing to load, aim, fire, and reload these eight heavy weapons reflected . . . — Map (db m8086) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — The Northwest Demi-Bastion |
| | The demi-bastion is a section of the fort that projects beyond the main wall and provides concentrated defensive fire. The bastion design includes two levels of artillery. Guns were to be mounted on the parapet above and in the casemates you see below at the base of the wall. When the fort was armed in the 1840s, however, only the guns on the upper, or barbette, level were installed. The casemates saw other uses. Company laundresses lived in two of them with their soldier husbands until . . . — Map (db m7998) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — The Water Battery |
| | Strategically placed, this permanent section of the fort was the lowest level of the three tiers of guns. The Water Battery was designed to deliver "water-skipping" cannonade directed at the hulls of enemy ships. The simple V-shaped design has undergone few changes from the original concept. In the 100 years of active duty, new parapets and gun mounts have been added. Still visible are the deep masonry ditches and powder magazines from the 1820 construction. — Map (db m8078) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Fort Washington — Water Battery |
| | Construction of this inverted V-shaped outerwork began in 1814. Traces of its shape are visible today. Surrounded by a dry ditch, the Water Battery mounted 24-pounder guns that provided an additional level of firepower to the fort. The Water Battery underwent two major changes after 1872. The gatehouse and other buildings were removed and construction of earthworks to surround the fort began. Four platforms for 15-inch Rodman guns and three magazines were completed before the government . . . — Map (db m8061) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Glenn Dale — Marietta — Home of Gabriel Duvall — (1752-1844) |
| | Judge Gabriel Duvall built Marietta in 1812-13 and in the 1830s added a two-story wing on the north side. Duvall was distinguished for a lifetime of public service which included election to the Maryland state legislature and the United States Congress. In 1802 he was appointed comptroller of the treasury by President Thomas Jefferson, a position he held until his appointment to the Supreme Court by President James Madison in 1811. Gabriel Duvall retired from the Supreme Court in 1835 and died in 1844 at Marietta in his 93rd year. — Map (db m3630) |
| Maryland (Prince George's County), Greenbelt — Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Tree |
| | First Lady of the Land, First Lady of the World, wife of our 32nd President, First Chairman of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. From this point she surveyed the site and spurred the work of building Greenbelt, the first garden community in the land planned for the uplift and unfolding of the human spirit. Her continuing interest helped to make real the dream of an ideal community. — Map (db m188) |
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