Clinton in Prince George's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

John Wilkes Booth

Escape of an Assassin

— War on the Chesapeake —

John Wilkes Booth Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 1, 2012

1. John Wilkes Booth Marker

Inscription. Divided loyalties and ironies tore at Marylanders’ hearts throughout the Civil War: enslaved African-Americans and free United States Colored Troops; spies and smugglers; civilians imprisoned without trial to protect freedom; neighbors and families at odds in Maryland and faraway battlefields. From the Eastern Shore to the suburbs of Washington, eastern Maryland endured those strains of civil war in ways difficult to imagine today.

Those strains continued even after Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. John Wilkes Booth used the help of Southern Maryland’s Confederate underground during his flight from Washington, D.C. after shooting President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865.

(Sidebar):
Discover the story of Booth’s escape and other fascinating history for yourself as you drive through some of Maryland’s prettiest countryside and most charming small towns. Follow the sign of the bugle to learn about the war on the Chesapeake, visit the site of the war’s largest prison camp and follow Booth to his eventual capture south of the Potomac River.

Please drive carefully as you enjoy the history and beauty of Maryland’s Civil War Trails.

Erected by Maryland Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this

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topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Booth's Escape, and the Maryland Civil War Trails series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1853.

Location. 38° 45.868′ N, 76° 53.846′ W. Marker is in Clinton, Maryland, in Prince George's County. Marker is at the intersection of Brandywine Road and Woolyard Road (Maryland Highway 223) on Brandywine Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9118 Brandywine Road, Clinton MD 20735, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Surratt Tavern (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named John Wilkes Booth (a few steps from this marker); The Mary Surratt House (within shouting distance of this marker); Crucifix (approx. 0.2 miles away); Louise F. Cosca Regional Park (approx. 2.4 miles away); Thrift School (approx. 2.7 miles away); His Lordship’s Kindness (approx. 3 miles away); Slaves’ Infirmary [on His Lordship’s Kindness] (approx. 3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Clinton.

Also see . . . Booth's Escape Byway, Maryland Office of Tourism. (Submitted on August 19, 2019.)

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 17, 2023

2. John Wilkes Booth Marker

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 9, 2020

3. John Wilkes Booth Marker

Sign at the entrance of the park image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 1, 2012

4. Sign at the entrance of the park

The Surratt Tavern image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 1, 2012

5. The Surratt Tavern

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 1, 2012

6. The Surratt Tavern

Outbuilding at the Surratt Tavern image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Christopher J Shelton, April 28, 2018

7. Outbuilding at the Surratt Tavern

Credits. This page was last revised on April 28, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 8, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 932 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 8, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 2. submitted on April 27, 2023, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 3. submitted on August 9, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 8, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 7. submitted on August 25, 2018, by Christopher J Shelton of Indianapolis, Indiana. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.