Near Scotland in St. Mary's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
John Wilkes Booth
Escape of an Assassin
| — | War on the Chesapeake Bay | — |
Photographed by Tom Fuchs, March 31, 2007
1. John Wilkes Booth Marker
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
this page online
Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 38° 2.382′ N, 76° 19.324′ W. Marker was near Scotland, Maryland, in St. Mary's County. It was on Point Lookout Road (Maryland Route 5) 2.6 miles south of 3rd Way, on the right when traveling north. It is in sight of the Point Lookout lighthouse. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 10380 Point Lookout Rd, Scotland MD 20687, United States of America.
We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Regionally, this marker was in Southern Maryland. It was also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Point Lookout-Hammond Hospital (here, next to this marker); Hammond General Hospital (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Point Lookout (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Hammond General Hospital (within shouting distance of this marker);
Photographed by J. J. Prats, March 31, 2007
2. The Two Civil War Trail Markers
Other markers no longer nearby. Point Lookout State Park (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); A Bustling Civil War Community (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Defense Strategies (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Let There Be Light (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed).
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. To better understand the relationship, study each marker in the order shown.
Also see . . . John Wilkes Booth: Chasing Lincoln’s Assassin. Maryland Office of Tourism website entry (Submitted on August 19, 2019.)
Photographed by Pete Payette, June 19, 2017
3. John Wilkes Booth Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on April 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 5, 2007, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland. This page has been viewed 3,289 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 5, 2007, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland. 2. submitted on May 5, 2007. 3. submitted on June 26, 2017, by Pete Payette of Orange, Virginia. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.
