Bel Alton in Charles County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Rich Hill Historic Site
Historic Preservation/Public Archaeology
(Right Banner)
After leaving Dr. Samuel A. Mudd's house on April 15, 1865, John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, and his accomplice David E. Herold avoided Zekiah Swamp and made a wide arc around the village of Bryanstown. Unsure of their surroundings, they soon enlisted the aid of a guide, Oswell Swann, who led them across the swamp to Rich Hill, the home of Samuel Cox. They arrived here shortly after midnight on April 16. According to Swann, Cox admitted the pair to the house where they remained "3 or 4 hours." Cox, however, later denied that they came into the house, and a young servant girl supported his testimony. Nevertheless, Cox did arrange to conceal the pair in a nearby pine thicket for several days, where they received food, newspapers, and information.
(Maryland Civil War Trails Logo)
Rich Hill was recently acquired by the Charles County Commissioners. Historians and archaeologists are now working to learn more about the historic farm and it's residents, and to discover Rich Hill's earlier colonial past. Restoration efforts will begin in 2016 with funding in part from the State of Maryland.
(Image #1: Poster offering reward to John Wilkes Booth)
(Image #2: Rich Hill exterior)
This photo take by Osborn Oldroyd in 1901. Oldroyd was an early chronicler of the Lincoln assassination.
(Left Banner)
Rich Hill Historic Site
Historic Preservation/Public Archaeology
Special Thanks to Our Partners:
Historic Society of Charles County
Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland
Joseph F. Vallario, Jr. & Family
(Lincoln 150 Logo)
Charles County Government • P.O. Box 2150 • 200 Baltimore St. • La Plata, MD 20646 MD Relay: 711 • Relay TDD: 1-800-735-2258 • Equal Opportunity County
Erected 2015.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this 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 date for this entry is April 16, 1865.
Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 38° 28.283′ N, 76° 57.9′ W. Marker was in Bel Alton, Maryland, in Charles County. Marker could be reached from Rich Hill Farm Road, 0.1 miles north of Bel Alton Newtown Rd. Marker is in the form on two banners, which are mounted on the side of the house. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Bel Alton MD 20611, United States of America.
We have been informed that this sign or monument is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this location, measured as the crow flies. Rich Hill (within shouting distance of this marker); Rich Hill Through the Years (within shouting distance of this marker); Archaeology Provides a Key to the History of Rich Hill (within shouting distance of this marker); Rich Hill Farm in the 20th Century (within shouting distance of this marker); Rich Hill Farm in the 19th Century: Samuel Cox and his Award-Winning Farm (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Rich Hill (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); John Wilkes Booth and David Herold (approx. 1.3 miles away); Pine Thicket (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bel Alton.
Also see . . .
1. Thomas Stone National Historic Site, National Park Service. Rich Hill is the birthplace of Margaret Brown Stone. Her husband, Thomas Stone, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. (Submitted on January 23, 2019, by David Lassman of Waldorf, Maryland.)
2. Rich Hill. Maryland's National Register Properties website entry (Submitted on January 23, 2019.)
3. Booth's Escape Byway. Maryland Office of Tourism website entry (Submitted on January 23, 2019, by David Lassman of Waldorf, Maryland.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 23, 2019. This page has been viewed 593 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on January 23, 2019. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.