Newsand Notes EE gE PrinceGeorge's County SE HistoricalSociety

January/February 1999 Our 47'hYear XXVII Number I

MEMORIALS

In celebrationof Black History month andpresidential birthdays, we suggestthe following foray into local museums.historic homes and culturalinstitutions:

At the National Portrait Gallery, Washington,D.C.: "Paul Robeson:Artist and Citizen (January 29-April 18). Son of an escapedslave, possessor of a magnificentvoice, a sports-champion body, a Phi Beta Kappabrain and a fiercehatred of racismand oppression,Robeson (1989-1976) was one of the most colorful, controversialand consequentialAmericans of his time. His career is examinedwith the aid of more than 150 artifacts,including paintings, photos and movie stills, sculptures,Robeson's writings and his personalmemorabilia."

Also at the National Portrait Gallery'."Portrails of Georgeand Martha lltashington in the PresidentialYears, 1789-1797 (February 19-August 8). Twenty-five likenesses- sculptures, paintingsand drawingsassembled to mark the 200'hanniversary of the deathof the first president,including works by Gilbert Stuart,Charles Willson Peale,Edward Savage and John Trumbull." (From: lVashingtonPost, January8, 1999)

When was the last time you actuallyvisited Mount Vernon? The February1Oth issue of the WashingtonPost describesa "year'sworth of uniqueactivities" related to the 200thanniversary of Washington'sdeath. Specialtours "focusingon Washington'sdeath are being offereddaily throughoutthe year."

1999is alsothe One-Hundredth-BirthdayCelebration of Washington'sown Duke Ellington. Sponsoredby the KennedyCenter and the SmithsonianInstitution, the SmithsonianJazz Mastenvorl

There are somemembers who havenot NEW MEMBERS renewedtheir membershipthis year. Some WELCOME TO have moved away to other areas,but others simply have not sentin their checks. A CassandraHarper secondnotice will be sentto them in March. Mary Frazer It would be very helpful if our present I)onnaMcQuade membersreached out and askedtheir friends to join the Society.

This societyis quite smalland really accomplishesa lot. The Board Membersare WOODWORKER NEEDED the real workers and the doersin the group. They needyour support and help. Let us Someoneneeded to construct a mail box/bird know the type of thing you are willing to do. houseto be usedto distributebrochures for We don't want to askthe impossible,but you the Historical Society. If you havegood could volunteerto help with the refreshments woodworking abilities,I would like to talk to for a meeting,work in the gift shop on a you. Contact: Bob Crawley, 301-702- weekend,help sewjunior docentcostumes, 0799. or offer to make fancy tea cookiesfor a tea. You could be responsiblefor the detailwork of a program, offer to help with the school groupsor go to the schoolsand work with a group there. There are many ways you Shirley Masak Baltz Wins could providethe supportthat is neededto Irma Mae ProsserCommunity Award fulfill the missionof the Society. for GenealogicalExcellence

In our efficrt to educatethe public and others On January6th, the GenealogicalSociety of we haveinvited the County Council PrinceGeorge's County, presentedShirley members, the County executive,and several VlasakBaltz, City of Bowie Historian, the membersof his staffto lunchon September ProsserAward. This award honorsIrma 23rd at Marietta. We alreadyhave several Mae ProsserNicholson McCaffe.ty, a long acceptancesand are looking forward to time memberof the Prince George'sCounty havingthem as our guests. This is how we GenealogicalSociety who was a consumate can educateour officials about the historic genealogist.Shirley was honoredfor: 'A propertiesand activitiesin our county. Only Chronicle of Bel Air;" "Town of Bowie, if they have someknowledge of it can we Maryland," and "Prince Georges County, hopeto get this support. Maryland Marriages and Deaths in |gth CenturyNewspapers," in 2 volumes.

SPECIAL NOTE: If you borrowedJane's photographsof the CandlelightsTours, could you pleasereturn them. Reward is offered. The Burning of Washington The British Invasion of 1814

By Anthony S. Pitch

For anyonewho lives in PrinceGeorge's County, there is a specialfascination with what hasbeen called the'Second War for Independence"- the War of l8l2 betweenan upstart United Statesof America and the most formidablefoe of the 19ftCentury - Georgethe Third's United Kingdom of Great Britain and lreland. Many books have beenwritten about that era, and all mention the biggest defeat sufferedby the young country - that of having its beautiful but unfinished capital sackedand burned by hordesof redcoats.

Sincethe British invaderscrossed Prince George's County en route from their fleet to the capital, this month-long seriesof clashesholds some fascinationfor PrinceGeorgeans, especiallyas the final denouementbefore Washington fell was the Battle of Bladensburg. This is, of course,often taught as one of the blackestdays in the history of that 250 year old town.

Yet, in this slime volume by Anthony Pitch of Potomac,Maryland, one neversees the term "BladensburgRaces" - an epithetoften usedto describethe ignominiousflight of the defendersunder the hail of the redcoatrockets and shells. And, surprisingly,the words Prince George'sCounty are not found either. Oh well - it is a national issueI guess.

But, leaving that aside,this 236 page,tightly written, accountof the month betweenthe landing at Benedictand the battle of Baltimore is highly readableand recommendedfor those who know little of the specificsof the march on and retreatfrom Washington. It is fascinatingto readof the Cabinet membersrushing back and forth from the battlefield to the White House,the attemptsto salvagegovernment documents by the harriedclerks, and what was not salvaged. The personalglimpses of combatantsand non-combatants alike makethis more understandablethat the usualmilitary historywith its maps,unit designationsand dry factual reporting.

I found the following passage,toward the end of the book, to be most readable:

Chapter 17. TheBirth of anAnthem

John Skinner and Frances Scott Key had spent the night on the deck of their ship trying to guessat possible damage to Fort McHenry. Thuy monitored shells by listening raptly after eachfiring to hear whether it wasfollowed by an explosion. So long as the bombardmentcontinued, they lorcw thefort hod not fallen. The exhausting vigil held hour after hour. But when the shelling slackenedin the darknessbefore dswn, they did not know whether Fort McHenry had strrrenderedor whether the bombardmenthad been obandoned. Nervously pacing the wet deck and constqntly looking at their watches to see how long they had to wait for daylight, the two menfutilely trained their glasses on the dsrkenedfort to see whoseflag-fle* above the ramparts. Then the light quickened, and 7thfuinual @gMgirau Multi-Period Living History Civilian and Military Encampments. t Romans t Vihings S Ituights S Musketeers I g Minute Men g ArnericatT. Civil War g

Activities to be performed. Period Cooking, Crafts, Merchants, Food Yendors, Military Drills, fighting and tactical demonstrations April I0-l I, 1999 11a.rrr. to Sp.m. both days Admission: $s.O0/Adults $2.00/Students Location: 5626Bsrr srATroNRDr cr.ENN DAIE MD CAprrAtnrrrwev/I-495[-95 Exn 2oA; TAKERr. 45o EAsr ANNAPOTTSRD. 4 MILESTO RT. rg3 WEST; FOU,OWSrcNS TO FREE SHUTTTEPARKING FoR MoRE rNFoRMArroN ILEASEcAr,L: (3ot) 464-5zgt TTy (3ol) 6gg-zjg

Z Mariena is a facitity of the M-NcppC 7 Pince George's Park & Recreation Dept. t' Natural and Histoical ResourcesDivision as the breezeclearedqway lhe mist, Key marveled. A gigantic star-spangled bannerflew conspicuouslyqbove thefort. "Our flag was still there!" he lqter told Roger Taney,his brother-in-law.

The night had been clalmitousfor the British. Thry had beenpunished and beaten back. Americans, by contrast, could hold their heods high as the new day dawned. They had refused to yield, heroically withstanding a full day and long night of sustained terror and frightening blasts without protective cover. Theflagflew triumphantly over thefort, fluttering with q new sheen to its glory. Never before had Francis Scott Key looked with sach reverence upon the rymbol of his country. Thepatriot within him swelled with pride. He wss overcome by a profound need to pay tribute to the gallant defenders. As Key focased on the red, white, and blue cloth, words and phrases tumbled through his mind. He took a letler out of his pocket and began to scribble on the bock. Under the sway of an inner compulsion, he tried to record instant sensations,fearfut that he might never recapture their intensity once the histotic moment had passed. He jotted down Iines of poetry and notes that would help him recall hisfervor.

Thuswas born the StarSpangled Banner, which becameour nationalanthem in 1940.

Les Swgeting

We get letters:

Our faithfulcorrespondent Puul Lsnhum writes on the story of the KnickerbockerTheatre disasterand his interesttherein:

The hotlseknown asthe Col. Hyneshome is locatedon the north sideof 4thstreet in Lanhamand is very interestingI\{y rnother,deceased in 1969at the ageof 82 told me manystories of old La'harnlolks and ore of theseconcerned col. Hynes. lt seemsthat he deserteda witb andtbmily in the mid-westsometime after the Civil War and subsequentlysettled in the Lanhamarea. His new life was quite secureuntil the day the roof of the KnickerbockerTheatre collapsed under a heavyload of snow. Col Hynesmade the local paperas being among the injuredand consequentlycame to the attentionof his legal(deserted) wife.

The local Lanhamfolks apparentlygreatly enjoyed the resultantscandal as by now the localCivil War hasslesbetween Lanham neighbors were losingtheir shockappeal. Fi- lms'tqr..tt ft*rintf"ur ANI\ruAL MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Name

Address

Telephone

Pleasecircle Category New Membership Renewal Individualftousehold) . ...$2 0.00 Additionalcontribution $ SustainingMember ...... $50.00 Life Membership $400.00

Membershipin theMaryland Historical Society is additional Individual ...... $30.00 Husband/ Wife ...... $40.00

I am interestedin helping as a volunteer

Pleasemake checkspayable to PGCHS Mail applicationand check to PGCHS Box 14 Riverdale, MD 20737-0014 orrropcntiq rupportcu hcn yourd:r rdcffiibtinl. All ccrnrhnin Cndify fctrr &drri

Board of Directors

President- JaneEagen Vice President- EugeneB. Roberts,Jr. Secretary- SarahBourne Treasurer- JoyceUber Membership- PhyllisHerdon Historian - SusanPearl Editor - SharonHowe Sweeting Directors JulieBright Johnt\{ichell WilliamUber WallisCain GeorgeDenny KathrynClagett Mildred RidgeleyGray lris McConnel RobertCrawley Past Presidents JohnGiannetti W C. (Bud) Dutton PaulT l,anham WarrenRhoads JovceMcDonald

CALE,NDAR PrinceGeorge's County Historical Sociely

March 6 PGCHSBoard Meeting, Marietta l0:00am

,Ioint Meeting with Duvull Society, Murietta 1:00pm

April 23 CountyExecutive and Councillunch at Marietta

April 25 St. George'sDay at St lgnatius,Oxon Hill (detailsnext issue)

- CALENDAR OF EVEI\TS HISTORIC SITES

March 20 Easter Bonnet Tea Party. Decorate an Easter Bonnet and haveTea afterwards. l:00 pm and 3:00 pm $15.00for adults;$10.00 children RiversdaleMansion Reservationsrequired Address:4811 RiverdaleRoad, Riverdale Park (301) 864-0420 March 21 liKIf|J{h:T}.1'"ilH#:l ffi x.*Jl*TJi: J,;';ffHJ :l CollegePark and went on to pilot the world's first scheduledairline - St. Petersburgto Tampain 1914. After the lectureTom will signhis book, Jonnus, xl##;(I;;:,,i1#j;'ff'ffil?x#"T,Tilif ;co,,Drive (301) 864-6029 Time:2:00 pm

March 27 Annual Msd Hatter's Teo Party, l:00 pm and 3:00 pm Marietta House Museum; Reservationsrequired $8.00for adults;$5.00 students(4-18 years) Not recommendedfor children under 4 Address:5626Bell StationRoad, Glenn Dale (301) 464-5291

March- Exhibit: "In your Easter Bonnet: Hats From the Univercity of Maryland April Collection" RiversdaleMansion. Regular tour hours.

April l0-l I 7'hAnnual Marching Through Time, Marietta (seeenclosed flier for details)

April l8 Ken Hyde, owner of the Virginia Aviation and Machine Cornpanyand renowned builder of historic aircraft will sharewith us the processof creating a Wright aeroplane. He will highlight the Wright model B he is building for the College Park Aviation Museum. Light refreshmentswill be served. College Park Aviation Museum, Time 2:00 pm ?ilffi60ffi100mffit0ilil,Io0flI FOSTOrTlCE BOX 14 RIVENDALE,MARYI./\h[D 2073t{nl 4

NON-PROFIT ORG TI S F0STAGE PAID RIVERDALE, MD PERM'T NO I94t

DATED MATERHL

HOURS OF OPERATION LOCATION OF THE SO(]IETY Library Saturdays12 - 4 PM and dunng specialevents The Societyis locatedat Marietta,5626 cdl 301-464-0s9 I Bell StationRoad, in GlennDale, MD, off Route193, near Route 450 Thisis a MariettaTours -Friday,I I - 3, Sunday, facilityof the MarylandNational Park and 12 - 4 - and by appointment- PlannrngCommission -464-5291 Information 301 /

THE SOCIETY GIFT SHOP

Featuresa wide selectionof books, gifts, toys and smallantiques. Open Friday, Saturdayand Sunday,12 -4 PM and during specialevents Call 30l-464' 0590 Newsand Notes EE Eg PrinceGeorge's County HE ET gE HistoricalSociety -

March 1999 Our 47thYear XXVIII Number 2

St. George'sDay AwardsPresented at HistoricChurch

Our 1999St. George'sDay celebrationwill takeplace on Sunday, April25 at St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church in Oxon Hill. The awardsare given to honor individuals and orgamzationswhich have made a significant contribution to the preservationof the county's heritage. We are delightedthat the parish led by Father Hugheswill be our hosts.

The Historic AmericanBuildings Survey(HABS)description follows: "St. Ignatius Church is the finest QueenAnne style ecclesiasticstructure in Prince George'sCounty, and, founded in 1849,is the oldestRoman Catholic church in the southwesternregion of the county. The currentstructure, built in 1890-91,replaces the original 1849church. St. Ignatius exemplifiesthe QueenAnne Style as seenin a small rural church structure. Contrasting materialsare usedto add texture,enlivening the building's surfaces;the steepgable roof, bell tower with steeple,buttresses, and high archedwindows emphasizethe verticality of the structure. Fronting directly on the old road betweenUpper Marlboro and the Alexandria Ferry, the church has a well-shadedcemetery to the eastwhere the gravesbear the namesof someof the county's oldestCatholic families,including the Hill and Brooke families.

St. Ignatius churchis a rectangular,six-bay-by-three-bay structure with a steeplypitched gable- front roof, and a tower to the centerof the north front facade. The walls of the church are a lively multi-texturedmix of board-and-batten,clapboard and scallopedshingles. The churchis lit by long round-arched,leaded stained-glass windows in floral and geometricdesigns. The front tower risesto threestories, housing the entry and bell cote,and is toppedwith a steeple. It too incorporatesa variety of siding types,and includesornamental corner buttresses which rise to the height of a tripartite window abovethe entry. The entry has double paneleddoors, surmounted by a stained-glass,semi-circular light in a sunburstpattern. The interior of the churchis as exuberantas the exterior;the walls and ceiling arecovered with wainscotingand beadedboards in alternatingpatterns, reflective of thoseof the exteriorsiding. The centeraisle has a barrel- vault ceiling supportedby fluted squareposts, with ribs springingfrom the posts. The windows andthe doorwaysare enhancedby symmetricallymolded trim with bull's-eyecorner blocks. There is a gallery with an antiqueorgan to the north, and the chancelis recessedin archedalcove to the south.

St. IgnatiusChurch was foundedby FatherJoseph M. Finotti in 1849,upon the completionof the original churchstructure. St. Ignatiuswas originally a missionunder the chargeof the Pastorsof St. Mary's Catholic Churchof Alexandria,Virginia, built to servethe communityof southwesternPrince George's County, from the PotomacRiver to the west and the town of District Heightsto the east. The currentchurch was begunin 1890,as indicatedby the cornerstone(the original 1849cornerstone has been built into the foundationof the current church). It was built by CharlesBeers, contractor of Anacostia,at the costof $5,000,and was consecratedon the21" of October1891 by the Cardinalof the Archdioceseof Baltimore,James Gibbons,who referredto it as "the prettiestlittle church in SouthernMaryland." During our April25'h celebrationof St. George'sDuy, thePrince George'sHall of Fame wlll alsoannounce their 1999inductee. The Hall of Fame "was establishedin 1975 to recognrze superiorachievement, extraordinary creativity and natural talent of distinguishedPrince Georgiansof the past."

"Although createdby the PrinceGeorge's Chamber of Commerce,with approvalof the Prince George'sCounty Council, the Hall of Fameis an autonomousorganization. Its missionis to educatethe public aboutoutstanding men andwomen of achievement,who wereborn in, or lived in PrinceGeorge's County. By honoringthese outstanding individuals, the Hall of Famehopes that County residentswill be encouragedto emulatetheir achievement."

"The Hall of Famehonors these individuals by commissioningportraits of them that arethen displayedin public buildingsin the County. The Hall of Fameis supportedsolely by contributions,all of which aretax deductible,and go towardthe commissioningof portraitsof the inductees,and alsotoward public education. Donationsmay be directedto the Hall of Fame,P.O. Box 1513,Upper Marlboro, MD 20773.'

HistorianSusan Pearl providedthis list of inducteesbeginning in 1978:

John Carroll (1735-1 81 5) of Upper France;engineer, created plan for Marlborough;first archbishopof Catholic Washington,D.C. Died at GreenHill (now Churchin America (1978) Hyattsville),reinterred Arlington National Cemetery1909 (1981) ThomasJohn Claggett(17 43- 1816) of Croom; First Episcopalbishop of Maryland, CharlesBenedict Calvert (1808-1864)of and first consecratedin America (1978) Riversdale;agriculturalist, House of Delegates,U.S. Houseof Representatives, John Rogers(17??-1789) of Upper prime mover in establishmentof Maryland Marlborough;delegate to Continental Agricultural College(University of Congress,Chancellor of Maryland (1979) Maryland,College Park) (1982)

Dr. William Beanes(1749-1828) of Upper Oden Bowie ( I 826-1 894) of Fairview;state Marlborough;surgeon, one of foundersof senator,thoroughbred horse breeder, director what becameUniversity of Maryland of Baltimoreand PotomacRailroad, Medical School,hostage during British Governorof Maryland (1869-72) (1983) bombardmentof Fort McHenrv in 1814 (1e7e) RobertBowie (1750-1818) of Mattaponi Gabriel Duvall (1752-1844) of Marietta; andNottingham; politician, Revolutionary MarylandHouse of Delegates,U.S. War military,Governor of Maryland(1803- Congress,Comptroller of U.S. Treasury; 05,1811-12)(1984) U.S.Supreme Court Justice, 181 1-35 (1e80) Dr. JamesHarris Rogers(1850-1929) of Hyattsville; scientist,experimenter, holder PierreL'Enfant (1754-1825) of Paris, of 50 patentsin electricalscience (1985) JosephKent (1779-1837)of RoseMount, (1728-78),portraitists working in Prince U.S. Congressman,Governor of Maryland George'sCounty during eighteenthcentury (r826-2e)(1e86) (ree4)

Daniel Carroll (1730-96)of Upper Adele H. Stamp ( I 893-197 4) of Catonsville Marlborough and Rock Creek; statesman, and College Park; first Dean of Women at delegateto ConstitutionalConvention, U.S. University of Maryland at CollegePark Congress,Commissioner of District of (1ees) Columbia (1987) Three Agricultural Scientisfs: Richard Four Statesnten:George Digges ( 17 42-92) Brooke (1716-83)of Croom area,planter, of WarburtonManor; Fielder Bowie (1745- physician,made meteorological 9a) of Nottingham;Benjamin Hall (1735- observationsrelated to agriculture;Horace 1803)of Partnership;and Osborn Sprigg Capron(1804-85) of Laurel, U.S. (174l- 181 5) of Northampton,represented Commissionerof Agriculture,advisor on PrinceGeorge's County at Ratifieation agriculturaldevelopment in Japan;and Conventionfor Constitution,178ti, and GeorgeM. Darrow (1889-1983),U.S.D.A. voted in favor of ratification (1988) scientist,premier breeder of strawberriesand blueberries (1996) Leonard Covington(1768-1813) of Aquasco;U.S. Congressman,General during Pioneersof Flighf: Benjamin Foulois War of 18 12 (1989) (1879-1967)instructed in flight by Wilbur Wright at CollegePark, he went on to Thomas GeorgePratt ( t 804-69)of becomeChief of Army Air Corpsand Major Georgetownand Upper Marlborough;House General,active in supportof military air of Delegates,Maryland Senate,Governor of power;John W. Greene,Jr., (1901-1989) Maryland(1845-48) (1990) the secondAmerican to receivea commercialpilot's licenseand the first SamuelSprigg (circa 178 1 - 185 5) of African-American to operatean airfield Northampton;Governor of Maryland (1819- (ColumbiaAir Centernear Croom) in the 22) (leel) United States (1997198)

Frederick Sasscer( I 856-L929) of Upper Howard Zahniser, formerresident of Marlborough; educator,Editor of Prince Prince George'sCounty and fatherof the George'sEnquirer andof Enquirer-Gazette, NationalWilderness Act which provides Superintendentof PrinceGeorge's County protectionfor millions of acresof Schools (1992) wildernessin United States (1999)

ThomasSim Lee (1745-1819)of Upper Marlborough;Governor of Maryland (1779- 81, 1792) (1993)

Three Colonial Painters: Justus Engelhardt Kuhn (d. 17l7); Gustavus Hesselius,(l 682-17 55); John Hesselius, J. Michael McCloskey literatureis awesome. Sierra Club Chairman St. George'sDay Speaker We hopeyou will join us for this importantevent at the historic J. MichaelMcCloskey, Chairman sitedescribed earlier. of the SierraClub since1985, Director of the Natural Value Mapping Projectand Adjunct VIRTA UPDATE Professorof PublicPolicy, Schoolof NaturalResources and Don't forgetto purchasethe the Environmentat the third, revisedand updated Universityof Michiganwill be versionof this important the feafuredspeaker on April 25th illustratedhistory of Prince at St. IgnatiusChurch. George'sCounty. Copiesare availableat Marietta,Riversdale, Educatedat the Universityof Darnall'sChange, Belair Oregonand Harvard, Mr. Mansionand the CollegePark McCloskey is the recipientof Aviation Museum;or send many awardsand was listed as $42.95plus $4.00for shipping "oneof the ten top environ- andhandling to: PGCHS,Box 14 mentalistsin the United States" Riverdale, Maryland 207 38. by Backpackermagazine. He listsamong his accomplishments the five-fold growth of the Sierra April l{ews and l{otes will in- Club and its influenceon cludean updateon the Anacostia America's environmental Trails HeritageArea preparedby programs.The first world SusanPearl for the Springissue wildernessand wild rivers of Friends of Preservationl{ews- inventorieswere originatedby letter. You will recall that Pat him andhe servedas a key Parkerand Dick Charltonspoke draftsmanfor the U.N. Charter to us aboutthis importantproject for Naturein 1983. His at the CalvertInn last November. contributionsto wilderness F- ]ms'tqn"t1 firnint tlrrdl AhII\ruAL M EM BERSHIP APPLICATION

Name

Address

Telephone Date

Pleasecircle Category New Membership Renewal Individual (household) ...S2 0.00 Additionalcontribution $ SustainingMernber ...... $50.00 Life Membership $400.00

Mernbershipin theMaryland Historical Society is additional Individual ...... $30.00 Husband/ Wife ...... $40.00

I am interestedin helping as a volunteer

Pleasemake checkspayable to PGCHS Mail applicationand check to PGCHS Box 14 Riverdale, MD 20737-0014

Or qcrri; npon ou fiun fs ts nd oorrrhritrr" All cutfrrin Sdify tatu &irctin firt gcb Frlrport"

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President - JaneEagen Vice President - EugeneB. Roberts,J. Secretary - SarahBourne Treasurer - Joycellber Mernbership - Phyllis Herndon Historian - SusanPearl Editor - SharonHowe Sweetine Directors Julie Bright JohnMitchell William l-Iber Wallis Cain GeorgeDenny Kathryn Clagett Mildred RidgeleyGray Iris McConnell RobertCrawley Past Presidents JohnGiannetti W.C. (Bud) Dutton Paul T. Lanham WarrenRhoads JovceMcDonald

CALENDAR

Prince George's County Historical Society

10:00am April 3 PGCHS Board Meeting,Marietta

at Marietta April 23 county Executiveand council lunch

Hiil (invitationsare in the mail) Apnr 25 St. George,sDay at st. Ignatius,oxon CALENDAR OF EVENTS HISTORICSITES

March 2l Annual Mad Hatter's Tea Party, l:00 pm and 3:00 pm Marietta House Museum; Reservationsrequired $8.00for adults;$5.00 students (4-18 years) 5626Bell StationRoad, Glenn Dale (301) 464-5291

Mar.- Girl Scout Badge Program, Darnall's Chance,Upper Marlboro. Apr. Sun.,1 :00 pm - 5:00pm Fee 301,-952-8010

Mar. - "In Your Easter Bonnet" Exhibit of hats from University of Apr. Maryland CostumeCollection. Riversdale,Riverdale Park. Sundays,Noon to 4:00 pm Fee 301-864-0420

Mar. - " General Nye & His Diaries" Exhibit, Laurel Museum, Laurel Sundays,1:00 pm - 4:00pm; Wed. l0-2 Free 301-725-7975

Mar. - " Women on the Move" Exhibit on the changingroles for 19th May Centurywomen. SurrattHouse, Clinton Fee Call 301-868-ll2l for hours

April 5 Easter Egg Roll. 2-4 pm. Oxon Hill Manor, Oxon Hill. Free Call301-839-7782

April 7 Prince George's County Genealogical Society meeting at Greenbelt Public Library, Greenbelt 7:00 pm Call 301-345-5230 for details

April 10-11 Annual Marching Through Time, multi-periodliving history encamp- ment. Marietta,Glenn Dale 1l am - 5 pm Fee

April 10 & John Wilkes Booth EscapeRoute Tour. SurrattHouse, Clinton 24 Fee For reservations301-868-ll2I

April 11& House Tours. Billingsley Manor. Upper Marlboro. Noon - 18 4 pm. Fee 30r-627-0730

April 11 Satellites, Children's Program (ages9-12) NASA/Goddard Space 25 Visitor Center,Greenbelt 2 p Free 301-286-8981

April 15 "QueenAnne Town" brown bag lunch lectureby ShirleyBaltz BelairMansion, Bowie 12:00pm Free 301-809-3089 ?ilm60ffi1(0milmrul0ffrr FOSTOtrTtcE Box l{ ruVERDALE, MANYIJ\ND 2073t{N I {

hJON.PROFITORC TI S R)STAGF- PAID RIVERDALE. MD PERMT T{O I9't

DATED I}IATE,RHL

HOURS OF OPERATION LOCATION OF THE SOCIETY Library Saturdaysl2 - 4 PM and during specialevents The Societyis locatedat Marietta,562 6 Call301-464-059 I Bell StationRoad, in GlennDale, MD, off Route193, near Route 450 Thisis a Mariena Tours -Friday,I I - 3, Sunday, facilityof the MarylandNational Park and 12 - 4 - and by appointment- PlanrungCommission 301 -464-5291 Information /

THE SOCTETY GIFT SHOP

Featuresa wide selectionof books, gifts, toys and small antiques Open Friday, Saturdayand Sunday,12 -4 PM and during specialevents Calt 301-464- 0590 Newsand Notes E E PrinceGeorge's CountY E E HistoricalSocieU I t

April 1999 Our 47'hY ear XXVUI Number3

May 8thMeeting atBoxlee

Mr. CourtlandLee will host the May meetingof th€ PrinceGeorge's County HistoricalSociety at the Boxlee AzaleaFarmon Saturduy,Muy8th at 1:00pm. Locatedon l0 acresin GlennDale, the farm strives "to propagateand grow plants of hislorical and natural significance." In addition to propagatingboxwoQds and other nati-*E,Plants,the farm is best known for the Glenn Dale AzaIea,An infoffnutionii' n Boxlee ffinbes its background: "Ben Morrison began an ambitiousproject for the Oqffit of e e to introd ergreen azaleaswhich were hardy in the Washingtonarea. He aiOttt. lffiUf fris hybriffiig at the Plant Introduction Center,here in Glenn Dale".."'Overfour hundred and fifty cultiVar*.'WW.lntroducedand sentto nurseriesand gardensthroughout the country; :Sprneare availabl*.,in,iac$l.,gardencenters,

'w. , :.8 pwxten$ive collection of the G$nn Dalesin ffe have soughtout public andr*lrivatecollections to assembleone of the most completecollections of Glenn Datesin the country. We areproud to be cooperatingwith the Ten Oaks Gl$n Dale reinboduction program in their efforts to being back the Glenn Dale azalea.We are establishingdisplay and ptop, g bedsof true-to-name Glenn Dales that will allow us to offer theselong lost treasurefiFt6"66ththe azaleaconnoisseur andthe casualgardener looking,,for something truly special4'' '"l'l',i" .rti;ri.ili.,^rr.*- ,t''1't:i'u|.'ii' All of this will be on view attnouffi,ffifr"' warnSuffiu?t#ltre many Glenn Dale Azaleaswill be in bloom, not all are in bloom at the ffi time. The Glenn Dale Azalea,(45Ovarieties) is the PrinceGeorge's County shrub. Boxlee is a commercialgrower and is opento the public on Saturdaysduring the Azaleasession from mid-April to early June. Mr. Lee will give us a special tour of the farm locatedat 6106Hillmeade Road, Glenn Dale. (See''map) I I snrjr ?\ ::r *{,!r::'l ._l $\)F9 -s

In additionto the azaleafarm, Boxlee is an histonc propertylocated at 6106 HillmeadeRoad, GlennDale. It is describedtnlllustrated Inventory of Historic Sitesas follows: " Built in 1923, Boxlee ts aZ-ll2-story, side-gabledframe house, with flaredeaves and fine Colonial Revival- style decorativefeatures. It was built by local carpenterMillard Schafer,for FrenchBowie Addisonon his portionof the Bowie-Addisonfamilyproperty, Maple Shade.Boxlee is an excellentexample of the ColonialRevival style, and anoticeable landmark in its community.tr

Boxlee Lzalea Farm

We are locatedin Glenn Dale, near Bowie,Maryland on HillmeadeRoad. From the Beltway: Take Rt 50 East and exit on Martin Luther King Parloaay(the first exit). Follow at SoV"xtttk MLK ParkwayEast until it mergeswith Rt. 450 (AnnapolisRd.) Go East on Rt. 450 through trao traffic lights. The third light will be HillmeadRoad. Go Left (the only tum). We are on the left side of the road about 4@ metersfrom the Rt. 450 intersection. From Bowie: Follow Rt. 450 West to Hiltmeade Road. Take a right (theonly tum). We are on the left side of the road. Lookfor the tall trees andour sign. AnacostiaTrails HeritageAreas Authority, it may be awarded grants,loans, and tax credits for local Heritage Area economicdevelopment and capital improvementprojects that will benefit Exciting thingsare happening as work heritagetourism. Part of this effort is continueson the Heritage Area in the making history more visible to residentsand northernmostsection of PrinceGeorge's tourists,developing signs pointing out County. A largearea bordering on the historic places,and linking them through District of Columbianear Bladensburg, and trails and designatedtourist routes. Such continuingnortheast to the PatuxentRiver effortscan help initiaterevitalization, (includingFederal properties such as NASA neighborhoodimprovement, and streetscape Goddard,Beltsville Agricultural Research beautificationprojects. Local museumsand Centerand PatuxentWildlife Research educationalfacilities can be targeted,and Refuge),has been recognized as the recreationalopportunities can be developed. AnacostiaTrails HeritageArea. The present The resultscan be an increasein both effort is the developmentof a management tourism and community quality of life. plan which will leadto official certification of the HeritageArea. Consultantsfor the AnacostiaTrials HeritageArea have begun to developa A heritagearea is a region united by a managementplan, working with a Board commonhistory, and the AnacostiaTrails which includesrepresentatives of the HeritageArea is united by a sharedhistory municipalities,the County government, of colonialsettlement and agriculture, Stateand Federal agencies, and non-profit transportationinnovations and small towns. organrzationsand private corporations.Two Six generationsago, most of the regionwas visioningworkshops have been held, to farmland,and largeplantations like elicit ideasand proposals from individuals Riversdalegrew tobaccoand shippedit to and communitiesthat havean interestin the Europethrough the port of Bladensburg. future of this area. Small communitiesgrew up alongthe Washingtonand BaltimoreTurnpike that Editor's note: This updatewas provided begancarrying traffic betweenthose two by HistorianSusan Pearl andpreviously cities at the turn of the nineteenthcentury. appearedin the Friends of Preservation More towns beganto developafter the Newsletter. Baltimoreand Ohio Railroadran its first train in 1835,and residential suburbs began to fill in the spaceswhen streetcarlines were constructeda century ago. Containedin this areais the oldestairport in continuous usein the work, aswell as the birthplaceof the U.S. spaceprogram.

The Maryland HeritageArea programhelps to enhanceand promote specialareas for tourism. A HeritageArea must first be certified, and then, through the Maryland Samtrained as an urbanplanner and has worked for Maryland NationalCapital Park and PlanningCommission in both Prince George'sHistoric PreservationSection and Revitalizationoffices. Pat is an architect and trainedat the Ecole desBeaux Arts in Paris. Sheworked in the Historic Preservationoffice of MontgomeryCounty and currentlyis employedby the office of JackJohnson, Prince George's County hllc. C.o"f l6GE - t?Ot States'Attorney. Shealso servesas St. George'sDay Awards ExecutiveDirector of the AnacostiaTrails Heritagearea. Pat,while chair of Prince George'sHeritage, guided that organization On Sunday,April 25, 1999,we celebrated throughthe applicationprocess and the County's 303'dbirthday at St. Ignatius tenaciouslypursued the designationof the Church,Oxon Hill. Receivingawards were: AnacostiaTrails HeritageArea to official CathenneW. Allen (CollegePark Airport staterecognition. Pat alsoserves as Vice- Museum); TomAmlie and PennyHayas Chair of the County Histonc Preservation (BuenaVista), EugeneMeyer (Washington Commission. Patand Samlive in the Postreporter); Sam and Pat Hayes-Parker Browning-BainesHouse in Riverdale. (historic preservationand heritage "Built in 1896by the Browning family, and activities);Anthony Pitch ("Burning of becamethe home of their associate,James Washington");Ruth Prendable( Riversdale E. Baines,an officer of the Browning and HistoricalSociety); James M. Wolfe (High BainesCoffee Wholesaling Company. " schoolteacher and caretakerof Marietta); GethsemaneUnited MethodistChurch Your editor had the good fortuneto (Ridgeleychapel); and the Family Quander accompanyPat and Samon their recent Society,Inc. (Oral historypublication). We returnto Pariswhere they lived 27 years congratulateall the winnersand will feature ago. In acceptingthe award,Sam their accomplishmentsbeginning with this challengedthose present to pursuethe rich and continueinto future issues. culturaldiversity of the countyand to instill a love of history in youngsters. The winners, who are not alreadymembers, will alsoreceive gift memberships.

Since SusanPearl has brought us up to date New Members with the AnacostiaTrails Heritage area,rt seemslike a good time to introduceto our We welcomethe following new Members: readers1999 St. George'sDay winners SamuelJ. Parker,Jr. and PatriciaHayes- Katharine Brvant Parkerwho were recognrzedfor their work Richard and Bettv Dodson in the areaof historic preservationand county heritage. Rov Labs A PICTORIALHISTORY of PRINCE GEORGE'SCOT]NTY

by

Alan Virta

Thisthird editionhas an updated county history and a twentypage color sectionof recentphotographs, including the I 996Tricentennial Celebration.

$ 42.95plus ta>r

availableat theGift Shopat MariettaMansion or by mail from PGCHS POBox 14 Riverdale,MD 20738

copiesof A PICTORIAL HISTORY @$42.95 (Marylandresidents add $2. 15 sales tal| shipping& handling $4.00per copy makecheck payable to PGCHS Total $

NAIvIE

ADDRESS More S/. George'sDay Award Winners

HistorianSusan Pearl presented Ridgeley Church the following two awards, "I am very pleasedto presentthe St. George'sDay awardto the Ridgely Restoration Committee of Gethsemane Tenant/Curetakersof Buens United MethodistChurch for their ongoing careand activestewardship of historic Vista Ridgely MethodistChurch. I was first introducedto Ridgely nearly 20 yearsago "I wish that Tom Amlie and Penny Hayas through Mildred Ridgely Gray, were heretoday to receivethis St. George's granddaughterof the principal founderof Day award for their extraordinaryefforts to the church. Through her efforts, Ridgely preserveand carefor BuenaVista, a mid- Churchwas designatedas a CountyHistoric 19th-centuryframe house of the Duvall Site, recognrzedfor its importancein the family in the Glenn Dale area. The houseat African-American history of Prince BuenaVista hasfor the last 15 yearsbeen George'sCounty. Later throughher efforts, graduallydeteriorating as the property and thoseof other preservationorganizations passedfrom one owner (potentialdeveloper) aswell as of the StateHighway to another. Tom and Pennywere tenantsfor Administration,Ridgely Churchwas moved l4 years,living in conditionsmost of us back from Central Avenue and set on a new would not havetolerated. But they foundation. This pastyear Gethsemane, constantlyand repeatedlyfixed what they owner of the histonc Ridgely Church, could, and demandedfrom the owners undertookexterior restorationof the old repairsto what they could not - then building. The work was carriedout by Oak themselvescontinued to paint and patch and Grove RestorationCompany, well known to just love the place. Now, having finished us for their fine work on other historic their collegeand graduatework, they have buildings in the County, fundedby (ust this month) moved out to a job in Gethsemaneand a grant from Preservation upstateNew York, and the houseat Buena Maryland. Today the little churchlooks Vista is againvulnerable; we realizeagain wonderfuH am soffy that Mildred could how fortunatethe housewas to havehad not be here today, but I congratulatethe them for all thoseyears. Thank you, Penny committeeand would like to recognizeits andTom !" members:Myra and Charles Williams, HortenseCurrie. andNorman Hall." CALE]VDAR

Wednesduy,May 5 Curtis Smith and Wednesd"y,May 19 Lectureby Mary Robin Galenderfrom Thompsonentitled the Library of "Better Fed Than Congresswill Speakon "Copyright NegroesUsually Are: Diet of the Mt. Laws, How they Effect the Genealogist" VernonSlaves" 7:30pm; Montpelier 7:00p.m. GreenbeltPublic Library, 11 Mansion Call:301-953- T376 (Free) CrescentRoad, Greenbelt Sponsored by the PrinceGeorge's County Genealogical Society.(Contact:301 -345 -5230) (Free) Monday,May 24 "How to write a CollectionsPolicy, or, Thursdav,May 13 Historic Preservation is all, thatLegalese Week Receptionat Really necessary?"A Small Museum Newton White AssociationWorkshop. The Historical Mansion,5:30-8:00 pm. For information Societyof HarfordCounty, 143 N. Main -952-3520. andreservations call 30| Street,Bel Air, Md.21014. Call:410-838- 7691(Fee: $10.00) Sunday,May 16 20'hAnnual Historic HyattsvilleHouse Tour. 1:00-5:00pm Tickets:$8:00 in advance;$10:00 day of tour. Advancetickets available at Franklin's Deli, 5121Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville Mother's Day Tea (Call 301-927-4514 for additional information)

Sunday,May 16 3 1" annualBowte May 8, 1999 HeritageDuy; 1:00- Sittingsat I:00 p-nr. 4:00pm;Belair & 3:00p.m. Mansionand Stable,12207Tulip Grove Drive, Bowie (Free) At Mrtriettu Wednesduy,May 19 Lectureby Eric G. Grundseton "Finding House Muieam the Women of the AmericanRevolution" 1 2:30-1 :30 pm; Library of Congress, Dining Room A; 6'n Floor MadisonBuilding Reser vations Ret1 uired :-30 I -4 64- S2 g I ITEE $8.00./AduILr $S/Students (Ages 4-Ig)

5(t26 BclI Statinn Roq/, Gknn DaIe Merietta b nftcilitX of Aerlcrytand-Natio,-, & ptunning Comoir,tloa l?yr:o,o

4.n F- ]ms'r;rrA firniatftnI AhINUAL M EM BERSHIP APPLICATION

Name

Address

Telephone

Pleasecircle Category New Membership Renewal Individual(household) . ....$2 0.00 Additional contribution $ SustainingMernber ...... $50.00 Life Membership $400'00

Mernbershipin the MarylandHistorical Socieg is additional Individual ...... '$30.00 Husband/ Wife ...... $40.00

I am interestedin helping as a volunteer

Pleasemake checkspayable to PGCHS Mail applicationand check to PGCHS Box 14 Riverdale, MD 20737-OOl4 hr qccif rpat qr: frun yrt:r nd octtri:" All corrrihrb: $rlify fq or &isin rlt geb tr rrFd-

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President- JaneEagen Vice President - EugeneB. Roberts,J. Secretary- SarahBourne Treasurer - JoyceUber Mernbership - Phyllis Herndon Historian - SusanPearl Editor - SharonHowe Sweetine Directors Julie Bright John Mitchell William Uber Wallis Cain GeorgeDenny Kathryn Clagett Mildred RidgeleyGray Ins McConnell RobertCrawley Past Presidents John Giannetti W.C. (Bud) Dutton Paul T. Lanham Warren Rhoads JovceMcDonald

CALENDAR

Prince George's County Historical Society

May 8 PGCHSBoard Meeting,Marietta 11:00am

Meeting at Boxlee (seeprevious articles for detailsand directions)1:00 pm

Mother's Day Tea at Marietta;(see flier for details) ?ilI60n1otmilmrufiar FOST OITTCE tOX l{ UVEN.DALE, MANYI.AI\ilD 2O?JC{NT'

T\TON.PROFITORG TIS N}6TAGE PA'D RI\TERDALE. MD PERMIT l.lo l9at

IDATEDMATE,NHL

HOURS OF OPERATION LOCATTONOF THE SOCIETY Library: Saturdaysl2 - 4 PM and during specialevents The Societyis locatedat Marietta,562 6 Call 301-464-059 I Bell StationRoad, in GlennDale, MD, off Route193, near Route 450 Thisis a Marietta Tours -Friday, I I - 3, Sunday, facilityof the MarylandNational Park and 12 - 4 - and by appointment- PlanrungCommission Information 30I -464-5291

THE SOCIETY GIFT SHOP

Featuresa wide selectionof books, gifts, toys and small antiques Open Friday, Saturdayand Sunday,12 -4 PM and during specialevents Call 301-464- 0590 Newsand Notes AE a gE PrinceGeorge's County J

!f HistoricalSociety -

Mav/June 1999 Our 47'hYear XXVI Number4

VISITIIVG HISTORIC SITES

Mark your calendarsfor two Historical Societyevents at two importantCounty sites. On Sunday,August 22 at 4:00 p.m., Mr. Anthony S. Pitch, 1999St. George's Day Award winner and author of 'The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814," wrl| discusshis book at Bostwick in Bladensburg.For memberswho haveonly admiredBostwick from a distance,this is a rareopportunity. The October1 998 issueof News and Notes featuredBostwick on the occasionof the celebrationof the 200thanniversary of the establishmentof the Departmentof the Navy and of BenjaminStoddert's residence at Bostwick. On this yeafs occasion,the 185'hanniversary of the Battle of Bladensburg,Mr. Pitch will talk about the War of 1812 andtherole ofBladensburgin that conflict. His book was reviewedby LesterSweeting in the JanuarylFebruary1999 issue of this publication.

Bostwick, at 3901 48'hStreet in Bladensburg,is describedin MNCPPC's lllustratedInventory of Historic Sites:Prince George'sCounQ, Maryland: "Built in 1746- Bostwickis a2-ll2- story,Georgian brick house,with a flared gableroof andbracketed cornice, a high buttressat the southgable end, and a kitchenwing to the north. It was built for ChristopherLowndes, merchant and Town Commissioner,and was later the home of Lowndes' son-in-law,Benjamin Stoddert, first Secretaryof the Navy. [In a letterto BenjaminLowndes dated 26May 1798,Stoddert ruminateson whetherto acceptthe post: "I supposeyou haveheard of my appointmentto the Secretaryof the Navy of the United States.I havenot determinedto accept--andwhat you u'ill think more extraordrnary,Ihave not determinedto refuse. I hateoffice--have no desirefor fancies,or real importance--Iwish to spendmy life in retirement,and easewithout bustleof any kind. Yet it seemscowardly, at sucha time asthis, to refusean importantand highly responsible appointment.And at all times,there is as much Vanity in refusing,as in acceptinga post, beyonda man's Talents--forafter all the modestyassumed on suchoccasions, who, examining well his motives,ever did refusean office becausehe thoughtit abovehis abilities? You know I haveheretofore managed peaceable ships very well. Why shouldI not be ableto directas well thoseof War! After all this preface,I think thereis about30 to 1 that I shallnot accept...."] The earliestsurviving building in Bladensburg,Bostwick standshigh on a terracedlawn, and is a prominentlandmark in the town. Bostwick is also associatedwith threegenerations of the family of SusannaKyner Cristofane,one of the foundersof the Historical Society. (Editors's Note: In September1973, News and Notes reported:"On September15, 1952,twelve distinguishedcitizens of PrinceGeorge's County met in the Music Room of Riversdale(Calvert Mansion) [with] plansto organrzean historicalsociety. Thosein attendancewere T. Howard Duckett, Oden Bowie, M. Hampton Magruder, John S. Stanley,Leroy Pumphrey, Kent R. Mullikin, Robert M. Watkins, A. Gwynn Bowie, T. Hammond Welch, Jr., Mrs. Rhoda Christmas,Mrs. G.W.S. Musgrave andMrs. Felix Cristofane. Mr. Duckettwas elected TemporaryChairman and Mr. Stanleyserved as MembershipChairman.)

Bostwick was purchasedin Novemberof 1997by the Town of Bladensburg. Please bring your favorite finger food; drinks will beprovided. Join us for this literarv and histo ric August afternoon

/

t\- l_'

NO.JN7 Alfr tafry vtcl-E

On Sunday,September 19, thePrince of a Countyreceptionwill be held at Mount Airy in Rosaryville. On June 16 Eugene L. Meyer, anotherSt. George'sDay awardwinner, wrote in 'R.eviving the Prince George'sExtra of the ll/ashington Post an article called A House In the Country." Captioned:"Once a Hunting Lodgefor Lord Baltimore, Monnt Airy to Try Again as s Plscefor Entertsining," he describedthe manor's recent,nearly fatal, history. The current managers,Pineapple Alley Catering,have invited the Societyto Mount Airy for our fall event which celebratesimportantproperties around the county. Located at8714 RosaryvilleRoad, the various stagesof Mt. Airy's developmentare describedin the lllustrated Inventory of Historic Sites: "Built circa 1740,lateeighteenth century, and 1931- Mount Airy is a complexthree- part brick structure,which incorporates.an early eighteenth-centurygambrel-roof dwelling, a late eighteenth-centurygable-roof wing, and a columnedpedimented passage which connects them. Beguncirca 1740, Mount Airy was the home of the Calvertfamily from the Provincial periodcontinuously until 1902. During the late eighteenthcentury George Washington frequentlyvisited. In 1931during the residenceof Mathilda R. Duvall, the housewas seriously damagedby fire. Eleanor"Cissy" Pattersonthen purchased the 844-acreestate and restoredand beautifiedit as her countryhome. Mount Airy is now in useas a rental facility. Historic outbuildingsinclude a stableand greenhouse." More detailsand invitationswill be sentto our members as the planningprocess for this fund raiserproceeds.

BRICK BY BRICK

BoardMember Bob Crawley reportson this your family and your friends. well-receivedprogram began during the Tricentennial. A little red school house Thesebricks make greatgifts for special (built by Clyde Draughn),has,been placed in peoplein your life. Birthdays,graduations, the plaza in front of the County weddings,anniversaries, "firsts" and "bests" AdministrationBuilding in Upper Marlboro, arejust a few of the eventsand sentiments and containsthe brochureson how to buy a worth rememberingfor yearsto come. brick. Bob reportsthat he refills the school Show your pride and appreciationwith an houseevery other week. engravedbrick and make your happy memoriesa lasting part of our shared This brochuredescribes the project: history. "Beginningin 1996,our Tricentennialyear, the TricentennialCelebration Committee Fundsraised from this project,after the pavedthe brick plazain Upper Marlboro purchasesand installationof the bricks,will betweenthe County Administration go towardour HeritageCenter. To become Building andthe CountyCourthouse. This a part of our county'sheritage; to join and heavilytraveled thoroughfare was selected supportthis effort; to make your mark along not only asa beautificationand the path of PrinceGeorge's County history improvementproject for the committeebut - simply fill out....theform" (Editor'snote'. alsoas a siteto establishenduring public we alsohave copies of the brochureat the artifuctsto commemorateour anniversary." HistoricalSociety library.).

"The newly-dubbed"Walk of History" rn UpperMarlboro will ultimatelybe filled with engravedbricks that celebratethe richnessand diversity of PrinceGeorge's Countycitizens past and present. Sections of the walkr,vaywill be anchoredby centerstonesbearing the namesand datesof historicallysignificant Prince Georgians. Surroundingeach center block will be personalizedbricks with the names, messagesand/or memorials of other imporlantindividuals - specificallyyou, Pleasesend this form along with check or money order made PruucBGBoncB's Couqtv payable to: Cottttr,tpMoRATIvBBrucx OnoBn Fonu THa Pntncn Geoncs's CouNrv Htsronrcel Socrnry*'

Name: Mail information to: Address: Cor"tu aUoRATIVEBntcxs City: State: -Zip: THg PRINCEGEoRcE'S COUNTY HISTONICaI SOCINTY Phone#: PosrOnnrce Box 14 Rlvanoaln,Manvlmo 207 38 Please print inform,atiort exactly o,s you toish it to appeart; Ttse all capital letters; 15 characters per line, includingi spaces and puncnnticn marks.

Line L: ll (E3o)

Line 2: II (s6o) 'lnfurmrtion will be prrrrtedat the discretionof thc llistorrc:rl\ocit'ty lnfl.rmnratory.profane. or slandcrousmalerral urll n.)tbr J(c{i):cd Line 3: (se0; " Thc l'rince Ccortle'sCounty llistoricalSociety is a privatc Int for profiL tax exenrpt501(cX3) organization. A portion of your contributions'rll bc tax deductible

Calendar of Historical SocietvEvents

July10 P.G.C.H.S.Board Meeting, Marietta, 9:30am

August22 Anthony S. Pitch lectureat Bostwick in Bladensburg4:00pm; Bring finger food

September19 Prince of a County Reception;Mount Airy, Rosaryville (detailsto follow)

October24 HarvestFestival and Yard saleat Marietta. (The Yard Salewill be possibleonly if there are enoughvolunteers and if donationsare receivedby October 1".) Contact:Bill Uber. 301-937-6379

November 6 Annual MembershipMeeting at the Fish Housein Clinton

December 11 Holiday Party,Marietta, 1:00 pm.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President - JaneEagen Vice President - EugeneB. Roberts,J. Secretary - SarahBourne Treasurer - Joyce(Jber Membership - Phyllis Herndon Historian - SusanPearl Editor - SharonHowe Sweeting Directors Julie Bright John Mitchell William Uber Wallis Cain GeorgeDenny Kathryn Clagett Mildred RidgeleyGray Iris McConnell RobertCrawley Past Presidents John Giannetti W.C. (Bud) Dutton PaulT. Lanham Warren Rhoads JoyceMcDonald The Sunday Star, WashingtonD.C. were conductingtheir military operationson August 23, 1914 giganticscale; grandarmies were disputing the possessionof principalities,kingdoms One hundredyears ago the British, camped and empires. In our humbleportion of the on the ChesapeakeBay, Desired to imitate globe,the armedhosts of his Britannic Napoleonby capturing capital--Lack of majestywere robbing Marylandhen roosts preparationb1t American Forces, primitive and Virginia pig styes.Their military skill, conditionsof the city- Capitol Building valor and enterprisewere signalizedin unfinished.Armies meetat Bladensburg- burning farmhousesand carousingin Presidentbrings news of Enemy's Victory - churches. Marauders march to Washington- Burn wings of Capitol - Destroy valuable Piqued,perhaps because their comrades documents.March to Wtte House. "Dolly" acrossthe waterswere participating in the Madisonforewarned of their approach-- glorifying triumph over Napoleon,British 8I ,000,000.Damages. officers fighting in America were stimulated to heroic actionand with the Corsican's "War" saidNapoleon, "is a tradeof exampleof dashingthrough all obstaclesto barbarians,the whole art of which consists the capitalof the enemyfresh in their minds. of being the strongestin a given point." It is not unnaturalthat their generalshould And by strongestit is agreedthat Napoleon be eagerto disporthimself in similar meantstrongest in efficiency,not merely in fashion,especially as he was reinforcedby a numbers. Thesewords of the invincible few of Wellington'sveteran regiments. leadermade the ignoniny of the captureof WashingtonAugust 24, 1814, a little easier At any rate,with the pretenseof controlling to bear eventhough we view the fracas our commercein the ChesapeakeBay, the throughthe lengthenedperspective of 100 British forceswere constantly accumulating years. It is, however,but a meager strength,and from this closepoint of consolationthat the fact that our soldiers vantage,bidding (sic) their time until the were unableto withstand the onslaughtupon American iron was hot enoughto strike. our infant capital , a hundredsummers back, was not their fault, but their misfortune. The presidinggenius of theseforces, whose later actionswould havedisgraced bandits, The burning of the Capitol and White House was RearAdmiral Sir GeorgeCockburn, during this secondwar with the mother who is known to haveresided in countrywere the most humiliating episodes Washingtonin disguisesome time previous of that conflict. Other eventsincidental to to the attack, and from his own personal the captureof Washingtonsmacked of observationshave obtained a minute and guerrilla warfa;. accurateknowledge of the topographyof the {. * surroundingcountry, the stateof the In fact, the predatorywarfare carriedon by defensesand of public resources. the British forcesof the ChesapeakeBay was so greatly in contrastwith the "war of OutmatchingCockburn in daredeviltry,was the Titan" which they were waging at the his companionofficer, Gen. Robert Ross, sametime on the other side of the Atlantic who when he landedin ChesapeakeBay in asto be almostridiculous. In Europe,they the middle of August with twenty-two vessels,boasted that he could wipe out the marching distanceof Washington,had a American flotilla and dine in Washington force estimatedat about9,000 or 10,000 the following Sunday. strong, but actually4,500; while ours consistedof 6,500or 7,000; theirtroops But in extraordinarycontrast with thesemen were experiencedregulars, ours, raw of confidenceand bravadowas the recruits;they were united,we, divided into Americancommander, General William two corps separatedfrom eachother, but Winder. He was appointedto take near to the enemy. Our troops had been commandof ten or twelve thousandmen, under arrnsfor four days and had traveled who, ashe was told, were in readinessto the whole time, exposedto the burning sun obey his orders. When he enteredupon his of sultry days.They had drawn but two dutieshe found that he did not have even a rations during this period and hardshiphad corporal'sguard. sorely distressedthem. Under Secretary Monroe, they had reconnoiteredthe vicinity PresidentMadison, a peaceloving man, did of'Benedict--theenemy's camp-- and were not desireto mix into the war evenwhen it discouragedat the formidablesize of their was upon him, and his two cabinetmembers adversary. In fact, their strategic of the Revolutionarymemory disregarded movementsseemed as futile to them asthe the conditionof Winder'sforce in the faceof exploitsof the Frenchking, who the proximity of the British force until after the newsof GeneralRoss' threat was noised with twentythousand men about. Then reinforcementswere called marchedup the hill and down again. from Baltimore,Alexandria andmilitia distnctsof Maryland. Meanwhile,the On the otherhand, the British had beenbut British had pursuedthe American flotilla, in lately releasedfrom the confinementof commandof CommanderJoshua Barney, up shipboardand were strengthenedand the PatuxentRiver until seeingno chanceof refreshedby the contemplationof an escape,he blew up his shipsand joined the opportunity for action. hodgepodgeof companiesgathered under winder' Washington,utln. U-., *as a primitive * * * metropolis. It would havehad the aspectof Thoughthe numberwas by no meanssmall, a stragglingcountry village but for the size they lackedthe essentialof being governed andbeauty of its public buildings. by a singlewill. In the little time of PennsylvaniaAvenue, now beautifulenough preparation,every one took a controlling to rank with the famousthoroughfares of the hand. Furthermore,the men lacked world, was a forest-borderedroadway with disciplineand experience.They were ruts so deepthat the coachesof the President capablebehind defensive works or in strong and Secretarieswere stalledwhenever they naturalpositions where they did not have to attemptedto drive from the executive executemaneuvers. But of practical mansionto the Capitol. Therewere few applicationof the theoryof war, they were housesof imposingsize or architectural ignorant. beauty. The populationnumbered only about8,000. The Capitol itself was Thus the situationstood on the 23rd of unfinished;its north and southwings were August. The enemy,camping within completed,but the central building was not yet begun. The two disjointed parts,now skirmishers. That threw our first line into the SupremeCourt and StatuaryHall, were wildest disorder. Winder tried in vain to connectedby a bridge of rough boards rally them. They retreatedin panic and the spanningthe foundation of the rotunda. British capturedtwo piecesof our cannon left on the field before hardly any resistance Thus,insignificant, was the capitalwhich had beenmade. the British officer wishedto seize. They set out from their camp at Benedict, situated Then Ross approachedour secondline and forty miles southeastof Washingtonand with a flight of hissing rocketsthrew it into movedtoward the small town of disorderly confusion. Our third line was Bladensburgon August 23. They camped betterposted. Here the battle ragedfor one for the night, ten miles away from their hour. But our successwas short-livedfor objectivepoint. our flanks were turned by the assaultof the British light troops, and GeneralWinder GeneralWinder, at his headquartersheard of ordereda generalretreat. The dust rose their rapid march and set out for abovethe woods in thick clouds and Bladensburg,about five miles distant. The presentlythe Secretaryof War and his suite President,by law commander-in-chiefof the camegalloping in full sight,followed by Army, set out also accompaniedby the crowds on horsebackbawling out asthey Secretaryof War Armstrong and Secretary passed"Fly, fly, the ruffians areat hand." of StateMonroe. They all took a sharein The greatbody of Americanswho were not the practical operationsof the small dispersedretreated toward Montgomery campaign. Even at this late date,our courthouse, leaving the battlefield in full soldierswere undeterminedwhether possessionof the British. The American Washingtoncity or Fort Washingtonwas the loss was twenty-six killed and fifty intendeddestination of the invaders.Winder wounded. The British lost more than 300 left a force near Bladensburgand planted men, amongthem severalofficers of rank anotherbattalion of troopsto watch the and distinction. highwaysleading in otherdirections. The little arrnyhad only twenty-sixpieces of Our soldiersapplied the abstractprinciples cannon,of which twenty were only six- of warfare and attemptedto guard a dozen pounders. avenuesof approachwith a force insufficient to protect one. The Presidentand his As the British approached,they commenced fugitive .partywere the first to announceto hurling rockets at the exposedAmericans. the frightenedcitizens of the capital the loss At first they were repulsedby the American of the battle and the march of the victors artillery, but being continually reinforced upon the city. succeededby judicious maneuversin carrying everythingbefore them with a At twilight, the enemymade its appearance rapidity and firmnessthat the raw troops in Washington. Up to this time their were unableto resist. conducthad beenin accordancewith the ,F :F ,F rules of modernwarfare, but now they Ross,with Irish audacity,rushed across the abandonedall rules. The wild Russian bridge at Bladensburg,threw out Cossacks,who had sacrificedtheir own sharpshootersand quickly dispersedour sacredMoscow in 1812,spared Paris when their vengeancestruck it that sameyear, but her alongwith somevaluable federal it remainedfor civilized Britons to commit archivespacked in her trunk, still preserved againsttheir own blood, an act of vandalism in the StateDepartment. worthy of the ageof barbaricAleric. *** When the Redcoatsarrived they set The maraudersbivouaced on CapitolHill. President'spalace in flames,the light of From a housenearby they were fired upon which could be seenin Baltimore,forty by a singlemusket which killed the horse miles away. Soononly the blackenedwalls ndden by Gen. Ross. As punishment,they of the mansionremained. The Treasuryand demolishedthe housefrom which this shot War Departmentsalso came in for their had beenfired. This, someother houses shareof depredation.Only the PostOffice nearby,and a tavern composedthe bulk of was spared. the private property destroyed. While thesepublic buildingswere in flames, Rosshad cometo destroypublic property the national shipping storesand arsenalwere andthis he proceededto do. Fortunately,he blazing at the navy yard and Long bridge was accompaniedby one who delightedin spanningthe PotomacRiver between suchspoilation - Admiral Cockburn,who Washingtonand the Virginia shore,was in literally servedas his torchbearer. flames. CommanderTingley, in command of the navy yard,had receivedinstructions First they approachedthe unfinishedCapitol to setthe public propertyon fire ratherthat buiiding. After dischargingarmy rockets let it fall into the handsof the enemy. He throughthe roof of eachwing, they tore appliedhis torch aboutthe sametime that away the bridge connectingthese structures Rosswas igniting the foundationsof the and spanningthe spaceon which the central Capitol. Altogetherthe propertydestroyed edificewas to be btiilt. They left the floors was valuedat $2,000,000,half of which of the two legislativechambers strewn with coveredthe damageinflicted by the British. valuablepapers belonging to the CcngressionalLibrary and wantonly Rossand Cockburn,fearing that the bandof destroyeddocuments precious to the nation retribution might cut off their retreatafter asmemorials to its origin. Then they set fire their brigandage,stole away in the night of to the building, but a heavyrainstorm the 25th and with their forces, embarked arisinglater in the night preventedthe four dayslater for England. The flamesfrom completelydestroying the outer governmentof Englandthanked the victors walls. and causedthe Tower gunsto be fired in their honor.Not long afterward,upon the While the flameswere iliuminating the deathof Ross,it ordereda monumentto his Capitol,the British continuedtheir infamous memory to be erectedin Westminster mission by marchingup Pennsylvania Abbey. Avenuetoward the White House. "Dolly" Madison,forewarned of their intended c.1911 JohnElfreth Watkins; transcribed by approach,had beendriven away into the a facsimilebv Sarah Bourne. conntry. But not beforeshe had rippedthe famous Andrern'sportrait of George Washingtonfrom its fiarneand taken it with WELCOME Anne Arundel GenealogicalSociety, P.O. Box 221, Pasadena,Maryland 21123-0221 I{EW MEMBERS or seetheir Web site at http :I I geocities. co m/ Yosemite/T rails 4256 gensoc. David & Marcia Stern I I htm. Information Judy Moore aboutthe conference,including the registration Roberta Mattle form, is availableon-line. Photocopiesof the registrationform are acceptable. WAMED: The Libraryat Mariettawould like to acquirea completecollection of PLACES TO VISIT: memorabiliarelated to the County high schools. When you are cleaningout your Snow Hill Manor, a circa 1798 attic (or your parent'sattic) pleasesave National RegisterHistoric is now yearbooks,literary magazines,newspapers, Site, openfor rental. Locatedat 13301Laurel-Bowie etc. If you cannotbring them to the library Road,Laurel (Intersectionof on a Saturdayafternoon, call for a pickup by ConteeRoad and Rt. I97), the Manor rs suitablefor a librarycommittee member: Sharon (301- weddings,receptions, meetings, and social 927-4514); Sarah (301 -277-5468); and, gatherings.For informationcall: 301-725- Susan(301 -262-3367). Many thanks. 6037.

THIIVGSTO DO: Thrasher Carriage Museum,houses one of the foremostcollections of late 19thand early 20thcentury horsedrawn conveyances StitchingPretty & The Friendsof and accessoriesin the United States. Montpelierpresent NEEDLEART '99. Locatedat 19 Depot Street,Frostburg, Displayswill includebeading, counted Maryland, hours for May - Septemberare canvases,counted cross stitch, samplers, and Tuesday-Sunday,11 a.m.to 3 p.m. Their mixed mediapieces. Dates: July 16- 25 Web site addressis: www.cumberland. Opening- Friday,July 16,3-7 p.m.;Daily: com/thrasher.Call: 1-800-50-visitor 301- 11 a.m.to 4 p.m. Tues(7120) & Thurs. 689-3380for additionaldetails. (7 122),1 1 a.m.to 7 p.m. Montpelier Mansion,a NationalHistoric Landmark,is Radio-TelevisionMuseum openedon locatedat Route 197& Muirkirk Road. June12 in Bowie. Establishedby the Laurel,Maryland. For informationcall: WashingtonRadio History Society,the 301-953-1376. Admissionfee. museumdisplays, "a good chunkof old radio technology," accordingto The Anne Arundel GenealogicalSociety l4/ashingtonPost writer Frank Ahrens. The will be holdinga oneday genealogical museumis locatedat the cornerof seminaron Saturduy,Septemb er 25, 1999, Mitchellville and Mount Oak Roadsand is at the Holiday Inn in Annapolis, Maryland. open from 1:00to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays For additionalinformation call Ms. Audrey and Sundays(except holidays). Bagby, program chair, at 410-255-2889or e- mail her at [email protected] or write to Prince Ceorge's County H istoricaI Society Non-Profit Org U S Postage Post Offtce Box 14 Paid Riverdalel Maryland 2o738-oot4 Riverdale,MD PermitNo. 1948

HOURS OF OPERATION LOCATION OF THE SOCIETY Library: Saturdays12 - 4 PM and during specialevents The Societyis locatedat Marietta,562 6 Call301 -464-0591 Bell StationRoad. in GlennDale, MD. off Route193, near Route 450 Thisis a Marietta Tours -Friday, I I - 3, Sunday, facilityof the MarylandNational Park and 12 - 4 - and by appointment- PlanningCommission -464-059 Information3 0 I I /

THE SOCIETY GIFT SHOP

Featuresa wide selectionof books, gifts, toys and smallantiques Open Friday, Saturdayand Sunday,12 '4 PM and during specialevents Call 301-464' 0590 Newsand Notes -) = a E E z PrinceGeorge's Coung i g E H I -l HistoricalSociety : L- t'

AugusUSeptember 1999 Our 47ft Year XXVII Number5

PPINCEOT A COUNTYPECEPTION l)IOUNTAIPY PU\NTATION

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THtr MANY LIVES OF A PLANTATION Adaptive (Jseof Historic Sites

In September1976, John M. Walton, Jr., formerly, SeniorPark Historian, M-NCPPC, presenteda paperdiscussing the adaptiveuse of Mt. Airy to the RosaryvilleState Park Citizen's Advisory Committee. He discusseda timetablefor developmentof a histoncalsite or structure by a public agency,types of usesfor publicly ownedhistoric sites,how thesetypes of usesaffect the historicaland architecturalintegrity of a historic site,what to look at in orderto determine what useor usesare best, the importanceof Mt. Airy and its basichistory. Sincewe are featuringthis site at our annualPrince of a County Reception,I thoughtit would be interestingto sharehis presentationas we view this historicproperty in its latestaspect.

Johnoutlined five phasesin the timetablefor developinga historicalsite. Phaseone involves preliminaryhistorical, architectural and archaeologicalresearch. In this phase,the relativevalue andworthiness of the siteis determined. Phasetwo is the actualacquisition of the property. The third phaseinvolves in-depth historical, architectural, and archaeological research. It is at this stagethat criticalinformation is gatheredupon which decisionsin the final two phasesare based. Phasefour concernsthe restorationand/or preservation of the propertyand phasefive focuseson programmingand developmentof possibleuses.

Typesof usesfor publicly owed historic sitesare broken into interpretiveand non-interpretive uses. An interpretiveuse might be a museumor period rooms. Non-interpretiveuses can be sympatheticor non-sympathetic.A sympatheticuse would be the locationof the Prince George'sCounty Historical Societyat MariettaMansion or, an organtzationwhose principal activitiesor interestsinclude matters pertaining to history,historic preservation or relatedareas. A non-sympatheticadaptive use might be a restaurant.

The presentationgoes on to discussthe typesof useswhich affectthe historicaland architectural integrityof the building,with interpretiveuses causing the leastill effecton the fabricof the property.Professional historical accuracy is an imporlantelement in this process.

How is the bestuse or usesdetermined for a historicalsite? "The following questionsshould be carefullyconsidered: What is the relativehistorical and architecturalvalue of a site compared with others,in the local area,in the state,in the region,in the nation? Do all areasof a historic siteor structurehave equalvalue, or are somemore importantthan others? How much original fabric or fabric of significantage remains of a historic site or structure?What areasof a historic siteor structurepossess the largestamount of original fabric or fabric of significantage? In short,what useor useswill benefitthe public most andpreserve the historicalintegrity of a historicsite the best." Keep in mind that it is possibleto combinedifferent types of usein a singleproperty with sensitivity.

This presentationconcludes with a discussionof the importanceand history of Mt. Airyboth of which we will consider. "Mt. Aity was, is and shouldremain as one of the most importanthistorical sites and structures in the Stateof Maryland. It is probablythe closestremaining physical tie with the Calvert Family, the proprietaryfamily of Maryland. Its history is rich but all too poorly known. Mt. Airy hasbeen to manypeople a mysteryhouse; its historyis filled with legendand consequently its legendshave become its history. Somewherebehind the legendslay importanthistoncal facts yet to be uncoveredin the recordsand manuscriptsleft behindby the Calvertsand their contemporaries.Still other importantpieces of Mt. Airy's pastare buried beneath the groundon which the housestands. The 1931fire destroyedmuch, but much survivedthe fire. To assume otherwiseis a mistake."

Chronologyof Mt. Airy

1705 DarnallsLodge Patentedto ColonelHenry Darnall

1711 ColonelDarnall dies,willing DarnallsLodge to his son Henry Darnall,II

1729 Henry and Ann Darnall sell property to John Hyde of GreatBritain

1745 SamuelHyde (sonof JohnHyde) sellsproperty to CharlesCalvert,5'n Lord Baltimore (1699-17s1) ca. 1748 CharlesCalvert, Lord Baltimorestarts proceedings to turn Mt. Airy propertyover to his illegitimateson BenedictSwingate Calvert. Proceedingstake about3 years.

1748 April. BenedictCalvert marries his cousinElizabeth Calvert

1752 April 30: The Maryland Gazettereports: "On the 21'tInstant, avery good Dwelling- House,and sundry Out-houses,about five Miles from Upper Marlborough,belonging to BenedictCalvert, Etq.; of this City, was burnt down to the Ground,and asthere had not beenany Fire in the Housefor someMonths, it seemsto havebeen done on purposeby somevery wicked Persons.Mr. Calvertand his Lady were aboutgoing thitherto passthe SummerSeason, and hadjust furnishedit for their Reception.The Fire had got to sucha Headbefore it was discovered,that it was with greatDifficulty any of the Furniturewas saved,avery few of the servantsbeing then at the Plantation,and the Overseer,with Severalof the Hands,gone a fishing."

1788 BenedictCalvert dies.

1790 ElizabethCalvert is shownin the lst Federalcensus as owning228 slaves l7g8 FederalDirect Tax for GrubbHundred describes the Mt. Airy Houseas it existedat that time asfollows: "Owner Occupant Edward H. Calvert(son) same part of DamalsLodge; a Brick dwellingHouse one and (a) half stories40 by 2l feetadditions at eachend 18 by 19 feel32windows 232sq. feet one addition 22 sq' feet. Kitchen,Meat House and SmoakHouse."

1800 EdwardHenry Calvert, Ownerand Occupant of Mt. Airy ownedthe followingtracts of Landin PrinceGeorge's County in 1800:Grubb Hundred: 2208Yz acres - pt. of DamallsLodge; 100 acres - pt. ofCroom & Greenland;310 acres - pt. of Timberland& General'sGift for a totalot2618 % acfes.Piscataway Hundred 5700acres - pt. of His Lordship'sKindness; Mount calvert Ilundred 273 acres- pt. of Goodluck,Greenland andBurgess's Discovery. Grand Total: 8591.5acres.

1846 EdwardHenry Calvert dies'

1857 ElisabethBiscoe Calvert (wife of EdwardHenry Calvert) dies

1861 CeciliusCalvert is shownon an I 861map of PrinceGeorge's County as the owner of Mt. Airy

1878 CeciliusB. Calvertis shownin an 1878atlas of PrinceGeorge's County as the ownerof Mt.Airy cq. 1900 CeciliusB. Calvertdies

ca. 1902 EleanoraCalvert, sister of CeciliusB. Calvertand owner of Mt. Airy dies.Her heirssue for saleof the estate.

1903 March7. Mt. Airy soldby Trusteesto washingtonAttomey william E. Ambrose. William E. Ambroseassigns his interestin theproperty to Wilcox RealEstate Company Ltd. ofPa.

1931 April 1931. Eleanor"Sissie" Patterson purchases Mt. Airy fiom DowerHouse, Inc. after thedestructive fire whichoccurred in the sameyear'

Editor's note; We are grateful that John grantedus permissionto reprint this paper. He also provided editorial comment. An Adaptive Use

In the mid-1980s,the family-owned ChambordCorporation entered into a long-term leasewith the Maryland Departmentof Natural Resourcesto use Mt. Airy as a restaurantand inn. The following flier was issuedat that time:

MOUNT AIRY PLANTATION

An Historic Legacy

"One of the most importanthistoric the Dower House,and over the years propertiesin Maryland, Mount Airy was part entertaineda wide rangeof celebritiesfrom of a 1632land grant from King CharlesI of cellist GregorPiatiogorsky to Presidents Englandto Cecil Calvert,second Lord Taft, Wilson, Hoover and Coolidge. Baltimore. The mansion structure,the only surviving home of Maryland's founding In 193l, EleanorMedill Calvert family from the proprietaryperiod, "Cissy"Patterson,editor-publisher and was begun around 1725and expandedover eventuallyowner of the WashingtonTimes- the next hundredyears as the property Herald, purchasedthe property and developedinto a working tobacco undertookthe last completerestoration prior plantation. Architecturalevidence to the presenteffort. For a time an ardent uncoveredin the westwing of the building supporterof FranklinDelano Roosevelt, during the recentrenovation gave credence CissyPatterson entertained the Roosevelts to a traditionthat a circa 1660hunting lodge and their presidentialguests at her country usedby the Lords Baltimorewas estate. incorporatedinto the presentstructure. After her deathin 1948,Mrs. BenedictCalvert, son of Charles, Pattersonbequeathed the propertyto her fifth Lord Baltimore,moved to the property ftiend, Ann Bowie Smith, and Mount Airy with his wife, Ehzabeth,in 1749. Twenty was returnedonce more to descendantsof five yearslater, on February4, 1774,their the Calverts. The Smith family lived at daughter,Eleanor, married John Parke Mount Airy until 1973 when it was acquired Custis,stepson of GeorgeWashington, by the Maryland StateDepartment of beforethe fireplacein the mansion's Natural Resources.Ten yearslater the drawingroom. A closepersonal friend of Departmententered into a long-termlease the Calverts,George Washington was a with the family-owned Chambord frequentvisitor to Mount Airy. The Corporationto restorethe property and open weddingcelebration that unitedthe two it to the public as a fine restaurantand familiesspanned a two-weekperiod. historic inn. Patricia and Frank Kulla, the small corporation'soperating officers, arein The Calvertfamily's directheirs occupied residenceon the plantationand greetall the mansionuntil 1903when, at the deathof guestswith the samepersonal warmth and EleanorCalvert, the property was sold at hospitality as generationsof previous auctionto Matilda Duvall. Sherenamed it owners. Duvall. During her residence,the mansion was renovaiedand renamed"The Dower House";Mrs. Duvall entertainedmany of Washington's most prominentindividuals, includingPresident Woodrow Wilson and conductorLeopold Stokowski.

On Februaryl, 1931,a fire destroyedmuch of the eastwing (the oldest section)and someof the centralsection of the Mount Airy mansion. Shortly afterwards,the 844-acreestate was purchasedby Eleanor"Cissy" Patterson, who proceededto rebuild the damaged mansionand make it her countryhome. After Mrs. Patterson'sdeath in 1948,Mount Ai.y passedto her friend,Ann Bowie Smith, a descendantof the Calvertfamily; the Smithssold the propertyto the Stateof Marylandin 1973. Ten yearslater the mansionand 100acres were leasedby the ' ''Morint Airy i$ q thri'e""4 brick Stateto ChambordCorporation, which ' -unriott *rrieh daiesfrbni'the early beganthe renovationof the deteriorating eighti:enthienturyi it,ir,o,ag of ttre'*ori'' " building. The work was carriedout under tristoricand important places in Maryland, the supervisionof architectMichael Troste, theonly buildingknown to havebeen the and the Mount Airy PlantationRestaurant fqry-ily,q-fthe.,Lords Baltimore and Country Inn openedunder the direction 1oT. "lIE duringthd ?loVingial period. The first of Patriciaand Frank Kulla in 1985. Closed membero{1he family t9 mafe MountAiry againsince the early 90's,Mount Airy is hispermanen! home was Bbnedict C4lvert, now reopeningas a receptionrental facility, natuial'sonof C'hailqsCalvert, tfre fiith Lord leasedto the RosaryvilleConservancy, and Baltimore.Durine. BenediCt Calvert' i managedby PineappleAlley Catering,Inc. ,r.ioend'Lat'iyiouiii,Airy, George''t.' , , "' Mount Airy's living spaceshave beenconverted into dining rooms,lounge and guestrooms, and the rear courtyardhas beenglass-enclosed to form the largestof the dining spaces.East of the mansionlies a formal garden,and to the south are several old outbuildingsincluding a largebrick r:i ' ' "Aftei the de.athtifgenedict'Calvert stableand a brick greenhouse, as well as the in rzii8.jpi;*i'ni*;;!i6o'.;.;i.:ir.;iij tohis eldi,st remnantsof the twentieth century swimming ;-.tii:flf i';;ri r..i jil.:'iIill{l :'r:r;" :' son,whpifi9!r.il$f,g4lp,,r,+,alp,.Aar1.Mg'?r#tAiry pool, tenniscourt and greenhouse.Access until 1902.In thefollowing y-ear Mop-ll to the mansiongrounds of RosaryvilleState Airy waspurchased by Mrs. MathildaR. Park. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

- President JaneEagen flnu, $nrg's{rrntt Vice President- EugeneB. Roberts,Jr. FrQ Secretary- SarahBourne fi*rrlnl Treasurer- JoyceUber Membership- PhyllisHerndon Annual MembershipApplication Historian- SusanPearl Date: - Editor SharonHowe Sweeting Name:

Address: Directors JulieBright JohnMitchell William Uber Wallis Cain GeorgeDenny City,State,Zip: KathrynClagett Mildred RidgeleyGray Telephone-Home: Iris McConnell RobertCrawlev Business:

PastPresidents JohnGiannetti Pleaseindicate: _ New _ Renewal W.C.(Bud) Dutton PaulT. Lanham Check below the category you select: WarrenRhoads JoyceMcDonald _ Full-time Student $ 10.00 _Member... $ 20.m _Sustaining.. $ 50.00 PLEASENOTE _ Life Member $ 400.00 _ Additional Contribution The NominatingCommittee is accepting names for officers for 1999-2000. Anyone - I amalso interested in helpingthe Society as a interestedin joining the Board of volunteer.Please contact me regarding volunteer opportunities. Directorsof the PrinceGeorge's Couhty HistoricalSociety should call William _ For membershipin the Maryland Historical Uber on 301-937-6379. Society,include an additional $30.00for individual or $40.00 for husbandand wife.

Our opcrating suppon comes fnom your dues and contributions. All WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS: contributions qualify for tax dcduction. We apprcciatc your support.

RICHARD and MARY LAMBERT Pteasemake checks payabre to pGCHS Mail checkand form to:

prince TO REMIND George,sCounty HistoricalSociety yard TheHarvest Fesrival and saleat Riverd;::tfffj"Joi1, *,0 Mariettais scheduledfor October 24. The 301-464-0590 YardSale will be possibleonly is thereare enoughvolunteers and if donationsare receivedby October1". Contact:Bill Uber, 301-931 -6319 . HERITAGE CALENDAR

September 1999 4- EmancipationDay Parade LaurelMuseum TBA 3AL725-7975, free

8- Slide/Lecture-Old World Master Paintings at Riversdale-SusanPearl BelairMansion 7PM 301-809-3089

9- Lecture/Recepti o n- The Bur ning of Wa s h in gt on- AnthonyP itch MarylandHistorical Society 6:30 PM 410-685-3750''$$

11- Concertsin the Woods Hollyfield & Spruilland the Amazons Hard BargainFarm 301-292-5665

t2- Lecture-24 Yearsof Air Force Experiences-Lt.Col.Joseph White USAF (ret) CollegePark Aviation Museum 2P}r4 301-864-6029$$

12- Hoppy Birthday, Montgomery County at the Beall-DawsonHouse MontgomeryCounty Historical Society 12-5PM 301-762-1492

15 Lecture- "Bound by God ..For Merryland- the voyageof the Constant Friendship" MontpelierMansion 7:30 301-953-I37 6 free

17-1 8 Theatrein the Woods- Of Mice and Men 24-25 Hard BargainFarm 301-292-5665$$

18- 30th Annual Walking Tour Chestertown,MD Kent CountyHS 410-778-3499$$

19- Gallery Talk-The Inimitable Style of the Duchessof Windsor MarylandHistorical Society 2 PM 410-685-3750$$

19- Prince of a County Reception-Mount Airy, Rosaryville PGCHS 30r-927-4sr4 $$

19- "Storiesof the Piscatawayin song, danse,&drums" Darnell'sChance 4PM 301-952-8010$$

22- Lunch Lecture-"Heraldry:Symbols, Colors & Meanings" Darnall'sChance 1 I AM 301-952-8010$S 24- AutumnTea HisLordship's Kindness 2 PM 301-856-0358$$

25- OKTOBERFEST HardBargain Farm 1-6PM 301-292-5665$$

25&26 Roman Legion XX & 100 YearsWar/LaBelle Compagnie Encampment Marietta lI-4 301-464-5291 $S 2s&26 loil,? #iti.pon I0-5 30r -864 -602s $$

26- Historic Old Bowie Fall Antique & Craft Festival BowieRR Museum 10-5 301 -809-3 089 free

October199

2- Herbal WreathDemonstration MontpelierMansion 10-12 301-953-1376 $$

2- Fort Washington175th Birthday Fort WashingtonPark l2-5 301-763-4600 $$

9- ThreeCenturies of Kent- Driving Tour Kent CountyHS 410-778-3499$S

9- "RIVERFEST" crafts,tours, activities LaurelMuseum 10-4 301-725-7975 free

9&10 Hasting Medieval Faire- Battle Re-enactments,living history, entertainment, food Marietta I l-5 301-464-5291 $$

9&10 The ScienceShow-Mysteries of ScienceUsing Music, Magic & Comedy CollegePark Aviation Museum 301-866029 $$

10- ProgressiveTea Billingsley Mansion 1l-4 301-627-0730$$

15- Dinner/Lecture Significant Maryland Womenin History- Gregory Stiverson Pinev ChurchHall CharlesCountv 6 PM $S 15- Mason-DixonRug Hooking Exhibit MontpelierMansion I 0-4 301-953 -137 6 free t6- Discover Your Heirlooms with the Help of the Experts FrederickArmory 9-3 301-662-3265 S$ t7- Lecture-The TuskegeeAirmen-Col. Charles E. McGeeUSAF (ret) CollegePark Aviation Museum 2PM 301-864-6029$$ t7- "Irish Stories & Songswith a Maryland Twist" Darnall'sChance 4PM 301-952-8010 $$

19- "Con Viva Musicale" BelairMansion 7 PM 301-809-3089

20- Lecture- "Taverns& Inns" Kym S. Rice MontpelierMansion 7:30 301-953-1376 free

22-23 Theatrein the Woods TheLegend of SleepyHollow 29-30 Hard BargainFarm 301-292-5665 $$

23- Bus Tour- Civil War Ferrv Sites FrederickCountv HS 301-340-2825$$

24- Symposi\m- "Building the Capital Beltway" MontgomeryCollege-Rockville 301-340-2825

24- Harvest Festivalat Marietta PGCHS l-4 301-464-0590free

24- l SthCentury Military Encampment MontpelierMansion I 1-5 301-953-1376 free

29- "In Searchof Ghosts" Beall-DawsonHouse 7 PM 301-340-2825$$

28- Tales of the Crypt: a Moonlight Walk to Darnall's Chance Upper Marlboro Library 6:63 PM 301-627-9330 free

30- Civil War Encampment: storiesand refreshments Marietta Mansion 6-9 PM 301 301-464-5291 $$

30- "House in Mourning" Early 19th Century FuneralRe-enactment RiversdaleMansion 7:30PM 301-864-0420$$ 30- FLIGHT NIGHT: A HalloweenParty With an Aviation Twist collegePark Aviation Museum 709pM 301-964-6029 $$

November

4-7 1999Antiques Show - Baltimore MHS 410-68s _37 s0 $$

5-7 "Small Quilt Show" His Lordship'sKindness I 0-3 301-855-035g $$

- 7 Maryland EmancipationDay at Oakley Cabin MontgomeryCounty 2-4 PM 301-s63-3400

6- Model Making Workshop collegePark Aviarion Museum l0-4 30r-g64-6029 $$

6- Annual Meeting& Dinner- Fish House,Clinton PGCHS 30r-464_0s90 $$

13- Kite Making Workshop CollegePark Aviation Museum l2-4pld 301-g64-6029 $$

14- WelshFolk Music andCustoms MontpelierMansion TBA 301-953-1376 S$

14- FiresideTea BillingsleyManor 2 PM 301-62700730 $S

16- Lynch Lecture "Great Housesof Britain,, Belairmansion 1I AM 301-809-3089$S

17- Lecture"The Battle of the Severn"JeffHolland MontpelierMansion 7:30 301-953 -137 6 free

19- "A"fricanAmerican Tales& Traditional Drum Rolls,, Darnall'sChance 4 PM 301-952-8010 $$ December

3-4-5 CandlelightTours Marietta Mansion 6-8:30 301-464-5291$$

4- Winter SolsticeCelebration. NationalColonial Farm 608PM 301-283-2113

4- "HistoricMainstreet Holiday Parade" LaurelMuseum. 3:30PM 301-725-7975free

5- Children'sHoliday Pastimes BelairMansion l2-4 301-809-3089 $$

5- HandbellConcert & CandlelightTours Darnall'sChance 3 PM 301-952-8010$$

8-10 CandlelightTours MontpelierMansion 6-9 301-953-1376 $$

9- ChristmasTea BelairMansion 4PM 301-809-3089 $$

11- Holiday HouseTour LaurelHistorical Society 3-7:30 301-725-7975$$

1l- Christmas Party at Marietta PGCHS 30r-464-0s90

11- SantaClaus Fly-In andChildren's Holiday Party CollegePark Aviation Museum l-4 301-864-6029s$

11- EighteenthCentury Christmas Feast Darnall'sChance 7PM 301-952-8010 $$

t2- Holiday DessertTea His Lordship'sKindness 1-3PM 301-856-0358 $$

29- Holiday Tea BelairMansion 4PM 301-809-3089 $$ Prince Ceorge's County Historic aI Sociecy Non-Profit Org Post Office Box 14 U S Postage Paid Riverda Ie, Maryland :.o738-oor4 Riverdale,MD PermitNo. 1948

HOURS OF OPERATION LOCATION OF THE SOCIETY Library: Saturdaysl2 - 4 PM and dunng specialevents The Societyis locatedat Marietta,5626 Call301-464-0591 Bell StationRoad, in GlennDale, MD, off Route193, near Route 450 Thisis a MariettaTours -Friday,I I - 3, Sunday, facilityof the MarylandNational Park and 12 - 4 - and by appointment- PlanningCommission Information 30 I -4tr-059 I

THE SOCTETY GIFT SHOP

Featuresa wide selectionof books,gifts, toys and smallantiques. Open Friday, Saturdayand Sunday,12 -4 PM and during specialevents Call 301-464' 0590 Newsand Notes = AE E z PrinceGeorge's County -J gE E HistoricalSocietY rt I -

October 1999 Our 47thYear XXVII Number 6

THE HARVEST IS IN - LET'S CELEBRATE

There is an old tradition in virtually all agricultural societiesthe world over - when the harvestis in it is time to celebratethe successfulcompletion of another season.Regardless of the fact that 1999will go down as both the driest and the wettestyear on record (dependingon the month) there is still a needto thank our supremebeing for the bountyof our land. Join us at Marietta on Sunday,October 24 beginningat 3 pm for the Fall Harvest Festival. Bring the kids and join in the gamesand festivitiesand celebratethe future.

OC TOBER I999 WEATHER FORECAST ZONE 1 * NORTHEASTERN STATES lst-3rd. Squally,then fair andcold. 4th-7th.Fair, pleasant.Sth-llth.Squallyweather;heavy rain,especially for Mid-Atlanticregion, then clearing, cold conditions.l2th-lsth.Showers, expeciallyover Virginia/Marylandarea.l6th-19th.Blustery winds.20th-23rd.Lake-effect shnowsqualls for westernsections of New York, northwesternPennsylvania.Some snow for northernNew Englandas well. Stormyweather spreads north to Mid-Atlantic region.Z4th- ?Tth.Clearing skies,turning colder.2Sth-31st.Windy, rainy and chilly, somesnow overhigher elevationsof New England,then turn fair by Halloween.

Illustrution and weatherforecast fro* Farmers' ALMANAC for the Yearof our Lord 2000

-?\O' .*ca- .-1 =-- OUTBUILDINGS In the Glossaryof Lanier& Herman'sbook. we find the following examplesof In our November1998 issue of Newsand outbuildings,defined as functionallyspecific Notes, we looked at variousCounty buildingswhich are separatefrom the main outbuildingsand dcpendenciesin dwellings. celebrationof the newly restoredroot cellar at Marietta.Historian SusanPearl identified "Carriage house,chair hours. Outbuildings someof her favoriteunique examples usedto garagecarriages." aroundPrince George's County including the meathouse/pnvy combination at "Cart shed. Building designedto garage Hazelwood,the icehouseat The Cottage farm equipment.Most commonlya low nearUpper Marlboro, the corn crib at framestructure u,ith an asymmetricalgable Belleviewnear Fort Washington,the dairy roof, openfront, and sidedback andgables." now locatedat Mount Lubentia, andthe dependenciesat Compton Bassett. This "Corn crib, stack,corn stack,corn house. year,as we begin to think aboutpreserving Long, narrow log or framegable roofed the still abundantfruits and vegetables structuresdesigned to storecorn." availableat our local farmer'smarkets, I think it is a goodopportunity to look at these "Crib barn. A one-story,gable front farm buildingtypes again,especially in view of building,typically with doubledoors at each theircontinued neglect. I think this is end,the interiorof which is subdividedinto particularlyimportant iu view of our own compartmentscalled cribs or pens." rich agriculturalheritage. "Dairy, milk house. Outbuildingdesigned Our tour beginswith a listingof what I hope for keepingmilk andprocessing butter and/or you will agreeis a wide varietyof out- cheese." buildings. This list was compiledfrom Everyday Architecture of the Mid-Atlantic: "English barn; feedbarn; runway, three- Looking st Buildings and Landscapesby buy, or Yankee barn. A barnwith a central GabrielleM. Lanier and BernardL. Herman runway and two flanking spaces.These (JohnsHopkins University Press,1997). barnsare typically entered by tall double While the concentrationof the buildings doorson eitherend of the runway." describedare mainly from the New Jersey, Pennsylvaniaand Delawareregion, I think "Granary. Agriculturalbuildings designed you will agreethat the list is as interesting for the storageof grain." for the typesof outbuildings included as for thoseomitted and illustratesregional "Laying houses.Agricultural building differencesin a fairly small geographicarea. designedto houselaying hens." SusanPearl has kindly provided photographicexamples of someof these "Mixed-usebarn. A barndesigned for typesof buildingswhich are locatedin multiple agriculturalpurposes, such as grain PrinceGeorge's County. . storage,crop processing,housing of farm animals,and dairying activities." Beltfamily barn, cs 1890

"Packingshed. Agriculturalbuilding designedfor packingfarm produce."

"Potato pit, root pit. Below-grade semifinishedrectangular storage space commonto the Chesapeakeregion and designedto keeproot cropsfrom fteezing, excavatedbeneath the floor' usuallyjust in usedfor front of the cookinghearth." "skinning shed. Outbuilding skinningand processing muskrats. Skinning "Privy. A srnalloutbuilding used as a toilet, shedswere often convertedsmokehouses." usuallycontains a bench,with one or more designedfor holescut in it, built over a Pit." "smokehouse. Outbuilding smokingmeats."

"springhouse. Outbuildingbuilt overa springand usedfor cool storageof foods suchas dairy products.

"summer kitchen. A small kitchenor cooking shed,near or adjacenttothe main dwelling, usedas a kitchenin warrn weather."

"Sweetpotato house. Specialized agriculturalbuilding designedexclusively for storageand curing sweetpotatoes."

"'Wagon barn. Agriculturalbuilding designedfor vehicle storageand other purposes;often combinesthe functionsof carriagehouses, workshops, and Exterior and Interior, 19thcent. Privy, crib barns, His LordshiP's Kindness. cart sheds. exuberant ChapterFive of Everyday Architecture of Other, less"everyday" more the Mid-Atlantic is devotedto Farm Out- outbuildings loc'atedin Prince George's and featurethe buildings and Plans which the authors County, arepictured below or summerhouseat declare"write the history of the agricultural late 18thcentury belvedere aviary or landscape."They proceedto describeearly Montpelier and the 19thcentury Kindness' farm buildings, 1780- 1 830, including bank peacockhouse at His Lordship's barns,three-bay barns, gable-frontedbarns, corn cribs and granaries,and other farm buildings. Referencesto Maryland agriculturalbuildings, such as tobaccobarns, are limited and not included in the glossary' We have,however, chosen to illustratethis type of outbuildingwith the Warington tobaccobarn, ca. 1860:

Lanier and Herman write that "surviving barns and farm structuresdefine three major periodsin the region's agricultural development. The first of theseperiods mns from the eighteenthcentury into the 1830s and is characterrzedbya grain-based agriculturaleconomy in the Delawarevalley and a tobacco-basedeconomy in the Chesapeake.By the mid-1700s,however, ChesapeakeBay country farmershad also switchedto grain." We would note however,that RosalieSteir Calvert,in the Mistressof Riversdale, describesthe difficulties in exportinghogsheads of tobaccowell after 1800. Registrationfor Dinner and Annual Meeting PrinceGeorge's County Historical Society

Price$ 25.00- pleasemake checks payable to PGCHS.

Name Address

Telephone

Number attending:

Pleaseselect from amongthe following five dishes- if you arereserving for more than one, pleasemark a number next to the dish for eachperson.

VegetablePasta in a light creamsauce & freshbroccoli

Chickenin a light creamsauce & freshbroccoli on a bed of pasta.

Crab CakePlatter - servedwith Captain'sfries and cole slaw

Broiled Admiral's Platter- Shrimp,Scallops, Crab Imperial,& Fillet of Fish Servedwith Captain'sfries and cole slaw.

RoastedPrime Rib of Beef Au Jus.served with veeetableof the dav and roasted Red bliss potatoes.

Therewill be a cashbar. The price includesall non-alcoholicdrinks, aswell astax and tip. ATTACH CHECK HERE

Placc Stamp Here

JaneEagen, President PrinceGeorge's County HistoricalSociety 16215S. Audobon Lane Bowie. MD 20716 Relatedto this subject,we call your her ancestors. Shereviewed this sensitive attentionto three more outstanding volume as one which portraysthe African- examplesof outbuildingsfound in the 1996 Americanssense of placeand family. It is publication called The Riverdale Story: illustratedwith Historic AmericanBuildings Mansion to Municipality, which celebrates Survey(HABS) photographs,mostly from 75 yearsof history in what is now Riverdale the 1930sand is incrediblyreadable. Park. Illustratedare an octagonalbarn Quoting from the back cover: "Behind the designedby CharlesBenedict Calvert which Big Housesof the antebellumSouth existeda was locatedat the cornerof Riverdaleand different world, socially and architecturally, Taylor Roads(destroyed by fire in whereslaves lived and worked. John November1904); a sketchof the gatelodges Michael Vlach exploresthe structuresand which oncestood on the BaltimoreTurnpike spacesthat formedthe slaves'environment. at the entranceto Riversdale;and finally, a Through photographsand the words of gazeboon an island in the lake on the south former slaves,he portraysthe plantation sideof the mansion.It's sadthat, like many landscapefrom the slaves'own point of of the "everyday"outbuildings in the view." Two HABS photographsby JohnO. County,none of theselnore exuberant Brostrup,taken in 1936,illustrate buildings buildingsremains. in PrinceGeorge's County. They reflect buildingson which so much of the economy, the culture,and the societydepended. With Iris' permissionwe areillustrating her ancestor'squarters located at the Northamptonp lantation.

undarei rftcrrf, of il* gatc lc*lga that t a<:c stuxl tn tha. Sahin

Unfortunately,most of the County's large plantationsand their agriculturaleconomy were dependentupon largequantities of forcedlabor. Anothertype of outbuilding provided housingfor this labor force and is describedrn Bsck of the Big House: The A merican Architecture of Plantation Slaveryby JohnMichael Vlach (University Dr. Vlach is professorof Americanstudies of North CarolinaPress, 1993). and anthropologyat GeorgeWashington University, and chair of the folk life program We askedBoard Member Iris McConnell for and the American studiesprogram at the her observationson this subjectrelated to University. ANNUAL ME,ETING - NOVEMBE,R 6. 1999

The venuefor the 1999 annualmeeting is the Fish MarketRestaurant of Maryland,76l I Old BranchAvenue, Clinton. Telephone301 599 7900. Membersare, of course,encouraged to come. The restaurantis off BranchAve at the Kirby RoadExit southof Allentown Road. We will gatherat about6PM, and therewill be a dinner speaker,and the businessmeeting will take placeafter dinner.

The agendaincludes election of officersand directors for the Society.The Nominations committeepresented the following slate,and the Boardof Directorsrecommends these nominees to you. Note, however,that nominationsfrom the floor areweicome and encouraged.Each officerposition will be consideredseparately, and the Directorswill be electedafter that. I should point out that it is in orderto move electionof the entireslate by acclamation,if that is the desire of the entiregroup. We hopeeach of you will join us for this festive,but irnportantoccasion.

The Slate: President LesterSweeting Vice President EugeneB. Roberts,Jr. Secretary SarahBourne Treasurer JoyceUber Historian SusanPearl Editor Sharon Howe Sweeting Membership Chairman Phyllis Herndon Gift ShopCoordinator StellaUber

Director - 3 yearterm (2000, 2001,2002) Director- Two Year Term (2000,2001) James Wolfe John Petro John Mitchell William Uber

SusanWolfe, Facility Managerof Marietta,seryes ex-offico

BoardMembers Wallis Cain (2000,2001) Robert Crawley (2000,2001) Mildred Ridgely Gray (2000) Katheryn Clagett (2000) Iris McConnell (2000) PastPresidents Jane Eagen; JoyceMacDonald; Bud Dutton; Dusty Rhoads John Giannetti; Paul T. Lanham

In addition,you will find a separatesheet in the newsletter,with a returnaddress on it. Please mail it, with your checkfor $25.00attached, no laterthan Friday, October 29'h. Please also call JaneEagen - 301 249 6409to confirm. You may sendthe form by fax to 301 249 7090,but your checkwill haveto be sentanyway. Thank you and seeyou there! New Members are Welcome

We would like to welcomethe following new membersto the Society: ?ri* (nry't (r.rt1 Dorothy Hall Donald and TheresaHillery Magi Buchheister Annual MembershipApplication Additions to Calendar Dale: Name: When we publishedthe quarterlyheritage Address: activitiescalendar, w€ neglectedto mention the following, which you shouldnote: City, State,Zip: from the Attic" display of family "Stories Telephone-Home: heirlooms- Surratt HouseMuseum Business: through November 29, 1999 Annual Surratt HouseMuseum - open Please indicate: _ New _ Renewal house- November20 and 2l - 12 to 4 PM Check below Decemberll - 13 - Victorian Yuletide by the category you select: _ Full-timc Student $ 10.00 Candlelight- 24'hannual holiday tours of _Member... $ 20.00 - - Surratt House hours varv call 301 868 _ Sustaining. . $ 50.00 ttzl _ Life Member $ 400.00

Laurie Vergewrotes: "Members might also _ Additional Contribution like to know that Surratt House hasbeen _ I am alsointerested in helpingthe Societyas a featuredin programson A&E, The History volunteer.Please contact me regardingvolunteer Channeland TNT over the pastyear, as well opportunities. as featurearticles in severalnational publications,including Civil War Times _ For membershipin the Maryland Historical Illustrated. Society,include an additional$30.00 for individual or $40.00for husbandand wife. APPLE BUTTER

Our opentingsupport conrcs fionr yorr drcs endcoorriburions. Atl At the harvestfestival on October24,the contributionsqualify for tu &duction. Wc rpprccietc)aour rupport. junior docentswill havefor saletheir newly - preparedapple butter come and sampleand Pleasemake checks payableto PGCHS BUYI Mail check and form to:

EACH ONE BRING ONE PrinceGeorge's County HistoricalSociety PostOffice Box 14 Bill Uber remindsus that eachmember of the Riverdale,Maryland 20738-00 I 4 Societyshould contribute to our growth by 30t -464-0590 bringing a new memberinto the Society - beginwith the next one you see- ask them to join! Prince Ceorge's Counry Hisrorical Sociery Non-Profit Org Post Office Box 14 U S Postage Paid Riverdalel Maryland 2o738-oot4 Riverdale,MD Permit No. 1948

HOURS OF OPERATION LOCATION OF THE SOCIETY Library:Saturdays l2 - 4 PM and dunng specialevents The Societyis locatedat Marietta,5626 Call301 -464-0591 Bell StationRoad, in GlennDale, MD, off Route193, near Route 450 Thisis a MariettaTours -Friday, I I - 3, Sunday, facilityof the MarylandNational Park and 12 - 4 - andby appointment- PlanningCommission Information 30 I -46,4-059I

THE SOCIETY GIFT SHOP

Featuresa wide selectionof books,gifts, toys and smallantiques. Open Friday, Saturdayand Sunday,12 '4 PM and during specialevents Call 301-464' 0590 B e € q Newsand Notes E FI AE E 9, PrinceGeorge's County AE 6 E qE fl6 EI tl co H Historical ll FF : sl P Society GE ; arir rel

November/DecemberI 999 Our 47thYear XXVII, No. 7

HOLIDAY GALA

The Societywill hostits annualHoliday Galaat Mariettaon Saturday, December11 from 2PM. Entry is, asalways, a sweetor savoryto share. Pleasebring your friendsand introducethem to the Society- all arewelcome for this festiveoccasion. Other Prince George'sCounty History Consortium eventsfor Decemberare:

3-5 Marietta House Museum, Glenn Dale CandlelightTours. Decorationsfrom the 19'h century,plus music andrefreshments. 6-8:30pm 301-646-5291 4 National Colonial Farm, Accokeek WinterSolstice Celebration. 6-8pm 301-283-2113 4 Belair Mansion, Bowie Christmasby Candlelight.6-9pm 301-809-3089 5 Bowie Train Station,Old Bowie Holiday OpenHouse(Free) Noon-4pm 301-809-3089 5 Darnall's Chance,Upper Marlboro CandlelightTours. 3-7pm 30I-952-8010 5 Belair Mansion, Bowie TwilightTours by Candlelight.4-6pm 301-809-3089 6-21 Marietta House Museum, Glenn Dale ChristmasTours--By Appointment. Day & Evening. 30I-464-5291 (Also: December27-30) 6-21 Belair Mansion, Bowie CandlelightTours--week nights. Grouptours of 10 or more. By appointmentonly. 6-9pm 301-809-3089 8-11 Montpelier Mansion, Laurel ChristmasCandlelight Tours. 6-9pm. 301-953-1376 11 Laurel Museum, Laurel GertrudePoe Holiday House Tour. 8 homes,VIP reception, & silentauction. 3-7:30pm 301-725-7975 ll-12 Billingsley Manor, Upper Marlboro CandlelightTours. Saturday,5-9pm; Sunday, 12-4pm Reservationsrequired 301-627-0730 ll-12 His Lordship's Kindness,Clinton CandlelightTours. 6-9pm 301-856-0358 l1-13 Surratt House Museum, Clinton Victorian Yuletideby Candlelight. Saturday,5-9pm, Sunday,3-9pm, Monday,6-9pm 301-868 -II21 12 Riversdale Mansion, Riverdale ChristmasGala. Noon-4pm 30I-464-0420 27-30 Riversdale Mansion, Riverdale House Tours:27-30, Noon-4pm; CandlelightTours 27 & 28, 7 -9pm 301-464-0420 FEES VARY BY PROGRAM SOCIETY JOINS THE NET wrong. That'sofficial.

The Library Committee has been working Officials at Britain'sGreenwich diligently to rearrange,control and organize Observatory,guardians of the line of zero the largevolume of materialsin the Library . longitude, and at its Americal counterpart, During the past2 years,as well, the threeS's the US Naval Observatory,are categorical: as they areknown (Sarah,Susan and Sharon), the end of the secondmillennium andthe with the welcomeassistance of Dusty Rhoads beginningof the third will be reachedon andothers, have fielded a numberof questions January1,2001. coveringa wide rangeof issues. Over 500 hours of volunteertime hasbeen recorded in In a centuryof 100 years,century's end the past9 months. logically comesat the end of the 100thyear, and as a resultthe millennium festivities In any event,in an effort to be of even greater commencingin just over 10weeks time will service,the Library now hasan e-mail account be exactlyayear early. for the use of our patrons from near and far. We will post this on variousweb sitesas we The reasonfor this is that therewas no year get a chance,but we thought our members zeroin the AD (Anno Domini, "in the year shouldhave the addressas well. of our Lord") calendarcreated by the sixth- centurymonk DionysiusExiguus (Dennis You may contact the Society Library at the Short),and the millennium startedout [email protected]. Pleaserecognize with the year t AD. that we will only download messageswhen one of the committeeis at Marietta (at least However,logic will takesecond place to the for the time being), so if your e-mail is not popularfeeling that a year designatedby respondedto immediately it is becausewe sucha round figure as 2000 is a more havenot gottento Mariettato down load it. suitablestarting point for a new millennium, not to mentionthe commercialimperative to We continueto welcomewalk-in patronsand cashin. telephone enquiries, as well as written enquiriesto PGCHS Library, P.O. Box 14, The money-makingopportunities provided Riverdale,MD 20738-0014. The Library is by the date-changehave been such as to openfrom 12 to 4 on Saturdays. prompt Lord Falconer,Britain's minister in chargeof the Millennium Dome -- the huge END NEARS FOR THE 99-YEAR domeunder construction east of London -- CENTURY to observeearlier this yearthat the British would be "properCharlies" if they waited (fro* http : //as ia. yaho o. co m till 2001to mark the millennium. /headlines/2I I 099/world/94 04 7 B 5 8 0- 9I 0210403 I4.newsworld.html) It wasvery different100 years ago. Virtually everyimportant public celebration PARIS,Oct2l (AFP) - Hundredsof heraldingthe 20th centurywas held on or millions of peopleall overthe world will be justbefore January 1,1901. celebratingthe start of the third millennium on January1, 2000. And they all will be Daily newspapersand weekly and monthly a typical letter to the presscited by periodicalsran their first numbersof the Schwartz:"I defy the most bigotedprecisian centuryin the first daysof 1901,and the to work up an enthusiasmover the year previousyear had beenfirmly earmarkedas 1901,when we will alreadyhave had twelve the closingchapter of the old erarather than months'experienceof the 1900s." the openingchapter of the new. A centuryon, the "bigotedprecisians" have The leadheadline of the New York Times beenrelegated to the marginsin the on January1,1901 read: "Twentieth stampedeto heralsthe new inillenniumat Century'sTriumphant Entry". the earliestpossible date.

Therehad beenprominent advocates, But Gould notesthat the "century-end"date SigmundFreud and Germany'sKaiser disputeis an arbitraryproblem in any case, Wilhelm among them, for startingthe new to which an arbitrary solution is perfectly century a year earlier in line with popular appropriate. sentiment,but they madelittle headway againstthe consensusthat then prevailed And addsthat for the purist both sidesare amongdecision-makers. The resulthas been wrong. that the 20th century,about to be declared deadby popularcommand, has lasted only Dennisthe Shortalmost certainly Ti::"l;:l:':l"';,::lll:':liH*:,,,T'H;o' Disputesover when to mark the end of the was born at leastfour yearsbefore the start centuryhave a history going back at least of the calendarwhich bearshis name. threehundred years. That meansthat the secondmillennium of HistorianHillel Schwartz,rn his book his birth happenedsome time around1995, "Century'sEnd", tracesthe first major andthe upcomingcelebrations are somewhat hasslesto theperiod 1699-1701,while in the late. late 1790sthe letterspages of newspapersin the English-speakingworld conducteda SOCIETY ELECTS NEW OFFICERS lively debateon the subject. AND DIRECTORS

But it was in the 1890sthat the controversy About 25 peopleattended the meetingof the reachedits peak. Sciencewriter StephenJay Society,held at the Maryland Seafood Gould notesin "Questioningthe Factoryin Clinton. One highlight of the Millennium" that the schismbetween the evening(other than a quick visit by our own "high culture"view -- that the new century ThomasV. "Mike" Miller) was a lively beginswhen the Double-zeroyear is over -- discussionof PrinceGeorge's Proud by Phil and the "popular view" favoring a round- Taylor, of the Maryland National Capital numberyear emerged most clearlyat this Park andPlanning Commission. Before the time. speaker,however, there were two itemsof businessto discussand this is a reportof the January1 , 1900was the popularchoice for decisionsmade at the businessmeeting. the start of the 20th century,as evidencedby First, on motion of LesterSweeting, Katheryn Clagett secondedby Bill lfber, the Society's Iris McConnell scheduleof dueswas changed,effective for paymentsreceived on or after January1, PastPresidents 2000. The new duesschedule is as follows: IaneEagen IoyceMcDonald Regularmembership- $ 25.00 W. E. (Bud) Dutton SustainingMembership- $ 50.00 Warren(Dusty) Rhoads InstitutionalMembership - $ 50.00 JohnGiannetti Life Membership- $300.00 Paul Lanham

The categoryof StudentMember was The final orderof business,and one most dropped. Regularmembership includes one deserved,was the provisionof thanksfor a household.The new categoryof job well andtruly doneby our outgoing InstitutionalMembership is designedfor President,Jane Eagen, whose leadership, copropations,businesses, municipalities, or drive, enthusiasm,and dedicationto the other organrzations. Societyand PrinceGeorge's County have seenus throughthe last semi-decade.Vice The major businesswas, of course,the PresidentEugene Roberts read an excellent electionof a new slateof officers and new letterofpraise from an anonymoussource, directors.After the vote,which was by which was roundly cheeredand applauded acclamation,the leadershipof the Society, by all present. effectiveJanuary 1, 2000,is as follows: Welcometo NEW MEMBERS President LesterSweeting Vice President EugeneB. Roberts,Jr. Anna M. Holmes Secretary SarahBourne Lady Alice Iren6Prather Treasurer JoyceUber Raceand JoyceE. Dowling Editor SharonHowe Sweeting DorayneHeyler Historian SusanPearl Phil Taylor Membership Phyllis Herndon Gift Shop StellaUber DUES ARE DUE

Directors(2000 - 2002 As notedabove, the duesschedule for JamesWolfe annualmemberships will changeeffective JohnMitchell with duespayments made on or after William Uber January1, 2000. Until thatdate, you can renewyour membershipfor $20.00,but then Directors(2000-2001) the amountwill riseto $25.00.Please send JohnPetro in your duesnow - and considergiving a gift Wallis Cain membershipto your friends,or your RobertCrawley children.

Directors(2000) Notesfrom the Historical Societv Mildred Ridgely Gray Historian Prince George'sCounty: A Pictorial History Allan Virta

The following review appearedin the Summerissue of the MarylandHistorical SocietyMagazine-

The imagespresented in this volume,the third edition,recall the people,placesand events in the three-hundred-yearhistory of PrinceGeorge's County. Portraits of the planters,preachers, and patriotsand their women and childrencover the periodof the eighteenthand nineteenth centuries.Informative captions not only identi$ the subjectsand give a brief biography,but some-timesquote from lettersand diaries,illuminating their thoughtsand opinions.Some of these picturesare poignantreminders of tragedy. BenjaminLewis Latham,scion of an old county family, went to fight for the Confederacyand was killed at Gettysburgone month short of his nineteenthbirthday. The accompanyingpoem recalls the grief of the roll call following that battle. The book recallsnot only the well-bornand well-to-do but ordinarypeople as well. There are picturesof slaveauctions, slaves walking in chains,and black troops at Fort Lincoln. We see Washingtoniansriding the roller coastersat an amusementpark in the 1890's,an earlyfootball teamat the MarylandAgriculture College, a group p farm workersriding in an oxcart, and citizensgathered outside Casey's blacksmith shop in Bladensburg. Many historicstructures, some no longerstanding, are pictured. Only one house,known asMount Calvert,probably built in the earlyyears of the nineteenthcentury, remains on the site of CharlesTown, the first countyseat of PrinceGeorge's County. Dumblane,home of manyof the earlygenerations of Magruders,was destroyedby a gasezplosion in 1969. The Bladensburg Academy,a privateschool built earlyin the nineteenthcentury, has been torn down. Not all of the buildingsdepicted are the imposingmansions often associatedwith colonial times. Bladensburghas the Market MastersHouse, a stonehouse built by ChristopherLowndes in 1760. Severalmills, an octagonhouse, a row of residencesconverted by black familiesfrom an abandonedfarm building,an ice creamparlor, and a gasplant help to recreatethe scenesPrince Georgianssaw as they went abouttheir lives. A numberof mapsillustrate the settlementand growth and developmentof the county.Pictures illustrate the changesin travel,from seventeenth- centurysailing vessels, oxcarts and stagecoachesto trolley cars,railroads, automobiles and the WashingtonDC Metro. Several" firsts" are illustrated.Thomas John Clagett was the first Episcopalbishop consecratedin this country. TheBeggar's Opera, by JohnGay, was the first operain America known to havebeen performed with an orchestra;it was presentedin Upper Marlboro in 1752. theLast Supper,an importantcolonial painting by GustavusHesselius, hangs in St. Barnabas Church. The first documentedballoon ascension took placenear Bladensburg in 1784. The compiler,who grew up in PrinceGeorge's County, and was the first chairmanof the county'sHistoric PreseruationCornmission, from 1982to 1986,has selected pictures and compiledtext that tracesthe historyof the countydown to the 1990s The final chapterincludes color photographsof manyactivities from scientificresearch at GoddardSpace Flight Center,to road constructionand countyroads clogged by commutertraffic. Quilts,parades and reenac- tmentscommemorating the county'sTricentennial are also included. This is a delightfulbook to look at and informativeto read,with manyinteresting nuggets. The reviewerwas excitedto learn of a seven-hundredpage ledger kept by ReverendJohn Eversfield. The ledger,a copy of which is on microfilmat the MarylandState Archive, contains, among other things, notes on the Eversfieldfamily in England. Alan Virta has struck a balancebetween the past and the present,the county'sold families and lesswell known folk, betweenthe rural life of a hundredyears ago and the urbanizedlife of today. The book is highlyrecommended, and the authoris to be commendedfor a job well done.

RobertW. Barnes Perry Hall

After readingthis review, we are confidentthat everyhousehold will want to purchasea copy for their personallibrary. This book will alsomake a thoughtfulChristmas present to residentsand familieswho havemoved from the area. You may order copiesby mailinga checkand the form below to : PGCHS PO Box 14 Riverdale,Maryland 20738

copiesof A PICTORIAL HISTORY @ $42.95

(Marylandresidents add $2.l5 salestax)

shipping& handling $4.00per copy

total

makecheck payable to PGCHS

NAME

ADDRESS Lots of interestingquestions come to "The houseshook so that his entirefamily the SocietyLibrary, both by letteror by was awakened.Mr. St. Claire lives near telephone.Some are whimsical, like queries CollegePark. He lives in the old Gen. aboutthe historical backgroundof the Blair Beall home which is of brick construction WitchProject. ., or the legendarylocal and solidly built." goatman,and someare technically challenging,like the sequentialchanges in My callerhad heardof General the boundariesof the County's RezinBeall, assumedthat it was his hometo administrative"Hundreds" or the places which the Post article referred,and visitedby a travellingclergyman in 1789. wonderedwhere this propertywas located. One of the interestingquestions that camein But as sheread to me thePost account,I during the month of Novemberrequested the beganto doubtthe connectionwith Rezin locationof the homeof GeneralRezin Beall. Beall: the phrases"near CollegePark," " Knowing that the remainsof GeneralBeall brick constructionand solidly built," andthe (1723-1809)had, 30 yearsago, been name"Beall," in combinationwith the oddly removedfrom his home property and familiar name"St. Claire" mademe think of reinterredat nearbySt. John'sEpiscopal Hitching PostHill, that fine GreekRevival Church,Beltsville, I determinedthe exact style brick housewhich was the home in the locationof the General'sproperty, and late nineteenthcentury of GeneralEdward F. returnedthe call in order to report that Beale! I checkedthe chainof title for information. Hitching PostHill, and sureenough, its owner/residentsat the time of the earthquake I then asked(fortunately!) the were Mr. andMrs. LabertSt. Claire! reasonfor her inquiry. Shereported that the questionarose from a I November 1999 So we now know that it was from column in the WashingtonPost, part of the Hitching Post Hill that the sleeping series"The Centuryin the Post." This residents,suddenly jolted awake,had been column("D.C. Shakes")quoted an article the first to call the WashingtonPostt This from the 1 November1935 WashingtonPost beautifulhouse was built in 1840for Robert asfollows: Clark, but was the home during the 1870sof GeneralEdward F. Beale,who hadmade his "Just after 1 a.m. today an earthquakeshook name during the Mexican War. General Washingtonand vicinity. Thousandsof Beale'scity residencewas the Latrobe- personswere awakenedby the shakingof designedDecatur House on Lafayette their apartmentsand homes. Newspaper Square,but Hitching PostHill was for a officeswere swampedwith calls from short time his country estate- the place frightenedresidents wondering what had where he entertainedsuch friendsas former happened." presidentU. S. Grantand Buffalo Bill Cody, andwhere he indulgedhis passionfor "One of the first to call ThePost was Labert raisinghorses. Hitching PostHill, indeed St. Claire,transportation assistant to solidlybuilt, survivedWashington's 1935 Secretaryof CommerceRoper. He saidthe earthquake,and is todaythe homeof the shockfelt like his bed was beingpulled from HistoricalSociety's former president, John underhim. He saidthe shocklasted about Giannetti! By: Szsan Pearl 30 seconds." 10November 1999 LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN! to seekto havethe materialscollated fully, the costrises by $2.50per packet. Total costfor The Education Outreach Committee of the purchasing the Maryland materials for 250 SocietyBoard (JaneEagen, Mildred Ridgely schoolsis $ 3,750. Gray, and SusanWolfe) are beginning a new project which we are confidentwill help the Once we have the sets,we needto add the schoolsbetter educateour children in their Prince George's County materials (which history, including the history of Prince haveto be copiedas well) and thenbind the George'sCounty. The Societyis working on materialsin a comb binding or other useful a potentialpartnership involving the Maryland manner. We need to then distnbute the Historical Society, the Maryland National materials to the appropriate teacher or Capital Park and Planning Commissionand librarianin eachschool and provide direction the Board of Education,and are also looking on how they might be used. Teacherguides for private partnersin this effort. There are are available but would have to be several hundred schools and thousandsof supplemented. school children who could benefit directly from this effort. but there is much to do. Our currentestimate is that it would cost at least$5,000 to providethe minimum number The Maryland Historical Society produced of copiesto ensurethat specificschools could several collections of copies of original get the materials and use them. We are documentsand sourcematerials for this use- approachingboth MNCPPC and the Boardof in threeparts: Encountering Maryland's Past - Educationto gaugewhether they couldassist Science,Technology and Invention; Turning in this effort"but alsofeel that thereshould be Points in Maryland History; and, Out of otherswilling to partnerwith us in this effort. Slavery. We proposeto have schoolsponsors - either businesses or individuals who would The packets include advertisements, contributeto the costof one or two copiesfor broadsides, legal documents, maps, a particular school. Sponsorswould be newspapers,oral history transcripts,pictures recognrzedwith a specialbook plate in each and photographsof objects. Sincethese are of the volumesacknowledging their generous mainly from other areas of the State, our support. intention is to add similar items from Prince George's County to ensure that our local We aretherefore asking you, Dear Reader,to history is included. let us know (1) if you would like to sponsora school, and (2) if you know of anyoneelse The Prince George's County Education who might do so. If you need more Departmentendorses this project. information,or canbecome a sponsor,please callJane Eagen at 301249 6409,or sendan e- So,where is the problem? MONEY! mail to our new e-mail address [email protected],your rewardwill The kits from the Maryland Historic Trust will be knowing that your children and costa minimum of $12.50each - but that only grandchildrenwill learnmore aboutthe place covers the cost of one set. If we were to we all call home. securesufficient sets for eachof the targeted schools,out cost is much higher. If we were JaneEagen Waterwaysof PrinceGeorge's County Then and Now

-&<+rlamesWalsh /- Most nonnavigablestreams in PrinceGeorges County have changes names at leastonce in the past300 years Many havechanged namesnvice; a few changednames r;'ce. No*"oigaUte streams,also known as runs' brancesand creeks,were particularly zusceptible to namechanging beduse they were considered th9 pnvatepropety of the landownerlhrough which they flowed. Thui, ;-y ;;;;.arried the name of the owner of the plantation tluough whiih the streamflowed. As rrt*g"0, the rume of the streamchanged. For instance, the creekflorving throughrottehay's planation'was"""""rrip o-rigilary *rn"a creek. Later, lottehay's when the plantation'so*oeihip change4 so too did the creekname, to Covington's Creek.

Other streamswere named for a dominantfeature or structuresuch as a mill or tavern. Thus,--so." Hunters Mll Branchand Horse Tavem Branchmay. be found on old mapaof hince GeorgesCo*ty. or tner" old names,such as HuntersMill -Branclrremain today others, as Horser*i* g;d\ h*. changed their name. HorseTavern Branch is now CharlesBranch Swamp. others were rnexplicably namedand inexplicablychanged. For instance,what is tlrc storybehind ,,Hog Creek" and its later name changeto TanyardBranch. ighy *ar DeepCreek later nurn d'Spi.. Creek. The reasonsrnay never be known becausethe namesof nonnaviablestreams could be changedat will. Thoe was no registry of streamnames, no approvingauthority, an4 0fte4 no explanation.dty ty atgent digging can the stream,ru& brancb oeek namechangij orttre pasitttreefr-eA h be identified Some te1[ . thesechanges are listed below. The rationalef6r manyol thesechanges remain unknown.

NOW THEN (Post Colonial) (ColonialEra)

Mataponi Creek BrookesCreek LookoutCreek Patuxent Creek Halls Creek LandsCreek Tanyard/FlotschkinsBranch Hog Creek NeeSpring Creek SpiceCreek Rock Creek/DeepCreek WesternBranch CharlesBranch/Billingsley Branch CharlesBranch Swamp HorseTavern Branch BeaverdamCreek HardwickCreek

Source: The Mid-PatuxentEstuarine Ecosystem W- Prince Ceorge's Counry Historical Society Non-Profit Org U S Postage Post Office Box 14 Paid Riverdale, Maryland 2o738-oot4 Riverdale,MD PermitNo. 1948

HOURS OF OPERATION LOCATION OF THE SOCIEry Library:Saturdays 12 - 4 PM andduring special events The Societyis locatedat Marietta,5626 Call301 -464-059 I Bell StationRoad, in GlennDale, MD, off Route193, near Route 450 Thisis a MariettaTours -Friday, I I - 3, Sunday, facilityof the MarylandNational Park and 12- 4 - andby appointment- PlanningCommission. Information30 I -4tr-059I

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