Charles County, Maryland

300 Year Old Southern Red Oak Araby Archaeology Provides a Key to the History of Rich Hill Archeology Reveals Outbuildings Bald Eagle Begin Your Adventure Benedict Boarman's Manor British Have Landed Budds Ferry Camp Stanton Camp Stanton Cedar Point Chandler's Hope Chapel Point Park Christ Church Christ Church Episcopal Christian Temple Manor Church of St. Joseph Cliffton Courthouse at Moore's Lodge Crossing the Potomac Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Dents Meadow Discover Southern Maryland’s Amazing Stories of Exploration, Hope, and Courage Discover Southern Maryland’s Amazing Stories of Exploration, Hope, and Courage Discover Thomas Stone National Historic Site Dr. Mudd's House Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House Durham Parish Enemy Camp Explore your Cheaspeake Explore your Chesapeake Friendship House....one of Charles County's Oldest Friendship House...one of Charles County's Oldest From Creek to the College of Southern Maryland General Daniel E. Sickles, U.S.A. General Joseph Hooker U.S.A. General Smallwood's Gravesite Home of Dr. Samuel Mudd Honor Roll In Honor and Memory In Memory of Robert Crain In Memory of those Charles County Citizens who lost their lives at the Pentagon September 11, 2001 John Hanson John Smith Explores the Chesapeake John Thomas Parran, Jr John Wilkes Booth John Wilkes Booth John Wilkes Booth John Wilkes Booth John Wilkes Booth and David Herold Join the Adventure Keechland Korean Conflict Memorial La Plata Elementary School La Plata Train Museum Laidler's Ferry Lebanon / Grenada Conflict Veterans Memorial Life Cycle of a House Mallows Bay Mallows Bay Marshall Hall Mattawoman Run Maxwell Hall Maxwell Hall Memories of Douglas Point Milestone in Radio History Milestone in Radio History Milestone in Radio History Milestone in Radio History Minister's House, Family Farm Mulberry Grove Mulberry Grove Myrtle Grove Game Refuge Nanjemoy Baptist Church Navy Railroad Navy Railroad Old Durham Church, Episcopal - 1692 On This Farm On to Yorktown Pine Thicket Piscataway Park Points of Interest Pomonkey High School Port Tobacco Port Tobacco Port Tobacco: A Maryland Mosaic Port Tobacco: Commerce Port Tobacco: Conspiracy & the Plot to Assassinate President Lincoln Potomac Diversion Railroad at Naval Proving Ground Remembrance Rev. Lawrence Anthony Bender, S.S. Rich Hill Rich Hill Rich Hill Farm in the 19th Century: Samuel Cox and his Award-Winning Farm Rich Hill Farm in the 20th Century Rich Hill Through the Years Rich Resources Rise from the Ashes Rose Hill Rum Point Saint Charles of Cornwallis Neck Saint Ignatius' Church Saint Thomas Manor Smallwood's Home Solid Ground Southern Charles County Memorial St. Columba Masonic Lodge St. Ignatius Catholic Church St. Mary’s Church St. Mary’s Church and Cemetery Star Memorial Garden Surgeon General Revolutionary Army Test of a New Nation The British are Coming The Port Tobacco Jail The Retreat The Stones of Maryland The Story The Tension of Liberty Thomas Stone Thomas Stone Unique Environment Veterans Memorial Vietnam Conflict Memorial Village of Bryantown War of 1812 War on Terror Memorial Washington's Farm Ways to Explore Southern Maryland’s Scenic and Historic Routes Ways to Explore Southern Maryland’s Scenic and Historic Routes Ways to Explore Southern Maryland’s Scenic and Historic Routes Welcome to Haberdeventure! Wolleston Manor World War I Enlisted Military Memorial World War I Memorial "Brentland" "Efton Hills" "Eutaw" "Huckleberry" “Cliffton” “The Monastery”
Charles County, Maryland, has a rich and diverse history dating back to its founding in 1658. The area was initially inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Algonquian-speaking Piscataway people. It was one of the first counties established in the Province of Maryland and was named in honor of Charles Calvert, the third Baron Baltimore and the proprietor of the Maryland colony.

During the colonial period, Charles County played an active role in the growth of the colony. It was a major center for tobacco cultivation, which drove the economy and attracted settlers. The county was also known for its strategic location, situated along the Potomac River and providing access to important trade routes.

The region witnessed significant events during the American Revolutionary War. Many Charles County residents were Patriot sympathizers, with several local militias forming to defend against British forces. The Battle of Fort Washington in 1776, located in the southern part of the county, saw intense fighting and was a pivotal moment in the war.

In the 19th century, Charles County went through various social and economic changes. Slavery was widespread, and the county had a significant enslaved population. However, opposition to slavery gained momentum, leading to the gradual emancipation of enslaved individuals. Charles County also experienced economic shifts, moving away from tobacco cultivation to industries like canning and manufacturing.

Today, Charles County remains a diverse and vibrant community, known for its mix of rural charm and suburban development. It is a popular residential area for those working in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region. The county continues to preserve its historical heritage, with numerous historical sites, museums, and events that showcase its past.
Brief timeline of the history of Charles County, Maryland:

  • 1658: Charles County is established by an act of the Maryland colonial legislature
  • 1683: The county courthouse is constructed in Port Tobacco
  • 1819: The county seat is moved from Port Tobacco to nearby La Plata
  • 1895: The Maryland Agricultural College (now the University of Maryland) opens a branch in Charles County
  • 1928: The Thomas Stone National Historic Site is established to preserve the home of one of Maryland's signers of the Declaration of Independence
  • 1940s: The construction of the Potomac River Naval Command Center begins in Indian Head
  • 1990: The College of Southern Maryland is founded with a campus in La Plata
  • 2002: Charles County Public Schools becomes the first school system in the state to provide laptops to all its students in grades 6-12

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Charles County, Maryland.

Audiobooks about the history of Maryland.