Museums & Historic Sites »
| Name | Contact Info | More Info |
|---|---|---|
| African-American Heritage Society of Charles County |
7485 Crain Hwy.
P.O. Box 2250 La Plata, Md. 301-843-0371 | The society's museum depicts the life and history of African Americans in Charles and their contributions to the area since 1658. Hours: noon-4 p.m. April-October; other times by appointment. Donations accepted. |
| American Indian Cultural Center |
16816 Country Lane Waldorf, Md. 301-782-2224 piscatawayindians@yahoo.com. | The center depicts the life of Maryland's Native Americans before contact with Europeans. It features a full-scale replica longhouse, tools, weapons and art. Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays or by appointment. Tours arranged for student groups. |
| Arlington National Cemetery |
Memorial Drive
Southern end of Memorial Bridge Arlington, Va. 703-607-8000 | Major attractions include the Tomb of the Unknowns, where a formal changing of the guard ceremony happens every half-hour in the summer and on the hour the rest of the year. The tomb contains the remains of unidentified U.S. service members from world wars I and II and the Korean War. Each was presented with the Medal of Honor at the time of interment, and the medals, as well as the flags that covered their caskets, are displayed inside the Memorial Amphitheater, to the rear of the tomb. The tomb is guarded at all times by the Army's Old Guard. Changing of the guard occurs on the hour Oct. 1-March-- and every half-hour March 15-Sept. 30. The Women's Memorial, dedicated in 1997, pays tribute to all servicewomen in the U.S. armed forces. It is at the ceremonial entrance to the cemetery. Hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily April 1-Sept. 30, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. the rest of the year. Closed on Christmas. |
| Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre |
12229 Bristow Rd. Brentsville, Va. 703-365-7895 | The center dates from the 1820s, when the county seat was established there. Today, Brentsville is the county's oldest surviving courthouse. The site also contains a jail, a one-room schoolhouse, a log cabin and the Brentsville Union Church. The jail and the log cabin are closed for renovations. The 24-acre grounds, which include hiking trails and a picnic area, are open from sunrise to sunset daily. |
| Calvert Marine Museum |
14200 Solomons Island Rd.
P.O. Box 97 Solomons, Md. 410-326-2042 Fax: 410-326-6691 information@calvertmarinemuseum.com | This public, nonprofit museum is dedicated to the collection, preservation, research and interpretation of the culture and natural history of Southern Maryland. Its mission is to interpret three maritime themes: regional Miocene paleontology, estuarine life on the tidal Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay, and the maritime histories of these waters. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's day. Adults, $7; seniors, $6; ages 5-12, $2; 4 and younger, free; members, free. |
| Cannon Branch Fort |
10509 Wakeman Dr. Manassas, Va. 703-368-1873 | This is one of two remaining Civil War earthworks fortifications in Manassas. Historians think they were built by Union troops in 1863 and 1864 as part of a series of forts meant to defend supply lines along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. The fort is under renovation. |
| Center for the Arts at the Candy Factory |
9419 Battle St. Manassas, Va. 703-330-ARTS (2787) info@center-for-the-arts.org | The 1908 Hopkins Candy Factory was restored in 2001 and 2002 and a variety of arts programs. |
| Charles Carroll House |
107 Duke of Gloucester St. Annapolis, Md. 410-269-1737 | Three generations of Carrolls, including Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, lived here. Hours: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, noon-4 p.m. Sundays, May-October. Group and school tours by appointment. |
| Chase-Lloyd House |
22 Maryland Ave. Annapolis, Md. 410-263-2723 | Built by Samuel Chase, an 18th-century lawyer and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, this Georgian-style townhouse is known for its interior detail. Hours: 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 2-4 p.m. most Saturdays (call first), March-December. Admission: $2. |
| Christ Church, Durham Parish |
8685 Ironsides Rd. Nanjemoy, Md. 301-743-7099 | Chartered by the Colonial Assembly in 1692. Current brick church built in 1732. |
| Christ Church, Port Tobacco Parish |
112 E. Charles St.
P.O. Box 760 La Plata, Md. 301-392-1051 ccptp@verizon.net | The parish built its first church at Port Tobacco, then the county seat, in 1683. The current stone church was built on the Port Tobacco Square in 1884. In 1904, the church was dismantled and its stones numbered, and it was moved to La Plata, where it was reconstructed next to the courthouse in the new county seat. |
| Christ Church, Wayside, William and Mary Parish |
13050 Rock Point Rd. (Route 257) Newburg, Md. 301-259-4327 christchwayside@aol.com | Originally known as Picawaxon Parish, it was one of the first 30 parishes chartered in 1692. |
| Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House |
3725 Dr. Samuel Mudd Rd. Off Dr. Samuel Mudd Road Waldorf, Md. 301-274-9358 Museum office: 301-645-6870 | Home of the doctor who set the broken leg of presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth in 1865. Costumed docents provide tours. Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, March 29-Nov. 23; Dec. 6-7 (Victorian Christmas). Closed Easter. Adults, $5; ages 6-16, $2. |
| Fort Washington Park |
13551 Fort Washington Rd. Fort Washington, Md. 301-763-4600 | This is one of the few seacoast forts in its original form. The 341-acre national park has hiking and biking trails and overlooks the Potomac River and Mount Vernon. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April-Oct. 26; 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Oct. 27-April 5, 2009. Park grounds are open 8 a.m.-dark. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's day. $3 per individual, $5 per vehicle. |
| Glen Echo Park |
7300 MacArthur Blvd. Glen Echo, Md. 301-634-2222 Fax: 301-634-2260 Recorded information: 301-320-2330 info@glenechopark.org | The site features a historic carousel and ballroom. Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, noon-6 p.m. Sundays. |
| Gunston Hall Plantation |
10709 Gunston Rd. Mason Neck, Va. 703-550-9220 Fax: 703-550-9480 | This was the plantation home of George Mason, a framer of the U.S. Constitution. The home, built about 1755, is on 550 acres and is open for tours. Many special events take place here throughout the year. Hours: 9:30 a.m-5 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. |
| Historic London Town and Gardens |
839 Londontown Rd. Edgewater, Md. 410-222-1919 londontown@historiclondontown.org | This 23-acre park and historic site on the South River in Edgewater is owned by Anne Arundel County and managed by the London Town Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. Created in 1683, the town became an important tobacco port and ferry crossing. Today, London Town features the state's largest ongoing archaeological excavation, the National Historic Landmark William Brown House and reconstructed buildings of the "lost town," including the Lord Mayor's Tenement and Carpenter Shop. The site showcases several historic gardens and an eight-acre woodland garden. The foundation offers special events and educational programs throughout the year. Hours: April-December, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon-4 p.m. Sundays. House tours are given hourly, with the last tour beginning at 3 p.m. Closed Mondays and major holidays. January-March, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Admission: Guided historic area and self-guided garden tour, $12; seniors, $10; youths 7-18, $5; age 6 and younger, free. Self-guided historic area and garden tour, $8; seniors, $6; youths 7-18, $3; age 6 and younger, free. Reservations required for group tours of 10 or more. Free to members of the London Town Foundation. |
| Historic St. Mary's City |
18751 Hogaboom Lane,
off Rosecroft Road St. Mary's City, Md. 240-895-4990 800-762-1634 hsmc@smcm.edu | This outdoor living history museum and archaeological park documents the life of Maryland's first permanent colony and the first Colonial capital (1634-95), Godiah Spray Plantation, Woodland Indian Hamlet, 1676 State House, historic town center and the Dove, a replica of one of the two vessels that brought the original colonists. Exhibitions are open from mid-March through November, with special events on weekends through December. Adults, $10; seniors, $8; college students and students, 13-18, $6; children 6-12, $3.50; and children 5 and younger, free. |
| La Plata Train Station |
101 Kent Ave. La Plata, Md. 301-259-0028 | Recalls the railroad's effect on Charles County during the boom of the second half of the 1800s. Operated by the Charles County Historical Society. Consists of a two-room station and an authentic red caboose. Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, May-October. Other times by appointment. Free. |
| Manassas National Battlefield Park |
6511 Sudley Rd. Manassas, Va. 703-361-1339 | The 5,000-acre park was established in 1940 to preserve the scene of two major Civil War battles, including the first major engagement of the war in 1861. Visitors center hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. |
| Mormon Temple |
9900 Stoneybrook Dr. Kensington, Md. 301-587-0144 301-588-0650 | The world's third-largest Mormon temple is on 57 acres near the Capital Beltway. Visitors center hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily except in December, when it is open nightly until 10. |
| Mount Carmel Monastery |
5678 Mount Carmel Rd. La Plata, Md. 301-934-1654 carmel-of-port-tobacco@erols.com | Site of the first Carmelite monastery in the United States. |
| Mount Vernon |
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy. Mount Vernon, Va. 703-780-2000 | The estate of George Washington is open daily, year-round. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. April-August; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March, September and October; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. November-February. |
| Mount Vernon |
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy. Mount Vernon, Va. 703-780-2000 | The estate, home and burial place of George Washington is eight miles south of the city of Alexandria. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily April-August; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March, September and October; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. November-February. Adults, $13; seniors, $12; ages 6-11, $6; 5 and younger, free. |
| Nanjemoy Baptist Church |
3030 Baptist Church Rd. Nanjemoy, Md. 301-246-4926 | Established in 1793. |
| NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Visitor Center |
Soil Conservation Road and Explorer Drive Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-9041 Fax: 301-286-1781 gsfc-pao@listserv.gsfc.nasa.gov | The hub of all NASA tracking activities, Goddard is also responsible for the development of unmanned scientific spacecraft and research in space and earth sciences, including NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. Collections include space flight artifacts and photographs. Visitors center hours: September-June, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; noon-4 p.m. weekends; closed Mondays. July-August, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, noon-4 p.m., Saturdays; closed Sundays and Mondays. Closed on all federal holidays. Free. |
| National Colonial Farm at the Accokeek Foundation |
3400 Bryan Point Rd. Accokeek, Md. 301-283-2113, Ext. 15 Fax: 301-283-2049 programs@accokeek.org | The farm, an agricultural-historical museum project of the Accokeek Foundation, has exhibitions and demonstrations of the agricultural methods, crops and livestock of a modest Tidewater farm of the mid-18th century. Open throughout the school year for guided tours scheduled in advance. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, mid-March through mid-December; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, mid-December through mid-March. Guided tours available at 1 p.m. on weekends. $2; 50 cents, ages 4 to 11. |
| Oatlands Plantation |
20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane Leesburg, Va. 703-777-3174 Fax: 703-777-4427 | Oatlands, owned and maintained by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, offers guided tours of its antebellum plantation, including a 22-room mansion built in 1804 by George Carter, great-grandson of Robert "King" Carter, who in the early 1700s was said to be the richest man in the English colonies. Afternoon tea is served in the carriage house Thursday through Saturday until the end of June and again after Labor Day. Candlelight tours are conducted at Christmastime. |
| Patuxent Friends Cemetery |
Luke's Lane and Highway 5 Hughesville, Md. 410-394-1233 | Established in 1871, it is Southern Maryland's only known Quaker cemetery. |
| Point Lookout State Park |
11175 Point Lookout Rd. Route 5 Scotland, Md. 301-872-5688 Fax: 301-872-5084 | The Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay join here. The area served as a watch post to warn of British ships during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. During the Civil War, it was a Union military district in which the federal government established a hospital and prisoner-of-war camp. Hours: sunrise-sunset year-round. The park is open to night fishing with a valid license. |
| Port Tobacco Courthouse |
Chapel Point Road (off Route 6) Port Tobacco, Md. 301-934-4313 | Costumed docents tell the story of Port Tobacco, settled in 1634, in this reconstructed version of the third Charles County courthouse. Hours: noon-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, April-October. Other times by appointment. $2; children, $1. |
| Port Tobacco One-Room Schoolhouse |
7215 Chapel Point Rd. Port Tobacco, Md. 301-932-0671 301-259-2186 301-934-9483 | The school was built in 1876 and used until 1953. The structure was restored by the Charles County Retired Teachers Association. Site includes a gift shop. Donations are accepted. Reservations required. Hours: noon-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, April to October; Saturdays-Mondays, June to August. |
| Smallwood Retreat House |
Smallwood State Park Marbury, Md. 301-743-7613 | Built in 1760, the home of Maj. Gen. William Smallwood, Revolutionary War commander and later governor of Maryland, was reconstructed and opened to the public in 1958. Hours: 1-5 p.m. one Sunday per month or by appointment, April to mid-October. $3 per person weekends and holidays; $3 per vehicle at all other times for admission to Smallwood State Park. |
| St. Ignatius Church and St. Thomas Manor |
8855 Chapel Point Rd. 8855 Chapel Point Rd. Port Tobacco, Md. Parish office: 301-934-8245 Fax: 301-934-0944 | St. Ignatius is the nation's oldest Catholic Jesuit parish with a continuous pastorate. It was founded in 1641 by the Rev. Andrew White, who accompanied the first settlers to Maryland in 1634. The manor house has been a residence for priests for more than 300 years. |
| St. Joseph Catholic Church |
4590 St. Joseph Way (Route 227) Pomfret, Md. 301-609-4670 301-870-3041 Fax: 301-609-7564 stjoeoffice@comcast.net | Founded in 1763. The church's cemetery contains graves of men who fought in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World Wars I and II. |
| St. Mary's Catholic Church, Bryantown |
13735 Notre Dame Place Bryantown, Md. 301-870-2220 | The church was formally established in 1793, becoming the second Catholic parish to be incorporated by the Assembly of Maryland. The church is most famous for the Nov. 13, 1864, meeting between John Wilkes Booth and Samuel A. Mudd, the physician who set Booth's broken leg after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Mudd is buried at the church. |
| St. Mary's Church, Newport |
11555 St. Mary's Church Rd. Charlotte Hall, Md. 301-934-8825 Fax: 301-934-0245 | The first Franciscan Catholic church in the colonies. |
| St. Peter's Church |
3320 St. Peter's Dr. Waldorf, Md. 301-843-8916 | Established in 1700. |
| The Barracks |
43 Pinkney St. Annapolis, Md. 410-267-7619 Fax: 410-267-6189 | Similar to the residences used to house troops during the Revolutionary War, the building has two main rooms on the first floor and two rooms on the second floor. It is maintained by the Historic Annapolis Foundation. Hours: by appointment only as well as during Maryland Day celebrations in March. |
| Thomas Stone National Historic Site |
6655 Rose Hill Rd. Port Tobacco, Md. 301-392-1776 Fax: 301-934-8793 | This is the site of Haberdeventure, home of Thomas Stone, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Stone and his wife, Margaret Brown, built the home in the early 1770s, and it remained the Stone family home until 1936. The National Park Service, which finished restoring the site in 1997, offers hiking and birding trails, as well as guided tours of the house. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Memorial Day-Labor Day; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays, Labor Day-Memorial Day. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Free. |
| Trinity Parish Church and Oldfields Chapel |
9560 Trinity Church Rd.
15837 Prince Frederick Rd. Hughesville, Md. 301-934-1424 301-274-3796 | The parish was created by the Maryland Assembly in 1744. In 1751, a new church was built. In 1765, the vestry petitioned the lower house of the assembly to levy 50,000 pounds of tobacco upon the taxable inhabitants of Trinity Parish for the purpose of building a Chapel of Ease in Benedict Hundred, near Hughesville. It became a regular house of worship in 1769 for parishioners who lived in Benedict, Bryantown and Hughesville. The chapel became known as Oldfields Chapel. |
| U.S. Geological Survey |
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr. Reston, Va. 703-648-4748 | A visitors center at the federal agency offers an introduction to such topics as volcanoes, earthquakes, disaster preparedness and flooding. Hours: self-guided tours 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays; call ahead for guided tours. |
| U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial |
Just north of Arlington National Cemetery, at Route 50 and North Meade Street Arlington, Va. 703-289-2500 | The memorial honoring all fallen Marines depicts one of the most famous images of World War II: Marines raising the U.S. flag while fighting the Japanese on the West Pacific Ocean island of Iwo Jima. The memorial is also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial. |
| U.S. Naval Academy |
Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center
52 King George St. Annapolis, Md. 410-293-8687 tourinfo@usna.edu | The academy was founded in 1845 by Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft. The visitors center offers walking tours, including a visit to a sample midshipman's room, and exhibitions. Visitors center hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March-December, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. January-February. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's day. Visitors older than 16 must have a valid photo ID. Adults, $8.50; older than 62, $7.50; students, $6.50; 5 and younger, free. |
| U.S. Patent and Trademark Museum |
600 Dulany St. Suite 0100 Alexandria, Va. 571-272-0095 | Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays. Closed all federal holidays. Free. |
| White's Ferry |
24801 White's Ferry Rd. Dickerson, Md. 301-349-5200 | This is the only regularly operating ferry on the Potomac River. Hours: 5 a.m.-11 p.m. daily, weather permitting. $4 one way, $6 round trip. |
Contact Us
Help us keep Community Handbook current by sending us updates and changes via e-mail.
© The Washington Post Company
