Historical Markers
A woman dressed in period clothing holding a wooden pole - colonial history sites

Self-guided · County in Maryland

Colonial History Sites in St. Mary's County, MD

Meetinghouses, garrison houses, and the oldest surviving buildings in the area, from the century before the country had a name.

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Photo: clement proust on Unsplash

History books cover the big events in a chapter each. The places those events touched are scattered across counties like this one. St. Mary's County is one of 24 counties in Maryland.

Brown horse with yellow carriage beside red concrete house - colonial history sites
Photo: Patti Black on Unsplash
Authentic Revolutionary War reenactment in Washington Crossing, PA, showcasing historical costumes and drummers - colonial history sites
Photo: Gene Samit on Pexels
Colonial-era military band reenacting history in open field - colonial history sites
Photo: Vivid Voyage on Pexels

On the record near St. Mary's County, MD

The 12 nearest

28 listed sites on the record match colonial history sites within 120 miles of St. Mary's County, MD, out of 35 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 14 listed sites carry St. Mary's County as their county.

  1. Woodlawn Quaker Meetinghouse41 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Fort Belvoir · listed 2009National Register of Historic Places
  2. Presbyterian Meeting House, Old42 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Alexandria (Independent City) · listed 2001National Register of Historic Places
  3. Meeting House of the Friends Meeting of Washington49 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Washington · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
  4. Bethesda Meetinghouse56 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Bethesda · listed 1977National Register of Historic Places
  5. Neck Meetinghouse and Yard57 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · West Denton · listed 1976National Register of Historic Places
  6. Frying Pan Meetinghouse63 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Floris · listed 1991National Register of Historic Places
  7. Sandy Spring Friends Meetinghouse63 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Sandy Spring · listed 1972National Register of Historic Places
  8. Old Town Friends' Meetinghouse68 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Baltimore (Independent City) · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
  9. Presbury Meetinghouse76 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Aberdeen Proving Ground · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places
  10. Gunpowder Meetinghouse77 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Aberdeen Proving Ground · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places
  11. Camden Friends Meetinghouse79 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Camden · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
  12. Little Falls Meetinghouse84 miles from the center of St. Mary's County · Building · Fallston · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of St. Mary's County, MD. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Colonial History in St. Mary's County, step by step

  1. 1

    Read the short history of the period for this area

  2. 2

    Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter

  3. 3

    Visit the nearest site and read its full record

  4. 4

    Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest

  5. 5

    Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in St. Mary's County, MD ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in St. Mary's County, MD?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near St. Mary's County, MD?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in St. Mary's County

  1. Step 1

    Find the place

    Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In St. Mary's County, MD the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Read the story

    The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.

  3. Step 3

    Get there under your own power

    Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in St. Mary's County, MD are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.

  4. Step 4

    Collect it and come back

    Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.

The rules that make it work

The record comes first

Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.

Read the whole story

A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.

Movement makes it stick

People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.

Local beats famous

The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.

Respect the ground

Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.

Every visitor can improve it

Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.

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Colonial History near St. Mary's County

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