Calvert County, Md., Home to 20 Places Worthy of Distinction

Multiple Sites on National Register of Historic Places Offer Interesting Excursions for History Buffs

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md., -- May 18, 2006 - The National Register of Historic Places, administered by the National Park Service, maintains a comprehensive list of famous sites, buildings, attractions and districts “which made a mark in history.” Calvert County boasts 20 of these places with such diverse historical significance as a plantation, a boat, numerous churches, two lighthouses and even a train depot. The interesting people, rich stories and unique buildings associated with Calvert County’s 400-year evolution provide countless opportunities to explore and experience some of the earliest history of Southern Maryland.

Three-hundred-year-old Cedar Hill Plantation was originally known as “Miles End” and was obtained from Lord Baltimore by John Bigger, a horse trader and appraiser who once owned numerous properties scattered throughout Southern Maryland. Bigger and his wife, Ann Stoakley, eventually left the estate to their son who augmented an additional 700 acres to the property’s original 350 acres, creating what became known as the “Bigger Plantation” in the 1700s.

The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and was noted as being “one of the few remaining cruciform dwelling houses existing in Maryland.” A visit to the property today reveals an aged beauty that has been carefully restored and preserved to its former grandeur.

Now privately owned, Cedar Hill Plantation serves as a bed and breakfast, meeting hall and intimate gathering place for corporate retreats, receptions and weddings. The property’s unique, Colonial ambiance, historical relevance, working fireplaces, wine cellar, gazebos, rose garden and 75 acres of tranquil countryside make it the perfect setting for both formal and casual events.

The Wm. B. Tennison, which docks at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, is the only log-hulled, Coast Guard-licensed vessel in the United States. Built in 1899, the boat was converted from sail to power and served as an oyster buy-boat until 1978. At 60 feet long, the Tennison displays the classic characteristics of a Chesapeake Bay oyster buy-boat and is one of the last in the United States. Part of her lore is the fact that, despite extensive research, the identity of Wm. B. Tennison, for whom the vessel was named, remains unknown.

Located in Lusby and dating back as early as 1684, Middleham Chapel is noted as being the oldest example of religious architecture in Calvert County and one of the earliest forms in all of Southern Maryland. Added to the National List of Historic Places in 1975, the structure was originally erected as a Chapel of Ease of Christ Church Parish. Middleham’s earliest structural form is thought to have been of frame or log construction. Today, Middleham Chapel still calls parishioners to worship with a bell that was donated by two brothers from Middleham, England in 1699.

Calvert County is home to two lighthouses – the Cove Point and Drum Point Lighthouses – both of which were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Cove Point, the oldest continuously working lighthouse in Maryland, was built in 1828 and stands 40 feet tall. The iron lantern was manufactured in Paris in 1897. In addition to the light tower and keeper’s house, buildings at the Cove Point station include a 1901 fog signal and a two-bedroom cottage.

Drum Point, a screwpile-style lighthouse, was constructed in 1883 to mark the entrance to the Patuxent River. It is one of only three remaining from 45 that once served the Chesapeake Bay at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, the lighthouse is a beautifully restored replica of 20th century life and has become one of the main attractions in Solomons.

The Chesapeake Beach Railway Station, added to the Register in 1980, now houses a museum of memorabilia from Chesapeake Beach’s heyday in the early 1900s as a popular tourist destination for people traveling on the Chesapeake Beach Railway from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Md. Once the centerpiece of a bustling amusement park and resort, the last train left the Railway Station on April 15, 1935, as the growing popularity of cars made travel to the shore easier and quicker.

For more information on the Calvert County, Maryland Department of Economic Development, our visitor sites and attractions and the services available to assist County businesses, call 410.535.4583, 800.331.9771 or 301.855.1880; or send an e-mail to info@ecalvert.com