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Home // The Historical Society of Charles County, Inc.

The Historical Society of Charles County, Inc.

Rich Hill

The Historical Society of Charles County, Inc. is a non-profit organization established in 1961 to promote, research, and preserve the heritage of Charles County, Maryland. This includes the maintenance of genealogical and historic sites files at the Southern Maryland Studies Center at the College of Southern Maryland, and to offer assistance and advice to those persons seeking information regarding genealogical services.

Through a partnership with the College of Southern Maryland, the Society preserves and provides tours of Historic Friendship House, an 18th century Maryland Tidewater dwelling located on its campus. It is also the organization under which the Friends of Rich Hill and Friends of Stagg Hall were established.

In addition, the Historical Society, through its Friends of Rich Hill Committee, will be maintaining and providing tours of Historic Rich Hill, an early 18th century dwelling, built by Dr. Gustavus Brown and the site where John Wilkes Booth and David Herold hid for four days following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

Contact/Location

http://charlescountyhistorical.org

Hours of Operation

Visitor Center

Wednesday-Sunday 10am-4pm

Offices and MAC

Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm

Park Grounds

7 days a week, dawn to dusk

TBD Spring 2025:  10am-4pm, Friday, Saturday, Sunday (tentative)

Highlights

Provides information and resources regarding the history of Black, Indigenous and Other People of Color in a variety of formats:

Long-term goals of the Historical Society of Charles County include the following: Preserve and promote our rich heritage. This can be done through programs, presentations, research, and by providing tours of the rich history of our Southern Maryland heritage. Continue to support and promote the programs of our partner organizations, as well as the interchanging of information.

Archaeological sites with interpretive panels. These sites and panels are accessible on Park trails.

FAQ Archaeology Exhibit in the Visitor’s Center includes segments on pre-contact period sites and on Sukeek’s Cabin site.

JPPM Library has over 15,000 titles relating to all aspects of Maryland’s history. Books do not circulate, but an online catalog is available. Southern Maryland Regional Files are also housed in the MAC Lab.

Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab has over 10 million artifacts spanning from 10,000 years ago until the early-mid 20th century. Portions available online; physical access upon request during MAC Lab hours. Qualifying institutions can borrow artifacts for display or study.

Audio and transcripts of oral histories of local Black families. Available upon request.

Portraits, daguerreotypes, and primary documents of local Black families. Available to view upon request.

Through Ebony Eyes digital exhibit can be viewed on large screendisplay.

Field trip programs for school age children on rural life and sharecropping are scheduled through the Education Department.

Park-wide special events like Discovering Archaeology Day and American Indian Heritage Day are free and open to the public.

Educators, docents, and archaeologists give tours, talks, and participate in outreach programs upon request.

JPPM hosts Calvert County’s NAACP Family and Community Day each June

Explore Resources

Timeframe:

Early to mid-20th century

Themes:

African American People and Culture, Indigenous People and Culture, Diversity in Southern Maryland, People, Places, and Our Southern Maryland Environment, Women’s History

Access:

During open hours for JPPM Visitor Center: Wed-Sunday, 10am-4pm. Contact Visitor Center at [email protected] or 410-586-8538.

Description:

Located at the Visitor Center, this exhibit shows a number of archaeological artifacts from across the state of Maryland, with detailed panels on a pre-contact period site (and its environment) and on the Sukeek’s Cabin site.

Visit Website

faq archaeology

Item #1

Join us to discover a hidden chapter in history.

Southern Maryland
Equity in History Coalition

The Southern Maryland Equity in History Coalition is a transformative collaboration of local organizations and educational institutions, committed to elevating the history of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color in our region.

Learn how you can support our mission.

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Maryland Heritage Areas Authority
This project has been financed in part with State funds from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, an instrumentality of the State of Maryland. However, project contents or opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority.
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