47-647: Port Tobacco , officially Port Tobacco Village , is a town in Charles County , Maryland , United States . The population was 13 at the 2010 census, making Port Tobacco the smallest incorporated town in Maryland. This was historically the territory of Algonquian -speaking peoples, especially the Potapoco and the more dominant Piscataway . Settled by the English in the 17th century and established in 1727,
94-555: A tornado ripped through the county leaving 17 dead (including 13 schoolchildren). On April 28, 2002 , another tornado (rated an F-4) destroyed much of downtown La Plata killing 3 and injuring over 100 people. The county has numerous properties on the National Register of Historic Places . Among them are Green Park and Pleasant Hill , home of the Green and Spalding Families. On December 4, 2004, an arson took place in
141-410: A Port Tobacco hotel (Brawner Hotel) (conspirator George Atzerodt lived in town) established the assassin had fled with his companion Herold into Virginia, where they were ultimately located and Herold surrendered, but Booth died during the attempted capture. Port Tobacco started declining as erosion from excessive agricultural use and poor soil conservation caused significant siltation at the head of
188-466: A female householder with no husband present. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 2.80. In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.0% under the age of 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.4 males. The median income for
235-457: A household in the county was $ 62,199, and the median income for a family was $ 67,602 (these figures had risen to $ 80,573 and $ 89,358 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $ 43,371 versus $ 34,231 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 24,285. About 3.70% of families and 5.50% of the population were below the poverty line , including 6.70% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over. As of 2010,
282-472: A household in the town was $ 100,992, and the median income for a family was $ 102,264. The per capita income for the town was $ 43,017. There were no families below the poverty line. Charles County, Maryland Charles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland . As of the 2020 census , the population was 166,617. The county seat is La Plata . The county was named for Charles Calvert (1637–1715), third Baron Baltimore . The county
329-462: A lottery and ultimately financed a new brick structure, which was rededicated in 1827. Falling into disrepair after 60 years of use, it was demolished and replaced with a sandstone edifice in 1884. However, only the graveyard now remains of this church (and a relatively recently outline of the historic church's foundation), since it was disassembled in 1904 and reassembled in La Plata, which had become
376-509: A major port for the tobacco trade, with exports transported by ocean-going sailing ships. During the late 17th century, Port Tobacco became the second-largest river port in Maryland. The early immigrants to Port Tobacco were products of the religious turmoil in England. Their deeply felt convictions were powerful influences in Maryland's history. The area had both English Catholic and Church of England congregations. Father Andrew White of
423-559: Is developing a film based on this tale. The only state highway serving Port Tobacco is Maryland Route 6 . MD 6 connects westward to Nanjemoy , while to the east, it links with US 301 in La Plata . Port Tobacco Village is located in central Charles County near the intersection of Maryland Route 6 and Chapel Point Road, just southwest of the neighboring town of La Plata . It sits near the Port Tobacco River , which joins
470-445: Is governed by county commissioners, the traditional form of county government in Maryland. There are five commissioners. As of 2022 , they are: Charles County is entirely within the 5th Congressional District , which also includes Calvert, St. Mary's, and parts of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties. The current representative is former Democratic House Majority Leader and former House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer . According to
517-1114: Is part of the Southern Maryland region of the state. With a median household income of $ 103,678, Charles County is the 39th-wealthiest county in the United States as of 2020, and the highest-income county in the United States with a Black-majority population. Charles County was created in 1658 by an Order in Council . There was also an earlier Charles County from 1650 to 1654, sometimes referred to in historic documents as Old Charles County , which consisted largely of lands within today's borders but "included parts of St. Mary’s, Calvert, present-day Charles, and Prince George’s County". John Tayloe I purchased land around Nanjemoy Creek after 1710 from which to mine iron and ship to his furnaces at Bristol Iron Works , Neabsco Iron Works and later Occoquan Ironworks. In April 1865, John Wilkes Booth made his escape through Charles County after shooting President Abraham Lincoln . He
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#1732791607533564-463: Is taught in local schools and has been told in the county for more than 100 years. By most accounts, the spirit of a large blue dog protects the treasure of his murdered master, which is supposed to be buried somewhere along Rose Hill Road outside Port Tobacco. Charles Stuart was the owner of the Rose Hill property containing the fabled rock where Blue Dog and his master were killed. He has said that
611-518: The American Revolutionary War . Henry Hanos of Port Tobacco purportedly killed Sims and his dog for Sims' gold and a deed to an estate. Hanos buried the gold and deed under a holly tree along Rose Hill Road. When Hanos returned to recover the treasure, he was scared away by the ghost of Blue Dog. Hanos fell ill and died suddenly. To this day, Blue Dog reportedly continues to watch over his slain master's treasure. Thuc Doan Nguyen
658-694: The Declaration of Independence . During the Civil War , Port Tobacco became known as a stronghold of Confederate sympathizers, although Union troops occupied the town. Rose O'Neal Greenhow (1814–1864), born here, became renowned as a Confederate spy operating in Washington, DC. Recruited by former US Army captain Thomas Jordan , later promoted to Confederate general, she took over his network in early 1861. Due to military plans she passed to
705-456: The Jesuits established a mission in 1641 and later a church at what became St. Thomas Manor at Chapel Point. The manor's chapel was expanded to what is called St. Ignatius Church, a center for local Native Americans converted to Christianity . The oldest continuously operating Catholic parish in the United States, the complex has been designated as a National Historic Landmark and is part of
752-617: The Port Tobacco River , decreasing its navigability and ultimately cutting off the town from access to Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Larger merchant vessels were unable to use the former seaport; as a result, commercial activity at the port had dwindled by the time of the Civil War. The decline was exacerbated by the completion in 1873 of a nearby Baltimore and Potomac Railroad line to Pope's Creek which bypassed Port Tobacco and ran further south to another port directly on
799-606: The Potomac River a short distance south. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 0.16 square miles (0.41 km), all land. As of the census of 2010, there were 13 people, 7 households, and 5 families residing in the town. The population density was 81.3 inhabitants per square mile (31.4/km). There were 7 housing units at an average density of 43.8 units per square mile (16.9 units/km). The racial makeup of
846-545: The St. Ignatius Church , manor house, and cemetery at St. Thomas Manor comprise a complex designated as a National Historic Landmark . It is notable as a Jesuit mission center established in the 17th century and is likely the oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic parish founded in the Thirteen Colonies . The complex at Chapel Point has scenic views overlooking the Potomac River . John Hanson , President of
893-699: The Toleration Act of 1649 and feeling a need for spiritual guidance, some settlers gathered their first Anglican congregation in a log building at the head of the Port Tobacco Creek in 1683, nine years before the Establishment Act . Supported by the tobacco poll tax of 40 pounds per head from 1692 to 1776, Christ Church prospered. The community built a second structure in 1709. After the American Revolution , although
940-554: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has an area of 643 square miles (1,670 km ), of which 458 square miles (1,190 km ) is land and 185 square miles (480 km ) (29%) water. In its western wing, along the southernmost bend in Maryland Route 224 , Charles County contains a place due north, east, south, and west of the same state—Virginia. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 146,551 people, 51,214 households, and 38,614 families residing in
987-493: The census of 2000, there were 120,546 people, 41,668 households, and 32,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 262 inhabitants per square mile (101/km ). There were 43,903 housing units at an average density of 95 per square mile (37/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 68.51% White , 26.06% Black or African American , 0.75% Native American , 1.82% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 0.72% from other races , and 2.08% from two or more races. 2.26% of
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#17327916075331034-533: The Anglican Church was disestablished in the US, parishioners rallied to contribute directly to Christ Church, and Lemuel Wilmer, of a distinguished family of Maryland Episcopalian clerics which included his brother William Holland Wilmer , uncle James Jones Wilmer , and father, grandfather and brother (all named Simon Wilmer) served as rector for 35 years. After a tornado destroyed the building in 1808, they held
1081-739: The Confederates that summer, she was credited with ensuring their victory at the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861. Local slaves were freed following Maryland's adoption of a new Constitution on November 1, 1864 (the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 did not apply to states which remained in the Union). During the hunt for John Wilkes Booth after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln , intelligence gathered in
1128-480: The Potomac River. A small portion of the town's square incorporated in 1888 as Port Tobacco Village, a move that may have signaled an effort by the community to reverse its decline, but new communities eventually sprang up along the railway and prospered, including the town of La Plata which succeeded Port Tobacco as the county seat in 1895. The remains today are identified as Port Tobacco Village. Because of
1175-553: The Religious Freedom Maryland Scenic Byways route. Catholic parish records identified Indian families through the decades, when civil records began to use only designations of free people of color , colored, or Negro for mixed-race persons, thus failing to record their cultural identification. The two state-recognized Piscataway -descendant tribes have used Catholic records in making their case for cultural continuity. Freed from restraints by
1222-420: The U.S. Continental Congress , was born nearby. Areas along the waterways of present-day Maryland were inhabited for thousands of years by various cultures of distinct indigenous peoples . At the time of European exploration, this coastal area along the Port Tobacco River was the territory of the Potapoco , an Algonquian -speaking tribe. They called their settlement Potapoco . Overall, the dominant tribe on
1269-521: The community, with an Internet blog and regular chances for volunteer participation at many levels. Visitors may see the reconstructed Port Tobacco Courthouse , furnished as it may have appeared in the 19th century, even as of the day of Booth's escape. The North wing has exhibits on tobacco culture, as well as archaeological finds which reveal early colonial and Native American life. Other notable nearby historic sites include: Halloween reminds local residents of Charles County's "Blue Dog" legend, which
1316-471: The county population's racial makeup was 48.38% Non-Hispanic whites, 40.96% blacks, 0.65% Native Americans, 2.98% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islanders, 0.17% Non-Hispanics of some other race, 3.20% Non-Hispanics reporting more than one race and 4.27% Hispanic. According to the 2022 publication "Meet Charles County" of the County Department of Economic Development, its top employers are: Charles County
1363-628: The county seat in 1895. For two centuries, Port Tobacco area residents assumed important roles in state and national history. John Hanson was elected first President by the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation before moving to Frederick . Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer was a signer of the United States Constitution ; and Thomas Stone was one of four of the Maryland delegation who signed
1410-424: The county. The population density was 320.2 inhabitants per square mile (123.6/km ). There were 54,963 housing units at an average density of 120.1 per square mile (46.4/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 50.3% white, 41.0% black or African American, 3.0% Asian, 0.7% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.3% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.3% of
1457-416: The development of Hunters Brooke, a few miles southeast of Indian Head . The Hunters Brooke Arson was the largest residential arson in Maryland history. Owing to the considerable voting power of its large number of freedmen following the Civil War , and later its growth as a suburban area, Charles County was for a long time solidly Republican . The only Democrat to carry Charles County until 1960
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1504-531: The first written account of the Blue Dog legend dates back to 1897, when Olivia Floyd , a noted Confederate spy and owner of Rose Hill, told the Port Tobacco Times that she had seen the ghost of the Blue Dog. The legend says that Charles Thomas Sims, a soldier, and his dog were killed on February 8 in the 18th century on Rose Hill Road while returning from a Port Tobacco tavern. This was following
1551-618: The north side of the Potomac River was the Algonquian Piscataway tribe , which later absorbed some of the smaller tribes' survivors. Within a generation of the first Maryland settlers' landing at St. Clement's Island , they pushed the frontiers of the colony north and west toward the Potomac and Port Tobacco rivers. The English developed a small village about 1634 on the east side of the Port Tobacco tributary. It became
1598-529: The nucleus for trade and government. It was first called Chandlers Town. The town was one of the oldest English-speaking communities on the East Coast of the United States . In 1658, it was designated the first county seat of Charles County. Later the English adapted the Potapoco name as Port Tobacco. Its name also referred to what became the colony's chief export commodity crop. The town grew as it became
1645-486: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 11.6% were of German , 10.8% Irish , 10.2% English , 9.3% American and 5.3% Italian ancestry. There were 41,668 households, out of which 41.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% were married couples living together, 14.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.50% were non-families. 17.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.20% had someone living alone who
1692-447: The population. In terms of ancestry, 12.6% were German , 10.8% were Irish , 8.7% were English , 6.3% were American , and 5.1% were Italian . Of the 51,214 households, 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 24.6% were non-families, and 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size
1739-492: The town on the Port Tobacco River soon became the second largest in Maryland. The first county seat of Charles County, it was a seaport with access to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. It declined rapidly after river traffic was cut off by silting and the town was bypassed by the railroad . The town incorporated in 1888, but in 1895 the county seat moved to nearby La Plata , which drew population away but left
1786-444: The town was 84.6% White , 7.7% African American , and 7.7% from two or more races (each 7.7% of people included one person). There were 7 households, of which 14.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.4% were married couples living together, and 28.6% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
1833-536: The town with its historic significance intact. Since the late 20th century, the former 1819 courthouse has been renovated for use as a historical museum. In 2007 a consortium started the Port Tobacco Archeology Project, devoted to revealing the history of Native Americans and colonial Europeans and Africans . Because of its unique history, the area is "one of the richest archeological sites in Southern Maryland ." A few miles south,
1880-908: The town's abrupt decline and silting of the river, many archeological sites were preserved, making it one of the richest areas for studying the mixed history of Native and colonial cultures, including that of enslaved Africans. In 2007 the Port Tobacco Archeological Project began as a partnership among the Archaeological Society of Maryland, the Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco, the Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium, Preservation Maryland, and Preserve America . It has encouraged participation by
1927-471: The town. The population density was 94.0 inhabitants per square mile (36.3/km). There were 6 housing units at an average density of 37.6 units per square mile (14.5 units/km). The racial makeup of the town was 60.00% White , 26.67% Black or African American , 6.67% Asian , and 6.67% from two or more races. There were 5 households, out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 60.0% had
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1974-522: Was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, although Alf Landon and Wendell Willkie defeated Roosevelt in the next two elections by a combined margin of just 50 votes. Since the turn of the millennium, Charles County has become reliably Democratic, although not as overwhelmingly so as other parts of Maryland's Washington, D.C. suburbs. Charles County is one of only two counties in the nation to have voted for Al Gore in 2000 after voting for Bob Dole in 1996, along with Orange County, Florida . Charles County
2021-425: Was 1.86 and the average family size was 2.20. The median age in the town was 64.5 years. 7.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 15.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 0.0% were from 25 to 44; 30.8% were from 45 to 64; and 46.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.2% male and 53.8% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 15 people, 5 households, and 5 families residing in
2068-464: Was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.24. The median age was 37.4 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 88,825 and the median income for a family was $ 98,560. Males had a median income of $ 62,210 versus $ 52,477 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 35,780. About 3.7% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over. As of
2115-457: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.21. In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.70% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 33.20% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males. The median income for
2162-503: Was drafted by Democratic state delegate (lower house) Walter Digges and co-sponsored by state senator (upper house) William J. Frere , both from Charles County, Maryland. In Maryland's unrestricted general election of 1911, the Digges Amendment was defeated with 46,220 votes for and 83,920 votes against the proposal. Nationally Maryland citizens achieved the most notable rejection of a black-disfranchising amendment. In 1926,
2209-655: Was on his way to Virginia . He stopped briefly in Waldorf (then called Beantown) and had his broken leg set by local Doctor Samuel Mudd , who was later sent to prison for helping him. Booth then proceeded to hide in the Zekiah Swamp in Charles County, avoiding search parties for over a week until he and his accomplice were able to successfully cross the Potomac River . The 1911 Digges Amendment , which attempted to disenfranchise African Americans in Maryland,
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