The history of Prince George’s runs deep — from the lands of ancient Native American communities in Accokeek to the baseball fields where past African-American baseball teams played to the reconstructed quarters of enslaved people in Bowie. A trip through the region will cover hundreds of years of history, and you can walk through it all.

 

Dive into the history of Prince George’s at these 10 well-preserved spots:

 

  1. Visit the first African-American-owned and operated airfield in Maryland, and perhaps the nation. John W. Greene, Jr. was a pioneer of black aviation and instrumental in the creation of the Columbia Airfield. Once occupied by the U.S. Navy during World War II, it reopened as Columbia Air Center and offered flying lessons, charter services, and maintenance. The current space is used as an agricultural site, and all of the buildings have since been destroyed, but signage on the land tells the story of its unique history.
  2. Honoring the historic African-American community of Rossville, the historic Abraham Hall in Beltsville has served as a meeting hall, house of worship, school, and social hall. Built first in 1889, it was renovated in 2009 and now houses the Black History Program of the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission.
  3. Blacksox Park in Bowie has a deeply ingrained history in Prince George’s and within the local African-American communities. It was once home to two local African-American sandlot baseball teams: the Mitchellville Tigers and Washington Blacksox. From the 1930s through the 1970s, African-American sandlot teams, along with The Homestead Grays, a professional Negro League team, played at the field. Today, you can visit a gorgeous green park in the same space, with ball fields, playgrounds, restrooms, and walking trails.
  4. Many enslaved people and tenant farms once lived on the land at Northhampton Plantation in Bowie. The historic site features reconstructed foundations of two slave quarters from when the site ran as a plantation from 1673–1860. More recently, archaeological excavations uncovered artifacts and information about the lives of the enslaved people and tenant farmers who were forced to live and work there from the late 18th century through the mid-20th century.
  5. If you have a train lover in your crew, head over to historic Old Bowie to see the Bowie Railroad Station and Huntington Museum. The Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company built the first station in 1872 at the junction where rails traveled into Washington, D.C., and southern Maryland. The town of Bowie was built around the station, and the museum buildings were constructed in the early 1900s. Today, the Railroad Museum is open on the weekends to the public.
  6. For some history with your errands, drop off your mail at the Hyattsville Post Office, an excellent example of Colonial Revival architecture. The brick building was built in 1935 with large arched windows, a central cupola, and lower flanking wings. You can check out six impactful murals by painter Eugene Kingman in the lobby.
  7. Visit the Laurel Historical Society and Museum to see its wide collection of books, photographs, tools, personal artifacts, textiles, and oral records of the history of the town — most of which you’ll find on the main floor. There’s also a gift shop and additional exhibits in the downstairs area. The building itself is also steeped in history. The 2,590-square-foot brick and stone was built in the early 1840s by mill owners to serve as a home for their employees.
  8. One of the most significant historical sites in Prince George’s sits in Upper Marlboro. At Mount Calvert Historical & Archaeological Park, you can discover the archaeology of 8,000 years of Native American presence, the development of colonial Charles-Town, and an early American tobacco plantation. Follow ten interpretive wayside sides through the park and explore “The Confluence of Three Cultures” exhibit.
  9. In Accokeek, Piscataway Park serves as a space to honor the cultural heritage and ancestral homelands of the Piscataway people both past and present. The park, which is part of the National Park Service, was established in 1961 and seeks to protect the approximately 5,000 acres that stretch for six miles from Piscataway Creek to Marshall Hall. Check out the National Colonial Farm, which is free and open year-round, while you’re there.
  10. No list of historic sites in Prince George’s would be complete without a mention of Fort Washington. First completed in 1809, the site served as a guard post to protect Washington, D.C., until it was destroyed by its own garrison in 1814. The new fort was completed in 1824, and guns were mounted in 1846. It continued to serve as a defense system for the nation’s capital during the Civil War, and continued to be in service until 1939, when it was turned over to the Director of Public Buildings to be used as a terminal point for a bridge, but went back into service with the army during World War II. Eventually, it made its way to the Department of Interior in 1946. Today, you can explore the park grounds and learn about its history.

 

Learn about the history of the underground railroad in Prince George’s.