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Port
Tobacco Historic District
One of the oldest communities on the East Coast, Port Tobacco first existed
as the Indian settlement of Potopaco and was colonized by the English
as early as 1634. Port Tobacco became a major seaport during the late
1600s and was the original county government seat. In addition to being
a hot spot for  confederate
conspiracy and a part of John Wilkes Booth’s escape route, Port Tobacco
suffered from local conflict as well. A vote was taken to move the county
seat to La Plata where the railroad industry was
becoming more resourceful than the seaport of Port Tobacco, but the vote
did not pass. Then in 1892, the center part of the courthouse was burned
in a mysterious fire and the county seat was moved to La Plata.
Sites
to visit include the reconstructed Port Tobacco Courthouse that is furnished
as a 19th Century courtroom and has exhibits on tobacco and archeological
finds located upstairs; Catslide House, one of the four surviving 18th
Century homes in the area; the restored One-Room Schoolhouse that is the
original structure built in 1876 and used until 1953; and Thomas Stone
National Historic Site, the plantation home of one of the four signers
of the Declaration of Independence.
 FOLKLORE:
Halloween always reminds local residents of Charles County's "Blue
Dog" legend, which has been spun in the county for more than 100 years
and is taught in local schools. By most accounts and local lore, the
spirit of a large blue dog protects his murdered master's treasure,
buried somewhere on Rose Hill Road outside of Port Tobacco.
According to Rose
Hill Road resident Charles Stuart, whose property contains the fabled
rock that Blue Dog and his master were killed on, the first written
account of the Blue Dog legend dates back to 1897, when his home's
former owner, Olivia Floyd, told the Maryland Independent she had
seen the ghost of the Blue Dog.
Although he hasn't
seen the ghost of Blue Dog on February 8 in the 20 years he has lived
on Rose Hill Road, Stuart, "doesn't doubt" the accounts of that date
following the Revolutionary War, when Charles Thomas Sims, a soldier,
and his dog were killed on Rose Hill Road while returning from a Port
Tobacco Tavern.
Stuart said that
Henry Hanos of Port Tobacco killed Sims and his dog for his gold and
a deed to an estate. Hanos then 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
and then fell ill, before suddenly dying. To this day, Blue Dog continues
to watch over his slain master's treasure.
•  Port Tobacco Courhouse, 301-934-4313
• Port Tobacco One-Room School, 301-932-6064
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Waldorf
Currently a retail hub and site of St. Charles Towne Center, Waldorf
used to be a hot spot in the 50's and 60's. Waldorf was well known for
slot machines, night clubs, and performances by famous singing stars.
• The Capital Clubhouse, 301-932-4348; ice arena and multi-recreational sports facility.
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Benedict
. Bryantown . Cobb
Island . Indian Head
. La Plata
Marshall Hall . Nanjemoy
. Pope's Creek . Port
Tobacco . Waldorf
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