Local Spotlight: Historic St. Mary's City

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If you're looking for something to do this summer, consider stepping back through time with a visit to Historic St. Mary's City. Here, you'll find 800 acres of land commemorating Maryland's first settlers. There's a wide range of things to see and do, from archeological sites and frames of old buildings to historic inns and boat replicas.

Not only is this one of the best-preserved founding settlements in the country, but it's also a gorgeous location. Below are just a few of the things you can see during your visit.

Hike the Rustic Nature Trail

You don't even need a ticket to park onsite and take a 3.5-mile nature walk through the southern section of Historic St. Mary's City. This path, which includes sections along both St. Mary's River and Milburn Creek, lets you see a lot of wildlife that's native to the area.

It also takes you past The Inn at Brome Howard, a plantation house that was built in 1840 and now serves as a B&B.

Explore Native American Life

Before English settlers came along, the area was home to a group of Yaocomaco Native Americans. They grew crops like corn, beans, and squash, which you can still see growing in a field at the Woodland Indian Hamlet.

Explore this area to get a sense of how the tribe lived before settlers purchased the land from them. You can see examples of witchotts, or the homes they lived in, as well as work areas and more.

Climb Aboard the Maryland Dove

We see movies about life aboard trading ships. We play games that feature them. But what's it actually like onboard?

Find out by climbing aboard the Maryland Dove, a true-to-life replica of a 17^th-century trading vessel. It was named for the Dove of 1634, one of two main ships that brought the Calverts to Maryland to establish their settlement.

See the Godiah Spray Tobacco Plantation

By 1667, settlers had established tobacco farms in the area. They grew and dried tobacco that was then traded to England on trading ships similar to the Maryland Dove. In return, they received other manufactured goods.

See a day in the life of a fictional tobacco farmer named Godiah Spray by visiting this colonial working farm.

Step into Your Time Machine Today!

Don't have a time machine? That's okay-Historic St. Mary's City is accessible by car, and as soon as you step out, you won't know the difference. As it is a historical town, there will be a lot of walking involved during your visit, so wear comfortable shoes.

Want to learn more? Check out Historic St. Mary's City on Facebook for up-to-date information, hours, and events. Tickets can be purchase at The Shop at Farthering's Ordinary or at the Visitor's Center.