country distinguished main streets drive type CHRIST CHURCH, KING AND QUEEN PARISH • Chaptico religious freedom America’s roots of religious toleration run deep in Southern Maryland, where some of the nation’s oldest churches are an indelible part of this peaceful, small-town landscape. miles from port tobacco to point lookout The last stop on this portion of the byway is the 322-acre Thomas Stone National Historic Site, which is also part of an 830-mile Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail that stretches between the Chesapeake Bay and the Allegheny Highlands. Take a guided plantation tour to learn about Stone, who was one of four signers of the Declaration of Independence to hail from Maryland. 189 w hen English settlers — Protestant and Catholic alike — sailed up the Chesapeake Bay in the 1600s, they brought with them the belief that individuals had the right to hold dissenting religious opinions. Today you can follow their spiritual journey through this tidewater region and along the shores of the Potomac River. Particular emphasis is placed on Historic St. Mary’s City, often recognized as “the birthplace of religious toleration in North America.” museum containing tobacco exhibits and archaeological fi nds. Continue west, stopping at the Christ Church Durham Parish. Though the parish dates to 1692, the current brick structure was constructed in the 1730s. Next is Smallwood State Park, which houses the estate of Gen. William Smallwood, a Revolutionary War hero and the fourth governor of Maryland. There is also a marina and excellent fi shing opportunities, as evidenced by the number of national bass-fi shing competitions that have been held here. More fi shing is available on a 23-acre lake inside the Myrtle Grove Wildlife Management Area. Then, as you head back to Port Tobacco, be sure to stop by the Mt. Carmel Monastery, which was established in 1790 as America’s fi rst religious community for women. Port Tobacco Loop INCLUDING MD 6, MD 425 & MD 224 Chapel Point to St. Clement’s Island INCLUDING MD 234 & MD 238 The byway begins in Port Tobacco, originally a Potapoco Indian village where Jesuit Father Andrew White established a missionary outpost. Visit the one-room schoolhouse built in 1872 and tour the Port Tobacco Historic Village, including a 44 | Go south toward Chapel Point to visit the oldest continuously serving Catholic parish in the nation, St. Ignatius Catholic Church, which was established by the Jesuits in 1641. Nearby is St. Thomas Manor, which was constructed a century later and is the oldest Jesuit residence in the world still in use. maryland scenic byways byways
MD Scenic Byways Digital Guide: Page 44
