(Continued from page 45) a 40-foot-tall cross honors those fi rst colonists who, in 1634, conceptualized the separation of church and state. Probably the most visited destination on this byway is Historic St. Mary’s City, an expansive living-history museum and archaeology site. Serving as Maryland’s fi rst capital from 1634 to 1695, St. Mary’s City was the fourth permanent settlement in America and the site of the fi rst Catholic chapel in the colonies. Exhibits include a reconstructed 17th-century State House, a tobacco plantation, an Indian hamlet and a replica of the Maryland Dove , one of the two square-rigged ships that brought the fi rst settlers to Maryland. Heading toward the Chesapeake Bay, you can see several lighthouses and visit Point Lookout State Park, which o ers beaches, a boat launch, fi shing areas and campgrounds. But there’s another side to this picturesque peninsula — during the Civil War, Point Lookout served as a notorious prison camp where more than 4,000 Confederate soldiers died. Ghost stories abound, bringing a haunting conclusion to this spiritual journey. ■ Chaptico to Point Lookout INCLUDING MD 234, MD 243, MD 5 & MD 249 Continuing past St. Francis Xavier Church, the oldest Roman Catholic Church in the state, you enter the heart of Leonardtown. Be sure to visit both the Old Jail Museum, a tourist information center that also contains early Maryland artifacts, and Tudor Hall, a 250-year-old Colonial House now operated by the St. Mary’s County Historical Society. The next stop is St. George’s Episcopal Church, which has held services since 1638, making it the oldest Episcopal parish in Maryland. Continue south to visit Piney Point, the site of the oldest lighthouse on the Potomac River. From there, make your way to St. Mary’s College of Maryland, a female seminary that was established in 1840, which now is a co-educational state college that hosts a weekly summer concert series. POINT LOOKOUT STATE PARK • Scotland OLD JAIL MUSEUM AND INFORMATION CENTER Leonardtown MARYLAND LORE: The Freedom of Conscience Monument, which sits at the entrance to Historic St. Mary’s City, was erected nearly 80 years ago to commemorate a 1649 Act passed by the General Assembly that mandated religious tolerance of all Trinitarians, laying the foundation for the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 1-877-333-4455 | www.visitmaryland.org | 47
MD Scenic Byways Digital Guide: Page 47
