Port Tobacco, located in Charles County MD, holds a unique place in American history as one of the oldest communities on the East Coast. Established in the early 17th century and once Maryland’s second-largest port, Port Tobacco played a pivotal role in the economic, social, and political life of colonial America.
A visit to Historic Port Tobacco pairs well with visiting the Thomas Stone National Historic Site; Stone, signer of the Declaration of Independence, built his home, Habre de Venture, in 1771.
The town’s prosperity in the 18th and early 19th centuries was primarily due to tobacco cultivation, which thrived in the fertile soils of the region. Historic Port Tobacco, the county seat of Charles County from 1658 to 1895, was an active port until that portion of the river became silted and unnavigable. As the Port Tobacco River silted up, the historic town’s tobacco trade declined. Port Tobacco’s prominence faded, and the town gradually diminished in size and importance.
Slavery in Historic Port Tobacco
Slavery in Maryland was not as widespread as in some of the Southern colonies, such as Virginia or South Carolina, but it was nonetheless a critical institution. Enslaved individuals in Maryland worked in various capacities, including agriculture, domestic service, and skilled trades. They endured harsh conditions, exploitation, and the denial of basic rights and freedoms.
In Port Tobacco specifically, there were likely enslaved individuals working on plantations and in households, contributing to the local economy and the wealth of slaveholders. The town’s history is thus intertwined with the broader narrative of slavery in colonial and antebellum America.
Following the abolition of slavery in the United States after the Civil War, Port Tobacco, like many other towns in the region, underwent significant changes.
Today, Port Tobacco is renowned for its historical significance and preservation efforts. The area is a slice of Maryland history, offering insights into colonial life, the tobacco economy and the early development of Maryland. Despite its small size, the town features several notable historical sites and landmarks, among which is Stagg Hall.
Historic Port Tobacco’s Stagg Hall
Stagg Hall, one of the oldest buildings in Port Tobacco, echoes the town’s rich historical heritage. This historic home dates back to around 1766 and is an excellent example of colonial architecture. Two merchants built it as the headquarters for their mercantile business, and one room has been recreated into a colonial-era general store. The house is representative of the type of homes erected by merchants and other prosperous citizens throughout the Chesapeake during second half of the 18th century
The house and the surrounding village provide a vivid glimpse of colonial life, featuring period furnishings, artifacts, and gardens that reflect the era’s horticultural practices.
One of the interesting stories about this historic house is how its paneling was lost and regained. During the Great Depression, it was not unusual for wealthy art museum patrons to purchase historic period rooms for art museums. That’s what happened in the early 1930s. A Pauline Palmer, a Chicago socialite, purchased Stagg Hall’s handcrafted wooden paneling, molding and built in corner cupboard in the house’s Parlor Room from then owner Lucilla Barbour. Workman carefully dismantled the room in Stagg Hall and re-installed it in the Art Institute of Chicago. Eventually the art museum dismantled and stored the room. When the Historic Port Tobacco became an historic site, the house museum purchased the paneled room and brought it back to Stagg Hall.
Efforts are still underway to preserve its heritage and educate visitors about its past, including its connections to slavery.
Know Before You Go
Getting there: 8430 Commerce St, Port Tobacco, MD
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, April – December 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Website: historic Port Tobacco Village
Looking for other great things to see and do in Southern Maryland?
- AnnMarie Sculpture Garden and Holiday Lights
- Battle Creek Cypress Swamp
- Black Swamp Creek Kayaking
- Blue Heron B&B
- Calvert Cliffs State Park
- Calvert Maritime Museum
- Cove Point Lighthouse
- Indian Head Rail Trail
- Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary
- Kings Landing Kayaking
- Nanjemoy Creek Kayaking
- Piney Point Lighthouse
- St Clements Island State Park