Information
Landmark: La Plata Historic DistrictCity: Annapolis
Country: USA Maryland
Continent: North America
La Plata Historic District, Annapolis, USA Maryland, North America
Overview
In La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, the La Plata Historic District buzzes with life, its streets lined with buildings that trace the town’s story from 18th-century brick facades to early 20th-century storefronts, subsequently the district stands as proof of the region’s growth, especially after La Plata claimed the county seat in the late 1800s, when dusty streets began to fill with recent storefronts.It safeguards everything from compact, weathered cottages to grand estates, many listed on the National Register of Historic Places for their striking design and rich history, as a result a closer view at the standout historic properties in La Plata Historic District 1, from weathered brick storefronts to century-classical homes.The Exchange, built around 1778, is a modest home with weathered brick walls that quietly tell the story of late 18th-century vernacular design, on top of that the house is a narrow, one-story frame with a gambrel roof, built in a plain, sensible style for a family of modest means-just enough space for a kitchen that smells faintly of bread and wood smoke.Inside, the woodwork shows off the era’s craftsmanship, with smooth, hand-carved edges you can almost feel, to boot on the property stands a tobacco house from the late 1700s, a weathered reminder of how deeply tobacco farming shaped Maryland’s economy back then.The site also includes a 20th-century garage, a sturdy little well house, and a swimming pool-clear signs of how the venue changed over the years while holding on to its historic heart, subsequently the Exchange captures the feel of a farming life that once shaped the region, back when fields stretched to the horizon and factories were unheard of.In 1984, its listing in the National Register of Historic Places made the recognition official, sealing its destination in history like a name etched into stone, in turn number two.Actually, Built around 1847, the Hermitage is a Federal-style home that stands out as one of La Plata’s more ornate mid‑19th‑century designs, its white columns catching the afternoon sun, while the two-story, three-bay frame building rises beneath a dormered gable roof, its extra space tucked under sloping shingles and its charm catching the eye.What catches your eye first is the deep wraparound veranda, its shade cool even at noon, held aloft by sturdy Tuscan columns that merge classical grace with Southern charm, in addition major George W, fairly Built the Hermitage, raising its stone walls by hand under the fiery Tennessee sun, in addition matthews was a well-known local figure, tending his cornfields by day and arguing cases in court by night.In the 1890s, Matthews was key to shaping La Plata, pressing hard to move the Charles County seat from Port Tobacco-a sleepy riverside town-to La Plata, in addition the home’s generous size and intricate trim reflect La Plata’s rising prosperity and pride in those years, like a town eager to show off freshly painted porches.In 1998, the Hermitage earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, a recognition of its deep roots in the town’s past-where worn brick steps still lead to its weathered front door, what’s more number three.Locust Grove, also called Beech Neck, is a historic plantation-style home just outside La Plata, its white columns catching the afternoon sun, equally important part of this house was built before 1750, its beams darkened with age, making it one of the oldest buildings still standing in the area.Around 1825, the house grew larger, its clean lines and symmetrical windows echoing the Federal style that was all the rage in early 19th-century America, after that the house rises two stories, its three bays balanced in perfect symmetry, with crisp, elegant details that echo the Federal style.From its perch, the house looks out over the Port Tobacco Valley, once a lifeline for trade and fields heavy with grain, as a result locust Grove served as both a home and a busy farm, its fields and barns echoing the rhythms of southern Maryland’s rural plantation life.As far as I can tell, Preserving it gives us a clear glimpse into the rhythms of early colonial life and the changes that shaped the post-colonial era, like the creak of a wooden floor in an heritage meeting hall, in turn in 1998, this property secured a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, its brick façade still warm in the afternoon sun.As it turns out, Number four sat in bold ink, a little smudge clinging to the edge of the page, subsequently built around 1854, Cedar Grove showcases late Federal style architecture, its design split into an uncommon three-part layout, like three neat blocks of sunlight on brick.The heart of the building is a two-story brick block, laid in common bond-a popular masonry style back then, with rows of red-brown bricks neatly stacked in repeating patterns, moreover a two-part east wing extends from the main structure, blending seamlessly with its design and handling everyday household tasks, like storing garden tools.Francis Boucher Franklin Burgess built the house, a prominent local figure whose family shaped the town’s social life and economic growth, often seen hosting gatherings under the aged oak by the porch, at the same time the property holds a cluster of outbuildings-two massive barns once filled with grain and livestock, a smaller cattle barn, and a scatter of sheds stocked with tools and supplies.Cedar Grove captures the thriving farm life of mid-19th-century Charles County, along with the genteel routines of its landowning class-it’s easy to imagine the scent of fresh hay drifting across its fields, and in 1979, it earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, its name etched into the record like ink on ancient parchment.The La Plata Historic District showcases a rich mix of architecture and history, with everything from weathered colonial farmhouses to stately Federal and ornate Victorian homes, meanwhile it stands as a tangible record of La Plata’s journey-from dusty farm fields to the bustling heart of county government and trade.Over nearly two centuries, the district’s buildings have showcased shifting construction methods, changing styles, and the ebb and flow of southern Maryland’s fortunes-brick facades weathered by salt air tell part of the story, moreover in 1895, Charles County moved its seat to La Plata, a turning point that sparked modern growth-storefronts rising along dusty roads and fresh opportunities taking root.Within the historic district, you’ll find many homes and public buildings built during this boom, their brick walls still warm in the afternoon sun, as a result saving these buildings lets us glimpse the lives of the town’s first residents-farmers hauling wheat sacks, merchants tallying coins, and civic leaders drafting plans by lamplight.Just so you know, Homes, farm buildings, and antique civic halls stand together here, forming a seamless historic landscape that offers a vivid window into Maryland’s past, not only that ongoing preservation keeps La Plata’s character intact, protecting its integrity so future generations can still feel the grit of its streets and hear the echo of its history.
Author: Tourist Landmarks
Date: 2025-10-06
