St. Mary's County Garden Club
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St. Mary’s County, the first area discovered by Englishmen and women on Maryland Day, March 25, 1634 is a place to visit during the Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage (MHGP) tours. This is where the new colony that would become Maryland was established. Leonard Calvert and 140 fellow pilgrims brought to our State the belief in religious freedom. A large cross erected on St. Clements Island in the Potomac River marks the site of the original landing and first celebration of mass by these Roman Catholic colonists. Afterwards they relocated to St. Mary's City, the first seat of Maryland's colonial government prior to moving the capital to Annapolis in 1694/5.
Newtowne Manor House is a perennial favorite on the MHGP tour. Its’ fascinating evolution from a 1720 structure to house the fledgling Jesuit community to a Georgian two and a half story unoccupied brick building illustrates the history of the rights to practice religious freedom in the Free State of Maryland. MHGP works in conjunction with local garden clubs and non-profits to showcase architecturally significant properties and gardens in Maryland. St. Mary’s Garden Club showcased Newtowne Manor House in the 2018 St. Mary’s County tour and proceeds from the tour helped the continued efforts to restore the Manor House. The Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage is fortunate to have private home owners and non-profit organizations share their properties. It is a unique opportunity to see homes built on the water’s edge, such as Dragonfly on Breton Bay, where tour attendees enjoyed its series of garden rooms. |