Thomas Stone NHS

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Flat Hat Award trip➢

Each year, the NPTC recognizes a park ranger or volunteer for outstanding service. Club members nominate individuals who made their park visits memorable. The club officers host a meetup at the winning park unit. In April, we travelled to Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts for the award ceremony for Ranger Will. On this mini road trip, Patty and I squeezed in 5 new NPS units, including the Thomas Stone House.

  • Fort Washington Park
  • Thomas Stone NHS
  • Piscataway Park
  • Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts
  • Manassas NBP

Thomas Stone NHS➢

We arrived at Thomas Stone National Historic Site with about 30 minutes before the afternoon tour began. The visitor center volunteers greeted us warmly. They were thrilled to hear about the NPTC and the Flat Hat award ceremony we were attending nearby. Their excitement added a personal touch to our visit. We spent a few minutes talking with them before watching the park film, which gave a great overview of the site’s significance.

Afterwards, we walked the grassy path from the visitor center to the historic house, Haberdeventure. The path led us past the family cemetery, where old gravestones marked the resting places of generations. The Stone family lived on this estate from the 1700s to 1936. Their contributions to Maryland and the nation were remarkable.

Thomas Stone signed the Declaration of Independence and helped draft the Articles of Confederation, which led to the Constitution. The family also produced two governors, a congressman, a merchant who raised money George Washington’s vision of Washington DC, and a lawyer who defended Dr. Mudd in the Lincoln assassination conspiracy trial.

The ranger met us at the house for our tour. As we stepped inside, he explained that this was considered a mansion by colonial standards. He shared stories of the Stone family and pointed out original pieces, like a carved breakfront. His wealth of knowledge enabled him to answer all of our questions. After the tour, we spent some time exploring the grounds and taking photos to capture the beauty and history of the site.

Location: 6655 Rose Hill Road, Port Tobacco, Maryland
Designation: National Historic Site
Date designated/established: November 10, 1978
Date of my visit: April 26, 2024