Restoring and preserving Rich Hill is a monumental task made possible only through the weaving together of multiple sources. The Commissioners of Charles County, owners of the property in tandem with the Historical Society of Charles County (HSCC) Friends of Rich Hill, have gathered many community organizations to make this a “rich” tapestry of many threads.
Preservation in Progress
The Friends of Rich Hill have sewn together many state and local government agencies to ensure the site adheres to the rigorous standards of historic preservation and interpretation. We are proud to partner with Charles County Government, who provides essential oversight, planning resources, and administrative support for the project, including the Charles County Historic Preservation Commission and Charles County Tourism.
Critical guidance on archaeological integrity and restoration accuracy comes from The Maryland Historical Trust (MHT). Preservation Maryland and Southern Maryland Heritage Areas Consortium have validated this project with their continued financial support in form of grants.
Added to this matrix, The Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland helps conduct regular digs on the property, uncovering artifacts that shed light on the enslaved populations and daily life of the 18th and 19th centuries that further develop our sense of time and place. Presented to citizens, they offer a hand-held piece of tangible “real” history. Collaborations with the College of Southern Maryland allows students and teachers to engage in internships and credit-bearing projects that add to and enrich our narratives and leave lasting impressions embroidered on our minds.
None of this is possible without the countless individuals, some nameless, who are the essence of this endeavor, not only strategic but vital to its success.
“If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday”… Pearl Buck.
Our mission is amplified through close collaboration with local historical societies. The Historical Society of Charles County has been instrumental in providing research, artifacts, and context for the Rich Hill site.
We also work with the Preservation Maryland organization, leveraging their expertise in advocacy and funding to ensure the long-term viability of the restoration efforts.
Together, these alliances form a protective network around our shared heritage.
Rich Hill is not just a static monument; it is a living classroom. We actively partner with educational institutions, diverse nonprofits and commercial entities. A quilt of many partners, all coalesce for a common goal, to keep history alive. Be it oral histories provided by the African American Heritage Society of Charles County or up close and interactive reenactments by the Wallace Bowling Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Rich Hill binds together our divergent stories and viewpoints. A patchwork of groups such as the Charles County Garden Club, Dr. Samuel Mudd Society, Port Tobacco Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Southern Maryland Civil War Roundtable, The Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco and Thomas Stone Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution are some of the many anchoring stitches that zig-zag across the raw edges of our past.
Overlay these with assistance from the Farm Heritage Conservancy, General Society of Colonial Wars, Maryland Veterans Museum at Patriots Park, Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Maryland, The Surratt Society, Advanced Architectural General Contracting, LLC and Shore United Bank and you see we padded with an abundance of resources.
Preserving the heritage of Southern Maryland
