Panel 1:
Welcome to Salubria
This location, Salubria, was a historic site. It has intact archaeological evidence of Woodland Era Indian encampments from 1300-1600 A.D. The Piscataway-Conoy was one of the tribes that frequently inhabited the region. In 1687, Col.John Addison acquired acreage later called Oxon Hill, which he devoted to tobacco growing. Notably, during the Revolutionary War, John Hanson, one of the Presidents of the Continental Congress, died at Oxon Hill.
In 1830, John H. Bayne built a house called Salubria here on this land which had been carved from Oxon Hill. He was a prominent doctor, horticulturist, educator and politician. Bayne trained his slaves to assist him in the development of innovative methods to grow fresh produce for the nation's new capital.
The multi-faceted Salubria story is presented in the Memorial Garden. At the Garden is a public memorial dedicated to the Emancipation of all enslaved people in Maryland on November 1, 1864. Also, onsite is the Potomac River Heritage Visitors Center. It displays Salubria's history of racial and economic developments and directs visitors to nearby historic houses, farms and historic St. John's Broad Creek Church. Directions to the Gardens and Visitors Center are located on the mall directory.
[Rendering of Oxon Hill's "Salubria House"]
Panel 2:
You Are Standing at Historic Salubria
Following his 1827 marriage, Dr. John H. Bayne constructed a two story, columned, wood framed house a few feet from this marker. Over the years the house was expanded; the southward extension included a 5 by 18 foot, one-and-a-half story structure where Dr. Bayne practiced medicine. "Salubria" means "healthy, beneficial".
The slave population at Salubria grew from 3 or 4 in the 1830s to 19 as recorded in the 1860 census. There were three slave houses. Archaeology failed to identify them. One of the slaves was Judah, a 14 year old girl whose story was one of the most graphic and tragic in the annals of Maryland history.
Property records and archaeology have identified sites of a green house, dairy, pump house and farm storage buildings; none survived. Fire damaged and then destroyed the main house.
[Rendering of Oxon Hill's "Salubria House"]
Discover more of the Salubria story in the Potomac River Heritage Visitors Center and the Salubria Memorial Garden here at the Tanger Outlets at National Harbor. Directions to the Visitors Center and the Garden are located on the mall directory.
This plaque was produced by representatives of the African American Heritage Presentation Group, the Broad Creek Historic District and the community. ... Financed by The Peterson Companies and Tanger Outlets.
Dedicated: November 22, 2013
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