Prince George's County, MD
The Walk of History"We walk in the footsteps of those who went before us."
The 300th anniversary of the founding of Prince George's County Maryland, was celebrated on April 23rd, 1996. Three hundred years before, in 1696, a new county had been created from lands formerly in Charles and Calvert counties. Since Maryland was an English colony, this new county was named in honor of Prince George of Denmark, the husband of England's Queen Anne.
At the time of this Tricentennial Celebration in 1996, many community groups throughout Prince George's County cooperated to create a lasting monument to commemorate the county's rich and diverse culture rivaled by few other counties in the country. The motto, "300 Years: At Home in History", was chosen to express this community's belief that all residents, past and present, have enriched the heritage of this county they call "home".
The "Walk of History" was conceived as an enduring artifact-a beautifully paved plaza between the County Administration Building and the County Court House. It reminds us that our collective history is important; we walk in the footsteps of those who went before us; but we may also make our own mark in our community, leaving footsteps for others to follow. Citizens, businesses and organizations have contributed bricks with memorial inscriptions. Those inscribed bricks are arranged around granite center stones bearing the names and dates of historically significant Prince Georgians.
Begun in 1996 by the Tricentennial Celebration Committee, the "Walk of History" is an ongoing walk through history and is currently organized by the Prince George's County Historical Society. Persons and groups are encouraged to become a part of this history as new sections of the brick walkway will be installed through time. For more information please contact the Prince George's County Historical Society.
On September 15, 1952, twelve interested citizens met at Riversdale in what is now Riverdale Park, Maryland, and founded the Prince George's County Historical Society. Since then, the Society has grown in numbers and programs, its underlying mission to preserve and foster an understanding and appreciation of the history and heritage of Prince George's County.
Headquartered at
Marietta House Museum* in Glenn Dale, Maryland since 1985, the Society also houses the Frederick S. DeMarr Memorial Library of County History.
*Riversdale and Marietta House Museum are both owned and operated by the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission.
The right side of the marker are portraits and a short biography of three significant figures in the history of Prince George's County: Daniel Carroll II; Sarah Miranda Plummer Clark; and Jim Henson with his Muppets.Daniel Carroll II (1730-1796)
A native of Upper Marlboro in Prince George's County, Daniel Carroll II was appointed to the Executive Council of Maryland and served in the state senate. He was also a delegate to the Continental Congress, a signer of the United States Constitution and an elected Representative to the first United States Congress. Carroll was appointed by President George Washington as a surveyor for the District of Columbia, and served on its first Board of Commissioners.
Sara Miranda Plummer Clark (1842-1905)
Sara Miranda Plummer was born at
Three Sisters plantation in central Prince George's County. Her mother was a slave on that farm while her father was owned by the Calvert family and lived on the
Riversdale plantation in what is now Riverdale Park. When Sarah was eighteen, she was abducted, sold and carried south to New Orleans. Six years later, after the Civil War, Sarah's brother [Henry Vinton Plummer] found her and brought her to her parents' home at Riversdale. On the night of her return, a vigil was held to give thanks and this marked the official founding of St. Paul's Baptist Church.
Jim Henson (1936-1990)
James Maury Henson was born in Mississippi and moved with his family to Prince George's County, Maryland in the 1940s. While attending Northwestern High School in Hyattsville and the University of Maryland at College Park, Henson first created the forerunners of the Muppets, including a version of what was to become his signature character, Kermit the Frog. He subsequently became one of the most important and influential puppeteers in American history as well as a television producer and filmmaker known worldwide.
Comments 0 comments