Upper Marlboro: History, Nature, and Equestrian Sports

Upper Marlboro brings together historic sightseeing, nature experiences, and equestrian sports as different travel interests. To plan your trip, you can first decide whether you want to focus on the history of individual homes, a hiking trail, or an equestrian event.

Historic Homes and Sites

Darnall's Chance House was built in 1742 for James Wardrop. Throughout its history, Darnall's Chance served as the residence of several prominent tobacco merchants; it opened as a museum in 1988. Visitors can tour Darnall's Chance and the Lettice Lee House to learn about the lives of colonial women. The visit therefore focuses both on the history of a home and on a specific aspect of life at the time.

Darnall's Chance is located on the War of 1812 Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail and the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Trail. The Upper Marlboro Residential Historic District is also part of the area's historic character and covers about 83.5 acres. This area figure complements the history of individual buildings with that of the larger district.

Other historic landmarks include Trinity Episcopal Church and Kingston. The church was built in 1846 on the site of an earlier 18th-century Presbyterian meetinghouse. Kingston is generally considered the oldest surviving building in Upper Marlboro. The recorded dates distinguish between construction and use: Darnall's Chance House was built in 1742, the church was built in 1846, and Darnall's Chance opened as a museum in 1988.

Nature and Outdoor Activities

At Merkle NRMA, the Paw Paw Trail is a specific hiking option: the trail is 1.2 miles long, flat, family-friendly, and rated easy. The Frank Oslislo Visitor Center at Merkle NRMA, on the other hand, can only be visited by prior reservation. Since the reservation process may change, check it before your visit.

At Jug Bay Natural Area, primitive tent camping is available at four small group sites and one site near the river. The campsites are open year-round; reservation requirements may change. They are near several hiking trails and can be reached on foot from the river. For planning purposes, it makes a difference whether you are looking for a designated, easy-rated trail or planning an overnight tent stay with several campsites and nearby trails.

Equestrian Sports and Events

Prince George's Equestrian Center offers facilities for rent year-round for local, regional, and national equestrian events. The availability of individual events may change. Spectators can watch events for free; event rules may also change. So if you want to plan your trip around a particular date, check the event calendar and the applicable spectator terms in advance.

The site of today's Prince George's Equestrian Center and The Show Place Arena has been used for horse racing since the mid-18th century. This connects today's focus on events with the site's long history of equestrian sports.

Discover more destinations: Largo, Temple Hills, Capitol Heights, Hillcrest Heights, Bowie, Lanham-Seabrook, Greenbelt, Cheverly.

For the broader travel overview: Prince George's.