As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area (SMNHA) hosted Southern Maryland 250: Liberty and Legacy, a milestone celebration honoring the region’s role in the American story and charting a course for its future. More than 200 attendees gathered at the Thomas Stone National Historic Site for an event that marked SMNHA’s most significant moment since its launch in 2023.
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md, the lead sponsor of the 2022 legislation that established the SMNHA, delivered the keynote address. In his keynote, Sen. Van Hollen traced Southern Maryland’s outsized role in shaping American liberty — from Indigenous stewardship of the land to the first codification of religious freedom in 1649 — and called on all Americans to tell that story fully and honestly as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
“Together, we celebrate this milestone for Southern Maryland as we look ahead to a bright future. We are proud to unveil the roadmap that will preserve and share the historic, cultural, and natural resources that make Southern Maryland one of the most remarkable places in the entire country,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen in his keynote remarks. “This region’s importance is not limited to the past. Southern Maryland continues to contribute through scientific research and innovation, environmental stewardship, military service, and economic development. Each of the heritage area sites tells these Southern Maryland stories, and together, this landscape tells a story unlike any other in the United States.”
SMNHA partners also previewed a 10-year master plan that will guide the preservation of the region’s historic, cultural, and natural resources, while expanding heritage tourism and driving economic growth across Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and southern Prince George’s Counties. The plan was shaped in part by input from over 200 residents and community leaders who participated in a public forum last year, and by numerous public meetings and outreach over the past three years.
The SMNHA Master Plan is under Technical Review by the U.S. National Park Service and will be released this summer for public review and comment, allowing residents, business owners, and stakeholders to review the draft and directly influence its final priorities.
“As we celebrate the nation’s 250th, this is also a defining moment for Southern Maryland. We’re working to bring more visitors and investments to communities, main streets, and cultural sites across all four counties,” said Lucille Walker, executive director of the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area. “Today, we are letting people know that this Master Plan will be released for their input and ideas this summer, providing an opportunity to shape a plan that will carry Southern Maryland’s legacy forward.”
Walker added, “Southern Maryland’s story is central to America’s story, and we are celebrating that today.”
SMNHA partners also gathered for the dedication of a Maryland Liberty Tree, a tulip poplar—and living symbol of the nation’s founding—planted on the grounds where Thomas Stone, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, once lived. The tree is a direct scion of the last surviving Liberty Tree from the Revolutionary era, which stood in Maryland until 1999. The tree joins a network of 23 others being planted in each of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City in 2026 through the Maryland Liberty Tree Project.
The Liberty Tree dedication also acknowledged that Southern Maryland’s story begins long before the founding era. Chairman Francis Gray of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe reminded attendees that the role of Tulip Poplars evolved over time, and for the Piscataway people, provided resources to live and thrive as stewards of this land for millennia.
“Freedom, from a Tribal perspective, is to live under a process of self-determination,” said Francis Gray, Tribal Chairman of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe. “The ancestors of this sapling provided a space for the idea for one to exercise their voice. For the Piscataway, the Tulip Poplar gave itself entirely. Its bark covered our longhouses, its body provided the resources for our dugout canoes, and its blooms provided a reminder that Spring has arrived after a long winter. However, for its survival, for our survival, we must ensure that it’s respected and nurtured, symbolically and physically. “
The celebration featured early American musical performances by David and Ginger Hildebrand, live jazz by Ellington Carthan Quartet, and an exhibitor lane showcasing heritage, cultural, and conservation partners from across the region at the Thomas Stone National Historic Site. It is one of nine national parks and historic sites within the SMNHA, which are critical to attracting visitors, supporting local economies, and ensuring the region’s most significant stories are preserved and interpreted for future generations.
“National heritage areas are the National Park Service at its best. Especially as we’re heading toward the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, they bring people of all walks of life together to reflect on our long, sometimes beautiful, sometimes difficult history,” said Alan Spears, Senior Director of Cultural Resources, National Parks Conservation Association. “The Southern Maryland National Heritage Area, and its national parks and historic sites are now more important than ever, and I look forward to working with all the partners to continue preserving it for the future.”
The Master Plan represents more than a preservation strategy; it is an economic development plan. Statewide, the Heritage Area Program, which includes SMNHA, generates $2.4 billion in annual economic activity and supports more than 40,000 jobs. More than $5.1 million is returned directly to local communities each year through the program, a $7 return for every $1 invested. Today’s milestone positions Southern Maryland to capture a greater share of that impact for its small businesses, Main Streets, and rural economies.
Residents and stakeholders who wish to help shape the heritage area’s next chapter are encouraged to visit destinationsouthernmaryland.com/management-plan for updates on the upcoming public comment period.
About the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area – As a newly designated National Heritage Area, the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area represents Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and southern Prince George’s Counties with a mission to enhance the region through innovative heritage tourism experiences, comprehensive cultural and natural resource conservation, and excellence in educational opportunities. To learn more, visit our website.
About the Maryland Liberty Tree Project – The Maryland Liberty Tree Project is a coalition of statewide leaders including the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area, the Maryland Heritage Areas Coalition, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Preservation Maryland, the Maryland Center for History and Culture, and the Maryland 250 Commission. Formed in 2025, the Maryland Liberty Tree Project aims to amplify Maryland’s legacy in shaping the American story and encourage the shared responsibility of democracy. Learn more about the coalition at www.mdlibertytree.org.
