Nanjemoy, MD – Once the site of a proposed nuclear power plant, Douglas Point State National Resources Management Area in Nanjemoy is one of Southern Maryland’s hidden jewels.
Located on the western shore of Charles County, not only does this park offer a three-mile hiking trail, there are other unique features, including the remains of an 18th-century structure, Potomac River shoreline and cliffs, but also an impressive array of wildlife.
In the 1970s, it appeared that the area was fated to become sand and gravel pit. A nuclear power plant was also proposed for the location.
Local citizens fought these plans and lobbied to have the site preserved.
In 2001, U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the state of Maryland jointly acquired the 1,270 acres which make up the site, which has a varied history.
Human habitation dates back thousands of years on the property.
A Civil War encampment of around 25,000 troops who were stationed there occupied the site during the War Between the States.
All that remains of a house built by Francis Shepard in 1798 are the twin chimneys of the structure. Rev. William J. Chiles owned the home between 1841-1874.
Signage on the site explains the history.
After a brisk hike of three miles, walkers are rewarded by their arrival on the shoreline of the Potomac River. There is a steep grade hike down to the cliffs, or picnickers can walk a little ways to the left and find their picnic table waiting for them on a hill overlooking the river.
In May 2015, Maryland Congressman Steny Hoyer helped secure $2 million to preserve land at Douglas Point, which is funded through the Bureau of Land Management within the Department of the Interior.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Land and Water Conservation Fund during a visit to Douglas Point during that announcement, calling the little-known park “a treasure in our midst.”
Explore for yourself Southern Maryland’s hidden treasure.
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com
The park’s physical address is: 9699 Route 224 (Riverside Road), Nanjemoy, MD 20662.
