National Register of Historic Places

Bostwick

Bladensburg, Prince George's County, Maryland
Listed
August 18, 1975
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75002082

About this property

Bostwick is a historic home located a short distance below Lowndes Hill, the present-day property of Bladensburg Elementary School in Bladensburg, Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. According to its date plaque, it was built in 1746 by Christopher Lowndes (1713-1785). The house was later the home of Lowndes’ son-in-law, Benjamin Stoddert (1751-1813), first Secretary of the Navy. Colonel Thomas H. Barclay (Tory in the American Revolution; brother-in-law of Lt. Colonel Beverly Robinson; first British consul appointed in New York after the peace of 1783; British agent for prisoners of war in War of 1812) resided at "Bostwick," the oldest surviving structure at Bladensburg. Located nearby is the Market Master's House, also built by Lowndes. Bostwick is a 2+1⁄2-story brick structure laid up in Flemish bond. A basement and ground level lies under the entire house. The gable roof, with dormer windows, is slightly belled at the eaves. The main (west) facade is five bays with a central doorway. A one-story porch extends across the front, and the pedimented central bay of the porch projects forward. "C.L. 1746" in wrought lead painted black is embedded high in the south chimney. Also on the south side is a distinctive buttress added about 1800 by Stoddert, who was concerned about a crack in the wall on that side of the house. At the base of the buttress are two dungeons or cells. A gable-roofed common bond brick detached kitchen stands northeast of the house. Southeast of the house are several 19th-century outbuildings and a barn. Bostwick was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The house suffered damage to the north chimney and roof in the August 2011 east coast earthquake. In 2012, Preservation Maryland placed Bostwick on its list of threatened historic properties.

Location

3901 48th St.
Bladensburg, Prince George's County, Maryland
38.93777, -76.93443

Categories

COMMERCEARTMILITARYPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Market Master's House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Hilleary, William, House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Peace Cross
Listed
0.3 mi
Washington, George, House (Additional Documentation)
Industrial
0.4 mi
Hilltop Manor
Industrial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Burning of Washington DC — Battle of Bladensburg
1814Early Republic
0.3 mi
Battle of Bladensburg (Burning of Washington)
1814Early Republic
0.3 mi
Battle of Bladensburg
1814Early Republic
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bostwick listed on the National Register?

Bostwick was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 18, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Bostwick?

Bostwick is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bostwick?

The period of significance for Bostwick is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Bostwick?

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