Thomas Stone National Historic Site
Encyclopedia
The Thomas Stone National Historic Site, also known as Habre de Venture or Thomas Stone House, is a United States
National Historic Site
located about 25 miles (40 km) south of Washington D.C. in Charles County
, Maryland
. The site was established to protect the home and property of Thomas Stone
, one of the 56 signers of the United States Declaration of Independence
. His home and estate were owned by the Stone family until 1936.
Descendants of Thomas Stone continued to own Habre de Venture until 1936 when the land was sold.
The house was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1971.
The property was privately owned until 1977 when a fire severely damaged the central section of the house. Habre de Venture was authorized as a National Historic Site a year later in 1978 and was purchased by the National Park Service
in 1981. Restoration efforts on the historic structures began at this time but the house was not opened to the public until 1997.
Today, a visitor center
located at the site has exhibits on the Declaration of Independence and the life of Thomas Stone. Guided tours of Habre de Venture are also offered. In 2008, the Thomas Stone National Historic Site ranked 344th among 360 sites where the National Park Service tracks attendance with 5,720 visitors.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Historic Site
National Historical Park
National Historic Sites are protected areas of national historic significance in the United States. A National Historic Site usually contains a single historical feature directly associated with its subject...
located about 25 miles (40 km) south of Washington D.C. in Charles County
Charles County, Maryland
Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 146,551. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. The site was established to protect the home and property of Thomas Stone
Thomas Stone
Thomas Stone was an American planter who signed the United States Declaration of Independence as a delegate for Maryland. He later worked on the committee that formed the Articles of Confederation in 1777...
, one of the 56 signers of the United States Declaration of Independence
United States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
. His home and estate were owned by the Stone family until 1936.
History
Stone purchased Habre de Venture in 1770 and began construction of a new home in 1771. Stone's original plan was to build a small, modest home for him, his wife, and their two daughters but before the house was completed, his father died and five of his younger brothers and sisters came to live with him at Habre de Venture creating the need for larger living quarters. During the 1780s, the Habre de Venture plantation probably supported about 25 to 35 people including a number of slaves. By the time of Stone's death in 1787, Habre de Venture had increased in size from 442 acres (1.79 km2) to 1077 acres (4.36 km2). Stone was buried in the family cemetery adjacent to his home.Descendants of Thomas Stone continued to own Habre de Venture until 1936 when the land was sold.
The house was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1971.
The property was privately owned until 1977 when a fire severely damaged the central section of the house. Habre de Venture was authorized as a National Historic Site a year later in 1978 and was purchased by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
in 1981. Restoration efforts on the historic structures began at this time but the house was not opened to the public until 1997.
Today, a visitor center
Visitor center
A visitor center or centre , visitor information center, tourist information center, is a physical location that provides tourist information to the visitors who tour the place or area locally...
located at the site has exhibits on the Declaration of Independence and the life of Thomas Stone. Guided tours of Habre de Venture are also offered. In 2008, the Thomas Stone National Historic Site ranked 344th among 360 sites where the National Park Service tracks attendance with 5,720 visitors.
External links
- National Park Service: Thomas Stone National Historic Site
- Habre de Venture, Charles County, including undated photo, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Habre de Venture, Rose Hill Road, La Plata vicinity, Charles County, MD: 14 drawings, 5 photos, 1 data page, at Historic American Building Survey
- Habre de Venture, Tenant House, Rose Hill Road, La Plata vicinity, Charles County, MD: 2 drawings, 1 data page, at Historic American Building Survey
- Habre de Venture, Wagon House, Rose Hill Road, La Plata vicinity, Charles County, MD: 1 drawing, 1 data page, at Historic American Building Survey
- Habre de Venture, Main Barn, Rose Hill Road, La Plata vicinity, Charles County, MD: 5 drawings, 1 data page, at Historic American Building Survey
- Habre de Venture, Corn Crib, Rose Hill Road, La Plata vicinity, Charles County, MD: 3 drawings, 1 data page, at Historic American Building Survey