Religious Freedom Byway
The Quest for Religious Tolerance

Departure: Historic St. Mary's City, Maryland
Destination: Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Maryland
Time to allow: 1 day

On this day-long tour of the Religious Freedom byway, you'll encounter sites that reflect the vision settlers of the fourth earliest colony brought to North America--religious tolerance and the separation of church and state. Though overwhelmed at the time by religious rivalry and conflict, these concepts became the founding principles of the U.S. Constitution.

You will begin your journey at the colony’s birthplace, St. Mary’s City, and then trace the struggle for religious freedom to two of the earliest parishes at Chaptico and Chapel Point. The story evolves at Port Tobacco with the growth and prosperity of the tobacco markets and leads to the Thomas Stone National Historic Site, home of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and predecessor to the colonists who would codify the separation of church and state in our Constitution.

Day 1

  • Start: Historic St. Mary's City

    Begin your byway explorations in the initial settlement and first capital of Maryland and the fourth permanent settlement in North America--St. Mary’s City. Stop at the Welcome Center for ideas on what to do in this historic city including visiting some of the many museums, going on historic district walking tours, and enjoying the outdoors on a boating or fishing adventure. Spend a minimum of two hours here before continuing on to the next stopping point.

  • Stop 1: St. Clement's Island Museum

    From previous stop: 51 minutes / 30 mi (48.0 km)
    Directions:

    Follow MD-5/ Leonardtown Rd. for 18 miles. Turn left onto MD-234 Budds Creek Rd. for 3.5 miles. Turn left onto MD-242/ Colton Point Rd. for 1.9 miles. Turn left onto MD-470/ Oakley Rd. for 3.8 miles. MD-470/ Oakley Rd. becomes MD-242/ Colton Point Rd. for 3 miles. Turn left onto Point Breeze Rd. for .1 miles. End at Saint Clements Island, MD.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour

    Arrive at the Island Museum, which focuses on the English history and the religious and political issues of the 16th and 17th centuries. Discover the vision of George Calvert, the First Lord Baltimore, to found a religiously tolerant colony, and his son’s implementation of this vision during your visit.

  • Stop 2: Christ Episcopal Church, Chaptico

    From previous stop: 23 minutes / 13 mi (20.8 km)
    Directions:

    Turn right onto MD-242/ Colton Point Rd. for 3 miles. Turn slight right onto MD-470/ Oakley Rd. for 3.8 miles. Turn right onto MD-242/ Colton Point Rd. for 1.9 miles. Turn left onto MD-234/ Budds Creek Rd. for 4.2 miles. Turn slight left onto MD-238/ Maddox Rd. for 0.1 miles. End at Chaptico, MD.
    Suggested time at this stop: 30 minutes

    When you arrive at the Christ Episcopal Church, pick up a self-guided tour. Follow the tour to learn the story of Chaptico as an important port of entry on Chaptico Bay. Visit the adjoining cemetery to let the headstones tell their 18th-century stories.

  • Stop 3: St. Ignatius Church, Chapel Point

    From previous stop: 35 minutes / 18.5 mi (29.6 km)
    Directions:

    Turn left onto US 301, Crain’s Highway for .4 miles. Turn right onto Edge Hill Rd. for .2 miles. Stay left to remain on Edge Hill Rd. for .4 miles. Turn right onto Popes Creek Rd. for 3 miles. Turn left onto US 301 for 1.1 miles. Turn left onto Irving Rd. for .6 miles. Irving Rd. becomes Chapel Point Rd. for 1.6 miles to St. Thomas Manor.
    Suggested time at this stop: 30 minutes

    Adjacent to Chapel Point State Park, which is great for hunting and boating, you'll find St. Ignatius Church. While you are visiting the historical church and graveyard, learn about Chapel Point's interesting and significant story as an early Jesuit manor, which developed over the entire colonial period interpreted by the byway.

  • Stop 4: Port Tobacco

    From previous stop: 7 minutes / 3.9 mi (6.2 km)
    Directions:

    Continue north on Chapel Point Road for 3.9 miles. Turn left and follow the signs into the restored Courthouse site.
    Suggested time at this stop: 30 minutes

    Stop at Port Tobacco and you'll set foot on one of the oldest communities on the East Coast of the United States. It first existed as the Native American settlement of Potopaco, was colonized by the English 1634, and became a major port. Visit what remains of this historical town identified today as Port Tobacco Village. Learn about new findings revealed by ongoing archaeological investigations. Tour the site, and a costumed docent will share with you the town's early history.

  • End: Thomas Stone National Historic Site

    From previous stop: 3 minutes / 1.75 mi (2.8 km)
    Directions:

    Start out going north on Chapel Point Rd. toward Causeway Rd. for 0.2 miles. Turn sharp left onto Port Tobacco Rd./ MD-6. for 0.3 miles. Turn right onto Rosehill Rd. for 1.2 miles.

    Your final stop on this byway journey is the former home of Thomas Stone, one of four Maryland signers of the Declaration of Independence and member of the Continental Congress. Stop by and learn of the Stone family's influence on social political and economic development of the region from early settlement through the Revolution.

Totals for Day 1

Total Distance Traveled: 67.15 miles / 107.4 km
Total Travel Time: 1 hour 59 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 2 hours 30 minutes