Marietta (Glenn Dale, Maryland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Marietta
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 Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | 5626 Bell Station Rd., Glenn Dale, Maryland |
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| Area | 24 acres (9.7 ha) |
| Built | 1812 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 94000729 |
| Added to NRHP | July 25, 1994 |
Marietta is a special historic house and former tobacco farm in Glenn Dale, Maryland. It is located in Prince George's County, Maryland. This site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
The Marietta House Museum includes the main house, built in the Federal style. It also has a cemetery, a root cellar, and a harness room. You can also see the original law office of Judge Gabriel Duvall. The museum covers 25 acres of what was once a much larger property. Today, visitors can explore the grounds and tour the buildings. They can learn about the lives of both free and enslaved people who lived and worked here.
History of Marietta House
Marietta is a two-and-a-half-story brick house. It was built between 1812 and 1813. The house is a great example of the Federal style of architecture. It has a classic "I-house" design.
The main part of the house has five windows across the front. The front door is in the middle. A two-story wing was added to the back around 1832. The house stands on pretty, landscaped grounds. There are also two other old buildings nearby. These include a brick law office and a stone and brick room for storing roots and harnesses.
Who Built Marietta?
Enslaved people built Marietta under the direction of Gabriel Duvall. He was born in 1752 and died in 1844. Duvall was a very important person in Maryland. He worked as a lawyer and served in the Maryland legislature. He was also a U.S. Congressman and the U.S. Comptroller. From 1811 to 1835, he was a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Life at Marietta for Enslaved People
The Duvall family held many people in slavery at Marietta. This continued until Maryland ended slavery in 1864. This happened with the Maryland Constitution of 1864.
Between 1812 and 1865, many enslaved people lived and worked at Marietta. There were usually between nine and forty enslaved individuals each year. Several generations of families were enslaved here. These included the Duckett, Butler, Jackson, and Brown families. After Justice Duvall passed away in 1844, his family continued to live at Marietta until 1902.
Marietta House Museum Experience
The Marietta House Museum is managed by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. It is part of the Parks and Recreation of Prince George's County. The house is set up to show what life was like for three generations of the Duvall family. It also shows the lives of the people they enslaved and employed.
The museum works to share the stories of the enslaved families. These individuals lived and worked at Marietta in the 1700s and 1800s. Since 2004, Marietta has been part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. This network highlights places important to the history of the Underground Railroad.
What You Learn at the Museum
The museum's goal is to explore and share the connections between all the people who lived and worked at Marietta. It also focuses on their descendants. The museum wants to work with the community. They create discussions, exhibits, and programs. These efforts help promote fairness for everyone.
Guided tours at Marietta House Museum teach visitors about the relationships between enslaved people and their enslavers. These relationships were shaped by the laws of the time. Visitors learn about the histories of enslaved families. These include the Ducketts, Jacksons, Browns, and Butlers. They also learn how these families sought freedom. Some tried to escape, others used the courts, or gained freedom through deeds.
Gallery
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Marietta House Museum in August 2007
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Gravesite of Justice Gabriel Duvall
