Market Master's House (Bladensburg, Maryland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Market Master's House
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Market Master's House, June 2009
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 Location in District of Columbia
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| Location | 4006 48th St., Bladensburg, Maryland |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | c. 1765 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 90000553 |
| Added to NRHP | March 29, 1990 |
The Market Master's House is an old stone house built in the 1700s. It is located in Bladensburg, Maryland, in Prince George's County, Maryland. This house was built around 1765. At that time, Bladensburg was a busy port where ships carried tobacco.
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A Glimpse into Bladensburg's Past
The Market Master's House is important because it shows what the town of Bladensburg was like in the 1700s. A man named Christopher Lowndes bought the land for this house in 1760. He also built another nearby house called Bostwick.
People thought this house might have been used by tobacco inspectors. These inspectors would have checked the tobacco before it was shipped. However, there is no clear proof that a "Market Master" worked here. Even so, this house is one of only four buildings left from that important time in Bladensburg's history.
What the House Looks Like
The original part of the house is made of stone. It is about 25 feet long and 20 feet wide. It has a sloped roof and is one and a half stories tall. The stones used to build it are not from the area. People think these stones might have been brought by ships as ballast. Ballast is heavy material used to keep a ship steady. This is why the house is sometimes called the "Ship's Ballast House."
Inside, the first floor has one room and a staircase in the corner. The second floor also has one room. Around 1920, a small two-story kitchen was added to the west side. A one-story shed-like addition was built on the south side. More changes and updates were made in 1956.
Digging Up History
In 2009, archaeologists studied the house. The Maryland State Highway Administration and the Center for Heritage Resource Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park helped with these digs. They looked for old items buried around the house. This helps us learn more about how people lived there long ago.
A Registered Historic Place
The Market Master's House is a very old and important building. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. This list helps protect important places in the United States.
- Market Master’s House, Prince George's County, Inventory No.: PG:69-8, including photo in 1987, at Maryland Historical Trust website
