Lake Overlook Drive between Water Port Court and Lake Overlook Place, Lake Arbor, MD 20721
301-627-1286; TTY 301-699-2544 (Archaeology Program)
301-454-1780; TTY 301-454-1472 (Black History Program)

HISTORY

From the 1600's to the mid-1800's, large tobacco plantations dominated the economic and social life of Prince George's County. One of the most prominent plantations in the county was Northampton. Today, all that remains of Northampton are the ruins of the main plantation house, outbuildings, and two slave quarters.

In 1673, Charles Calvert, Esq., the third Lord Baltimore, granted Northampton Plantation, a 1000-acre tract of land, to Thomas Sprigg. Northampton was the home of the Sprigg Family and their slaves and servants for nearly 200 years. In 1865, Dr. John Contee Fairfax (Lord Fairfax, Baron of Cameron) purchased Northampton, which served as a working farm until the 1950's.

For almost 300 years, African-Americans lived and worked at the Northampton Plantation. Archaeological excavations, historic documents, and oral histories provide information and knowledge about the past lives of slaves and tenant farmers at Northampton.

The Descendant Community
Numerous descendants of 18th and 19th century slaves and tenants who lived and worked at Northampton still reside in Prince George's County. Many have linked their past to a common ancestor, Elizabeth Hawkins, who lived at Northampton during the 19th century. Two descendents, James and Raymond Smith, lived in a former slave quarter with their grandmother, Susie Smith, in the 1920's. James and Raymond Smith moved away in the mid-20s, but often visited their grandmother during the summer months into the 1930's. Oral histories, along with artifacts discovered during excavations and historical documents, help to provide a detailed picture of life at the two quarters during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Archaeology at Northampton:
The archaeology at Northampton has uncovered valuable information about the architecture of the two former slave quarters. In addition, through the analysis of artifacts such as pottery, animal bones, glass bottles, tobacco pipes, and cooking equipment, archaeologists have gained insight into the everyday lives of the slaves and tenants who lived at Northampton. These findings enable archaeologists and historians to draw conclusions about daily life, the amount of independence that existed in the slave quarter, and the transition from slavery to tenant farming in Prince George's County, Maryland.