“Shot after shot tore through the massive brick mansion.” That is how a Virginia artillerist described Snowden Hall during the Civil War. Today, we stand before Snowden Hall a historic house on the grounds of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. It is outside Laurel in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Snowden Hall’s story is one of family, fire, and eventual government use. It began with Richard Snowden in the 18th century. He built the original Snowden Hall on a portion of a 10000-acre land grant from King Charles II. The Snowden family held slaves. It is known that more than a hundred slaves gathered at Snowden Hall to listen to Bible readings on Sunday mornings.
Sometime between 1812 and 1816, fire struck. The Hall burned. It was rebuilt as “Rose Cottage.” Later in the 1850s, Rose Cottage was raised to a full two stories. Former slave quarters and a large barn stood on the east side of the property into the 1930s.
But disaster struck again. The main component of the Snowden manor house was devastated by fire in 1926.
The property was purchased and renovated for government use in 1936. It served first as apartments and later as an office building. The low flanking wings were built at that time. Bricks from the pre-Civil War Duvall plantation house “Gladswood” were used. It stood on the southern section of the research center lands. The renovation completely reworked the interior in the Colonial Revival style.
Interestingly, during the Civil War, Confederate artillerists directed fire from here. In December 1862, they targeted Federals operating south of the Plank Road. During the second battle, Confederate infantry occupied rifle pits at and near Snowden Hall.
Snowden Hall stands as a reminder of a complex past. It is a past encompassing family legacy, the institution of slavery, Civil War conflict, and government service. It is a history etched in brick and stone. The building embodies a narrative of change and adaptation. The Georgian brick house has been a home to three generations of the Snowden family. It became the headquarters of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Snowden Hall remains a significant landmark in Prince George’s County.