Bostwick House

Gazing upon Bostwick House, one might initially see only a grand Georgian mansion. But its walls hold stories far more intricate than its elegant Flemish bond brickwork. Bostwick House stands as a testament to the intertwined narratives of colonial prosperity and the often-untold suffering of those who made that prosperity possible. Built in 1746 by Christopher Lowndes, Bostwick House tells a complex story. Lowndes, a wealthy merchant, anchored a corner of Bladensburg’s burgeoning economy. The house sits at the center of what was once a vast 3,000-acre estate. Its very construction, using the expensive Flemish bond technique and detailed stonework, speaks to Lowndes’ wealth. Beyond the main house, simpler lodgings housed the enslaved Africans whose labor fueled Lowndes’ various enterprises. They toiled in the tobacco and wheat fields, shipyard, and within the house itself. Their forced labor underpinned the wealth that allowed Bostwick House to rise in all its grandeur. Lowndes’ wealth was built in part on the transatlantic slave trade. Between 1746 and 1770, he and his family invested in 37 voyages. These voyages carried over 9,600 enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, with a tragic 13.5% perishing during the brutal journey. This grim reality casts a long shadow over the elegant façade of Bostwick House. The house witnessed not only the growth of Lowndes’ family, but also pivotal moments in American history. The Battle of Bladensburg, a humiliating defeat for the Americans during the War of 1812, raged nearby. Enslaved people on the nearby Riverdale estate, also built by Lowndes, helped bury the battle’s dead. Over the years, Bostwick House changed hands, each owner leaving their mark. From landscape murals gracing the parlor to a curious collection of taxidermied elk heads, the house absorbed layers of stories. Structural changes, including a new porch and renovated staircase, further shaped its identity. Today, Bostwick House is a National Register of Historic Places site. It serves as a study site and restoration project for University of Maryland graduate students. Their work helps to preserve not only the physical structure but also the complex stories it embodies. It’s a story of wealth and exploitation, of architectural elegance and historical significance. Bostwick House stands as a reminder that even in the grandest of settings, the echoes of untold stories can still be heard.