A visit to Accokeek, Maryland | National Colonial Farm at Piscataway Park | A lovely place for a day

Accokeek (/ɑːkˈəkiːk/), "at the edge of the hill" in Algonquin,[3] is a census-designated place (CDP) located in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The CDP is located on the Potomac River, borders Charles County and is approximately 17 miles from Washington. It is a part of the Washington metropolitan area. The population of the CDP, as of the 2010 United States Census was 10,573, making it the 118th most populous place in the state of Maryland.

While the area around Accokeek was occupied by Native Americans since approximately 2,000 BCE, John Smith was the first European to settle the area in 1608. In 1990, the United States Census Bureau officially made Accokeek a CDP.

The area around Accokeek had been occupied since around 2000 BC; however, the first permanent village was established in c. 1200 AD by the Piscataway tribe.[4] Captain John Smith was the first European to see the Accokeek area. In 1608, he sailed the Potomac River and found the Moyaone village.[5] At the time of the discovery, Moyaone was the seat of government for the Piscataway Tribe.[6] The village of Moyaone disbanded and the population migrated to other tribes before other Europeans settled the area.[7]

In mid-17th century, settlers were purchasing large plots of land for farming. The Native Americans were upset that the settlers were wearing-out the land due to farming various crops, which led to multiple battles between the two. Between 1675 and 1682, the Native Americans left the area as a result of losing.[4]

In 1861, Accokeek was still rural, and agriculture was the main economic factor for the place. Tobacco was the main crop planted.[8] During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Accokeek sympathized with the Confederacy. According to the 1860 Census, the area around Accokeek had a slave population of 1,600 (52.6%). There were multiple Confederate spies in the area, including Thomas Harbin who open a hotel in the area and had plans to kidnap then-President Abraham Lincoln.[9]

Henry and Alice Ferguson settled in Accokeek when they purchased Hard Bargain Farm overlooking the Potomac River in 1922 as a vacation retreat.[10] Between 1935–39 Alice Ferguson initiated archaeological excavations. A fort from the Susquehannock people, which was demolished in 1675, was found.[11] In 1957, US Senator Frances P. Bolton founded the Accokeek Foundation. The Foundation was used to purchase 200 acres (81 ha) of land in Piscataway Park to help preserve the area.[12] Much of the community west of Route 210 is designated the "Moyoane Reserve" and contains mid-century, individually-designed homes on minimum 5-acre wooded lots. Community educational attractions include Hard Bargain Farm (Ferguson Foundation) and the National Colonial Farm (National Park Service), which are listed below under "Parks and Recreation." Both these sites have numerous special events, including an annual Oktoberfest, and a "theater in the woods". In 1960, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) wanted to build a water treatment plant in Mockley Point, which was Accokeek shoreline. Since it would disrupt the view of Mount Vernon and Fort Washington Park, various people and organizations protested against it.[4] In 1961, a law was signed by President John F. Kennedy in order to designate 133 acres (54 ha) around Mockley Point as a national landmark. Both the Accokeek Foundation and the Alice Ferguson Foundation donated another 505 acres (204 ha) to the landmark.[13] As a result, WSSC was not allowed to build the plant there;[4] however, a plant was built in the 1960s in the surrounding area.[14][15]

In 1990, Accokeek officially became a CDP when the US Census Bureau defined the place's boundaries.[16] In 2008, eight people were killed in an illegal street race.[17]

National Colonial Farm at Piscataway Park

Source: Wikipedia