Melwood Park

Melwood Park is a historic home located near Upper Marlboro in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It is a -story, Flemish bond brick structure, with Georgian details. As of 2009, it is undergoing an extensive restoration. This unique dwelling was visited by George Washington on several occasions and the British Army camped here during their march to Washington, D.C. in August 1814, during the War of 1812.Melwood Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.Ownership historyThe house is significant for its early owners, some of the most prominent men in all phases of the life of colonial Maryland; the Digges, Carroll, and Lee families. The home was originally believed to have been built by Ignatius Digges (1707–1785) c. 1750, and subsequently raised to its present two stories by his widow, Mary Carroll Digges, in about 1800. Recent dendrochronology performed on the roof rafters of Melwood Park suggest an earlier construction date. The confirmed felling date of the timbers used in construction of the roof date to the winter of 1713 and spring of 1714. At the time Melwood Park was owned by Henry Darnell Jr. (1682–1737) who owned an adjacent 7000acre plantation known as His Lordship's Kindness. His father, Henry Darnall (1645–1711), had earlier built nearby "The Woodyard."