Friends of Point Lookout
An Organization Promoting the Preservation of and public education about historical sites at Point Lookout State Park.
The Friends of Point Lookout is a non-profit organization that promotes the preservation of and public education about historical sites at Point Lookout State Park, Md. These historic sites include but are not limited to the American Civil War era defensive works, hospital and prison camp.
The Friends of Point Lookout organization has provided thousands of hours of volunteer time as well as generous financial assistance for the Park’s historic and museum sites. Their contributions have included a printer/copier machine, microfiche reader, shelving, security alarm system, interactive audio systems, display construction and display cases for the Park’s Civil War museum. The organization recently donated several original photographs and carte de visite images of members of the original staff of Point Lookout to the museum. Additionally, the Friends of Point Lookout have assisted the staff of the State Park to overcome operational budgetary shortfalls through the purchase and donation of maintenance equipment and building materials including heavy-duty lawn and brush mowers, paint, lumber, signage and general cleaning materials.
The Friends of Point Lookout have also constructed a research library housing individual records of Union garrison soldiers, patients at Hammond Hospital, Prisoners of War at Camp Hoffman, doctors, nurses and contraband that lived and worked at the military facilities at Point Lookout during the Civil War.
Finally, the organization has enabled selected park staff to attend various educational seminars and programs through its educational sponsorship program.
The Friends of Point Lookout have been instrumental in sponsoring high quality living history presentations and programs for the park such as the “Blue and Gray Days” event and “Candlelight Tours.” The organization also participates in Point Lookout State Park’s annual Halloween “Ghost Walk.” Additionally, each spring, they host school field trips for junior high school students from around the Southern Maryland area. Working closely with members of the local school boards and with local teachers, these field trip activities have been specifically designed by the Friends of Point Lookout to enhance and build upon the classroom curriculum the students have already received regarding Civil War history in Maryland. Many members of the Friends of Point Lookout are Black Powder Weapon Safety, certified by the National Park Service. This allows the organization to perform rifle and artillery fire demonstrations for students and other visitors to the park.
The Friends of Point Lookout began their preservation efforts during 1978 when they began clearing the site of Fort Lincoln, the largest and the only surviving Civil War era defensive work in Maryland. When the restoration process was begun, none of the original buildings or fixtures belonging to Fort Lincoln remained. Time, weather and general misuse had all taken a toll on the site. Over the years the site had been eroded by the action of the Potomac River, subjected to several hurricanes and winter nor’easters, and in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s had been used as a garbage dump for a nearby CCC camp. Walls had collapsed, buildings rotted away, bridge and the sally port had been obliterated by the ravages of time. The task of making a full restoration at first seemed out of the question. Initial efforts simply hinged on arresting the effects of the weather and halting the deterioration. However, during the research phase of the process, the original blueprints for Fort Lincoln were located in the National Archives. At this time it was decided to attempt a full restoration of the site. Using these invaluable documents, the Friends of Point Lookout have been able to restore Fort Lincoln to its original wartime appearance. Bridge, walls, sally port, gates, cannon ramps, firing steps, two officers quarters, enlisted barracks, and guard house have all been reconstructed using 19th century materials and techniques.
Likewise, the site of Camp Hoffman, the Civil War Prisoner of War camp has been identified, cleared and reconstruction begun. To date the Friends of Point Lookout have reconstructed a corner of the original enclosure, palisade wall, guard’s catwalk, main prison pen gates and several hundred feet of the prison “dead line.” Future plans include the reconstruction of some of the prison site buildings to include one of the cookhouses, and the Provost Marshal’s office.
The Friends of Point Lookout have also embarked on the task of confirming, cataloguing and expanding upon the official list of Confederate soldiers and sailors held prisoner at Camp Hoffman. Using original source research materials such as muster rolls, letters, diaries etc., as well as secondary sources such as regimental histories, the Friends of Point Lookout have to date added several hundred names to the official list of men held in the camp. This effort is ongoing to this day. It is the intention of the organization to make the new list available in print form to the Point Lookout Research Library.
Research by members of the Friends of Point Lookout has also revealed that Point Lookout was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad, transporting escaping slaves from bondage in Virginia to freedom in the north. The Friends of Point Lookout, are currently submitting an application to the National Park Service to have Point Lookout officially named a site on “Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.”
For their efforts in the reconstruction of the Ft. Lincoln Barracks and Prison Pen, the Friends of Point Lookout recently earned the St. Mary’s County Historic Preservation Award. The Friends of Point Lookout also earned the State of Maryland’s Volunteer Service Award for their work in living history and educational programs. The organization has also been awarded several Maryland State Arts Council Grants for a unique program of Civil War music and dance staged at the park for the past several years. This program has met with tremendous success within the community and continues to grow.
The goal of the Friends of Point Lookout is neither to relive nor to glorify the exploits that occurred during the Civil War. Rather, it is to honor and remember ALL of those brave and courageous men from BOTH sides of the conflict who gave the “last full measure” to fight and die for what they believed in.
For additional information, contact the Friends of Point Lookout, care of Point Lookout State Park, P.O Box 48, Scotland, MD 20687.
Fort Lincoln Prison Escapes Hospital