PARK OVERVIEW
Thomas Stone National Historic Site, located in Port Tobacco, Maryland, was created in 1978 to preserve the home and estate of Thomas Stone, one of Maryland’s four signers of the Declaration of Independence. Stone was a conservative politician who was in favor of working out a compromise with England, but once that outcome was deemed hopeless, he was a full supporter of independence and backed whatever actions were necessary to secure it, including war. He was later elected to the Second Continental Congress and helped draft the Articles of Confederation, the new nation’s first constitution. He is largely forgotten today, but you can learn his story while visiting the park.
Stone’s Haber de Venture home and grounds are open to the public. The house can only be visited on a Ranger-guided tour, but the grounds are open for self-exploration. Some of the original outbuildings still exist and can be seen on a 2-mile trail that leads around the property. The Stone Family cemetery is also open for visitation.
Note: The National Park Service uses the spelling Haberdeventure despite the fact that when the property was registered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, the form submitted to the Department of Interior used the spelling Habre de Venture. The earliest document bearing the name comes from 1685 and uses the spelling Habberdoventure. The deed from Stone’s purchase of the property calls it Habber Adventure. However, Habre de Venture is the spelling used in nearly all references to the estate. The only place you will find the spelling Haberdeventure is at the Thomas Stone National Historic Site.
OPERATING HOURS
Thomas Stone National Historic Site is typically open from March until the week before Christmas, Thursdays through Sundays from 10 AM to 4 PM. The exact opening and closing dates change each year, so before making travel plans be sure to visit the park’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for the latest schedule.
FEES
There is no fee to visit Thomas Stone National Historic Site.
SCHEDULING YOUR TIME
Visitor Center
allow 30-45 minutes
House Tour
allow 1 hour
Grounds Hike
allow 1.5 hours
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on April 19, 2020