Events - Event View

The cannon which sits outside the Old Jail in Leonardtown is one of the few remaining artifacts from the Ark which, along with the Dove, brought the first settlers to Maryland in 1634.

Presented to the Historical Society in 1959 by the then Provincial of the Jesuit Order, the cannon has sat outside the Old Jail and adjacent to the County Court House since 1960. Over that sixty-three year span, it has eroded badly. The Historical Society does not want to allow this important piece of County and Maryland history to be lost forever.

Thus, through a generous grant provided by Destination Southern Maryland and the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area, the Historical Society will remove and transport the cannon to Jefferson-Patterson Memorial Park for restoration. In addition, Historical Society volunteers will build an historically appropriate carriage and is examining alternative sites for its placement in keeping with its history and importance.