Colt’s Neck (18PR950)

The Colt’s Neck Property consists of approximately 53 acres of land located at the corner of Race Track Road opposite its intersection with Jericho Park in Bowie, Maryland. The Colt’s Neck Site (18PR950) comprises an area of 0.75 acres within this property.

Historic documents indicate that the site was owned and occupied by the family of Joseph Colbert (nee Joshua Calvert) from 1874 until 1946. The Colberts were ante-bellum free-black family who were listed in census records as employed as railroad, post office, and farm laborers during this period. While Joseph Colbert originally obtained the property jointly with his two brothers, it was he that consolidated a number of separate parcels to create the larger land holding that his family resided upon until the 1940s.

Fieldwork was completed in two field sessions; the excavation of 5 1x1 meter units followed by the excavation of 83 close-interval shovel test pits and four additional 1x1 meter units. These test units resulted in the identification of a core site area consisting of the likely location of the former dwelling of the Colbert family, as represented by a linear alignment of several large stones and an underlying linear dark stain which is likely part of the foundations of such a dwelling, as well as the identification of a more ephemeral portion of the site possibly associated with either yard scatter or artifacts that have been repositioned through plowing.

The artifact assemblage included 1,930 architectural artifacts, 32 clothing related, 11 personal/activity related, 2 arms related, 19 tobacco related, 58 faunal, 543 ceramics, 1,193 glass fragments and 202 miscellaneous (including modern) items.

The site is recommended eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D based on its potential to provide information concerning the lifeways of a typical family of African-American laborers during the Post Bellum Period. As such, it is recommended that the site not be impacted by the development and should be preserved in place in accordance with the requirement of the PGCPD and Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Commission.

(Edited from Ward et al. 2009 and archeological site survey form, Maryland Historical Trust)