At one point in the history of Lexington Park, there was a
segregated USO building located at the intersection of Rt 235 and
Lincoln Ave. The building was a public center for black soldiers
who worked at the Paxtuxent River navy base. “The exact date
when the building was built is missing from the records of Public
Works and Transportation, the agency entrusted with looking after
county property, but Karen Everett, county spokesperson cited a
Maryland Historical Trust Historic Sites Survey, which said that
the building began construction in 1943 and was ready for
occupation in late July and August of 1944.” Here young Black
service members and contractors would meet, have fun and relax.
Over the years, the 7400 square foot building was used for many
other purposes including head start and the health department.
After the health department left, the building remained unoccupied
for approximately 20 years.
In the 2000s, a community organization, Save the Village, Inc.,
was formed to turn this structure into a museum highlighting the
contributions of Black service members and contractors.
Unfortunately, the county commissioners deemed that the building
was too far gone to renovate and it was torn down in 2007.
At some point in the future the county has promised to place a
memorial here remembering this historical significance of not only
this building but the lives the enjoyed themselves within its
walls.
Nearby caches to visit include:
GCMRJH School's Out
The list of caches and the passport can be downloaded here.
I needed to replace the cache as the original one came up missing.
The coordinates are going to be slightly off.