ST. MARY'S COUNTY, MARYLAND

Origin: What was to become St. Mary's County was land where the Conoy Indians lived. Here, the English settlement of Lord Baltimore's Maryland began with the arrival of the passengers who had set sail on the Ark and the Dove from the Isle of Wight on November 22, 1633. They landed at St. Clement's Island in the Potomac River on the southwestern side of present-day St. Mary's County on March 25, 1634. Now, the date of their landing is commemorated annually as Maryland Day.

St. Mary's, the first Maryland county, was established in 1637, probably by an order of the Governor. The County was named in honor of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Population (1990 Census): 75,974
Form of Government: County Commissioners
County Seat: Leonardtown, MD 20650