Upper Marlboro, Maryland, the county seat for Prince George's County, has spanned five centuries, from 1695 until the present, standing out as one of the oldest surviving European settlements in the United States. Upper Marlboro was known in earlier years as Marlborough Town, a period during which it was designated a port town, then later as Upper Marlborough to differentiate it from Lower Marlborough in Calvert County. Ultimately, its name was shortened to Upper Marlboro in the late 19th century for convenience.
This image is a sample from this collection. The Upper Marlboro Opera House is one of those landmarks that was almost lost to history. There is no drawing of the building, but a remaining artifact reveals that, on September 14, 1752, the Beggar's Opera was performed there. Not much is known about the building itself. The town historian suggested that the opera house may have been in a tobacco warehouse across the street from the current post office. Interestingly, the belief is that this opera house was the first in the nation featuring accompaniment by an orchestra/music. This is representative of Upper Marlboro's role as a cultural center in the 18th and 19th centuries.
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“Upper Marlboro Opera House”
