Photo by Madhu Rajaraman. The University of Maryland, College Park, alma mater of creative minds such as Jim Henson, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Prince George’s County.

Published on: Wednesday, June 23, 2010

By Madhu Rajaraman

The Prince George’s County Convention and Visitors Bureau has recently launched a new website, www.historicprincegeorges.com, in an effort to provide a “one-stop shop” of resources for county residents and visitors alike, said Matt Nietzey, Executive Director of the Prince George’s CVB.

The site launched in late May to commemorate Historical Preservation Month, Nietzey said. “We really wanted to do more to promote the historic resources of our county.”

Nietzey said that Prince George’s county is already a popular destination, particularly in the summer. Reunions of families, churches and various other organizations are very popular this time of year.

This large family reunion market allows for tremendous opportunities via the Department of Parks and Recreation—and also lends itself to a web site of its own, www.reunioncapitalusa.com.

In addition, Nietzey helps manage a general tourism site called www.visitprincegeorges.com.

But the goal of the new site is not simply to attract tourists—it is to educate families and children about the rich cultural and historical attractions they might not already be aware of.

“We have so many fascinating things that make our county unique,” Nietzey said. “For instance, Mary Surratt, the first woman to be hanged in the United States—that happened here in PG County. The Surratt House in Clinton is one of those things that people might not know about.”

Nietzey said that the county has definitely received a positive response to the new website.

The University of Maryland is one of the most popular attractions here, but others, such as the College Park Aviation Museum and the Laurel Dinosaur Park also offer fun educational opportunities for families and kids.

Ed Day, director at the Riverdale House Museum, collaborated with Nietzy to create the new site.

Day said the historical tourism website came out of a need that arose in the community. He pointed out that although groups such as the Prince George’s Historical Society existed, such groups were often limited to members only.

“There was no comprehensive list available to the members of the community,” Day said. “Now we have a web site that’s available to the public, and it unifies our county.”

On the new site, the public can find museums, events and heritage tours for just about any time period—ranging from the War of 1812 to as recent as the 20th century. Viewers can narrow their search by specific town, or even by subject area, such as Native American history.

“We were just elated to have this,” said Day. “It’s a great tool to have.”