Good morning, St. Mary’s. 👋
Today is National Milk Chocolate Day, which means eating a Hershey bar before lunch technically counts as observing a national holiday. I don’t make the rules.
The weekend calendar is surprisingly quiet this week. This is one of those rare weekends when the county collectively decided to take a breather, but we’ve got some exciting things to share.
Let’s get into it.
🧐 The County Quiz
How well do you know St. Mary’s history? This one has a good local twist. Take your best shot.
Want the full story behind the answer? Scroll to the bottom for the details.
Which downtown Leonardtown building still has an old duckpin bowling alley hidden on its second floor?
📣 New: The Insider’s Guide to St. Mary’s County
Every week, somebody moves here and immediately has the same questions: Where do I set up trash pickup? Which part of the county makes sense for my commute? And why does a trip across the bridge require a little advance planning?
The Insider’s Guide to St. Mary’s County is my free answer to all of that. It is built by people who have lived here for years, for people who have not yet learned the hard way.
The practical stuff: Internet, trash pickup, schools, and getting settled.
The local geography: How Lexington Park feels different from Mechanicsville, realistic commute times, the bridge, and when Route 235 is best avoided.
The first-call list: A searchable local resource directory for the inevitable “we need a person for this” moment, from plumbers to pediatricians to the closest emergency vet.
The good part: Where people actually shop, eat, and spend a free Saturday once the boxes are gone.
It is not a relocation brochure full of addresses you could have searched yourself. It is the local context that makes this place easier to figure out. The goal is less time hunting down trash pickup and more time enjoying a soft-shell crab sandwich in peace. Send it to the next person you hear is moving here.
Know someone who is moving here? Spread the word and share it with them. (Click Here)
🏡 Around the County
📚 A Mobile Bookstore Is Opening at The Barns at New Market: Lantern & Quill is bringing books to the market in Mechanicsville, with a ribbon cutting Saturday at 11 AM. It is a mobile bookstore, which feels like a dangerous amount of convenience for anyone who already owns too many books. (Guilty)
🧸 A New Early Learning Academy Is Coming to Leonardtown: The former Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy is being converted into a YMCA-operated childcare center for infants through pre-K. It is expected to open in August and serve about 100 children.
🥪 Charleys Cheesesteaks Is Planned for the Old Burger King: The Great Mills Road property is headed for a $1.5 million redevelopment that is expected to bring Charleys Cheesesteaks & Wings and 30 to 35 jobs. There is no opening date yet.
🏁 Potomac Speedway’s Promoters Will Step Away After 2026: The current season will continue as scheduled, but the promoters say 2026 will be their last year running the track. No successor has been announced.
🎨 The Carver Community Arts Center Is Taking Shape: The planned 5,000-square-foot arts center and makerspace is aiming for a fall opening, with a ribbon cutting scheduled for November 17.
🩺 Health Officials Issued a Measles Exposure Alert: The Maryland Department of Health confirmed two cases and identified three possible public exposure locations. Check the dates and locations if you were out locally during the listed windows.
🚌 The Back-to-School Timeline Is Starting to Move: The first day for most SMCPS students is August 26. Charter school students begin August 11.
🏅 Forrest Center Students Placed in the National Top 10: Students from the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center earned six top-10 finishes at the national SkillsUSA competition. They competed in health care, facilities management, agriculture, dental assisting, engineering technology, and audio production.
💅 Love Nails & Bar Is Holding Its Grand Opening in Charlotte Hall: Love Nails & Bar celebrates its grand opening Tuesday at Charlotte Hall Station, near the new Weis. If your nails have been begging for attention, consider this your sign.
🥪 Jersey Mike’s Is Joining Charlotte Hall Station: The sandwich shop is part of the tenant lineup for the development beside the new Weis. There is no opening date yet, so don’t start planning the giant-sub run just yet.
⭐ The Top Pick
Saturday, August 1 | 5:30 PM @ James P. Muldoon River Center / Teddy Turner Waterfront, St. Mary’s City
The Governor’s Cup shore activities get an evening centerpiece: a waterfront luau with a buffet, Hawaiian music, hula dancers, and a Polynesian fire performance. It is a memorable way to catch the race-weekend energy after the boats begin arriving.
Tickets are $50 in advance or $60 at the door.
☕ Insider Spotlight (Sponsored)
More Than What’s in the Listing
A good local real estate agent should tell you more than a listing does. They should understand the commute, the neighborhoods, and the details that determine whether a house fits your life.
That is the approach Melissa Rodriguez brings to her work at SOMD Home Sales and RE/MAX One in California. She works with buyers and sellers across Southern Maryland, guiding clients with clear communication, honest feedback, and local insight you cannot pull from a search filter.
Melissa is a Military Relocation Professional, making her especially well suited to help military families and newcomers find their footing here. She also serves as a St. Mary’s County Director for the Southern Maryland Association of REALTORS®, keeping her connected to the local market and community.
She is also a wife, mom of two, Pilates enthusiast, and Goldendoodle owner. Clients describe her as responsive, organized, and willing to go the extra mile and tell them what they need to hear. She remains a resource after closing and donates a portion of her commission to a charity chosen by her clients.
If a move is on your horizon, visit SOMDHomeSales.net or call or text Melissa at 301-904-6490.
🗓️ Your Weekly Calendar
Wednesday, July 29
Guided Golden Hour Kayak Paddle | 6:15 PM to 8:15 PM @ Greenwell State Park, Hollywood. A guided evening paddle timed for the quieter end of the day; advance registration is required.
Pilgrimage to the Land of Colonial and Early American Catholicism | Through Friday, July 31 @ Historic St. Mary’s City. A multi-day pilgrimage exploring early American Catholic history at the place where Maryland began.
Thursday, July 30
The SpongeBob Musical | 8 PM @ Three Notch Theatre, Lexington Park. Newtowne Players brings Bikini Bottom to the stage, with performances continuing through Sunday.
Friday, July 31
Family Fun Friday: Maryland Mammals | 9 AM to 11 AM @ Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons. Learn about Maryland’s native mammals with a themed craft and activities for kids.
The Market at MedStar St. Mary’s | 10 AM to 2 PM @ MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtown. Shop local produce, prepared food, honey, and other goods in the hospital’s front parking lot.
R.A.D. Women & Teens’ Self-Defense Class | 2 PM @ Leonardtown Library. The first session of a free two-day practical self-defense course for women and teens.
St. Mary’s County National Lawn Mower Races | Gates at 4 PM; Trials at 5 PM; Racing at 7 PM @ Bowles Farms, Clements. Friday night opens the county’s annual mower-racing weekend.
Ridge, White & Blue | 5:30 PM to 9 PM @ American Legion Post 255, Ridge. An America 250 celebration supporting St. Michael’s School and Ridge Elementary.
Line Dancing with Lisa | 6:15 PM to 8 PM @ Port of Leonardtown Winery, Leonardtown. Country and pop line-dance instruction, plus open dancing between lessons.
Saturday, August 1
Southern Maryland Smoke 23: Live Boxing | Doors at 2 PM; fights start at 3 PM @ The Rex, Leonardtown. Knowledge Boxing Center hosts a day of amateur boxing. Food and drinks will be available.
First Saturday Market | 9 AM to 4 PM @ Town Market, Leonardtown. The monthly market returns with local makers, food, and small businesses.
Season’s Eatings: Pickling Workshop | 10 AM to 12 PM @ Historic St. Mary’s City. A hands-on workshop covering the basics of preserving the summer harvest.
R.A.D. Women & Teens’ Self-Defense Class | 10 AM @ Leonardtown Library. The free two-day course continues with its second session.
Lantern & Quill Ribbon Cutting | 11 AM @ The Barns at New Market, Mechanicsville. Welcome the new mobile bookstore and browse its first local setup.
Changing Landscapes Tour | 1 PM to 2 PM @ Historic St. Mary’s City. A guided walk through how the landscape around Maryland’s first capital changed over time.
St. Mary’s County National Lawn Mower Races | Gates at 3 PM; racing at 6 PM @ Bowles Farms, Clements. The annual mower-racing weekend’s Saturday main event.
Governor’s Cup Shore Activities & Waterfront Luau | Waterfront activity throughout Saturday; luau at 5:30 PM @ St. Mary’s City. Watch the boats arrive, then stay for a ticketed buffet, Hawaiian music, hula dancers, and a Polynesian fire performance.
Sunday, August 2
SoMD Cars & Coffee | 8 AM to 11 AM @ Laurel Glen Shopping Center, California. A relaxed Sunday morning lineup of cars, coffee, and people willing to discuss horsepower before breakfast.
🎳 Leonardtown’s Bowling Alley Hiding Upstairs
Walk into Social Coffeehouse for a latte and you would not guess there is an old duckpin bowling alley sitting upstairs. But there it is, quietly taking up space above one of downtown Leonardtown’s busiest corners.
The building is the Duke Building at Fenwick and Washington, built by Roland B. Duke in the 1920s. It was reportedly Southern Maryland’s first reinforced-concrete building and the place where the region saw its first talking movie, which is a fairly strong résumé for a building most people now associate with coffee.
The second floor hosted graduations, parties, and receptions before duckpin lanes went in around 1930. Over the years, the building has been a grocery store, restaurant, Greyhound depot, bar, natural-foods store, and florist. Leonardtown has been keeping a bowling alley above its coffee shop for nearly a century. That feels on brand.
🤝 Trusted Local Partners
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That’s your Insider for this week.
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