La Plata, Maryland
La Plata is a town of 10,683 people in Charles County, Maryland, founded in 1888.
Why visit La Plata
Townapedia lists 17 museums and landmarks, 11 parks and trails, 37 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Mount Carmel Monastery, Green's Inheritance, Silver Linden Park and Tilghman Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 25°F.
Weather in La Plata
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About La Plata
La Plata is a town in Charles County, Maryland, United States. The population was 10,159 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Charles County.
From the Wikipedia article La Plata, Maryland (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks17
Mount Carmel Monastery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic monastery in Maryland, United States
Green's Inheritance
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
La Grange
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
House in La Plata, Maryland, United States
Linden
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
Locust Grove
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
Oak Grove
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic home in La Plata, Maryland
Pleasant Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
Port Tobacco Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic district in Maryland, United States
Rich Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
Rose Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic home near Port Tobacco in Charles County, Maryland, United States
Spye Park
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
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_at_Maryland_State_Route_6_(Charles_Street)_in_La_Plata,_Charles_County,_Maryland.jpg){kind=link}
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Stagg Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
5 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds11
Restaurants and cafes37
IHOP
Restaurant · Breakfast, Pancake · 1.2 mi
116 Rosewick Road, La Plata
Mo-Th,Su 07:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 07:00-24:00
Outback Steakhouse
Restaurant · American, Steak · 1.3 mi
6649 Crain Highway, La Plata
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.2 mi
6675 Crain Highway, La Plata
Mo-Fr 05:00-21:00; Sa 05:30-21:00; Su 06:00-20:30
25 more on the map.
Where to stay2
History
According to an unconfirmed local story, the town was named by one Colonel Samuel Chapman, whose family owned 6,000 acres (24 km2) of land in Charles County. The Colonel traveled to South America with his son George, who had contracted tuberculosis, in search of a cure. In his travels, the Colonel had apparently encountered the Río de la Plata, which flows through Argentina and Uruguay, thus naming a portion of his property "La Plata".
In the 1870s, a section of the Pennsylvania Railroad had been constructed through the town of La Plata, leading to its 1888 incorporation.
The La Plata courthouse had been built soon after the 1819 Port Tobacco courthouse caught fire in 1895 under suspicious circumstances. In 1904, the historic Christ Episcopal Church in Port Tobacco, which dates to 1683 and was reconstructed in 1884, was dismantled and its stones were then transported by oxen and cart to its current lot in La Plata.
In 1940, the opening of the then Potomac River Bridge (later, the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge), which carries U.S. Route 301 over the Potomac River, provided a link to King George, Virginia and brought long-distance east coast traffic through the town as an alternative to U.S. 1 and, later, Interstate 95. The bridge was replaced and widened in 2021.
From the History section of La Plata, Maryland on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship10
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 1.3 mi
201 Saint Marys Avenue, La Plata
Shopping8
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries30
Billingsley Elementary School
School · 4.5 mi
10069 Billingsley Road, White Plains
C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School
School · 5.9 mi
4800 Lancaster Circle, Waldorf
Dr. James Craik Elementary School
School · 3.7 mi
7725 Marshall Corner Rd, Pomfret
Healthcare5
Map of La Plata
125 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 25°F | 3.3 in | 5.0 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 26°F | 3.0 in | 6.2 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 33°F | 4.2 in | 1.8 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 42°F | 3.3 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 74°F | 52°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 66°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 64°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 58°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 46°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 36°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 29°F | 4.0 in | 2.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mechanicsville 5 Ne (14 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Charles County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-03-04: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2012-11-20: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2012-10-28: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Naval Support Facility Dahlgren (DGN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 15 miles away.
- Bensville 5 mi north, about 8 min by car
- Accokeek 9 mi north, about 15 min by car
- Brandywine 11 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
- Fort Washington 13 mi north, about 21 min by car
- Clinton 14 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Friendly 15 mi north, about 24 min by car
- Camp Springs 18 mi north, about 29 min by car
- Glassmanor 19 mi north, about 31 min by car
- Alexandria 20 mi north, about 32 min by car
- Hillcrest Heights 20 mi north, about 33 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- La Plata, Maryland (8146322119), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 2016-08-28 08 20 08 View west along Maryland State Route 225 (Hawthorne Road) at U.S. Route 301 (Crain Highway) in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2016-08-27 11 30 14 View west along Maryland State Route 6 (Charles Street) between Anne Arundel Avenue and Oak Avenue in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2016-08-28 12 52 42 View east along Maryland State Route 488 (La Plata Road) at Maryland State Route 6 (Charles Street) in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2016-08-27 11 30 24 View west along Maryland State Route 6 (Charles Street) at a railroad crossing just west of Kent Avenue in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- La Plata Maryland banner, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2016-08-27 11 30 43 View west along Maryland State Route 6 (Charles Street) at Willis Street in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2020-05-20 14 24 08 View south along U.S. Route 301 (Crain Highway) just north of Maryland State Route 6 (Port Tobacco Road-Charles Street) in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2016-08-27 10 49 37 View east along Maryland State Route 6 (Charles Street) at Saint Marys Avenue in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2019-05-22 15 50 48 View east along Maryland State Route 6 (Charles Street) just east of U.S. Route 301 (Crain Highway) in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2019-05-22 16 08 11 View east along Maryland State Route 225 (Hawthorne Road) at Pine Street in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2019-05-22 15 55 05 View north along U.S. Route 301 (Crain Highway) just north of Maryland State Route 6 (Port Tobacco Road-Charles Street) in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2019-05-22 15 57 53 View west along Maryland State Route 6 (Port Tobacco Road) just west of U.S. Route 301 (Crain Highway) in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2019-05-22 15 59 38 View south along U.S. Route 301 (Crain Highway) just south of Maryland State Route 6 (Port Tobacco Road-Charles Street) in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2020-05-20 14 21 40 View north along U.S. Route 301 (Crain Highway) just south of Maryland State Route 6 (Port Tobacco Road-Charles Street) in La Plata, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2020-05-21 14 29 09 View west along Maryland State Route 488 (La Plata Road) between Kerrick Drive and Grant Chapman Drive in Waldorf, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2020-05-21 14 28 44 View east along Maryland State Route 488 (La Plata Road) between Grant Chapman Drive and Kerrick Drive in Waldorf, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mt Carmel Monastery and Chapel Sept 09, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
- LA GRANGE, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Linden house as seen from the road, barely, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Port Tobacco Courthouse Sept 09, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
- Locust Grove Farm, Charles County, MD, seen from highway, sort of, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rose-hill-tobacco-md, Thomas T. Waterman, Historic American Buildings Survey, National Park Service, Public domain
- THAINSTON, LA PLATA CHARLES COUNTY, MD, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Habre de Venture Front Sept 09, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
- Stagg Hall Sept 09, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
- JOHNSONTOWN TOBACCO BARN @2 LAPLATA CHARLES COUNTY, MD, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D., CC BY-SA 4.0
- MD6-Westbound-LaPlata, Deepblueazure, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Maryland Route 488 Eastbound 1, Charles County, June 8th, 2009, Joshua Kinard, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Maryland Route 488 Eastbound 2, Charles County, June 8th, 2009, Joshua Kinard, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2020-05-21 14 26 14 Fern understory within Kerrick Swamp near Newtown in Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2020-05-21 13 02 44 View west along Maryland State Route 225 (Hawthorne Road) at Valley Road and Mitchell Road in Habre de Venture, Charles County, Maryland, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
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_at_Saint_Marys_Avenue_in_La_Plata,_Charles_County,_Maryland.jpg){kind=link}
_just_east_of_U.S._Route_301_(Crain_Highway)_in_La_Plata,_Charles_County,_Maryland.jpg){kind=link}
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_just_west_of_U.S._Route_301_(Crain_Highway)_in_La_Plata,_Charles_County,_Maryland.jpg){kind=link}
_just_south_of_Maryland_State_Route_6_(Port_Tobacco_Road-Charles_Street)_in_La_Plata,_Charles_County,_Maryland.jpg){kind=link}
_just_south_of_Maryland_State_Route_6_(Port_Tobacco_Road-Charles_Street)_in_La_Plata,_Charles_County,_Maryland.jpg){kind=link}
_between_Kerrick_Drive_and_Grant_Chapman_Drive_in_Waldorf,_Charles_County,_Maryland.jpg){kind=link}
_between_Grant_Chapman_Drive_and_Kerrick_Drive_in_Waldorf,_Charles_County,_Maryland.jpg){kind=link}
_at_Valley_Road_and_Mitchell_Road_in_Habre_de_Venture,_Charles_County,_Maryland.jpg){kind=link}
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