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B−History
History · Accokeek

Accokeek’s post office opened in 1867, and 5 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 48% of U.S. towns · #96 of 261 in Maryland. What drives it

Most of Accokeek was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1998. 5 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 137 buildings between them. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1913 on, and the census since 1980.

1867first post office
5on the National Register
2%homes built before 1940
6old photos & papers
5famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Accokeek’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Accokeek began

When was Accokeek founded?

1867

The Accokeek post office opened in 1867, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Piscataway (1792), opened inside today’s town and later closed.

First census: 3,894 in 19802020 census: 13,927159 years

How historic is Accokeek?

B−

More historic than 48% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: the first Accokeek post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Accokeek’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Accokeek is more historic than 48% of U.S. towns, #96 of 261 in Maryland. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Accokeek’s overall grade.
Founding era1867, from the first post office: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19402.3% of homes (±2.2) · typical MD town 3.3% · U.S. 8.4%C−National Register5 listings, 163 historic buildings, 113 per 10,000 residents · typical MD town 0.9 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 48%
NewerOlder
Maryland towns of 2,500+ (261)Ahead of 63%

Few Maryland towns list much on the Register (a typical Maryland town has 0.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Accokeek’s 113 sits above most of its state (85% of Maryland towns have fewer) while its 163 historic buildings outnumber those of 92% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B+. The pre-1940 share (±2.2 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.

Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Accokeek’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A historic districtThe Moyaone Reserve Historic District takes in 125 historic buildings.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Accokeek, and 25 old place names are still on the map.On the map since 19135 editions of the USGS map, 1913 to 1980. Watch Accokeek change.Landmarks on the Register5 places on the National Register.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

5 listings protect 163 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
5
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
163
each building in a district counts
first listed
1966
Piscataway Park
Piscataway Park, built 1961BellevueHard Bargain FarmPiscataway Village Historic DistrictMoyaone Reserve Historic District
BuildingsDistrictsSites

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival2
Georgian1
Federal1
Gothic Revival1
Queen Anne1
Colonial Revival1
Piscataway ParkBuilt 1961
BellevueGreek Revival
Hard Bargain FarmBuilding
All 5 listings
Piscataway Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2011Moyaone Reserve Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2020

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Accokeek’s post office has been open since 1867. Another post office, Piscataway, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Piscataway
1792–1943
Accokeek
1867–today
17901910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Acco ParkAccokeek AcresAccokeek LawnAuburnAyresBellevue EstatesBryan PointCactus HillCalvert ManorCedar LawnDanvilleFarmington Road EstatesHolly HillLivingston GroveNorth AccokeekPiscatawaySchuyler HillsSharpervilleSimmons AcresSouth PiscatawayTreeview EstatesWhite HallWhite Hall ForestWhite Hall Terrace
Gone or out of use
Accokeek Schoolschool
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Accokeek
Christ ChurchSaint Marys Catholic Church of Piscataway

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

On the map

Accokeek on the map, 1913 to 1980

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Accokeek. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Accokeek on the 1913 USGS mapAccokeek on the 1925 USGS mapAccokeek on the 1944 USGS mapAccokeek on the 1951 USGS mapAccokeek on the 1980 USGS map1913Indian Head sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Accokeek.

The story

How Accokeek came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Accokeek.

Read it all →

The area around Accokeek had been occupied since around 2000 BC; however, the first permanent village was established in c. 1200 AD by the Piscataway tribe. Captain John Smith was the first European to see the Accokeek area. In 1608, he sailed the Potomac River and found the Moyaone village. At the time of the discovery, Moyaone was the seat of government for the Piscataway Tribe. The village of Moyaone disbanded and the population migrated to other tribes before other Europeans settled the area.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Accokeek, 1792 to 1994

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1792Post officeThe Piscataway post office opens
  3. 19th century
  4. 1867Post officeThe Accokeek post office opens
  5. 20th century
  6. 1913On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 1937In the archiveAccokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old medieval jousting tournament game: adjusti…
  8. 1943Post officeThe Piscataway post office closes
  9. 1961BuiltPiscataway Park is built
  10. 1986Born hereKyle Arrington is born here
  11. 1991Born hereMarkel Starks is born here
  12. 1992Born hereBrandon Coleman is born here
  13. 1994Born hereJennie Simms is born here
By decade

Accokeek, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1930s6 items
Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old medieval jousting tournament game: adjusting a ring to be picked off1937Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old mediev…Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old medieval jousting tournament game: picking off a ring on a lance while r…1937Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old mediev…Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old medieval jousting tournament game: picking off a ring on a lance while r…1937Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old mediev…Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old medieval jousting tournament game: picking off a ring on a lance while r…1937Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old mediev…Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old medieval jousting tournament game: picking off a ring on a lance while r…1937Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old mediev…Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old medieval jousting tournament game: picking off a ring on a lance while r…1937Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old mediev…
1940s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today6 recent
2016-09-11 10 18 04 View north at the south end of Maryland State Route 223 (Piscataway Road) at Floral Park Road in Ac…20162016-09-11 10 18 04 View north at the south end of Ma…2016-09-07 11 21 51 View north along Maryland State Route 210 (Indian Head Highway) at Livingston Road in Accokeek, Pri…20162016-09-07 11 21 51 View north along Maryland State R…2016-09-07 08 47 09 View east along Maryland State Route 373 (Accokeek Road) at Livingston Road in Accokeek, Prince Geo…20162016-09-07 08 47 09 View east along Maryland State Ro…Hard Bargain Farm (2010)2010Hard Bargain Farm (2010)Untitled photo2007Untitled photoMDMap-doton-Accokeek2004MDMap-doton-Accokeek
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Accokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old medieval jousting tournament game: adjusting a ring to be picked off
Retake this viewAccokeek, Maryland. A modern version of an old medieval jousting tournament game: adjusting a ring to be picked off, 1937

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Accokeek’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Accokeek, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00019802000202013,927

Grew from 3,894 people in 1980 to 13,927 in 2020, 3 times over.

5 censuses, 1980–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Accokeek’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

5 famous people were born in Accokeek

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Markel StarksAmerican basketball player · b. 1991
Jennie SimmsAmerican-Israeli basketball player · b. 1994
Kyle ArringtonAmerican football player · b. 1986
B
Brandon ColemanAmerican football player · b. 1992
G
Gerel SimmonsAmerican basketball player · b. 1993
Help out

Finish Accokeek’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewAccokeek, Maryland. A modern version of…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Bensville3 historic placesB−Waldorf1 historic placeC−Fort Washington4 historic placesB−Clinton3 historic placesB+Brandywine3 historic placesBBryans Road2 historic placesC−

Questions about Accokeek’s history

What year was Accokeek founded?

The Accokeek post office opened in 1867, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

How does Accokeek rank for history?

Accokeek is more historic than 48% of U.S. towns, #96 of 261 in Maryland. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Accokeek?

5 listings: 2 buildings, 2 historic districts, the Piscataway Village Historic District and the Moyaone Reserve Historic District, with 137 contributing buildings, and 1 site. 163 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Accokeek?

2% of Accokeek’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.2 points), against a typical 3.3% for a Maryland town; the median home was built in 1998.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (6), the Library of Congress (6), the National Register of Historic Places (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.