Editing Port Tobacco Village, Maryland (section)

== Port Tobacco folklore ==

===Legend of the Blue Dog===
[[Image:Rose-hill-tobacco-md.jpg|thumbnail|right|South elevation of Dr. Gustavus Brown's [[Rose Hill (Port Tobacco, Maryland)|Rose Hill]] on Rose Hill Road, vicinity of Port Tobacco. Built late 18th century, restored 1937 and 1970s. Photograph by Thomas T. Waterman, 1937, for the [[Historic American Buildings Survey]]]]
[[Halloween]] reminds local residents of Charles County's "Blue Dog" legend, which is taught in local schools and has been told in the county for more than 100 years. By most accounts, the spirit of a large blue dog protects the treasure of his murdered master, which is supposed to be buried somewhere along Rose Hill Road outside Port Tobacco.

Charles Stuart was the owner of the Rose Hill property containing the fabled rock where Blue Dog and his master were killed.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nixonfoundation.org/2007/10/nixon-white-house-staffer-charles-stuart-dies-at-69/ |title=Nixon White House Staffer, Charles Stuart, Dies at 69 |publisher=Nixon Foundation |date=October 3, 2007 |access-date=June 16, 2020}}</ref> He has said that the first written account of the Blue Dog legend dates back to 1897,<ref name="dog"/> when [[Olivia Floyd]], a noted Confederate spy and owner of Rose Hill, told the ''[[Port Tobacco Times]]'' that she had seen the ghost of the Blue Dog.<ref name="dog">{{cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/elections/bal-halloween-ghost8,0,1078963,full.story?coll=bal-home-headlines |title=Washington stayed here, as does loyal dog's ghost |first=Faith |last=Hayden |newspaper=Baltimore Sun |date=September 29, 2002 |access-date=October 4, 2007 }}{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The legend says that Charles Thomas Sims, a soldier, and his dog were killed on February 8 in the 18th century on Rose Hill Road while returning from a Port Tobacco tavern. This was following the [[American Revolutionary War]].<ref name="tourism">{{cite web
   |url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22maryland+independent%22+%22port+tobacco+times%22
   |title=Port Tobacco Historic District
   |publisher=Charles County Economic Development/Tourism Office
   |access-date=October 4, 2007
}}</ref> Henry Hanos of Port Tobacco purportedly killed Sims and his dog for Sims' gold and a deed to an estate. Hanos buried the gold and deed under a holly tree along Rose Hill Road. When Hanos returned to recover the treasure, he was scared away by the ghost of Blue Dog. Hanos fell ill and died suddenly. To this day, Blue Dog reportedly continues to watch over his slain master's treasure.<ref name="tourism"/>

[[Thuc Doan Nguyen]] is developing a film based on this tale.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.canva.com/design/DAFJUqymQlw/RnFyzM0M6VazUsTyNnVRQg/view|title=Amazingly Simple Graphic Design Software – Canva|accessdate=March 31, 2023}}</ref>