The USS Tulip Memorial in St. Inigoes commemorates the event of November 11, 1864. The USS Tulip owned by the U.S. Navy for about a year as part of the Potomac Flotilla had been ordered to go to the Washington Navy Yard for boiler repair. Master William H. Smith decided to use the defective boiler anyway (probably because their slow pace made them a target for cannon), even though he was told only to use the port side boiler. The boiler exploded near Ragged Point and sank the ship on the Potomac River, killing most of the officers and crew. Only 8 of the crew of fifty seven survived. Eight people were buried near the site in a locust grove. The memorial states
"In memory of those who perished in the explosion of the U.S.S. Tulip" and "A sacrifice of lives in discharge of duty and in the interest of achieving peace and scientific Advance.(reverse side)"
The memorial monument was placed in 1940 as a memorial to all the sailors killed that day.
(For any of you locals who took the ghost tours at Point Lookout over the years, this is the real story used during the tours)
The fence marks the edge behind the property. The memorial is always open by walking in front of the fence at the end of the road, although there is no real parking, so don't visit after a rain.
Nearby Farm
Also of interest to me, was that my friend and former swing dance instructor visited and photographed the site on November 23, 2011. He was one of the first in our County to die from Covid-19 in 2020. He was interested in military history. RIP Allen.
