St. Nicholas Cemetery and Church began serving Roman Catholic residents of Cedar Point, in St. Mary’s County, near Lexington Park, MD, in 1795. The church was built in 1796 and was named for St. Nicholas the patron saint of Nicholas E. Seawell, who sold the land for its construction. In 1915, patrons erected a new chapel as the original St. Nicholas Church began to deteriorate after 120 years of use.

In 1940 when the Navy took over the land for the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Naval aviators had a superstition that flying over cemeteries was bad luck. So a survey of grave locations and tombstone data was made. Then the stones were all laid flat over the graves and covered with sod.

Originally in addition to the 320 marked graves there were also 36 plots with wood crosses, 15 with wood stakes, 1 with an iron marker, one with iron pipes, 1 with a tin marker, 3 with stones, and several uncut head and footstones - none of these had inscriptions. There were also two sites with Grand Army of the Republic iron markers. The total number of veterans known are: War of Independence- 3, Militia of 1794- 4, War of 1812- 7, Civil War- 7, World War I- 1.

In 1942, when the U.S. Navy established its defense Station at Cedar Point, it retained the new St. Nicholas Church, now the non-denominational Station Chapel, located near the newly erected entry gates. It is now also known as Patuxent River Naval Air Station Chapel Cemetery.

This photograph was taken circa 1880’s. Image is clear and contrast is good. Image has yellowed slightly with age and some surface dirt is present. Top right corner of mount has torn. Bottom of mount has a label written in Latin which reads, “ECCLESIA S. NICOLAI, PERTINENS AD RESID. S. IGNATI, ST. MARY’S CO. MD. PROVINCIAE NEO-EBORACENSIS S.J.”. Mount measures 13 ¾” x 11”. Photograph measures 7 ½” x 9”.    [sm]

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