Punt (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this trailside historical marker:

Punt
A punt is a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow that was designed for use on small rivers or other shallow water. This type of vessel was very common in 18th-century America. George Washington's records show that punts were used by hired and enslaved workers to move between his farms and to transport goods to Alexandria and Georgetown.

Sambo Anderson, one of George Washington's enslaved carpenters at Mansion House Farm, had a punt that he probably used to cross Little Hunting Creek in order to visit River Farm, where his wife and children lived. Although Washington owned many boats, he sometimes borrowed Anderson's small vessel. Years later, Anderson recalled that Washington always asked permission to use the boat and invariably returned it to the location where he found it.

About Samuel "Sambo" Anderson:
Despite Anderson's nickname, he is not believed to be the source of the racist caricature.