The Indian Head–White Plains Railroad was built in 1918 to connect the Indian Head Naval Powder Factory to the Pennsylvania Railroad and meet increased World War I demand for smokeless powder, improving the factory’s efficiency and continuing as an important link in powder production during America’s entry into World War II. After the wars, the closure of smokeless powder production operations, an improved highway system, and damage from Hurricane Connie in 1955 reduced the need for rail transportation, and by the early 1960s the line was no longer an asset to the Navy. In 2006, through the Department of the Interior’s Federal Lands-to-Parks program, the 13-mile corridor was conveyed to Charles County for perpetual public recreational use, and after track removal and recycling in 2007, trail construction began in early 2008 with county and state funding, recycling revenue, and private contributions. The Indian Head Rail Trail opened to the public in 2009, within 18 months, and became a regional destination for cyclists, hikers, and nature enthusiasts, offering views of Mattawoman Creek’s backwaters and access to hardwood forests, wildlife habitat, wetlands, and farmland in Southern Maryland.