Originally called Cox Town after early settlers Thomas and Henry Cox in 1663, the community was renamed Marlborough in 1704 to honor a duke for defeating the French at the Battle of Blenheim, an event believed to have reduced French and Indian attacks on the colonies. Established as an early port of entry in 1683, by the mid-18th century the town had warehouses, stores, taverns, a mill, a racetrack, a school, and many stately homes. Lower was added to the name to distinguish it from the Prince George’s County seat, and in the 19th century both towns adopted the Marlboro spelling. Patuxent Manor still stands nearby, and paneling from its great room is displayed in the Winterthur Museum.