Family member of former slave speaks out after Anne Arundel County memorial was destroyed

A destroyed memorial that honors former slave Jason Asbury Pack in Anne Arundel County was the last remaining sign of Pack Town, according to a family member.

According to the dedication on the bench, Pack was a former slave who persevered despite adversity and purchased the land where his six children raised their families.

Long before the land behind Severna Park High School was developed into what is now Severna Forest, it was Pack Town. 

"In Pack Town, we had apple trees, we had farms, we had animals," said Linda Pack White, who is Pack's great-granddaughter. "My brothers had to chop wood, tote water, we had a good time over there."

White said she's seen a lot of change throughout the years, including housing developments.

"There are a lot of beautiful houses back there, but it's not Pack Town," White said.

Long before the land behind Severna Park High School was developed into what is now Severna Forest, it was Pack Town. 

"In Pack Town we had apple trees, we had farms, we had animals," said White. "My brothers had to chop wood, tote water, we had a good time over there."

The birth and sale of Pack Town

A bench on McBride Lane, dedicated to the memory of Jason Asbury Pack, was all that was left of Pack Town until about a month ago, when it was mysteriously destroyed.

"It was terrible," White said. "Who would do such a thing after it's been there 20 years?"

Jason Asbury Pack founded Pack Town in the 1800s.  

"He was an ordained minister, he was a farmer, he was a good grandpa," White said.

White said her uncle James Levi Pack Jr. sold the 10.5-acre tract of land to a developer in the early 1970s.

"They had problems collecting money for the land taxes, so James Levi Pack Jr. decided to sell the property," White said. "It was a shock." 

White said the land sold for around $350,000 -- a fraction of what the houses there cost today.

White said the bench was part of the settlement.

"They took the name away and gave us the bench as a memorial," White said. "Our families take the kids there to look at it and read the history. It's very important."

Destroyed landmark

The Packs reported the broken bench to the police, who suggested installing a trail camera.

"Now, how much is that going to cost?" White said.

The family is collecting money to repair the bench and put up a camera. 

However, White said the bench should not be the only marker of Pack Town. She said the historic Black community that played such a big role in the early days of Severna Park deserves to be acknowledged.

"Put the sign back up there," White said. "Let it be known that it was us. It belonged to us."