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The Olde Towne Inn (“O.T.I”) is historic restaurant located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. It focuses on casual, American home-style cooking and is known for seafood dishes infused with regional flavors. The restaurant is owned by chef and restaurateur, Donnell Long, an African American and Washington, DC native.

History
The Old Towne Inn was established by Donnell Long in 2006. Before then, the building had long served as a restaurant called the Judges Chambers due to its proximity to the Prince George’s county seat in Upper Marlboro, MD. The building is located on Main Street, Upper Marlboro, and is next door to the county courthouse and country administration facilities. Due to its location, the building has been as a main gathering place for county officials for over 80 years, catering to judges, lawyers, policemen, and administrators.

Until the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Judges Chambers had been segregated and remained unofficially so for long after. Through the 1970s the restaurant refused to serve black customers, including then-sitting Judge James H. Taylor, the first African American circuit court judge in Prince George’s County, Maryland. African American patrons, including Judge Taylor, were only allowed to enter through the back door.

In 2006, Donnell Long took over the lease of the Olde Town Inn. He then renovated the restaurant, installing wine-colored leather seating, Tiffany chandeliers, and marble tables. The restaurant now seats around 75 people, with an outdoor patio that can hold an additional 35 patrons. It continues to serves as a cornerstone socializing establishment and regularly serves local politicians, actors, and professional athletes.

Owner
Donnell Long was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. At age 3, he and his older brother were found in an abandoned car and placed into the foster care system in Washington, DC. He developed a love for cooking at a young age and enrolled in the Washington Culinary Institute after high school, graduating at the top of this class. Prior to taking over the Olde Town Inn lease in 2006, Donnell worked in a series of restaurants, including serving as a chef at the Cheesecake Factory and as a co-owner and Executive Chef at a Stonefish Grill restaurant. He has been featured on the Wendy Williams Show and is a favorite guest of chef at The Social Safeway in Georgetown, Maryland.

In additional to his professional work, Donnell serves as an advocate for youth development in the DC area. He serves as co-founder and Chairman of the Board for WHALERS’s Creations, a non-profit that provides youth job skill development and training, and contributes to various schools, non-profits, and special events for foster and underprivileged youth in the DC area.