Cecil County once supported a surprising number of airfields, serving weekend pilots, flight schools, and curious locals. One of them was the short-lived but memorable Bar H Sky Park in North East, located on a hilltop along the westbound side of Route 40, directly behind the well-known Bar H Burger Ranch. Owned and operated by…
After Jail Escape, The Sheriff Races After Fugitives by Train
Very early on a Friday morning in September 1911, the usual routine at the Cecil County jail was abruptly shattered. Five inmates, just released into the exercise yard by Deputy Steward, hauled their iron bed frames and blankets outside. Turning these tools into an improvised ladder and rope, they scaled the 30-foot stone wall that…
Martha Raye Finds Elkton is No Place to Wed in Haste
Martha Raye, the celebrated radio, film, and television star, flew into Elkton on April 21, 1954, planning to secure a quick marriage to Edward Begley, a dancer on her TV show. The couple left New York early that Wednesday morning by chartered plane, landing at Lovett Airport. When Elkton taxi driver Ernie Grove picked up…
Cecil County Airport
As aviation gained popularity in the 20th century, Cecil County saw the rise of several small airfields. The oldest was established by Waldo Lovett of Newark, who in 1944 purchased a 64-acre farm along Route 279 about two miles northeast of Elkton. Lovett and his wife immediately set to work transforming the former farmland into…
The Underground Railroad Passed Through Mt. Zoar
In the northwestern corner of Cecil County, just two miles south of the Mason-Dixon Line, stands Mount Zoar, a free African American community established in the mid-19th century. At its peak, the village contained about a dozen homes, a church, a school, and a cemetery. For generations, it thrived as a place of resilience, faith,…
Town of Elkton Acquires Historic Holly Hall
Acquisition marks major milestone in preserving a cherished cultural landmark A Press Release from the Town Elkton, MD — The Town of Elkton is proud to announce the official acquisition of the historic Holly Hall property, a long-anticipated milestone in the Town’s efforts to protect, preserve and celebrate its cultural heritage. The acquisition was made possible…
Holly Hall: A Centuries Long History
Holly Hall, one of four buildings in Elkton listed on the National Register of Historic Properties, was recently purchased by the Town of Elkton. It was built by James Sewall around 1810, according to the Maryland Historical Trust. It was erected on land confiscated from Robert Alexander, a Tory sympathizer during the American Revolution. About…
Leslie: A Village in Cecil County
LESLIE — Cecil County once had many thriving little villages, each with its own distinctive characteristics and history. One such village, Leslie, recently caught our attention. Nestled alongside North East Road (Route 272), near where the Holiday Inn stands today, Leslie was once a stop on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The village took its…
Fingerboard School
Just a few miles outside Earleville stood a modest country schoolhouse, the Fingerboard School. It first opened its doors before the Civil War, thanks to Stephen H. Ford, who donated land for what was initially called the Ford School, according to journalist Dot Clark in the Cecil Whig. Later, people started calling it the Fingerboard…
Historic St. Augustine Church Recognized by the National Park Service as an Underground Railroad Site
Cecil County Government Press Release CHESAPEAKE CITY — May 13, 2025 — The National Park Service announced Monday that St. Augustine Church has been officially designated a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site, honoring its role in the complex and courageous fight for freedom during the American Revolution. In the late summer of 1777, as…