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Was there a Cecil County Jail ghost? Some Deputies Thought So

The old Cecil County jail has always been a place for some good ghost stories. And this evening was no exception, as the Elkton Historic District Commission held a long hearing on whether a developer could demolish most of the building while preserving the front facade. As motion after motion failed to get enough votes to pass and the commissioners debated weighty legal and procedural matters, an old sheriff’s deputy lightened things up a little by sharing some accounts of strange late-night occurrences.

Back in the 1960s, in the middle of a long Cecil County winter night when one elderly jailer, Elwood Racine, guarded seven prisoners while the one deputy working the graveyard shift patrolled the county, the road man would get a radio call to come back to the office to help the turnkey. While all the prisoners were securely locked down and sound asleep on this quiet night footsteps were echoing through the cell blocks, as if someone was aggressively running around. Both of them clearly heard the noise so they were sure a prisoner was outside the cell.

Cecil County Jail ghost

The two grabbed those big jailhouse keys and carefully opened that heavy door, the one that secured the prisoners in the 1870s lockup in case an offender was attempting a jailbreak. A careful search found nothing on those quiet 1960s nights as a handful of detainees slept soundly. But back at booking, those heavy footsteps would start again as if someone was descending the metal steps going down to the main cell block.

At other times they’d hear those heavy iron-barred doors slam shut. These sorts of things occurred periodically, but those two lawmen never found anyone in the block on those dark, lonely nights so long ago.

The officers eventually got used to things going bump in the night so they’d shrug it off, assuming it was the jail ghost. an inmate who’d breathed his last in the old prison as he met the hangman’s noose or that it was some other unsettled spectral type of thing.

While the Historic District Commissioners continued mulling over the technicalities of changing ordinances so the project could move forward and debated whether the old jail had any historical and architectural value, one thing was obvious. It’s still good for stories.

For more on ghosts at the Cecil County jail see this article. 

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Developer Interested in Old Cecil County Jail Asks Elkton for Financial Considerations and Change in Zoning Ordinance

1912 Sanborn Map shows the old jail and the prison yard.

A day before a nonprofit affordable housing group is scheduled to appear before the Elkton Historical and Architectural Review Committee (HARC) to present plans for the old jail at 214 North Street, the developer met with the Mayor and Commissioners.  Frank Hodgetts, representing Home Partnership, outlined plans to build a 50-unit age restricted multi-family housing apartments on the 1.12 acre parcel.

To allow the project to go forward, he asked the town to modify its historic district zoning regulation, which stipulates that a project can’t increase the size of an old structure by more than 25%.  Suggested language for the code revision was submitted, which apparently eliminates the size restriction but says that the work must be in keeping with the architectural nature of the project.  “You’ve pulled out the stinger so to speak, but you are still giving them some claws,” Lewis George, the town administrator remarked.

Home Partnership also noted that they are going to ask for financial considerations.  Specifically, they will seek relief from about half of the property taxes for ten years.  It was estimated that the property would generated $18,250 in revenue for local government.  And they will ask that various permit and inspection fees be waived.

The concept plan calls for keeping the front façade and building the 50 unit modern structure in the the rear of that.  When an official asked about the history of the building, Hodgetts replied “We don’t know exactly what’s historic yet.”

The 1871 structure has two sections.  In front, the two story pressed brick wing facing North Street contained the sheriff’s house, office and the dining room.  In back, the portion with thick, solid granite walls was where the prisoners were securely detailed.  Somehow the post-Civil War lockup managed to outlive its usefulness to the county in a mere 128 years so in 1984 inmates moved to the new detention center on Landing Lane.

Town Administrator George wrapped things up by noting the process required to change a zoning ordinance.  HARC, the board charged with protecting Elkton’s architectural and cultural resources, will get their first chance to formally hear the proposal at a meeting Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. at the town hall.

Image from PowerPoint presented to the commissioners. It shows the developer’s preliminary concept.

 

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“Footsteps From the Past: Cecil County During the War of 1812” Walking Tour Coming Aug. 12

Samuel Hollingsworth, a wealthy plantation owner in the early 1800s, will share his thrilling stories about the attack on the county. Gordy Johnson plays Samuel

As the region gears up to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the British attack on the Upper Chesapeake some old-timers that have been around Cecil for centuries are going to be roaming around Charlestown, one August evening. While they meander streets and gather in small clusters in the beautiful river town, these centuries old residents will share stories about what it was like to face the all too real threat of pillaging, burning and looting by the English.People on this walking tour will amble along the attractive pathways of the well-preserved historic district nestled on the shore of the North East River. Periodically they will pause to hear first-hand stories about the time the second war with Britain came to Elkton, Frenchtown, Fredericktown, Principio and Charlestown. In between those stops, Historian Mike Dixon will share the historical narrative about the war on the Chesapeake and in the county.  Once dusk descends on the charming community, lanterns are going to help chase away the lengthening shadows as the group heads back to its starting point, the Wellwood Club.

An old newspaper describes the attack on the Elk River.

This program, “Footsteps from the Past: Cecil County during the War of 1812” is brought to the community by several volunteer heritage groups and supporting partners. The History Society of Cecil County, Colonial Charlestown, and the Heritage Troupe, along with Cecil County Tourism, the President and Commissioners of Charlestown, and the Wellwood Club are bringing the evening walking tour to the county. It steps off from the popular Wellwood Club on August 12, 2012, at 7 p.m.Mark your calendar for this first time ever event, as members of the Cecil County Heritage Troupe entertain and educate you. Watch this blog and other media outlets for additional information on reservations and cost, which will be released soon. The tour benefits the Historical Society of Cecil County and Colonial Charlestown.

As evening comes to Charlestown, the tour will stroll through a historic district with beautiful homes.
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Lots of Laughter and Learning at Chautauqua This Afternoon as Rosalie Stier Calvert Delighted the Audience

The Chautauqua 2012 that is bringing three famous figures from the past to Explore the War of 1812 continued this Saturday afternoon in Elkton.  For the second show, Rosalie Stier Calvert, a member of a wealthy Maryland family talked about life on a plantation near Bladensburg as the British marched on Washington, D.C., scattering ill-prepared defensive forces.

As this voice from the past echoed through the sanctuary, Rosalie playfully called on members of the audience to perform supporting roles, so she could sketch out the broader campaign on the Chesapeake.  Before it was over a hastily recruited President Madison, Admiral Cockurn, and Dolly Madison joined the 19th century lady on stage to the delight of the attentive audience.  Laughter frequently interrupted those scenes as the drafted, amateur thespians jumped into their roles to present various parts, usually with guidance from Rosalie.  But sometimes they ad-libbed to the delight of the crowd.

The performer today was the award-winning actress, Mary Ann Jung.  And while there was a lot of laughter filling that old Elkton Church on this hot Saturday afternoon, there was a great deal of learning going on too.  Listening to conversations as delighted patrons departed, it was obvious that they’d gained a deeper appreciation and understanding of this unique Maryland story in a most compelling way.

Prior to the show members of the Cecil County Heritage Troupe staged a fine presentation also sharing stories about the time when war came to our shores.

The final event is Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Elkton United Methodist Church as Jill Peters performs as Mary Pickersgill.  This free event is brought to Elkton by the Maryland Humanities Council and the Cecil County Tourism Office.

Ron Turner, Gordy Johnson, Mary Biron and Happy Watkins pause for a photo a few minutes before going on stage.
Adrian Lewis of the Heritage Troupe waits to go on stage for an exciting new skit by the Cecil County group.
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Francis Scott Key Talks to 250 People About the War of 1812; Programs Continue This Evening

Early in the 20th century, Elktonians eagerly looked for the annual arrival of the Chautauque, which brought thoughtful lectures and programs to the community.

As the mercury approached 100 degrees Saturday afternoon a comfortable crowd settled in at the Elkton United Methodist Church to open the 2012 Chautauqua.  The sponsor for the annual event, the Maryland Humanities Council, is bringing three famous figures from the past to the area to explore the War of 1812.The local kick-off, sponsored by the Cecil County Tourism Office, found about 250 people intently listening as Alan Gephardt brought Francis Scott Key to life.  The American lawyer and amateur poet penned the lyrics of the Star-Spangled Banner, which became our National Anthem.

For nearly an hour this Marylander, a participant in some of the nation’s most stirring events, dramatically told the first-hand story of our second war with Britain and the Battle of Baltimore.  After the 19th century gentleman finished his formal remarks, the audience enthusiastically peppered him with questions.  The evening also included a talk on Cecil County during the conflict.

If you missed this engaging show you missed a superb portrayal, but two more historical characters are still on the schedule.  This afternoon at 4 p.m., there’s a visit from Rosalie Stier Calvert, a member of a wealth Maryland family whose extensive correspondence illuminated life on the Calvert plantation leading up to and during the War of 1812.  Sunday afternoon, it’s Mary Pickersgill, the Baltimore flag-maker who stitched the Star Spangled Banner Flag that flew over Fort McHenry will visit Elkton.

Chautauqua is brought to the state every summer by the Maryland Humanities Council.  It is something many people look forward to each year.

Francis Scott Key greets Delegate David Rudolph.

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Elkton Officials to Hear Request on July 12 to Convert Old Jail into Apartments

The Town of Elkton has released the agenda for the July 12, 2012, Historical and Architectural Review Committee meeting.  The primary business is a request from Frank Hodgetts, representing Home Partnership, to develop the old jail property at 214 North Street in Elkton into 50 units of age-restrict multi-family housing apartments.  The agenda for July is reproduced below this post. An earlier meeting in June was canceled. 

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Town of Elkton Historic and Architectural Review Committee

July 12, 2012, 6:00 PM —  Agenda

  • Approval of the minutes of the February 29, 2012 meeting 2.
  • Request by Frank Hodgetts representing Home Partnership to redevelop 214 North Street, Elkton, MD into 50 units of age-restricted multi-family housing apartments.
  • Old Business
  • New Business
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Cecil County remembers Hurricane Agnes

From Cecil Whig

By Jane Bellmyer                               |

Forty years ago today, many Cecil County residents were mired in mud and debris thanks to Hurricane Agnes.  It was a storm that set records for rainfall, storm surge and flooding, with the Susquehanna River cresting at almost 37 feet. The Rev. George Hipkins said bricks marking the high water levels on what is now the Port Deposit Post Office in Center Square have been removed, but he recalls that both sides of Main Street were inundated when the storm came

“We lived at 23 South Main St. and the water came up about a foot or so below the first floor,” Hipkins said. “It covered the (utility) meters in the basement, but we never lost power.”  Ava Blackburn didn’t live in town at the time but had friends that did, including Donald Poist.  “The water had been up to the second floor,” she said of Poist’s North Main Street home.

The article on Hurricane Agnes continues on Cecil Whig

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Man Marries at Site of Pan American Plane Crash in Elkton

By Ryan Marshall

During a dark, stormy night in December 1963, a plane crashed in Elkton, changing the history of the town forever.  The plane was circling the area because of a storm in Philadelphia when it was struck by lightning, said Mike Dixon, of the Historical Society of Cecil County.

Now, 49 years later, Arnold Scolnik, the brother of one of the crash’s victims, has finally received a little closure, he said.  Scolnik, 76, and his fiancée, Allah, 47, married at the monument in Elkton that marks where the plane crashed. They wedded on June 7, his brother’s birthday. Elkton Mayor Joseph Fisona preformed the ceremony.  “The only way I could put him into my memory was to get married on his birthday,” Scolnik, of Wallingford, Pa., said.

Pan American Flight 214 exploded in the air over Elkton because of a lightning strike that combined with air and fuel, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) report. It came to rest in a field off of East Pulaski Highway near current-day Delancy Road.

article continues on the Cecil Whig

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The Marrying Clerk Replaces the Marrying Minister in Elkton

Rev. Cruce could do an Elkton wedding
Unlike the other marrying parsons, Rev. Cruce merely used a quiet corner of the hotel to join couples together.

For a significant part of the 20th century, legislators in Annapolis struggled to get laws on the books to help curb Elkton’s efficient “marriage mill.”  Striking legal blows in many directions, right in the middle of the Great Depression, the lawmakers managed to keep well paid attorneys and lobbyist working overtime for special interests.

Senator Harold E. Coburn knew about these troubles first hand for in trying to fulfill a 1935 campaign promise to “wipe out the marrying parsons” he found that he was up against powerful interests as so much money and influence was thrown into the fight.  His bills often lost out or were overturned by the courts.

But a nearly perennial measure, aiming to put competition into cupid’s profitable Elkton wedding business by legalizing civil marriages, really caused trouble.  As early as the 1920s, measures to deal the “marring parsons a death blow economically by taking away the need for their service” were getting drafted and defeated.

The General Assembly finally passed one after decades of legal wrangling so couples tying the knot could be married at the courthouse beginning on January 1, 1964.  The first deputy clerk to step into the hasty matrimonial business was E. Day Moore, who was hired by Andy Seth to perform the ceremonies.  It was busy from the start and three weeks after his first day on the job, Moore married actress Joan Fontaine and Alfred Wright, Jr.  They were couple number 440 and author John O’Hara was a witness, the Baltimore Sun reported.

The court was “horning in on the town’s wedding chapels,” the newspaper said in 1966.  But business was so good that a major renovation of the courthouse included plans for the “county’s own wood-paneled wedding chapel.”  Of course, the private weddings mills, including the Little Wedding Chapel and the Wee White Chapel where Rev. R. J. Sturgill officiated, “were less than overjoyed about it.”

The first court official to fill that role retired eighteen years later.  On his final days on the job as “Cecil County’s Marrying Sam,” he’d united 63,729 couples, according to the newspaper.  While the marriage mill was grinding much slower, Cecil County still ranked second in the state for the number of licenses issued, ahead of all other jurisdictions except Baltimore City in 1964.

Just another elopement in Elkton
It was just another Elkton elopement, according to this Baltimore sun political cartoon. The paper was commenting on an attempt by Elkton authorities to stop the legislature from passing a law restricting fireworks early in 1941.

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Elkton & The War of 1812: The Sign Has the Story

An artists interpretation of how Fort Hollingsworth might have appeared in 1813.

Early this Monday morning workers in downtown Elkton were out at the corner of Main and North Streets putting up a new sign.  By lunch time, anyone passing that way was able to pause and read  informative  wayside interpretive panels telling the story of the War of 1812 in Elkton and Maryland.  Part of the Star Spangled Banner National Heritage Trail, it has information on the local attacks on Elkton and the broader Maryland campaign.On the upper Elk Creek, just outside town, a series of defensive arrangements were hastily put up in the spring of 1813 in preparation for an attack on the county seat.  Fort Hollingsworth and Fort Defiance were part of the placements and here’s how the Alexandria Gazette described the enemy attack in 1813: “Two small batteries . . . in the town . . . opened their fire upon the barges, and compelled them to retreat with considerable precipitation.”

Similar signs are going up at appropriate places all along the trail.  Be sure to read these attractive boards as you travel around the county and region.