There are a number of old schools from the segregation era in Cecil still standing around the county and their history is interesting. I just noticed that The Long Road to Compromise, a blog about school integratrion on the upper Eastern Shore has a new piece about the African-American school in Cedar Hill, a small…
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Inaugural Train to Pass Through Cecil
Barack Obama and Joseph Biden will travel to the inauguration by train on Saturday, January 17, the Baltimore Sun and News Journal reported this afternoon. After stopping for a celebration in Wilmington, the president and vice-president will step aboard the inaugural train for the trip to Washington. This is particularly exciting news for this memorable…
Dec 7, 1941 – Cecil Goes on a War Footing & Bainbridge Develops
On December 7, 1941, a serene Sunday afternoon two and a half weeks before Christmas in Cecil County, many people returned home from church and settled down to enjoy the remainder of their day. Some fidgeted with radios, slowly turning knobs and dialing up Sammy Kaye’s Sunday Serenade on the NBC Red Network. Others enjoyed…
The Baltimore & Ohio Holly Tree
One tradition for kicking off the Christmas Season in Cecil County is the annual lighting of the “Holly Tree by the tracks.” This year, the 61st lighting is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6th. The Baltimore & Ohio held its first public ceremony in 1948 when thousands of people gathered to ring in the season as…
Hill’s Jitney Service – Chesapeake City
I enjoy finding pieces of ephemera from the past. These little things, items such as tickets, timetables, programs, were valued for a brief period and were usually tossed out shortly after the usefulness of the paper relic expired. The other day, I ran across this interesting little piece of ephemera, a timetable for Hill’s Jitney Service in Chesapeake City. Effective on April…
Thomas Mogle, Cecil County Sheriff Dies
I noticed thatThomas Mogle, Jr. of Princess Anne passed away on Oct. 23, 2008, while reading the Salisbury Daily Times the other day. Tom Mogle served as the sheriff of Cecil County from 1966 to 1970. A graduate of Chestertown High School Class of 1943, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. After the…
Forged by Fire: Elkton’s Main Street
In August, a Window on Cecil County’s Past did a piece on the 1948 Main Street fire. Today we’re posting a piece that examines the other Main Street fires in the 20th century. ——- The history of Elkton’s Main Street has been one of disastrous fires. In fact, one such conflagration in September 1891, hastened…
Remembering a Friend of Preservation in Cecil County
This morning I attended the funeral of Helen Keene Warburton, 97, at Immaculate Conception Church. While the old parish bell tolled out as mourners streamed out of the church, my mind reflected on some of my personal experiences with this community-oriented individual, a true friend of historic preservation in Cecil County. In a reflective mood…
Elkton Eclipse Fall to Rivals From Brooklyn in Final in 19th Century Base Ball
Elkton, MD— The Brooklyn Atlantics downed the Eclipse Base Ball Club of Elkton in the 19th Century Base Ball Eastern Championship on Saturday, October 18 at Elk Landing, Maryland as the 1864 townspeople of Elkton looked on. After Elkton took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, things started to unravel for the Maryland State…
Reading an Old Diary from the C & D Canal in 1864
Recently I was given access to a diary of a C & D Canal official based in Chesapeake City. Throughout 1864 this manager carefully made day-to-day entries into his diary, though he didn’t sign his name in the little book. These are fascinating reads, which provide insight into that troubling time. Here’s what he wrote early…