The USS Maine steamed from Key West, Florida to Havana on January 24, 1898, arriving in the Cuban harbor the next day. Orders took her there as the United States wanted to show the flag and protect interest since a struggle for independence from Spain was rippling across the country, resulting in the spread of…
The 1960s, a Decade of Protest — the Local Perspective
Because of Cecil’s advantageous location on the northeast corridor, the county sometimes came in contact with protest movements. Mostly they were sign-waving college age students passing through, on their way to demonstrate in Washington D.C., New York, or some other place of assembly where their anti-establishment passions would be heard. During the tumultuous 1960s and…
Taking a Stand for Equal Treatment on the Mason Dixon Line in 1904
Nearly sixty years before Freedom Riders started a campaign to open restaurants, motels, bars, and other public places to all travelers on Route 40, Cecil County found itself in the middle of another Civil Rights divide. The Maryland Legislature decided the State needed a Jim Crow law in 1904 that required steamship lines and railroads…
Conowingo — A Susquehanna River Village That Vanished
If you are the type who likes to find lost villages, we have a little journey you might enjoy. To start, ask someone for directions to old Conowingo. But be watchful for that accommodating person might send you to a stretch of highway near U.S. 1 and Route 222. That commercial area is lined with a…
Perryville Railroad Site Accepted Into the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
From the Amtrak History Blog Black History Month provides additional opportunities to highlight contributions by African-Americans to our national history and culture. Throughout the month, Amtrak is celebrating with various events and exhibitions at locations across the country. Amtrak is proud that in October 2014, a site on railroad property near Perryville, Md., was accepted…
Sharing the Story — Remembering World War II, a Program at the Cecilton Library
Seventy years have passed by since World War II ended. Over those rapidly passing decades, many of the stories of the warriors on the frontline and the families and communities on the home front have been told while some remained untold. But far too many are now being lost to the passage of time as…
Halley’s Comet & Northern Lights Stimulated Interest in Astronomy for a Young Lady From Iron Hill
The previous post on the little hamlet of Iron Hill caused me to think about another research project I worked on a few years ago, gathering data about a young lady born in Iron Hill. She became an acclaimed astronomer, with an international following, this taking place in an era when women weren’t expected to become professional…
Iron Hill was once a thriving village.
In several areas of Cecil County, there are places that were once thriving little hamlets but are now barely wide spots in the road. They might have a house or two, while in their heyday they hummed with activity. However, once their reason for prosperity vanished, the passage of time slowly eroded away the community’s traces. …
On the Railroad to Providence
On the railroad to Providence, you didn’t go far and you didn’t go fast. But the twisting, rambling route brought railcars to the doors of manufacturers along the Little Elk Creek. The companies–grinding flour, making paper, processing wool, and producing other goods–were clustered along the valley stream over time. Before the railroad arrived, teamsters hauled…
Christmas Eve Stories from the Cecil County Police Blotter
As families gathered to celebrate Christmas in the 1970s, Cecil County Police Officers continued their never-ending job, patrolling the roads and answering calls, while others shared gifts, good company, and delicious meals. Although the demands on law enforcement can be high on holidays, with officers juggling calls, a glance at the police blotter reveals that…