On July 29, 1956, Governor Theodore R. McKeldin named Route 213, from Elkton to the Chester River, the Augustine Herman Highway to honor the famous early map maker of Maryland. This ceremony, which included the unveiling of a highway sign, was part of a larger observance of the 286th anniversary of Herman’s entry into Maryland. Dr. Juray Slavik, former Czechoslovakian…
Chesapeake City Town Commissioners & Mayor in 1956
The Chesapeake City Town Commissioners and Mayor named in 1956 following town election.
Online Historical Maps of Cecil County Help Researchers
Over the past several years there has been an enormous increase in the number of historical maps that are available online. These digital collections are a great aid for those seeking to understand the past, whether it is for a scholarly investigation, local history study, or genealogy project. While the maps, many centuries old, have been…
Galena Fire Company Launches Ambulance to Provide Quick Service in Cecilton and Galena Area.
If a heart attack or some other medical emergency occurred in Cecilton, Fredericktown, Warwick, Galena or other points along the Sassafras River, the victim had to wait a long time for an emergency medical transport. So concerned citizens decided to rectify that problem, launching a drive to buy a modern ambulance for the Cecilton-Galena area….
An Ideal Day for Visiting Interesting Spots Along the C & D Canal
On this beautiful Sunday in August the thermometer leveled off at 77 degrees and a steady breeze made things unusually comfortable on a brilliant, mid-summer day on the Chesapeake. These were ideal conditions for one of my favorite activities, getting out and visiting interesting spots on the Delmarva Peninsula so I checked out the Chesapeake and…
Calamity Jane Arrives in Cecil in 1953.
Calamity Jane, an all-purpose rescue truck, arrived in Cecil County late in 1953. This special emergency vehicle was available for use in Cecil, Harford, and Kent counties. The truck had nearly 100 different types of extraction equipment, every imaginable tool, mechanical device, and article needed when lives and property were endangered. It was one of…
Someone Asked: What is the History of the Building in Back of the Old Jail
The other day someone asked about the history of a plain concrete block building located on county property in back of the old county jail on North Street in Elkton. As structures in an old town like this go, it is a nondescript building that doesn’t grab any special attention. But I promised to look into the records…
County Building Basks in Glow of Evening Sun on a Friday Night in August
As the sun edged lower in the horizon on this Friday evening in August and shadows started lengthening, the slowly disappearing rays created some attractive hues and a pleasing glow on the county administration building. The deep blue sky in the direction of Delaware and a few white puffy clouds added a calmness to the…
Twenty Year Old Elkton Radio Station’s News Special Examined the Crash of Flight 214
This evening I digitized a cassette tape containing a recording of a twenty-year old news special that aired on Elkton Radio Station WSER in 1993. Thirty years earlier, on December 8, 1963, 81-people perished when Pan American World Airlines Flight 214 exploded over the town, so the station examined the tragedy. In the long unheard recording, Chuck…
Freedom Riders Arrive on Route 40 in Northeastern MD as CORE Works to Integrate Route 40
The Freedom Riders started incursions into the sharply segregated Deep South to confront Jim Crow laws in 1961. For the campaign, young people boarded buses heading into states where they tested a Supreme Court ruling that declared that separate facilities for interstate travel were unconstitutional. But this era of protest also involved visits to northeastern…