This past Wednesday marked the thirty-third anniversary of the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S history. As the crisis that resulted in a partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island Power Plant began on March 28, 1979, Cecil County Civil Defense was deeply involved in testing the area’s preparedness for a nuclear disaster. But at…
Cecil County Public Library Friends Host Local Authors April 14
The Friends of the Cecil County Public Library will host a night of local authors on Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Elkton Central Library. Dr. Corinne Litzenburg and Mrs. Bobbie Hinman, are the featured authors of children’s books. Brigadier General Ken Wiggins is featured as an author of Delaware military history. Each author…
Online Catalog of Cecil County Tombstones Expand to Over 30,000 Entries
One of the Historical Society’s most experienced family history researchers and a past president of the Genealogical Society of Cecil County, Gary Burns, has worked several years transcribing tombstones at practically every known cemetery in Cecil County. From Bald Friar to Warwick, and every other place in between, he and helpers, have visited quite old…
New Book: Potters and Firebrick Makers of Cecil County Maryland & Nearby, 1750 – 1950,
By James R. Koterski Clay deposits played a major role in the economy of bygone Cecil County. Some were mined and shipped out-of-state while others provided the key raw material to potters and firebrick makers. Wheel-thrown redware and stoneware were fired in kilns at Rising Sun, Brick Meeting House, NorthEast and Rock Springs. Meanwhile, some Delaware and Pennsylvania…
Remembering Cecil County’s Fallen Firefighters
See updated Post, November 22, 1963: Remembering the Fallen: Three Cecil County Firefighters Made the Ultimate Sacrifice Although a lot of time has passed since two members of the county’s fire service fell in the line of duty, it’s important to remember them. Perhaps someday a memorial can be created to honor those fire, rescue…
Firemen’s Carnivals Were Popular Events in Cecil County
The annual volunteer firemen’s carnivals were popular summer events in Cecil County years ago. Each summer, as the event moved from town to town, large crowds would turn out for an evening of fun and entertainment. These two photos show the Singerly Fire Company carnival sometime in the 1950s.
USNTC, Bainbridge Fire Department
Members of the USNTC, Bainbridge Fire Department line up in front of the firehouse (Station 12) in the late 1970s.
A Surviving African-American One-Room Schoolhouse
An old Cecil County schoolhouse where African-American children were taught for nearly 80 years still stands on a quiet hillside outside Pleasant Hill. Benjamin Griffith donated the property for the Cedar Hill School on February 11, 1871. His deed said “that in consideration of my regard for the education of the colored children of my…
First Lines: How to Get Started Writing Your Story (and Publishing Your Work); Library Workshop, March 16
Event Details First Lines: How to Get Started Writing Your Story (and Publishing Your Work)Wednesday, March 16th at 7pm Elkton Central Library 301 Newark Ave., Elkton MD 21921 In this workshop and discussion, local author David Healey will share ideas on how to get started on your creative writing project – whether it’s a novel,…
How Elkton Became the Elopement Capital of the East
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Historical Society of Cecil County explored a captivating period in Elkton’s history during a weekend talk by Mike Dixon. While the nation faced the bleak days of the Great Depression, business thrived in Elkton for the “honeymoon express” arrived many times each day, and Elkton became the elopement…