In this first of a series of blog posts, Preservation Maryland Board Vice President Diane Caslow will provide a travelogue of her journey across the state to visit some of Maryland’s most historic places in all twenty-four counties over the next twenty-four months. The adventure begins with Cecil County:
A Journey Through Maryland History
My husband, Jeff Caslow, and I thought it would be fun to renew our sense of adventure and exploration and we settled on a project to take day trips to each of Maryland’s counties and Baltimore City over the next twenty-four months. The goal is to explore the things we love and appreciate- history, preservation and finding some of Maryland’s hidden treasures.
Mount Harmon Plantation (ca. 1788), Cecil County
Cecil County was our first trip, tipped off by the Preservation Maryland newsletter showcasing partner events – Mount Harmon Plantation Revolutionary War and Colonial Festival. Down a two-mile lane lined by Osage orange trees, we saw a beautiful Georgian house emerge, from what was originally a 350 acre working tobacco plantation. It was known on early maps as “World’s End” because of its location at one of the northern most ends of the Chesapeake Bay on the Sassafras River.
The last weekend in October, Mount Harmon hosts a Revolutionary War reenactment. We tasted mock terrapin soup – no actual turtles were sacrificed for the soup as it was made with chicken and a good dose of sherry, see the restored tobacco prize house, walk through encampments of colonial forces and the Brits, and then see them battle it out for the new world territory across a beautiful fall field.
Although no Revolutionary War battle ever took place here, the secluded location makes it ideal to shoot off cannons and not annoy neighbors. We met the enthusiastic executive director and some board members, whose passion and the stories they told us made this amazing place come alive.
My husband is more the history scholar, reveling in the military history and Maryland history in general. I enjoy seeing how preservation comes alive in restoring places and repurposing them for the latest generation to enjoy. Seeing the encampments from the widow’s walk, the colonial shopping center, where you could buy things to outfit the best reenactor, and the people that came out to enjoy the day was a great way for us to enjoy our first Maryland County adventure.
Next on our tour, we head west to Washington County.
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY INSTALLMENTS
- November 2016: At World’s End in Cecil County
- December 2016: Washington County Bridges
- December 2016: Anne Arundel for a Capital Christmas
- February 2017: Winter Walk in Wicomico County
- March 2017: African-American History in Prince George’s County
- March 2017: Main Street March Madness in Caroline County