E is for East New Market, Maryland

E is for East New Market, Maryland. 

I only had to drive 1 ½ hours to reach another delightful town which holds some more of Maryland’s fascinating history.  East New Market (click here for a map) is located in Dorchester County.  It was incorporated in 1832, has a population of 400, and covers an area of 0.4 square miles.  The town was originally settled in 1660 and is home to architecture depicting design from three different centuries.   One of the interesting things about this town is at each of the four entrances to the town stands a church.  

East New Market was the first town to receive the designation as a Historic District in Dorchester County by the State of Maryland.  Not only is it registered as a National Historic District, the entire town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Additionally, in 1803, the word "East" was added to the town’s title with the establishment of a post office.  The change was made by the U.S. Postal Service to distinguish it from the town of New Market in Frederick County, Maryland.   

Now about my memorable experience.  As I was researching the town, I came across an article which read about a VERY historical event which occurred in this town in October 2014.  What was the event you ask?  I am afraid you will have to remain in suspense a little while longer.  However, I will tell you it was an event which was a long time in the making and should have come to fruition a lot sooner than in 2014.  On to my story…..

I arrived to East New Market wanting to at least drive by a few of the historical homes in the town.  Unfortunately, if they were not currently occupied by residents, they were abandoned and locked up, or they were used in another capacity (storage facility).  So, I drove by “Buckland”, the “Edmondson House”, the “Brick Hotel”, and “Friendship Hall”. 

Buckland (circa 1740).  This house has significance for several reasons:

“"Buckland" is a rare structure for the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  First, the two-story, center hall house is a rare survival of eighteenth-century construction with intact layers of flush beaded weatherboards and superb interiors of raised panel carpentry.  Second, the overall shape of the house follows a "salt-box" form, a type of structure uncommon to Dorchester County and the Eastern Shore in general.  The long sloping rear shed covered small rooms probably used as chambers or service spaces.  Perhaps the most noted interior feature not found in many eighteenth-century Eastern Shore frame dwellings is the sophisticated ceiling plaster decoration.  Also, "Buckland" is clearly the oldest frame building to remain standing in East New Market. Its preservation was undoubtedly due to many reasons, but its superior construction on a well ventilated high foundation has prevented major failure of the substructure.  "Buckland" is thought to have been erected to face the old road, now Railroad Avenue, which was originally developed during the seventeenth century from an Indian trading path."

Edmondson House (circa 1799).  So, there is a pretty interesting story with regards to this house.  In short: 

 “[Back] in 2002, the current owner of the “Edmonson House” was in the process of renovating an upstairs bedroom and after remaining panels from the walls, he began scraping the paint and underneath he found approximately 30 signatures written on the wall, circa 1835-1837.  Some of names were local to the area while others were from out of state.  In addition to names, counties, states, and dates were included for several names.

The “Edmonson House” is approximately 600 feet from “Friendship Hall”, the home of Thomas Holliday Hicks Maryland's Governor from 1858 to 1862.  Local historians had heard of a tunnel behind the “Edmonson House” which, reportedly, connected the house to Friendship Hall.  Local legend stated the tunnel had been used on the Underground Railroad and the “Edmonson House” was once owned by Quakers.  The Quaker connection, along with the proximity to the Delaware border made the connection to the Underground Railroad very possible.  Many of the names were difficult to read due to their age and the poor lighting conditions in the room.  After moving a large bookcase from the short wall immediately to the right of the doorway, several more names were discovered.”

There is so much more regarding the historical background of these signatures in the “Edmondson House” article – I would encourage each of you to open the link and discover the rest for yourself. 

The Brick Hotel (circa 1787).  The “Brick Hotel” was once known as the “House of the Hinges”.  Colonel Joseph Daffin, a merchant, built the house between 1796 and 1798. He and his wife both died in 1798. It also belonged to Major Anthony Manning, an Officer of the War of 1812.  There are many fine period architectural details still existing in the “Brick Hotel”.  The structure got its interesting name "House of the Hinges" because of an unusual set of hinges found on a meat house at the rear of the building.  Unfortunately, since the set of hinges were not available for public viewing, I will never know what was so unusual about them.  Additionally, the house boasts a 1 ½ story "kitchen wing” (my dream kitchen).

Friendship Hall (circa 1783).  This house left me captivated.  I had to drive down a little driveway and when I reached the end of the drive, I was humbly greeted by an impressive, no…REGAL! dwelling.  I anxiously wanted to view the interior, but it is currently in a restoration phase by its current owner and not eligible for touring.  A description of this home, taken from “Souvenir Program of the North Dorchester Heritage Festival, June 5-11, 1955” reads:

“Major James Sullivane came to America [from England] with his two brothers about 1695 and settled here on the Eastern Shore.  Major James purchased land for the sum of $600.00 and built a brick mansion named "Friendship Hall".  Friendship Hall was the scene

of much of the splendid hospitality so characteristic of the colonial period.  The owner had a private racetrack and kept a number of fast horses for riding and driving.  The house itself was elaborately decorated, with crown moldings in each room and one with Greek key letter molding.  Paneled fireplaces extend to the ceiling, and paneled inside doors with brass box locks, are still the marvel of visitors today who go through the ancient rooms.  Friendship Hall remains one of the most beautiful remaining examples of colonial Dorchester.  The early owners and their descendants occupied high positions, and intermarried with some of the most noted families in the state.”

By now, you are probably wondering when I am going to talk about this 2014 historical event I mentioned earlier, right?  I apologize, but now it is time for lunch.  I ask that you accompany me to the “Hometown Pride Market and Deli” for a sandwich.  And what a delicious sandwich it was!  When I arrived, I found the store to be charming.  It was a combination grocery store/liquor store/scaled down Office Depot/copying room/deli all rolled into one.  The people who worked there, along with the customers, could not have been friendlier.  I was greeted with smiles, welcomes, and a little bit of conversation.  The sincerity of everyone and the “feel good” surroundings made my veggie sandwich taste even better.  I actually wrote down what I had on the sandwich so I could replicate it.  It was not a regular sandwich.  It started out with bread, lettuce, and tomato and it was built from there. 

So, here we are in the point of my adventure where I now talk about the 2014 event.  The event actually is a result of Harriet Tubman’s sacrifices she made for her family and friends.  For 200 years until 1864, Maryland sanctioned slavery.  Harriet Tubman was born a slave in Dorchester County in 1822 and successfully escaped to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1849.  Wanted by law enforcement and slave catchers, she returned to Maryland 13 times repeatedly to rescue 70 of her enslaved family and friends.    Harriet used the network of people, places, and routes assisting escaping slaves reach freedom, which was known as the Underground Railroad (named after the new steam railroads and using terms such as “passengers” and “conductors). 

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway is a “National Road,” which means it has been designated one of the country’s best byways for its historic and cultural value. The Byway also includes the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument, lands designated by President Obama in 2013.  The 125-mile Byway includes more than 30 sites.   One of those sites is the Faith Community United Methodist Church in East New Market – the second oldest church in Dorchester County.  In October 2014, there was a ceremonial ribbon cutting and an historical marker placed in front of the church to confirm the church’s inclusion in the Harriet Tubman Byway.

As history tells, Samuel Green, born around 1802, was an African-American slave, freedman, and minister.  According to historical data, he helped Harriet Tubman and other runaway slaves reach freedom.  In 1843 a free black woman, Sarah Young, deeded land to seven free black trustees, including the Rev. Samuel Green.  Rev. Green and the original church trustees established the Colored People’s Methodist Episcopal Church in August 1844, in East New Market.  That church, now the Faith Community United Methodist Church, is he second structure to house this continuously active congregation. The original church site has recently been reacquired by the congregation.

Rev. Green was arrested in 1857, not for aiding the Underground Railroad but for having a copy of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” considered an “inflammatory” abolition document. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.  Abolitionists called for his release and slaveholders called for his incarceration.  He was released in 1862 and, after a stint in Canada, returned to Dorchester County where he was an active member of the Delaware Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church until his death in 1877.

Per Lay speaker Michelle Nichols said [on the day of the 2014 ceremony]:
     "On behalf of our pastor, the Rev.Beverly Holland, we are excited about what God has done.  We're honored to partake of this occasion 
       and be here to witness the fruits of the labor of this committee.  It's remarkable to have such a prominent piece of history here and a
       marker that will be here for generations to come so that our children and our children's children will learn and understand our history. 
       We are part of a rich legacy and history.  It's so important to pass that along."

Sometimes experiences and discoveries in towns like these will leave you awestruck.  I enjoy knowing a lot more about a town’s “days-gone-by” and knowing I had been standing on the same spot where significant, historical events occurred.  It leaves me with a deeper appreciation and admiration for the people in our past who shaped the history of this country.