The quaint, unincorporated town of Whitehaven is located in Wicomico County and has a population smaller than the roster of an NFL football team (42 residents,) a total land area of 0.37 square miles, and 0.36 square miles of water. All but two of the 27 dwellings were constructed prior to the 20th century!
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| Old Home in Whitehaven |
The entire village has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The
one historical marker
in town reads: “Ferry operated here as early as 1692. Settlers were led by Col. George Gale of Whitehaven in the North of England. His first wife, Mildred Warner Washington who by previous marriage was George Washington's grandmother, lived nearby before her death in 1701. 'Whitehaven Company' of Somerset County Militia fought with the Maryland Line in Revolutionary War.”
Was Whitehaven, Maryland named after the town of Whitehaven in England? It looks as if it was. Research told me Col. George Gale remarried Elizabeth Denwood at Whitehaven, Cumbria, England in 1701. In 1702, George and Elizabeth moved to America and founded a small settlement in Kent County, Maryland and called it Whitehaven (now in Wicomico County.)
I arrived to the town early ready to explore! I quickly found I could only travel the one
main road, which formed a ¼ mile loop through the Whitehaven Historical
District. Additionally, there were three
small streets bisecting that loop. Structures
included the homes mentioned above, a church, a historical schoolhouse,
and a
marine railway. However, there wasn’t
any commerce – no gas station, no general store, not even a bank. There was a restaurant (The Red Roost), but
it was closed for the season. I panicked
– what about lunch?! Oh, no! Readers, I cannot tell a lie - I already knew
what I was up against because I did my research. I am giving you fair warning - if you decide
to visit Whitehaven, be sure to pack a lunch!
The first item of interest was the Whitehaven Schoolhouse. The Whitehaven Schoolhouse opened in 1886 as a grammar school. It originated as a one-room schoolhouse (it was later expanded) and has significance as it is one of the few remaining in Wicomico County still located on its original site. Prior to the construction of the schoolhouse, Whitehaven was served by schools roughly three miles away. As the population of the village grew, it was evident a schoolhouse was necessary.
In 1886, the present schoolhouse lot was sold
for $1.00 to the County Commissioners. The
first room of the schoolhouse was built soon afterward and children in grades 1
through 7 were taught. In 1908, the
second room of the schoolhouse and a porch across the older section were
built. Children in grades 7 through 9 were
taught in this addition. In 1935, the
little schoolhouse closed when students began to be bused from Whitehaven to
the nearby village of Quantico. In 1937,
the Whitehaven Methodist Church acquired the schoolhouse and began using it for
various social events such as church suppers and ice cream socials. Sunday school classes were also taught here. In 1975, it was refurbished and maintained as
a “Country Store” and gift shop. Those
days were short lived as it was used as storage space several years later.
In 1991, the little schoolhouse once again gained importance in the community of Whitehaven as it earned its new title of Community and Church Hall. In this capacity, the schoolhouse serves as a meeting place for the Whitehaven Historical Society, as an exhibition space for local artists, and as a repository for archived documents and photographs relating to Whitehaven’s history.
Just beyond the schoolhouse stands the Whitehaven Methodist Episcopal Church. Built in 1892, it stands as an unusual expression of Whitehaven’s maritime and boat building heritage.
In fact, according to
the description of the church in the Maryland Comprehensive Historic
Preservation Plan Data:
“The most remarkable aspect of this church interior is the paneling which sheathes its walls and ceilings. This paneling consists of diagonally placed strips of heart pine which creates a herringbone pattern against the [wall] and [ceiling]. Although the craftsman of this interior is unknown, the church is said this reflects the work of local shipbuilders who have long made their home in Whitehaven.”
There are two interesting facts about this church.
First, the interior can be read as an archive
of Whitehaven. This is because
throughout the years, inscribed memorials of deceased family members were
donated by members of the congregation.
These memorials include: art
glass windows, the bible, a picture of Christ, chancel cross, and an organ.
What is the second interesting fact? Religious services are only held four times a year. Additionally, the church is available for special events, such as weddings and funerals.
I left the church in hopes of finding the next item on my “To See” list. I read the town was home to a marine railway, but I was unsure of what I was looking for. Was it a building? A set of train tracks? Whatever it was, I was hoping it was not on someone’s personal property because most of the town had “No Trespassing” signs affixed to posts around driveways and piers.
According to this link,
Shipbuilding had been a part of the economy of Whitehaven since the early 19th
century. The marine railway was built as
part of the operation. The earliest
evidence documented suggested there was large-scale shipbuilding in Whitehaven in
1808. 19th century shipbuilding
in Whitehaven morphed into ship repair during the early 20th
century. The types of vessels repaired
at the shipyard represented a wide cross section of the types of boats
operating on the Wicomico River and throughout the Eastern Shore. They included bugeyes, schooners, scows, skiffs, launches, bateau, flattie, canoes,
yachts, pungy, and skipjacks. Shipyard operations in Whitehaven ceased in the
1970s as the Whitehaven Shipyard moved to another location.
I rounded one of the bends for what seemed like the 20th time,
and off in the distance was a house with some VERY
large cogs attached to its backside.
Could this be the marine railway?
There was not a “No Trespassing” sign in sight, so I ventured over to
the area. As I approached the house, I
was able to see the cogs up close. They
were enormous! The house was of 20th
century design, which was unlike the other homes in town. Extending off the cogs was an elevated single
slipway leading to the edge of the shoreline, but not into the water.
I did not see any metal track or rails inside
of the walls – the area was filled in with grass/weeds. I assumed this was the railway, but nothing
told me I was correct. I really needed
to find someone to ask.
Whitehaven has been host to “ships passing in the night” – literally. One of these ships was the famed Chinese junk ship - the Mon Lei, which sailed through Whitehaven on its way to nearby Salisbury one evening in June 1942. Over a three year period, the “floating museum” equipped with 800 square feet of canvas reinforced by bamboo bracings traveled thousands of miles from China visiting numerous American ports. Stories about the ship’s origins vary. Some accounts reported the Mon Lei was built as early as 1890 while others claim it was built in 1939 by a wealthy Hong Kong businessman. It is also not clear when and how the famous “Believe it or not” Robert Ripley bought the ship in Baltimore. Ripley had become taken with the exotic ship and invested significantly in his prized possession.
You are probably wondering when I will be visiting the “something” older than the nation. All in good time, good readers….all in good time…….
From what I assumed was the marine railway, I wandered over to the Whitehaven Hotel. The Whitehaven Hotel is an 8-bedroom Bed and Breakfast.Built in 1810, The Whitehaven Hotel was first constructed as a two and a half story road-house or private home. In the late 1800s, the Village of
Whitehaven was a vibrant riverfront community with
shipyards, a canning factory, a new school and church, and several stores. To meet the region’s burgeoning demand for
lodging, the building went through its first major expansion in approximately
1877 and opened as a hotel.
The Whitehaven Hotel was also known as a “Drummer’s Hotel.” The Hotel accommodated travelers during Whitehaven’s boom years (the 1880s through the 1920s) when the town was a stopping point for people traveling between Vienna and Princess Anne. The Hotel also provided overnight stay for visitors who had booked passage on steamships to Baltimore. Many of the Hotel’s guests were “drummers” - salesmen from Baltimore who would try to “drum” up business by selling household goods that ranged from soap powder to mattress ticking. Drummers would pay a quarter a night and sleep four to a bed. However, during the 1940s, engineers dredged the Wicomico all the way up to Salisbury (a town located about 20 miles northeast of Whitehaven.) The ships bypassed the town, local canneries closed, and Whitehaven seemingly stopped in time.
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| Whitehaven Schoolhouse |
The first item of interest was the Whitehaven Schoolhouse. The Whitehaven Schoolhouse opened in 1886 as a grammar school. It originated as a one-room schoolhouse (it was later expanded) and has significance as it is one of the few remaining in Wicomico County still located on its original site. Prior to the construction of the schoolhouse, Whitehaven was served by schools roughly three miles away. As the population of the village grew, it was evident a schoolhouse was necessary.
 |
| Whitehaven Schoolhouse |
In 1991, the little schoolhouse once again gained importance in the community of Whitehaven as it earned its new title of Community and Church Hall. In this capacity, the schoolhouse serves as a meeting place for the Whitehaven Historical Society, as an exhibition space for local artists, and as a repository for archived documents and photographs relating to Whitehaven’s history.
Just beyond the schoolhouse stands the Whitehaven Methodist Episcopal Church. Built in 1892, it stands as an unusual expression of Whitehaven’s maritime and boat building heritage.
 |
| Whitehaven Church |
“The most remarkable aspect of this church interior is the paneling which sheathes its walls and ceilings. This paneling consists of diagonally placed strips of heart pine which creates a herringbone pattern against the [wall] and [ceiling]. Although the craftsman of this interior is unknown, the church is said this reflects the work of local shipbuilders who have long made their home in Whitehaven.”
There are two interesting facts about this church.
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| Whitehaven Church |
What is the second interesting fact? Religious services are only held four times a year. Additionally, the church is available for special events, such as weddings and funerals.
I left the church in hopes of finding the next item on my “To See” list. I read the town was home to a marine railway, but I was unsure of what I was looking for. Was it a building? A set of train tracks? Whatever it was, I was hoping it was not on someone’s personal property because most of the town had “No Trespassing” signs affixed to posts around driveways and piers.
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| Random boat on Wicomico River - not built by Shipyard! |
I rounded one of the bends for what seemed like the 20th time,
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| Marine Railway |
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| Marine Railway |
Whitehaven has been host to “ships passing in the night” – literally. One of these ships was the famed Chinese junk ship - the Mon Lei, which sailed through Whitehaven on its way to nearby Salisbury one evening in June 1942. Over a three year period, the “floating museum” equipped with 800 square feet of canvas reinforced by bamboo bracings traveled thousands of miles from China visiting numerous American ports. Stories about the ship’s origins vary. Some accounts reported the Mon Lei was built as early as 1890 while others claim it was built in 1939 by a wealthy Hong Kong businessman. It is also not clear when and how the famous “Believe it or not” Robert Ripley bought the ship in Baltimore. Ripley had become taken with the exotic ship and invested significantly in his prized possession.
You are probably wondering when I will be visiting the “something” older than the nation. All in good time, good readers….all in good time…….
From what I assumed was the marine railway, I wandered over to the Whitehaven Hotel. The Whitehaven Hotel is an 8-bedroom Bed and Breakfast.Built in 1810, The Whitehaven Hotel was first constructed as a two and a half story road-house or private home. In the late 1800s, the Village of
The Whitehaven Hotel was also known as a “Drummer’s Hotel.” The Hotel accommodated travelers during Whitehaven’s boom years (the 1880s through the 1920s) when the town was a stopping point for people traveling between Vienna and Princess Anne. The Hotel also provided overnight stay for visitors who had booked passage on steamships to Baltimore. Many of the Hotel’s guests were “drummers” - salesmen from Baltimore who would try to “drum” up business by selling household goods that ranged from soap powder to mattress ticking. Drummers would pay a quarter a night and sleep four to a bed. However, during the 1940s, engineers dredged the Wicomico all the way up to Salisbury (a town located about 20 miles northeast of Whitehaven.) The ships bypassed the town, local canneries closed, and Whitehaven seemingly stopped in time.
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| Front View - Whitehaven Hotel |
In 1995, the Hotel was saved from the wrecking ball through the cooperative efforts of local residents, the Maryland Historic trust and by those captivated by its charming location. In 1997, restoration began to reverse nearly 50 years of neglect and bring this jewel of the Eastern Shore back to its stately appearance. It remains in its original form as one of the last buildings in a long-gone network of points between steamship routes connecting small waterfront towns and islands in the Chesapeake Bay to commercial ports as far away as Baltimore.
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| Side View - Whitehaven Hotel |
Looking around the parking lot, I became concerned as there was only one vehicle visible and it was a maintenance vehicle. I tried the door handle on the Hotel, but it was locked. I called the contact numbers provided on a sign on the door, but could only leave a message. Disappointed, I decided to move on.
My experience began as I approached the ferry operator (Captain Bobby Bean) and asked if I could just sit and talk to him as he worked. He happily nodded. I took a ride into history as I crossed the Wicomico River on this car ferry. I did not want to take up room on the ferry with my car, so I parked and walked on the ferry.
The first ferry began operating in 1688 and is thought to be the oldest continuously operating ferry in the United States. The ferry is docked in Wicomico County and can carry up to 3 cars and 6 people. The cable ferry journeys 900 feet across the Wicomico River ending up on the other side in Somerset County.
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| Ferry's Cable |
Bobby told me he is one of only two full-time operators. He has been captaining the ferry for 26 years. What did I find to be the most interesting fact about this particular job? Not only is the job older than the State of Maryland (7th State to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1788), the job is older than Wicomico County (created from Somerset County and Worcester County in 1867) AND the job is older than the United States (founded in 1776.)
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| Cable Mechanism |
Lines for the ferry form at a stop sign in front of the Whitehaven Hotel.
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| Ferry |
During my many trips across the river, I asked Bobby if the house with the cogs attached was the marine railway. He nodded. He asked if I had been to the Hotel yet. I told him I was there before I got on the ferry, but nobody answered my knocks or my calls.
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| Ferry |
I made the decision to finally ditch my sea legs and head home. Riding the ferry was definitely an experience to remember. As I disembarked the ferry, I thanked Bobby for his time and for keeping history alive. He smiled and told me never before had he heard anyone put his job in that perspective.
Aside from the fact I could not eat lunch in the town, I found Whitehaven to be extremely enchanting. I became smitten with this small town based on its unique history and serene views. Without a doubt, I could easily come back to relax and “get my chill on.”
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| View from Behind Hotel |
