M is for Mardela Springs

M is for Mardela Springs (click here for map) - a merge of the names of the two States the town borders (Maryland and Delaware). 

I only had to drive
1 ½ hours to get to this perfectly nestled little gem located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland along Route 50.  I found this town absolutely charming as it transported me back in time.  Surrounded by curious remnants of the past, the relics recalled scenes of days gone by – antique furniture, old photos, and more than a century of the town’s history.
Mardela Springs was incorporated in 1906 and has a population of 352.  The town has a total area of 0.40 square miles - 0.39 square miles is land, and 0.01 square miles is water (a pond).  It is believed this town is the second oldest in Wicomico County. 


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There is some very interesting history about the town.  The town was not always named Mardela Springs.  It is said, “three times a charm”, right?  Well, three town names later and “Mardela Springs” was born (and a fourth name is in the works).  Land grants in the area date from the 1660s when the town was originally a settlement called, “Barren Creek Springs”.  At the time, Indians introduced new settlers to the bubbling medicinal springs located in the town.  The excitement of these springs was widely spread up and down the East Coast, and by the early 1800s, a spa of sorts was formed becoming locally famous by the 1840s.  In fact, a large hotel was built and many notable people came to "take the waters".  At one time, this water was even bottled and sold to a number of large East Coast cities. The springhouse still stands, but unfortunately, the hotel was destroyed by fire in 1914.

The town was called "Barren Creek Springs" until about 1880.  It was then changed to "Russum", for a prominent businessman.   Additionally, the hope was to avoid any association with images of a "barren" place, or “barren” water as it would negate the rumor of any medicinal healings the spring provided.  In 1894, the present name of Mardela Springs became official.  At present, the town is diligently working to change the name one more time to “Village of Barren Creek Springs”. 

Earlier in the month, I called to arrange for a tour of some of the town’s historical structures.  I spoke with David (the lead volunteer/guide), and he scheduled me to meet with Lynette (his wife) who is also a volunteer/guide.  I was instructed to meet her at the Adkins Historical and Museum Complex, Inc.  The complex was created and developed in 1980 by J. Howard and Louise Adkins.  The couple planned the complex to be a teaching museum, which means most of the artifacts you are allowed to actually touch/operate with staff supervision (i.e., carefully spin the wheel on an antique spinning wheel).  The couple also had a wonderful, dedicated motto….”preserving the past”.  Mrs. Adkins derived this motto from a canning jar.  Get it?  Canning preserves?  VERY clever!

The complex housed ten buildings, which I had the privilege of touring.  I met Lynette at the Whitelock Victorian House (built in the 1880s) – the first building on the tour.  It was a house of statement….of grandeur.  

Dining Room - Whitelock Victorian House

All of the rooms were large.  There were lots of windows in each of the rooms, which let in significantly more natural light.  The linens, garments, and furnishings on display indicated the family probably had considerable wealth.  I was quite taken by the large stove in the kitchen.  Lynette told me the stove was actually in one of the smaller buildings in the complex and it was moved into this home because it was a better fit.  She also told me a water pipe burst in the kitchen wall (in February 2015) nearly destroying all of the restoration done to the house. 

Penny Rug

I thought the rugs in the upstairs hallway were fascinating.  I was told they were “penny” rugs, which date back to the Civil War.  However, these particular rugs in the house were not of Civil War era.  They were fashioned by Mrs. Adkins.  The house was absolutely gorgeous and it was a nice way to begin the tour.

As we left the house, we walked over to a small train depot next door.  This is not where the depot originally was situated, though.  It was originally located in a nearby town and saw its demise as a crumbling storage shed.  The individual who owned it contacted Mr. Adkins who was interested in procuring it, had it moved to the complex, and restored it to what was depicted in old photographs.  In the past, a train route passed through Mardela Springs.  After the decline of the rail system, the tracks were finally removed.  When the train depot was relocated in Mardela Springs, Mr. Adkins had it placed in a spot that would have actually been located next to the tracks that were once there.  To complete an Eagle Scout project, a Boy Scout actually added a short amount of railroad track in front of the depot only adding to the beauty of the restoration. 

Train Depot

Brattan-Taylor General Store

From the train depot, we walked over to the Brattan-Taylor General Store (built in the 1830s).  Mr. Joshua Brattan originally owned the store.  A young 8-year old orphan by the name of Thomas Taylor began working in the store.  When Joshua died in 1938, he left the store to his son Joseph.  By then, Thomas was the manager of the store.  Thomas eventually bought the store from Joseph.  The hyphenated name of the store indicates there were two families who operated the store.  

Day Books

Now a museum, the store was everything I imagined it to look like from that era – a potbelly stove next to a table used to play checkers, shelves stocked with flour and sugar waiting to be sold, among other items.  Lynette pointed out the butter molds.  What is a butter mold?  The shape of the mold (flower, animal) tells the buyer of the butter who made and sold the butter.  Lynette also showed me the original Day Books (ledgers) containing store purchases made by the town’s women.  The Day Books for men’s purchases were not on display, yet. 

One Room Schoolhouse

The One Room Schoolhouse was next on the list and it was quite charming.  It holds the honor as being the only one room schoolhouse preserved in the county that remained as a schoolhouse.  This particular schoolhouse remained functional until the late 1920s and only taught grades Kindergarten through 8^th grade.  As you can see, there are not that many desks.  However, at one time there were 20 children attending school at the same time, every day.  Looking around the room, I was amazed by the meticulous effort that went into researching what a schoolhouse would look like from that time period.  And then my eyes locked on something hanging on the wall that was not only of historical significance, but something that has deep meaning to me – a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence.  And not just any framed copy; it is one of the last 400 copies of the original before the original was placed in a special case.  It was a gift of the Lockwood Wright family of Lewes, Delaware.  The experience of seeing this treasure left me awestruck!

Young's Purchase Farmhouse

We left the schoolhouse and walked over to Young’s Purchase Farmhouse (built in 1724).  It still remains a quaint, colonial farmhouse and is Lynette’s favorite building on the complex.  It was actually occupied until the 1960s.  As you look at the house, there are two gravestones to the right of the house.  These stones were found in the barn of Mardela Springs resident and placed in their present location for effect – they are not actual graves.  However, research shows the gravestones belonged to a Revolutionary War patriot and his wife (who were ancestors of the Wright Brothers).  Additionally, the Sons of the American Revolution have a ceremony at this site every year to pay tribute to these two individuals.  Their actual burial location is unknown.  

Doctor's Office

Immediately next to the Farmhouse is the Doctor’s Office.  This was actually a contractor’s shed they converted into a Doctor’s Office from the mid-1800s.  Again, the research conducted for an accurate portrayal of an office of this sort was amazing.  The medicinal bottles, pharmaceutical scale, examination chair, microscope, “potty”, and all of the other intricate details only added to the historical accuracy.  




Memorial Building

Following the Doctor’s Office, we visited the memorial building, which was another renovated contractor’s shed.  This beautiful building stands to honor those from Mardela Springs who served in the military.  The names of service members are listed and framed on the wall, a large American flag is folded and encased, a discharge certificate from a Civil War soldier is on exhibit, and items from WWI and WWII are displayed throughout the room.  Without a doubt, it was obvious the town was very proud of their hometown service members evidenced by how carefully everything was beautifully presented. 

A short walk from the memorial building landed us at the largest building on the complex – the cannery.  What I found very interesting here is Barren Creek Clocks uses the first floor of the cannery as a manufacturing, repair, and sales room of wooden geared clocks.  Barren Creek Clocks also offers their signature line of clocks (Leland Hedgecock Smith clocks), which are custom handcrafted clocks made by national award winning clock maker Leland Smith.   Additionally, you can take a walk down “Main Street” in this building. 

Capper and Carbonator

There are little rooms depicting a Post Office, Barber Shop, a bank, and other Main Street shops.  The water bottler (remember the medicinal springs?) is located here, as well (the capper and the carbonator).  

We left the cannery and headed over to Old Fellow Hall.  This is currently used as a multi-purpose hall for events.  Eventually, they would like to move the items here from the memorial building as there is more room for display.

Shad Barge

Our final stop was the Livery Stable.  Earlier, Lynette told me what was on display in the Livery Stable, and I just could not wait to get to this point in the tour.  So, what was in here?  It was a refurbished Shad Barge (synonymous with Sharptown Barge) over 20 feet in length.  You see, I have always been interested in the history of the Chesapeake Waterman, and I just knew this was going to appeal to me.  The boat was breathtaking and quite impressive, to say the least!

Shad barges were developed for Chesapeake Watermen to fish the Nanticoke River for Shad.  Shad runs were a staple of Chesapeake Springs in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, and their importance to the colonial Chesapeake economy earned them the nickname “The Founding Fish”.  Shad fishing boats like the Sharptown barge were spacious for the large fish catches typical of the springtime shad runs.  I was very happy Lynette ended the tour with such a lovely tribute to the Chesapeake Bay.  

Throughout the tour, Lynette was telling me everyone involved with tours, restorations, and research is a dedicated volunteer.  All of the work to the complex is done out of genuine love for the buildings and heritage of the town.  Mr. and Mrs. Adkins provided a substantial base for the resurrection of the complex and asked the townspeople to continue working the restoration after they passed away.

I thanked Lynette for taking the time out of her day to show me the complex and educate me on the town, which is loved so much by the residents.  As I was leaving, she told me I should visit the Double Mills Restoration Project. 

Gristmill

This is a gristmill that stopped working in the mid-1960s/early 1970s and the volunteers are working hard to get it up and running, again.  I quickly told her I wanted to thank David for setting up the tour for me.  She told me he worked nearby at “The Hardware Store”.  I asked her the name of the hardware store.  She told me that was the name, and that I should ask him why he picked that particular name for the store.  But that would have to wait……

By now you are probably asking, "what did you have for lunch?"  Well, lesson learned.  Call before you plan on eating to see if the place even exists!  Let me explain.  Lynette asked me where I was going to eat since I already mentioned what my criterion is for visiting towns for this blog.  I told her “Shorts Bar and Grill” (a Facebook page).  She looked confused – she and David are from Mardela Springs and had never heard of this place.  The town is small and of course she would know every place there is to eat.  According to her (and David when she got him on the phone), there is not anywhere to eat in Mardela Springs.  We deduced the Facebook page was created by someone advertising an event at their house and they forgot to remove it.  Sadly, I decided to wait until I got home to eat.

So, I found the store…..yes, “The Hardware Store”.  I walked in, found David, and thanked him for providing the tour for me.  In turn, he apologized that the new Visitors Center brochures had not arrived, yet – he was hoping to give one to me.  I then I asked him how he came up with the name of his store.  He told me when he was a little boy, he and his dad would always go to the hardware store (never giving it a name).  So, David selected the name based on that childhood memory.


Trans-Peninsular Line Midpoint Marker

David gave me directions to the gristmill project along with directions to the Trans-Peninsular Line Midpoint Marker – the point on the Mason-Dixon Line where it makes the bend forming the Delaware border.  He told me there was an existing marker that had never been used for the Mason-Dixon Line, and is located in the parking lot of a Mardela Springs church.  Additionally, he told me I needed to visit the infamous Spring House.  I would not be able to get any medicinal water, but at least I could see where the attraction to the town began.  I thanked him again and as I was walking to my car, a UPS truck arrived and started unloading boxes.  Could it be?  Did the brochures arrive?  David cut a box open and……the brochures!  And guess who got the first one?  (smiles) My day was complete!!!!!! 

Stone Not Used for Mason-Dixon Line

Plaque - Stone Not Used for
Mason Dixon Line

I then drove over to the gristmill, which you can only view from the outside.  I also stopped and visited the Mason-Dixon line markers, and then decided to head back home.  Of course, when I got to the Trans-Peninsular Line Midpoint Marker I could not resist doing this - I lined myself up with the center of the marker and hopped left and right saying, "I'm North, I'm South, I'm North, I'm South".  You are probably rolling your eyes, but I "know" you would do same given the chance!

As I drove out of town, I went over the morning’s events in my head and remembered Lynette mentioned the upcoming celebrations in the town.  There is a Victorian Girl’s Camp in June (ages 6 to 12) where girl’s learn about life back in the Victorian era and actually live as such.  There is a 4^th of July celebration with events ranging from live entertainment, games, and BBQ.  Additionally, there is a Christmas Heritage Tour complete with a shuttle around town, crafts, and of course, Santa Clause.

It is evident history is very much alive in Mardela Springs.  The pride the people of Mardela Springs has in their town’s heritage definitely shows. People say “out with the old, in with the new”.  I am happy this is something this town does not embrace.  

Mardela Springs Spring House