Oxford, MD

We left Solomons about 8a and traveled out of the harbor on flat water.  

Leaving Back Creek in the Harbor at Solomons

 

Still cloudy as we cruised into the Chesapeake.  But soon the sun came out and the water stayed calm with about a foot of fog over the water...... we could not have asked for a better day to be on the Bay.  We arrived at the small town of Oxford, MD about 1230p. Cruised the Harbor first then chose Plaindealing Creek... a pleasant area across the Tred Avon River from Oxford.  I love the names and English influence.

Oxford Harbor

   

 We fixed sandwiches for lunch and then boarded the dinghy to investigate the town.  But the dinghy would not start though Walter tried several times...the starter rope  was hung up and would not come out all the way.... we thought we would have to skip our tour but then it started.  I wanted a promise that it would start again in Oxford so we could get back.  But all I got was a "pretty sure" from the Captain!  There are no speed limits in the River so we went fast and the breeze on this 78 degree day felt wonderful.  As you enter the Harbor you must slow to 6 knots.

We found the dinghy dock at Hinckley's Marina and there was no charge.  As we were walking along a group of bikers stopped to ask us where they could find the main part of the town .  Ha!  We decided someone in the cute little library would know so we stopped in there and asked and got a map of the town.  The librarian said, "Your in it"!  So there is no commercial area.  There are about 1,200 full time residents... no water front condos as they have kept the quaint look of this place.  It is the oldest town on the Eastern shore of the Bay and nearly the oldest town in American with continuing residents.  It was founded around the mid 1600s when the immigrants settled on land already occupied by friendly Choptank Indians.    

At the one room museum we found out that most folks are employed at the lab at one end of the town.  It is run by The University of Maryland along with NOAA.  Others work in one of the many boat yards that repair boats or one of the 7 marinas. This used to be boat building town and a thriving oyster business here along with  factories that canned the oysters.  But the oysters were over harvested from the 1920s to the 1930s.  There are restrictions now so hopefully the oyster population is coming back.   The museum had some old photos showing how the workers shucking oysters had to wear boots and stand in these   three sided boxes.. all to keep them safe from the sharp shells.  

We walked down a couple of streets... beautiful park on one side that went all the way to the River.  Almost every house had the same unique picket style fence.                

   

  

  

We passed a 125 year old Methodist church but it surprised us that there were not more church buildings there.  So we went back to the knowledgeable lady who worked at the museum. She said there was another Methodist church, one black church & one white church!  She said they do everything together like dinners on the grounds etc and are very friendly but each likes their own favorite style of worship.  

Then she told a another story about what happened during the Civil War to the Methodist church for the whites called St Paul's.

St Paul's

She said the Southerners used to sit on one side and the Northerners on the other side.  They had taken down the American flag trying to keep the peace among the congregates.  Then when the war ended the pastor displayed the American flag and told the people the war was over and we are going to go out our door as one nation.  The folks from the North walked outside with the pastor but the Southerners climbed out the windows and went down the street and built the present Methodist church!  

This lovely church has been renovated and is now used by any and all for meetings or small weddings.  

Tomorrow we dock at St. Michael's for two nights...... much to see there including an 18 acre maritime museum! We both want to see the "long guns" talked about in Michener's book.