Memorial Day Weekend begins today. For many it begins the summer season. And the Beach Season.
There are many places just off the beaten paths of US-50 and MD-404 on the way to Beaches of Maryland and Delaware. With this Photo-essay, I’ll talk about a couple of short side trips off of the beaten paths.
One suggestion I always offer is at the Light at Chesapeake College is to turn right and visit Wye Mills.
Wye Mills is the home of the Wye Mill which has been in nearly continuous operation since 1682. There’s also Wye Oak State Park, which until June 6, 2002 was the home of Wye Oak. The tree was the largest white oak tree in the United States and the State Tree of Maryland from 1941 until A clone of the old tree stands in its current location.
The first “Points of Interest” Photo-essay I published here on the ChesaDel Crier was on taking this side trip. You can read it at A Detour to Wye Mills
The town of Easton, is already one of those slow points. US-50 though is just on the edge of the town. You may have heard about the Talbot County Court House and the imfamous Talbot Boys monument. Here’s a point where you can see something that shows a terrible time of our history and at the same time a a good point with a monument of Stephen Douglas, who was born in Talbot County.
This photo is the Talbot County Court House and you can see both of the monuments. Regardless of whether the Talbot Boys belongs there or not is not part of this piece. I’m just pointing out that currently it is there.
One great spot to stop to rest on your travels to the Beach on US-50 is Cambridge and the County’s Welcome Center, which you can see as you cross over the Choptank River leaving Talbot to Dorchester County.
The park has a playground, restrooms, a relaxing garden with native plants, a mile-long boardwalk to stretch your legs (and your dog’s legs), a “Flying goose” monument fountain and a beach area. It’s also the official starting point of the Harriet Tubman Byway. It would be easy to spend hours just in the town exploring the town. I’ve already have two “Points of Interest” Photo-Essays in Cambridge. Harriet Tubman Byway: Cambridge, MD and FDR Smokestack Memorial – Long Wharf Park, Cambridge
MD-404 has great scenic views as you travel to the beach. In the coming months I will be looking to do more “Points of Interest” on this drive to the beach. Often when a By-pass is built it takes you away from a town. It doesn’t mean you should visit and the Town of Denton is one of those towns you may not want to by-pass.
Denton is one of those towns that have seen much over it’s life. It was founded in 1791 and is the County Seat of Caroline County. The historic Court House and the water front are both part of the Harriet Tubman Trail. I featured both of these location were part of my Harriet Tubman Byway: Crossing the Mason/Dixon into Delaware as was Martinak State Park, Two miles east of Denton, off MD-404.
Enjoy the Memorial Day Weekend and the beginning of the official Summer Season. Please also remember that this weekend is also the time we remember and give our thanks to all of those who ‘gave their all’ for our country.
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Editor’s Note
Since the beginning of 2021, each Friday a photo-essay by photographer SG (Steve) Atkinson with information and photographs of ‘Points of Interest’ on the MD Eastern Shore has been published here on the ChesaDel Crier.
Beginning in June, they will be published on Sunday.
Click Here to see previous photo-essays.
A few months ago he begin work on a new photographic project. One that ties in directly with his Photo-Essays here on the ChesaDel Crier. Chesapeake County Roads. A Website, ChesapeakeCountryRoads.com, has been created for his project.
For more information about him and his work visit his Website ShoreToBePhotographs.com.
