Ridgely and Sudlersville on Maryland’s Eastern Shore are just two of the towns that holds a piece of their heritage to the Railroads of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Delaware and Virginia’s Eastern Shore has many, including the Delaware town of Harrington.
When you mention Harrington, many think of the Casino or the Delaware State Fair.
In 2019 the City of Harrington celebrated the 150th Anniversary of their Incorporation. Nearly 100 years earlier, 1780, Benjamin Clark built a home and tavern. The tavern became a stagecoach stop as well a place for the area’s farmers to hear news and trade goods.
In 1856 the Delaware Railroad installed a junction and the town grew. The Post Office came and in 1862 the town adopted the name Harrington in honor of the Chancellor of the Delaware Railroad, Samuel Harrington.
The Harrington Railroad Museum pays homage to the time when the railroad was king. It includes a Railroad Tower, a Caboose and Watchmen’s Hut. The Tower was in use into the 1960’s and restored to operating condition. Many items used by the railroad are on display. The N5 Caboose, built in 1926 gives visitors an idea of life on the railroad.
The museum is part of the Greater Harrington Historical Society. GHHSociety.org
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Each Sunday a photo-essay by photographer SG (Steve) Atkinson will appear with information and photographs of ‘Points of Interest’ on the MD Eastern Shore. Click Here to see previous photo-essays.
Visit his Website ShoreToBePhotographs.com for more information about him and his work.
