A distinctive chapter in Somerset’s history begins with Fairmount Academy. The schoolhouse was built around 1860–1867 as a public school for the Potato Neck District and is considered the last surviving 19th-century schoolhouse in the county. Its construction period and original purpose connect the history of a single building with the district’s educational history.
Historic Buildings and Their Stories
Somerset County’s architectural heritage includes plantations, rural and town residences, churches, and agricultural buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. Another example is Teackle Mansion: L. D. Teackle bought land in 1802 to build the Neoclassical-inspired brick house now known as Teackle Mansion. The Burgess Rural Living Center offers a different perspective on the past. This small, free museum covers Somerset County’s history from around the turn of the 20th century to about the mid-1930s.
Marshlands and Water Trails
Flat fields, extensive marshlands, and tidal tributaries flowing into Chesapeake Bay shape the county’s landscape. The island section of Janes Island State Park contains more than 2,900 acres of salt marshes. More than 30 miles of marked water trails also run through this landscape. So the marshes are not merely a feature of the scenery here; they also shape how people get around, with water trails at the heart of the park.
The options vary at the river and along the shore. At Manokin River Park, you can fish from the riverbank, and there is also a shallow launch site for kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards. Wellington Beach and Park is a small public beach with a public pier where fishing and crabbing are permitted. At Raccoon Point Beach & Park, a beach on the bay is paired with a shallow launch site for kayaks and canoes. There is also a pavilion with a grill available to rent. If you prefer to get around on foot or by bike, you can use the Terrapin Run Recreational Trail. Its first section was completed in 2021, and additional phases are underway, so the trail’s extent may change.
Life on the Water, Island Culture, and Craft
The history of working on the water can be explored from a variety of perspectives. The Skipjack Heritage Museum in Chance houses local artifacts, historical photographs, historic oystering equipment, and models documenting the lives of watermen and Deal Island families. Skipjack Heritage, Inc. preserves the history of skipjacks, other workboats, and the people of the wider Deal Island area. The J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum covers a period stretching from the first people who lived in the area more than 10,000 years ago to the era when Crisfield was considered the seafood capital.
The Smith Island Cultural Center features exhibits about the traditions of working on the water and island life. It is accessible by boat from Crisfield and Solomons. Wildfowl carving is also part of the region’s cultural history: Lem and Steve Ward are considered icons of this art, and the Ward Brothers Workshop is associated with their legacy. Tours of the workshop are available by appointment. Smith Island Cake, a local favorite, is sold whole, by the half, or by the slice.
Festivals and Trip Planning
Crisfield’s National Hard Crab Derby takes place annually over Labor Day weekend. The program includes crab races, boat docking contests, cooking contests, and crab-picking contests, along with arts and crafts, live music, a parade, and fireworks. The program may change from one year to the next. The Labor Day Festival Skipjack Races and Land Festival also features races with single-mast oyster boats. It also includes a parade, concerts, and a docking contest for watermen’s workboats; these events, too, may vary from year to year.
For trip planning, it helps to decide what you want to focus on first: architectural history and museums, water trails and waterfront activities, or a festival weekend each offer different experiences. If attending a festival determines your travel dates, check the dates and program for that year before planning your trip.
Discover more destinations: Princess Anne, Crisfield, Cecil, Talbot, Laclede County, Charles County, Harford, Worcester.
For the main travel overview: Maryland.
