Preserving Caroline's History & Culture
The Society has worked to preserve over fifty historic buildings. We also preserve and safeguard sacred sites, precious artifacts, and shared stories.The Society is almost certainly the most active historical society in rural America in terms of the number of buildings being preserved. Located from Goldsboro to Choptank Village, our projects are found throughout the county. All preserved buildings must have a specific future use. Most will become the centerpiece or parts of multi-building and multi-site educational “interpretive centers” to tell unique stories that highlight the national historical signifcance of Caroline County as well as the qualities that make us so exceptional.
For example, Caroline’s resilience produced an extraordinarily unique 350+ year history of commercial agriculture as our only major industry; our service to country led to Caroline’s unmatched record of residents fighting in every major battle save one in American history; and our moral courage gave Caroline the best Underground Railroad history in rural America.
Help us preserve the 1802 Tuckahoe Neck Quaker Meetinghouse
Donate to save the Meetinghouse. It takes just a minute.The Tuckahoe Neck Quaker Meetinghouse was built in 1802. The building was later used by the "Dunkards" as a place of worship and a school. The Committee for the Preservation of the Tuckahoe Neck Quaker...
Underground Railroad House (c. 1820) to be Available to the Public
The Society documented the dwelling in 2005 for the National Park Service as the only surviving UGRR station house on the Eastern Shore. It was then placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The UGRR network that operated here was run by Quakers and free...
Gadow Dwelling (c. 1851) Being Restored
Despite living his life in the local Long Depression (1819-1895), Jesse Hubbard (c. 1811-1879) was determined to erect for his wife and nine children a fine house in the Greek Revival style of architecture, a style then prevalent in the Deep South and other prosperous...
Rebecca Tylor Dwelling (c. 1810) Rescued
Despite being a widow with seven children, Rebecca Tylor (1823–1884) was indomitable in addressing local ills: She educated free and enslaved blacks, sought fair treatment for county “Poor House” inmates, demanded equal rights for women, advocated prohibition, took in...
1927 Firehouse Being Exposed and Repurposed
The 1927 Denton Firehouse was the epitome of the bygone era of a true "community project". This photo c. 1927 shows original truck doors to be reinstalled and façade to be restored. The original was doubled in size by an addition in 1954. In the 1970’s, when a new...
Site of Barwick’s Inn (1775) Studied
Thee location of Barwick’s Tavern (c. 1775–c. 1790) was part of a colonial commercial cluster of now-vanished buildings that once included a government-mandated tobacco warehouse, a "jail", a ferry crossing and several buildings that all predated 1747. The site is...
James H. Webb Cabin Restored
James Webb, a free African-American farmer, built this hand-hewn log home in 1852. He lived here with his enslaved wife, Mary Ann, and their four children, Charles, Elizabeth, John and Ann, and Webb’s father, Henry. The Webbs were members of Mount Pleasant Church....
Ridgely Train Depot (ca. 1892) Restored
With its broad Victorian porches stripped away and surviving interior woodwork behind cheap wallboard and 1970s partitions, the 1892 depot was recommended by town staff in 2008 as a site for public toilets. As an alternative, the Society prepared concept plans for...
Miller’s Dwelling (c. 1873) Improved
Below the cat-urine-soaked floorboards were termite-riddled floor joists and sill plates, all requiring very costly reconstruction. The dwelling also lacked a septic system, approved well and modern electric service. Immediately after our purchase a decade ago, the...
Plain Dealing (Caroline Poor House) “Salvaged”
Interior and exterior walls had badly cracked from major structural problems, numerous fire-burned holes punctured the roof, and mold turned the interior ceilings black. After initial spending by the Society for stabilization and documentation, extensive meetings with...
Hear All of Our Stories
Historic Black Schools since 1870. Eight are still standing.
Through 90 years of racial segregation and funding disparity, black schools in Caroline County were sacred ground in the fight for literacy, democracy, and civil rights.
Eight are still there.
Stand in the Place.
Bethel Colored School
Bethel School was active before 1890 when it discontinued, and the Smithville farm alliance used the (original) building. Identification and location are based on Denton Journal info about Houston’s Branch School moved for Bethel School in 1927 and likely associated with Bethel Church.
Greensboro Colored School
Paranormal Night at Linchester Mill
Invitation to a Special Fundraising Event October 30-31, 8 PM to 3 AM Spend a night with Caroline County Paranormal for their return investigations of Historic Linchester’s buildings of the 18oo’s. Hear local history and stories of the Mill and a Linchester home near...
Union Colored School
The school building is adjacent to Union AME Church, which has maintained and used it for church activities and storage. Union Colored School was listed in school board announcements at least between 1896 and 1928.
Marsh Creek Colored School
It might be too late to visit this sacred site. Aerial imagery (2017) indicates that the building described by the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT CAR-159) has been significantly modified or removed and replaced.
Jonestown Colored School
Jonestown School does not appear on the 1875 or 1897 maps of Caroline County. Black students from this area probably attended nearby Johns Colored School before the Jonestown School was built. The location of Jonestown School on Harmony Road (MD Route 16) is verified in oral history published by Coppin AME Church (formerly Jones Chapel).
Hillsboro Colored School
We found this school by comparing the 1920 USGS topo map with Maryland state aerial imagery. It was listed in school board announcements between at least 1896 and 1928.
Denton Colored School
The “Denton Colored School” was later known as the Kennard Industrial School, named after Lucretia Kennard, who taught here during the early part of her career. This historic school is documented in MHT CAR-126.
Chitman’s Lane Colored School
Listed in 1896 school expenditures in Elect. Dist 5, Comparing 1875 and 1897 maps shows the new section by river of road that runs to Agner/Chestnut on 1897 map. Now Chipman’s Road. Geo coords are precise for existing building that is marked as church/school on 1906 USGS map. USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) lists this location as John Wesley School.
Bridgetown Colored School
According to research in the files of the Caroline County Historical Society, the property on which the school stood was acquired by the church in 1881. It is conceivable that the first section of the structure was built after that date. The addition could have built as late as 1910.
Help us preserve the 1802 Tuckahoe Neck Quaker Meetinghouse
Donate to save the Meetinghouse. It takes just a minute.The Tuckahoe Neck Quaker Meetinghouse was built in 1802. The building was later used by the "Dunkards" as a place of worship and a school. The Committee for the Preservation of the Tuckahoe Neck Quaker...
Underground Railroad House (c. 1820) to be Available to the Public
The Society documented the dwelling in 2005 for the National Park Service as the only surviving UGRR station house on the Eastern Shore. It was then placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The UGRR network that operated here was run by Quakers and free...
Gadow Dwelling (c. 1851) Being Restored
Despite living his life in the local Long Depression (1819-1895), Jesse Hubbard (c. 1811-1879) was determined to erect for his wife and nine children a fine house in the Greek Revival style of architecture, a style then prevalent in the Deep South and other prosperous...
Rebecca Tylor Dwelling (c. 1810) Rescued
Despite being a widow with seven children, Rebecca Tylor (1823–1884) was indomitable in addressing local ills: She educated free and enslaved blacks, sought fair treatment for county “Poor House” inmates, demanded equal rights for women, advocated prohibition, took in...
1927 Firehouse Being Exposed and Repurposed
The 1927 Denton Firehouse was the epitome of the bygone era of a true "community project". This photo c. 1927 shows original truck doors to be reinstalled and façade to be restored. The original was doubled in size by an addition in 1954. In the 1970’s, when a new...
Site of Barwick’s Inn (1775) Studied
Thee location of Barwick’s Tavern (c. 1775–c. 1790) was part of a colonial commercial cluster of now-vanished buildings that once included a government-mandated tobacco warehouse, a "jail", a ferry crossing and several buildings that all predated 1747. The site is...
James H. Webb Cabin Restored
James Webb, a free African-American farmer, built this hand-hewn log home in 1852. He lived here with his enslaved wife, Mary Ann, and their four children, Charles, Elizabeth, John and Ann, and Webb’s father, Henry. The Webbs were members of Mount Pleasant Church....