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.

Gadow Dwelling (c. 1851) Being Restored

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...

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Rebecca Tylor Dwelling (c. 1810) Rescued

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...

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1927 Firehouse Being Exposed and Repurposed

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...

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Site of Barwick’s Inn (1775) Studied

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...

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James H. Webb Cabin Restored

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....

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Ridgely Train Depot (ca. 1892) Restored

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...

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Miller’s Dwelling (c. 1873) Improved

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...

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Hear All of Our Stories

Passing of CCHS President, JOK Walsh

We mourn the loss of our long-time President, JOK Walsh.  JAMES OWEN KNOTTS (JOK) WALSH of Denton, MD passed away on Thursday, July 13, 2023, at Maryland MICU Hospital in Baltimore. The former Attorney, President of Caroline County Historical Society, Economic...

Boonsboro School

Boonsboro School

Other Names: School No. 4 (1875), School No. 1 (1896) Earliest Documented: 1875 Latest Documented: 1896 Description Listed as School No. 4 in Denton Journal 1877 and on 1875 Isler map adjacent to (NW of) “Colored Church” at Boonsboro crossroads. The geographic...

Knott’s Mill

Knott’s Mill

Until recently, Knotts Mill in Tuckahoe Neck rivaled Wye Mill as the oldest continually operated grist mill in Maryland.  Located just a half mile from the wharf at Sloop Landing on the Tuckahoe, it was perhaps better positioned to rush flour and corn meal to feed Washington’s army during the Revolution.

In June 1781, while Washington and Cornwallis were moving their armies toward Yorktown, American Colonel Henry Hollingsworth reported to Maryland Governor Thomas Lee that 600 bushels of State wheat were stored at Seth’s Mill (earlier name of Knott’s Mill).

Chilton’s Mill

History and Location of Chilton SawmillOther Names: None Years: 1810 - 1875 Structure Exists?  No Historic Site Location Precision:  50 metersThe following text is extracted from John F. McGrain, The Molinography of Maryland, Expanded, 2007 Edition for Posting Online...

Dickinson’s Mill

Ruins of a mill dam survived on Fowling Creek Branch on Wiltshire Manor and have been identified as either a Blades Mill or Dickinsons Mill by Mrs. Clara Mitchell of Preston, October 17, 1967. This land at Grove near Preston had been owned by Henry Dickinson and several generations of Isaiah Blades heirs. Read more…

Denton Flour Mill

History and Location of Denton Flour MillOther Names: Smith Mill.  Redden Sawmill, which possibly replaced the M.F. Allaband Steam Sawmill at this site. Years: 1886 - 1897 Structure Exists?  No Historic Site Location Precision:  30 metersThe 1875 Isler map of Caroline...

T. L. Day Sawmill

History and Location of T. L. Day SawmillOther Names: J. W. Jump and Co. Years: 1875 - 1888 Structure Exists?  No Historic Site Location Precision:  50 metersThe following text is extracted from John F. McGrain, The Molinography of Maryland, Expanded, 2007 Edition for...

Douglas Sawmill

History and Location of Douglas MillOther Names: Dickinson's Mill Years: 1860 - 1885 Structure Exists?  No Historic Site Location Precision:  50 metersThe following text is extracted from John F. McGrain, The Molinography of Maryland, Expanded, 2007 Edition for...

Davis Sawmill

History and Location of Davis SawmillOther Names: None Years: 1877 - 1880 Structure Exists?  No Historic Site Location Precision:  100 metersThe following text is extracted from John F. McGrain, The Molinography of Maryland, Expanded, 2007 Edition for Posting Online...

Casho Sawmill

History and Location of Casho SawmillOther Names: Casho's Mills Years: 1875 - 1897 Structure Exists?  No Historic Site Location Precision:  50 metersThe following text is extracted from John F. McGrain, The Molinography of Maryland, Expanded, 2007 Edition for Posting...

Daniel Horsey’s Sawmill

Daniel Horsey’s Sawmill

History and Location of Horsey's SawmillOther Names: Camp Todd Sawmill (LeGrain), Chaffinch Sawmill Years: 1875 Structure Exists?  No Historic Site Location Precision:  100 metersThe following text is extracted from John F. McGrain, The Molinography of Maryland,...

Driver’s Grist Mill and Sawmill

History and Location of Driver's MillOther Names: Garey's Mill, Spring Mill, Spring, Mills, Driver's Grist Mill, Driver's Sawmill Mill Years: 1769 - 1902 Structure Exists?  No Historic Site Location Precision:  50 metersThe following text is extracted from John F....

Brown Mill

History and Location of Brown MillOther Names: John W. Brown’s Flour Mill, John W. Brown’s Flour Mill, J. W. Brown Mill Years: `1860 - 1890 Structure Exists?  No Historic Site Location Precision:  100 metersThe following text is extracted from John F. McGrain, The...

Boyce Sawmill

Boyce Sawmill

History and Location of Boyce SawmillOther Names: J. Hutson Sawmill Years: 1875 - 1897 Structure Exists?  No Historic Site Location Precision:  50 metersThe following text is extracted from John F. McGrain, The Molinography of Maryland, Expanded, 2007 Edition for...

Anthony’s Mill

History and Location of Anthony's MillOther Names: Possibly Pearson's Mill Years: 1792 - 1915 Structure Exists?  No Location Precision:  50 metersThe following text is extracted from John F. McGrain, The Molinography of Maryland, Expanded, 2007 Edition for Posting...

Andrew Mill

History and Location of Andrew MillOther Names: Blades Mill, Deen's Mill, Dean's Mill, Fowling Creek Mill, Dawson and Co. Mill, Harmony Mill, Nagel Mill. Years: 1782 - 1940 Structure Exists?  No Location Precision:  100 metersThe following text is extracted from John...

Andersontown Mill

History and Location of Andersontown MillOther Names: Pool's Mills, Booth Sawmill Years: 1875-1897 Structure Exists?  No Location Precision:  50 metersThe following text is extracted from John F. McGrain, The Molinography of Maryland, Expanded, 2007 Edition for...

Allcock Sawmill

History and Location of Allcock Sawmill Other Names:  Allacock Sawmill, Alcock Sawmill, Alcocks Saw Mill Years: 1739-1897 Structure Exists?  No Location Precision:  100 meters Burtonwood Allacock sold half a sawmill on Fowling Creek to Joseph Allford, November 14,...