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Church Hill is a quaint
little town dating back to colonial days. Nestled in beautiful
farming countryside, it has been a quiet, friendly place
throughout the years. Probably, it was named for the historic
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (c. 1732), which sits atop a hill
overlooking the center of town.
The community began forming in the late 1600s but was not
incorporated until 1876. By that time, there was a lengthy list
of businesses located there— from shoemaker to butcher to
physician and more. But the Civil War and the World Wars took
their tolls; today, Church Hill is considered a “bedroom
community” with only a few businesses remaining.
The town’s history can be read in its buildings. The Mill,
known as “Collins Mill” when the original structure was built in
1698, is the site of one of the earliest documented water mills
on the central Eastern Shore. It played a significant role in
the agricultural economy of the county until it ceased to
operate during World War II. Tradition holds that the bricks
used to construct St. Luke’s Church were unloaded near the mill
after their transportation from England. The Mill Residence (c.
1765), originally part of the Mill property, is probably the
oldest building still standing in Church Hill. The Town
Hall—formerly a store, a butcher’s shop, and a private
residence—was built in the early part of the nineteenth century.
A portion of the town’s Elementary School was originally a High
School built in 1916. The homes exhibit a variety of
architectural styles, from Colonial, to Victorian, to Modern.
The town is best known today perhaps for its Church Hill
Theatre, located in a converted 1930s movie house. Local and
repertory players offer performances of classic theater,
Shakespearean plays, musicals, and children’s plays. Residents
showcase their town’s peaceful country atmosphere as an added
attraction for visiting theatergoers.
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