|
The town of Millington is
located in both Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties at the junction
of state highways 291 and 313. The place was originally a land
grant at the head of the Chester River to one Daniel Massey in
1754, at which time it was known as London Bridge.
The community that Thomas Gilpin, a Quaker, founded there in
the 1760s was chartered by the General Assembly as the town of
Bridgetown in 1798. Perhaps travelers were having difficulty
finding the town, because in 1819 its name was changed to Head
of Chester. Notwithstanding the navigational value of that name,
it too was later abandoned in favor of one honoring a leading
citizen named Richard Millington. His farm lands extended into
the town, and he is reputed to have built the first house there.
The people bestowed his name on their town, and it survived.
Today, Millington is a small village living with the strong
echoes of its past. It is a walkable, self-contained community
with a strong rural character. Although its own business
establishments provide most of the essential services, its
proximity to U.S. Route 301 rescues it from isolation. Its small
population enjoys a tradition rural style of living, a slow
pace, and a sense of long-term stability. In the words of one
resident, it is a place of “safety and security, peace and
quiet, unity and caring and diversity.”
|
