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Down Maryland Route 20,
as far south as you can go, lies a unique community that traces
its history to the beginnings of the United States. Originally
known as Rock Hall Crossroads, this quaint fishing town was
first an important port-of-call for tobacco ships and later a
primary fishing and crabbing center on the Chesapeake Bay.
The official date for the establishment of Rock Hall
Crossroads is 1707, but many believe that the small collection
of homes dates back much further. When water routes provided the
most popular and safest mode of travel, Rock Hall was an
important port for packets bringing people up the Bay from the
south and Maryland’s Western Shore.The travelers came to join
the overland routes headed north to Philadelphia and New York.
George Washington, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson often
traveled through Rock Hall.
For over 300 years, locals looked to the Chesapeake Bay and
the Rock Hall waters to earn their living. The heritage of the
“watermen” was passed from generation to generation, but several
factors caused a sharp reduction in the commercial fishing
industry by the end of the 20th century. Still, the local waters
continue to lure pleasure boaters, sport fishermen, and
tourists. The Rock Hall Museum and the Waterman’s Museum provide
fascinating insights into the history of Rock Hall and its
people.
Rock Hall offers pleasure boaters the finest cruising grounds
and facilities on the Chesapeake Bay. Within easy cruising
distance of Annapolis, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, and points
south like Oxford and St. Michaels, it is a popular home port.
Boasting as many boat slips as residents, the town is second to
none in fine marina facilities convenient to boaters from the
Western Shore, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
There are picnic areas, playgrounds, ball fields, and tennis
courts at the Civic Center and at other locations. There is an
abundance and variety of accommodations in and around Rock
Hall—bed & breakfasts, motels, and a campground.
New residential areas, bay-front homes, housing for the
elderly, and condominiums are attracting resident newcomers to
Rock Hall. It is a wonderful place for raising a family and for
operating a business or professional service.
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