Explore the Haunted History of Havre de Grace
Friday November 2, 2007 8:13 AM
Havre de Grace, Maryland, a gorgeous maritime city located along the banks of the Susquehanna River, near the head of the Chesapeake Bay, will host a weekend of events called "Locals, Legends and Lore" beginning this Friday, November 2nd through the 4th. Events will explore the history and haunts of the city that would have been our nation's capital if it wasn't for one single vote that gave that title to Washington D.C.
Havre de Grace was discovered by John Smith as he sailed up the Susquehanna River in 1608. There he met the Susquehannock Indians whom he described as "the most noble and heroic nation of Indians... stately and majestic." In 1658 a settler named Godfrey Harmer bought 200 acres of land and called it "Harmer's Tract." This land is the same land that is now the historic district of Havre de Grace. In 1782 Marquis de Lafayette wrote during his travels that the town should be called Havre de Grace, "Harbor of Mercy" due to its resemblance to Le Havre, France. Three years later the name was officially adopted. In 1789 the House of Representatives cast its votes for either Havre de Grace and Washington D.C. to serve as our nation's capital. The cities were tied until the speaker made his deciding vote for Washington, D.C.
During the War of 1812, 15 British barges attacked the city and it was completely burned to the ground. The town's commercial dominance was later guaranteed in 1839 by the construction of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal, which ran from Havre de Grace to Wrightsville, Pennsylvania. The winter of 1852 was so cold that entire railroad tracks were laid out across the river ice from January 15th to February 29th. Individual train cars and materials were taken across the tracks without a single injury to a person or piece of equipment. The first railroad bridge across the Susquehanna River was built in 1866. Havre de Grace underwent its own industrial revolution during the end of the 19th century and the area was well strewn with fish packing houses, ice plants, textile mills, a shoe factory and a carriage factory. In 1928, the Conowingo Dam, three miles upriver from the city, began operation and became the most supreme development in all the history of the power industry.
The early twentieth century put a lot of attention on the city's fishing and waterfowl sports. Havre de Grace became the center for some of the country's best duck hunting. This sport propelled a new industry: the carving of decoys, look-a-like wooden ducks that were used to lure live ducks toward hunters. Although duck hunting declined in the 1960s due to stricter regulations and declining duck populations, Havre de Grace continues to honor its duck hunting history with its Decoy Museum and famous decoy festivals, even taking on the title "The Decoy Capital of the World."
If you make it to Havre de Grace this weekend, you will learn these and other details of this city's rich history as well as enjoy various local ghost-related events. In addition, you can visit the many allegedly haunted locations including theConcord Point Lighthouse. Given the city's long and very diverse past, it's not surprising that some of its former inhabitants might still be hanging around. Guided tours of these locations will begin at 7pm and 8:30pm on both Nov. 2nd and the 3rd. Adults cost $13 and children $11.
