Cecil County Life Fall/Winter 2022 Edition

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Cecil County Life Fall/Winter 2022

Letter from the Editor:

In this issue of Cecil County Life, we talk to Robert J. Alt, the Mayor of Elkton, about the challenges facing the town, initiatives that would boost the critical mass needed to stimulate the business, residential and cultural sectors, and who he would like to invite to a special dinner.

We also take a look at how local residents and visitors to Cecil County are appreciating the new Bohemia River State Park. The park, which opened on Earth Day this year, runs along Great Bohemia Creek and Burkalow Creek, two miles south of Chesapeake City, with the main entrance on Augustine Herman Highway. The park is another boost to the quality of life for local residents.

We’re also pleased to present a story by writer Ken Mammarella about West Nottingham Academy’s efforts to reinvent its teaching by focusing on key themes like creativity, leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Cecil County has a rich history. Writer Gene Pisasale explores one interesting aspect of that history with his retrospective of Rodgers Tavern in Perryville, which served as a stopover point for many of our Founding Fathers. Rodgers Tavern which hosted numerous members of the Founding Fathers generation. Legend has it that George Washington often stayed in the northeast bedroom. Numerous other Founding Fathers and supporters of the American cause, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, the Marquis de Lafayette and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, the comte de Rochambeau - whose French troops were vital to Washington’s victory at the historic Battle of Yorktown - also spent time at Rodgers Tavern.

The photo essay, titled “Elk Neck State Park: The peninsula of dreams,” showcases the 2,370acre beauty of what has become one of Cecil County’s most spectacular living postcards.

We hope you enjoy these stories, and we always welcome comments and suggestions for stories to highlight in a future issue of Cecil County Life. We look forward to bringing you the next edition of this magazine, which will arrive in the summer of 2023. Until then, please enjoy the holiday season!

Cover design: Tricia Hoadley

Cover photo: Jim Coarse

Since 1991, Winbak Farm in Chesapeake City has been breeding, raising and selling Standardbred horses to owners and trainers throughout the U.S. and the world.

In this story, Cecil County Life is introduced to just one of them

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

Leno Gomez, a groom at Winbak Farm in Chesapeake City, enters into stall Number 53.

He soon reemerges with a Standardbred colt whose coat seems to have been dipped in the colors of copper and chestnut and cinnamon, and the sheen of its stunning presence seems to glisten like ray beams.

His name is Astarwasborn (A-Star-Was-Born), and from the muscle sinew of its hind gaskin to the determined boldness of its eyes, it is a perfect living and breathing specimen of power and potential.

Born on May 8, 2021, Astarwasborn was sired by Bettor’s Delight, a pacer who has earned over $2.5 million during its racing career, and after more than a year of being cared for by the farm’s team of industry professionals and enjoying the pastoral peaks and valleys of the farms’ 2,000 acres, he will leave the farm in early November during a three-day sale of Winbak horses in Harrisburg, where he will be sold to an owner and begin his life on the pacer racing circuit.

on Page 10

Winbak Farm: Where stars are born

Winbak Farm: Where stars are born

Winbak Farm:

Where stars are born

Photos by Richard L. Gaw Winbak Farm was founded in 1991 by Joe and JoAnn Thompson, and is one of five Winbak locations.

Winbak Farm

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“Our main goal is to sell these horses to owners and trainers, so that they can go on to become successful racehorses,” said Winbak Farm General Manager Jack Burke, who has been at Winbak for the past 17 years. “In order to do that, you have to provide them with proper nutrition and excellent veterinary service. You need people that care about their job, because their job is to make sure that these horses are being taken care of in the best way possible, to someday become the best they can be.

“If you keep a horse in small paddocks and keep them in stalls all the time, they are not going to develop as well. Winbak is the place where a horse learns how to be a horse.”

Founded in 1991 by Joe and JoAnn Thomson, the flagship farm

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Winbak Farm General Manager Jack Burke has been in the horse breeding industry for the past 17 years.

Winbak Farm

in Chesapeake City is located on more than 2,000 acres of farmland, but Winbak also includes satellite operations in Ontario, New York’s Hudson Valley, Wellsville, Pa. and nearby Middletown, Del. Over the course of the past three decades, Winbak has become the Standardbred horse industry’s largest single family-owned and operated breeding farm, and one of its most successful.

As of this October, Winbak-raised Standardbreds have notched 1,637 racing wins and earned near $17 million for their owners and trainers in 2022 alone.

Winbak Farm’s dedication to raising top quality horses has earned them Breeder of the Year on three occasions, and three Horse of the Year graduates, among other accolades.

There are, at last estimate, 1,400 horses residing at all five of Winbak Farm locations, and over the course of a year, Burke and his staff will transport and hopefully sell as many as 300 horses at auction for prices that range from four figures to well into the six-figure range.

On a recent auction in Lexington, Ky., Winbak arrived with 93 horses, sold the vast majority of them, and is now preparing for another auction in November in Harrisburg.

Once sold, Winbak Farm horses race at tracks all over the world, from Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia, while some are also sent to Ontario and overseas to race in Australia, France, Italy and Sweden.

‘Our commitment is everywhere’

Winbak’s experienced managers spend 100 percent of their time devoted to their particular specialty. Nutrition is closely studied to ensure proper nourishment. The Winbak team tests hay and forage so that shortcomings can be supplemented, while the seasonal climate allows for sufficient

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Astarwasborn is a one-year-old Standardbred colt who was born and raised at Winbak Farm in Chesapeake City.

Winbak Farm

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rainfall, which produces rich green pastures. Additionally, Winbak boasts on its aggressive blacksmith and farrier program that assures the growth of powerful horses that are complimented with a foundation of strong feet.

Burke’s staff is led by yearling manager James Lanwig; farm veterinarian Dr. Sarah Mackie; broodmare manager Becky Healey; farm foreman Jose Cantoran; foaling manager Jerry Crump; and several support staff.

“Our commitment is everywhere,” Burke said.

Continued on Page 16

The Standardbreds at Winbak Farm spend their first year under the care and supervision of a dedicated staff of equine experts.

Winbak Farm

“We test the grass. We test the water. We make sure all of the nutrients and minerals are there, and if they are not there, we make sure we formulate our feed so that the horses are getting the nutrition they need. If any horse needs a surgery, we get them there.

“We have a staff who comes early and stays late, and it is because they love these horses, and when you care about something, often it is demonstrated in the form of excellence, whether its throwing hay or fixing fence or changing a bandage on a horse’s leg.”

A three-year gamble

Burke and his staff have been preparing for the three-day auction sale in Harrisburg, and at this stage, he can only anticipate that Astarwasborn will be sold on the first day, “to someone who wants him most,” and likely to Canada, where Astarwasborn can compete in the Ontario Sire Stakes.

Given his pedigree, nutritional intake and the attention given him at Winbak, there is every reason to believe that Astarwasborn is going to be a successful pacer, but every-

thing in this industry is a gamble that never goes away, Burke said.

“In breeding horses, it’s a three-year gamble on every single horse,” he said. “It’s about determining who we breed to, and being able to get them in foal, and if we get them in foal, can we keep them in foal? If we keep them in foal, will the baby be born alive or will there be any issues? After it is born, it is keeping them safe and making sure that nothing bad happens to them from the time they are born to the time they are sold, but once we sell them, will they be fast, or will they break down? Once they begin racing, are they getting good post positions? Are they being placed in the right races, and is the competition they are facing all of a sudden great that year?

“It’s all a gamble. The highs are high and the lows are lows in this industry, but Winbak Farm has been pretty good at it for a long time.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

What is a Standardbred?

The Standardbred is an American horse breed best known for its ability in harness racing, where members of the breed compete at either a trot or pace. Developed in North America, the Standardbred is recognized worldwide, and the breed can trace its bloodlines to 18th-century England. They are solid, well-built horses with good dispositions.

What is the difference between a trotter and a pacer?

A trotter moves its legs forward in diagonal pairs -- right front and left hind, then left front and right hind and striking the ground simultaneously. In contrast, a pacer moves its legs laterally, on the same side of its body in tandem. Its right front and right rear leg move together and vice versa. It is common to see hopples on both the front and rear legs of the animal to assist with maintaining this gait.

|Cecil County History|

Rodgers Tavern— for our Foun

By Gene Pisasale Contributing Writer

The town of Perryville in Cecil County has a long history going all the way back to before the founding of the colony. Perryville was first settled by Europeans in 1622, when Edward Palmer was granted land on what is now Garrett Island. During the 17th century, Lord Baltimore granted George Talbot 31,000 acres of land, which included the Perryville area. The town has had many names, including Lower Ferry, Susquehanna and finally Perryville, after Mary Perry, named after the wife of John Bateman. One popular stop for travelers in Perryville was Rodgers Tavern, which hosted numerous members of the Founding Fathers generation.

Rodgers Tavern, also known as Stevenson’s Tavern, is named after Colonel John Rodgers, who raised the 5th Company of the Maryland Militia during the Revolutionary War. This company ultimately became part of what was termed a “Flying Camp” and was instrumental during the early stages of the conflict. Faced with defending an enormous amount of territory from British forces, General George

Washington recommended forming the unit, which would be a highly mobile reserve of troops, able to travel quickly to various points. On June 3, 1776, Congress passed a resolution “…that a flying camp be immediately established in the middle colonies and that it consist of 10,000 men ....” The men recruited for the Flying Camp were to be militia units from three colonies: Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Built in the 1740s, Rodgers Tavern on the East Bank of the Susquehanna River was located close to a ferry crossing. The tavern and nearby ferry were operated by Colonel Rodgers. Situated on the busy Post Road between Baltimore and Philadelphia, the tavern hosted many travelers over the years.

Today, the historical structure retains many of its original features. The main floor has two parlors, one for public use, the other used as an office. The front parlor contains original 18th century paneling. The second floor has five guest rooms, each one with a fireplace. Legend has it that George Washington often stayed in the northeast bedroom, and was reported to have spent the night there dozens of times between 1775 when he was commander of the Continental Army through 1798 during his time as President.

Rodgers Tavern, Perryville, Maryland.

—a stopover point nding Fathers

It wasn’t just Washington who slept there; numerous other Founding Fathers and supporters of the American cause, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, the Marquis de Lafayette and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, the comte de Rochambeau, whose French troops were vital to Washington’s victory at the historic Battle of Yorktown also spent time at Rodgers Tavern. Before that historic battle, Washington brought his troops through Lower Ferry Crossing on his way to surrounding British General Cornwallis in 1781.

In his diary, Washington noted that he often dined at the tavern when traveling between Virginia and Philadelphia. The tavern’s location on a popular route thus helped both civilian travelers and heroic soldiers who helped determine the final outcome of the Revolutionary War.

After the war, Rodgers Tavern remained a popular spot, providing excellent food and entertainment for its guests. However, by the mid-1800s, with the development of bridges over nearby bodies of water and also fast-traveling locomotives on regional railroads, the Lower Susquehanna Route on which the tavern stood became less traveled. The establishment experienced declining business, managing to remain open until 1886, but slowly deteriorated due to neglect over the subsequent decades.

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An historic Rodgers Tavern sign.

Rodgers Tavern porch and doorway.

Rodgers Tavern

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In 1956, the Society for the Preservation of Maryland Antiquities (now Preservation Maryland) purchased the building and a revitalization effort was begun. Due to its historic significance, Rodgers Tavern was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The tavern at one point was converted into a small museum and also used for the offices of the Perryville Chamber of Commerce. The Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway (LSHG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to stimulating economic activity in the area by linking historic and cultural resources. The LSHG has received several grants to fund their restoration projects, which have been conducted in three phases: 1) facility stabilization and restoration, 2) pier and trail construction and 3) facility readiness.

Continued on Page 22

Commodore John Rodgers by artist John Wesley Jarvis.

Historic plaque at Rodgers Tavern.

Rodgers Tavern

Extensive work has been done and is planned on the roughly 280-year-old structure, including a new roof, gutters, interior plastering of walls, electrical, heating and air-conditioning work. Recent excavations have located historic artifacts, including furniture and period clothing. Several local civic organizations have been involved in the efforts over the years. The tavern is now open as a museum for visitors to explore.

It deserves ongoing attention and support. On the outside wall of the tavern is a plaque which reads: “In memory of Colonel John Rodgers (1726-1791) PatriotInnkeeper and friend of Washington, Organized and Commanded 5th Co. MD. Militia, 1776.”

Rodgers wasn’t the only one in his family who helped our country. His son John was a senior officer in the young United States Navy, commanding a number of warships, including the USS President, from which he is attributed with firing the first shot of the War of 1812. He later helped recapture the city of Washington after its desolation by the British. The name Rodgers thus holds a special place in our heritage- and with continued efforts, Rodgers Tavern will remain a place where future generations can learn about—and cherish—our history. For more information, please visit their website at www. rodgerstavern.com.

Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square. His ten books focus on the Chester County/mid-Atlantic region. His latest book is Forgotten Founding Fathers: Pennsylvania and Delaware in the American Revolution. His books are available on his website at www.GenePisasale.com and on www. Amazon.com. Gene can be reached via e-mail at Gene@ GenePisasale.com.

Interior room of Rodgers Tavern.

West Nottingham Acad reinvents its teaching

By Ken Mammarella Contributing Writer

Creativity, leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship are among the key themes of a massive rethinking of education that started this fall at West Nottingham Academy in Colora.

“Schools haven’t changed much in the last 150 years,” said Sandy Wirth, who started last year as the head of school. “What we are doing is creating a school of tomorrow today, and we like to say that the oldest boarding school in the country is paving the way for the future of education.”

Those four themes, in sequence, define ninth through 12th grades at the academy.

“Freshman year has a thread of creativity running through it, and it’s not just art and music, but out-of-the-box thinking,” Wirth said. “It’s creative problem-solving and looking at things through different lenses.”

Those lenses are important because of how the world is changing so fast. “We know that many of our students will be involved in a new company, a new organization, even in a new field that hasn’t been thought of yet,” she said. “We want students to find their passion and unleash their potential. As it’s our focus, we give them lots of opportunities to find that passion.”

“We needed to bring a program that wasn’t just the next generation of what worked in the past, but a rethink of what

the future could look like through the lens of the oldest boarding school of America,” said Rehan Choudhry, a 1998 alumnus and chairman of the academy’s board of trustees. “This campus has seen every twist and turn of our country’s history, so why not be a part of its future?”

Passions and skills

The academy was founded in 1744, and its early alumni include two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Rush and Richard Stockton. Its 100-acre campus offers lots of educational, athletic and artistic amenities, and it escorts students quarterly to thought-provoking events and leading institutions from Washington to New York.

The school has weathered a lot recently, Choudhry and Wirth said, with the economic woes of the late ’00s, the current pandemic and other challenges reducing its enrollment. About two-thirds of the 100 or so students are juniors and seniors, and only one-third are freshmen and sophomores. A few international students are awaiting visas, Wirth said, and the school accepts mid-year students.

“We needed to rebuild the level of trust and confidence in the school by the community and its alumni,” Choudhry said.

“Through all of the economic turbulence of the last couple decades, small boarding schools, especially independent private boarding schools, were trying

Photo courtesy of West Nottingham Academy

A $40,000 AERAS drone hovers over the Bathon Science Center for a presentation on drones and Holovisn’s holographic technologies.

demy

Photo courtesy of West Nottingham Academy As part of a massive rethinking of the curriculum, all freshmen at West Nottingham Academy study engineering.

Photo courtesy of West Nottingham Academy Students learn about holographic fans, which create 3-D imaging for advertising.

West Nottingham Academy

|Cecil County Life|

to re-establish what they had before, going back to the glory years and legacy years,” he said. “We realized that the world had changed pretty dramatically, and the needs of young people changed along with it.

“Schools trying to pretend like they were still relevant using academic models that were built 200 years ago are just doing a disservice to that generation.”

He said the beauty of being a small school – just 38 employees – is that it can quickly change. West Nottingham’s rethinking doesn’t yet have a nifty name, but he described it as “largely taking the opportunity to control your future, based on your passions, your interests and more importantly your skills that can be nurtured and developed on this campus, which is as close to a home as you can get.”

A student’s perspective

“I wanted a curriculum that set me up for success in my career,” said senior Odanys Almonte, who wants to be an engineer. “I didn’t want to do basic classes in things that I don’t care about. That’s the main thing that we have here now. Whatever career you have an idea of taking, you can

have a head start here already, which is very exciting.”

Almonte, a New Jersey resident who started boarding at West Nottingham in ninth grade, said underclassmen still get “the opportunity to be well-rounded, taking classes to see what you like and what you don’t like – to explore everything. It’s hard to make it wrong choices, if that makes sense.”

Photo courtesy of West Nottingham Academy Students cheer on their fellow Rams at a soccer game.

He’s on an engineering career track, but he also enjoys the school’s athletics, was elected president of the Student Government Association and this fall is especially enjoying his journalism class, which goes more deeply into a personal interest than he thinks that public schools could do.

About 75 percent of West Nottingham students board on campus. The rest commute, but day students can stay late and participate in weekend activities. A third of students are international.

Tuition for the 2023-23 school year is $17,949 for day students. Tuition and

boarding ranges from $41,200 to $63,140, depending on the number of days and whether the student is international. For students who require special assistance, fees range from $5,850 to $9,750 for the Chesapeake Learning Center. About 40 percent of students receive need-based financial aid.

Some perspective: Tuition at local private schools include $9,100 at The Tome School in North East and $33,800 for high schoolers at Tower Hill School in Delaware. Tuition at local boarding schools include $64,150 at St. Andrew’s School in Delaware and $66,000 at the Westtown School in Pennsylvania.

Photo courtesy of Grayson Meisenhalder

Students must participate in an athletic pursuit, such as cross country, two out of the three seasons.

West Nottingham Academy

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120 courses

To support the redirection, West Nottingham went from 90 courses to 120.

“Instead of traditional English classes for each grade level, we offer specialized classes, such as Immigrant Voices, Antiheroes, Ancient Legends, and the Art of Comedy,” Wirth said. “And we do the same for history, STEM, languages and the arts.

“We’ve also added a whole new realm in our STEM department and offer business, management and finance courses. All of our freshmen take engineering. We have courses in forensic science, organic chemistry, computer science, mobile app design and web design. West Nottingham offers a highly individualized program for students.”

From her experience in higher ed, “I was able to see where our students are going next and that really informed me, in terms of how high schools are failing to prepare students for college – socially, emotionally and academically,” Wirth added. “By looking at what students need to know to be successful, we created an exceptional program. It’s highly individualized, with independent studies

through shared core courses. Those are focused on personal growth and the knowledge and skills that they need to realize their dreams.”

Academy’s alumni also strengthen the school. Thanks to 1966 alumnus Eric Fischl, graduates of the New York

Photo courtesy of West Nottingham Academy The academy has four dormitories, with boarders guided by elder students (called prefects) and “dorm parents” who live in adjoining apartments.

Academy of Art have half-year residencies on campus where they create art and teach.

The Aspire program connects students to alumni and friends of the school, who might be “former faculty and staff, past parents, past trustees, etc.,” Wirth said. “If a student has an area of passion, we’ll connect them to a mentor working in the field. For example, last year, we had a student from Bulgaria who was interested in the space program. We connected her with a senior engineer, who worked on both the SpaceX and Kitty Hawk programs. They Zoomed, and most importantly, he’s now part of her network. I want our students to have a professional network before they graduate high school. I didn’t have a network until after I graduated college.”

A new program called Succeed helps build such networks, starting with the Class of 2022. Students Zoomed together just before they began college. The academy is sending them info about doing well in college and is ready with more help. Succeed etymologically embraces two concepts: Success in school and life and the succession in paying it all forward.

New head of school is a familiar face

Sandy Wirth returned in 2021 to West Nottingham Academy as head of school, after having served as associate head of school from 1990 to 2001.

Rehan Choudhry, chairman of the academy board of trustees, said Wirth topped a short list the board compiled when it sought a new head of school to turn it around. That new approach began this fall.

“Sandy was ready for exactly what we were trying to do,” he said. “She had an incredibly innovative and diverse perspective. She had experience operating boarding schools of all shapes and sizes and all budgets. She had a really deep desire to bring something

West Nottingham Academy

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innovative to the program. She was really enthusiastic about leading that change.

“And we were lucky because our first pick was our first phone call,” he added.

Wirth was born in South Jersey and earned her bachelor of science in pre-physical therapy from Ursinus College. She had planned to become a physical therapist, but “I needed to earn money before I could afford going back to school for physical therapy,” she said. “I never intended to teach, but I took an interview with a private school to practice interviewing. I fell in love with the concept of students and staff living and working together in an educational community.

“Close relationships and strong community are created in private schools,” she added. “I seek private schools like WNA because teachers are not only excellent in the classroom, but they truly care about their students. Students respect one another and have pride in themselves and in their school. All community members have great expectations about the potential of each student. West Nottingham has deep roots in traditions but also has wings to soar toward a vision that best prepares our children for our global community in the 21st century.”

Starting with a stint at the Westtown School in Pennsylvania, Wirth has devoted her career to private schools and colleges.

Photo courtesy of Ben Fournier Sandy Wirth is West Nottingham Academy’s head of school.

Along the way, she earned a master of arts degree in educational administration from Villanova University and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Delaware.

Wirth hopes next year to teach in, say, leadership or anatomy, as she has done at other schools.

“I believe my purpose in life is create educational communities where students can thrive. I believe in the incredible potential of every single child,” she said. “Even though some children may not have had success in the past, it doesn’t mean they can’’t have success in the future in the right environment. Each year, I remind faculty and staff of a quotation from a student who graduated in the ’60s: ‘West Nottingham believed in me before I believed in myself.’ ”

School days and school nights

West Nottingham Academy’s school day begins at 8:20 a.m., with school meetings on Mondays and Fridays, student-adviser breakfasts on Tuesdays and Thursdays and special programs on Wednesdays.

On Wednesdays, the assistant head of school leads students through exercises and demonstrations. “The focus is on personal growth through the use of the hero’s journey as a metaphor,” said Head of School Sandy Wirth. “This helps students to learn more about themselves, who we are as a community, how they fit into the world, and then ultimately, how do we change the world.”

The hero’s journey, as popularized by Joseph Campbell, describes how the stages of such transformative journeys have resonated with audiences for millennia, from Gilgamesh to Homer’s “Odyssey” and from “Star Wars” to most Pixar movies.

West Nottingham Academy

Students take eight classes each semester, with four meeting daily, 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., with a break for lunch. Sports and other activities finish the afternoon. Students must participate in an athletic pursuit two out of the three seasons. Dinner runs 5:30-6:30 p.m., followed by free time. Study hall runs 8-10 p.m., with lights out at 10:45 p.m. On weekends, lights out is later, and breakfast becomes brunch.

“Each dormitory has several ‘dorm parents’ who live in apartments that adjoint the dorms,” according to the school’s website. “Dorm parents provide mentorship, guidance and serve a critical safety role for our borders.” Returning students called prefects also help out.

Students each year have to earn two credits in culture (often fulfilled by weekend trips) and two in nature (often focused on sustainability efforts). The Kilby Dairy Farm, a mile from campus, provides an unusual outdoor classroom and makes possible a food waste diversion program, which diverts dining hall food waste to the farm’s methane digester, where it becomes clean energy to run the farm and natural compost to fertilize the fields.

Students are also required to participate in service learning hours, supporting activities like food banks and park restoration projects. “We want our students to be well-rounded,” Wirth said.

On top of all that, students are sorted into the Spartan and Athenian teams, with fierce-but-fun rivalry in academic, artistic and athletic competitions.

All this is explained in the school motto: “Nihil sine labore,” which means “nothing without work.”

Photo courtesy of West Nottingham Academy The menu in the dining hall varies, based on the season or cuisine. Flags overhead are from countries where students have come from.

Bohem

By Ken Mammarella Contributing Writer

Julie Dieguez, exploring by kayak, reveled in “colorful images of free-spirited artists and vibrant wall tapestries” and “a wealth of intertwined ecological and cultural history.”

Patrick Rogers, visiting on foot and on the water, praised “a remarkable mix of environments.”

They were writing about their experiences at Bohemia River State Park, one of Maryland’s newest state parks. The park, which opened on Earth Day, runs along Great Bohemia Creek and Burkalow Creek, 2 miles south of Chesapeake City, with the main entrance on Augustine Herman Highway.

Writing on www.FindYourChesapeake.com, Dieguez offers an ode to fauna and flora from her “thoroughly enjoyable and fascinating excursion” run by the Sultana Education Foundation.

“We gradually wound our way into a peaceful marsh-bordered cove,” she wrote. “Accompanied by a pair of bald eagles, a kingfisher, and the first of many great blue herons, we glided deeper into the cove, learning about the effects of the river’s salinity on regional wildlife and plants.

“As we gazed over pickerel weed, arrow arum, tuckahoe, wild rice, and more, it became clear how these creeks served as veritable bread baskets for those who settled here, providing fodder for export as well as sustenance.”

Over to the river, through the woods

Rogers made multiple trips.

“Mostly, the park seems to have been envisioned as an easy access point to the truly beautiful Bohemia River,” he wrote on https://patrickrogersauthor.com. “And yet, as unassuming as those 462 acres are, they contain a remarkable mix of environments, from open agricultural fields to hardwood forests, marshes, beaches, tidal inlets, and open water.

“As of now the park contains a modest five miles of trail, though a plan is in place to expand that to ten. Given the gentleness of the terrain, the paths currently in existence are far from difficult as they wind through pleasant ferny ravines and descend to the Bohemia and its tributary, Burkalow Creek.”

Bohemia refers to the region of the Czech Republic where Augustine Herman was born. His descendants – including the Bayards, a family for centuries prominent in Maryland and Delaware politics – owned the land until it was bought by the state.

In 2016, the owners approached the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, which long had a interest in conserving the property, said David Satterfield, director of land conservation for the conservancy.

“ESLC worked with partners to identify a potential funder for the transaction, which ultimately led to [the Maryland Department of

The Greenbrier Farm Trail is one of several trails in the park, totaling 5 miles so far, and eventually planned to reach 10 miles.

preciating the new mia River State Park

A

Photo courtesy Maryland Park Service

view of the park from a kayak.

Bohemia River State Park

Natural Resources’] interest in the property as a state park,” he said.

The conservancy negotiated with the landowner and bought and held the property “until Maryland could get the necessary approvals to purchase the property,” he said. “The importance of ESLC’s involvement was about time, as we lack many of the barriers that DNR has that prevents them from acting quickly.”

Maryland bought the land in 2017, but it wasn’t until 2021 that it began major improvements, including parking (18 cars in a gravel lot, plus five horse trailers on a reinforced turf lot) and mixed-used trails. What is likely to be the biggest draw is yet to come: an easy drive to a waterfront car-top boat launch site. Paddlers now have access further south, on the other side of the highway, near the Bohemia River Bridge, on land owned by Cecil County.

A second phase of park development, to be done by 2025, will feature a road to a car-top boat launch at Oak Point, more trails, a small picnic pavilion, restrooms and parking for 75 more cars.

Photo courtesy Maryland Park Service

The park fronts two creeks, and it also has small waterways in it.

The park’s shoreline features 8,600 feet of waterfront along Great Bohemia Creek, 1,500 feet of first-order non-tidal streams and 40 acres of emergent wetland. The acreage is being managed as a Natural Resource Management Area because it includes “rare, threatened,

and endangered flora and fauna,” according to the park’s website. “Recreation on NRMAs is typically low-impact, passive recreation, such as hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, wildlife viewing, fishing and hunting.”

A birdhouse along Burkalow Creek in Bohemia River State Park.

Photo courtesy Maryland Park Service Rows of identical trees line one trail.

Bohemia River State Park

The primary goals of such areas – and Fair Hill and Sassafras are also natural resource management areas –are protection, conservation and education.

Two plant species of note have been identified, Park Manager Rachel Temby said, but “in the interest of protecting these vulnerable populations, we prefer not to disclose further details.”

Hunting of white-tailed deer will be conducted during the applicable season, for hunters with all the required permits. No other hunting is permitted.

In the past, the entire park was farmed, the state concludes, noting “the young woods that characterize the forested areas.” The Maryland Forest Service and Cecil County Land Use and Development Services in 2020 increased the forested land by planting 2,450 hardwood trees on 8 acres farmland along Great Bohemia Creek.

The land in Bohemia River State Park is varied today: 225 acres of hydric and upland forest, 112 acres of farmland, 60 acres set aside for planned conservation and 29 acres for planned habitat restoration. Hydric refers

to areas permanently or seasonally covered in water; upland land is not.

The park map defines the acreage as leased agricultural fields, forested areas, restoration areas, a pollinator meadow and shoreline. Restoration areas dominate the view from the main entrance to the parking lot and restrooms. The map lists three trail features: the meadow; a scenic overlook at the end of the Greenbrier Trail, on the mouth of Great Bohemia Creek; and Oak Point, a popular launching site for kayaks and canoes. Two bridges carry the trails over some of the park’s water features, which include ephemeral streams and seeps (areas moistened from an aquifer).

The park contains a few vintage structures. A federalstyle main house was built in the early 1800s, with wings added later. Working with the Maryland Historical Trust, the park is restoring the exterior, and it’s planned to house park staff.

A repainted Pennsylvania-style barn has had stone foundations repointed, support beams installed, rotten

floor and board-and batten woodwork replaced and eight broken windows fitted with historically accurate replacements. It’s being used for storage.

“There are no plans to open these buildings to the public for programming or rentals,” Temby said.

Bohemia River State Park is open 7 a.m. to sunset daily. The main entrance is at 4030 Augustine Herman Highway (Route 213), with parking $3 per vehicle for Maryland residents.

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State Line Liquors

Bohemia River State Park

Commonly-as about Bohemia

A. Park visitors can access the water by foot, bike or horseback. Some visitors have been wheeling their kayaks the half-mile down to the water and back again. Paddlers are encouraged to utilize the existing public water access at Route 213 and the Bohemia River Bridge. This county-owned land abuts the park, on the west side of Route 213. The soft launch in the park will be ready in 2025.

Q. I have a Golden Age Pass/Annual Passport. How do I get into the park?

A. For a free swipe card for park entry, email your address and a photo of your existing park pass or military ID to bohemiariver.statepark@ maryland.gov or contact the duty ranger at 667-500-2417.

Q. What is the park doing about the spotted lanternfly?

A. The park is controlling the invasive spotted lanternfly

with fall spraying of adults in target areas, plus removing host trees of heaven. This fall, park staff sprayed 65 host trees along the main trails and plans to continue to remove host trees and conduct insect removal as practicable.

Q. Is the park open for equestrian use?

A. Yes. There is designated horse trailer parking adjacent to the main parking area. Horses are allowed on all trails and all field edges. If it is muddy, it is requested that riders

Q. Can I launch my kayak at the park? When will the soft launch be ready?

sked questions River State Park

use the field edges only. Riders have told us it’s a 2.5hour ride to do the entire park.

Q. Can weddings be held at the park?

A. While weddings are not expressly prohibited, the park lacks key support amenities, such as a pavilion. Plus, the small parking lot is first come, first serve. There are no reservable areas in the park, nor is there any cover from the elements.

Photo courtesy Maryland Park Service The park can be explored on foot or by water.

Bohemia River State Park

Another new state park

Pennsylvania’s new Big Elk Creek State Park adds 1,712 acres of preserved land right on top of the 5,656 acres of the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Cecil County.

Big Elk Creek, a day-use park that closes at dusk, offers “passive recreational activities, including trail hiking, bird watching, horseback riding, fishing and hunting,” its website says. “The majority of the park consists of lovely farmlands and forest. The park acts as a wildlife corridor and provides refuge for an array of threatened and endangered species.”

Photo courtesy Maryland Park Service

The Bohemia River State Park is one of Maryland’s newest.

|Cecil County Life Photo Essay|

The peninsula of dreams

While it is perfectly logical to assume that the 2,370-acre Elk Neck State Park has become Cecil County’s most spectacular postcard, it is also the county’s most natural and beautiful gift, given by the Gods of Nature and the visionaries of ingenuity to those who ask that their most prominent park have everything.

It is a dream, realized.

Photos by Jim Coarse | Text by Richard L. Gaw

Elk Neck State Park

Continued from Page 45

Located just a short drive from North East, Elk Chesapeake Bay and the Elk River, and offers all County -- from marshlands to old forests to white clay cliffs to sandy shorelines to its 12 miles of trails.

Divided into four areas, Elk Neck State Park includes the North East Beach Area, a popular destination in the western portion of the park that features a swimming area, a canoe/kayak launch, picnic shelters, picnic tables and grills; the Rogues Harbor Boat Launch Facility, that offers public

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Elk Neck State Park

Continued from Page 46

the Elk River Camping Area on the eastern portion of the peninsula that offers over 250 campsites, 16 cabins, a youth group camping area, park store, playground and a nature center.

If there is a shining star at Elk Neck State Park that rises above the rest tip of the Elk Neck Peninsula. Here, visitors can enjoy a 270-degree at the Raptor Viewing Field. It is also the home of the sparkling-white ships safely away from the shorelines.

Elk Neck State Park is located at 4395 Turkey Point Road in North East, Md. For more information, call 410-287-5333. The park is operated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Mayor of Elkton Robert J. Alt

Born and raised in Elkton and first elected to town council in 1994, Robert J. Alt was first elected as the Mayor of Elkton in 1998. After a 12-year hiatus, he ran again and won. As he begins his third and final term, Alt spoke with Cecil County Life about the challenges facing the town, initiatives that would boost the critical mass needed to stimulate the business, residential and cultural sectors, and who he would like to invite to a special dinner.

Cecil County Life: What first got you involved in politics?

Alt: I didn’t really even want to be involved in politics, but I had a water main break in the front of my home in 1990. I called the town that morning and told them that I think we had a broken water main. By the time I came home, the Public Works Department had the road torn up, had replaced the water main, but I still had no water, because they told me that they couldn’t go on my property, and that I was responsible for what was on my property line. I didn’t have any idea who to reach out to. I didn’t know who the mayor was, or anyone on the council. I got involved in order to change the way of thinking – to begin to view the town’s residents not just as residents but as customers – and if we have to go on a person’s property in order to fix a problem, we will do it, and work together as a team. I have always tried to bring that sense of teamwork to the floor.

You were elected as mayor again this past May, and you still have four years remaining in the office. In your opinion, what is the most important issue facing Elkton over the next few years, and how does government, the business community and residents of Elkton work in partnership to address it?

The biggest challenge that we have been seeing and continue to see is in public safety. The petty- and drug-related activity crimes have continued to rise, and it has been challenging to be pro-active when addressing those issues. Serving as a mayor, I never thought I would ever have to know everything about drug issues and addiction issues, and it’s been difficult to wrap our collective arms around it.

Within this building and less than two blocks away, you have representation from the health, business, policing and educational industries, as well as a concerned community. With all of this capability surrounding your office, how do you work in consultation with each other to solve the issue of drugs and drug violence?

We have professionals in all of these fields. We have health clinics and health services. We have a very qualified and professional policing department. We have a good judicial system. I think we have all of the pieces of the wheel needed to tackle this issue. It may have taken years to put these pieces together, but I truly believe that it is rolling in the right direction today.

In 2001, during my first term as mayor, a group gave a presentation to council about setting up a methadone clinic in Elkton. Quite frankly, I don’t think any of us knew anything about methadone in 2001, but that first clinic was essential for Elkton. In the last 20 years, we have added additional clinics and family service centers to our community infrastructure that have helped us become stronger and see us through this cycle.

Let’s talk about the Downtown Elkton Master Plan. Where does the project stand right now in its progress, and what economic and cultural impact will this project have on Elkton once it is completed?

In 2008, there was a downtown master plan introduced, and it talked about the expansion of county government into downtown Elkton and also included a huge expansion of the County Building. The county then decided to move to the Upper Chesapeake Corporate Center, and in the process, it took away a critical mass of people.

In order to have an effective downtown, you need that critical mass of people. On a positive side, we started to address the trend that began to lead to the closing of our smaller shops here. We really believed that we could become an arts and entertainment district, and so we began to promote the sale of properties to local entrepreneurs. I

Photo by Richard L. Gaw Elkton Mayor Robert J. Alt.

Robert J. Alt

|Cecil County Life|

said that we have to create this from things you can’t buy on Amazon – like food, music and events – and on just about every Friday in Elkton now, you can enjoy great music, great food and cultural activities.

Here’s a great example of that vision in action: The old town hall on 107 North Street is about to become a music venue and is currently being restored. It will really feed into what we are trying to accomplish.

One of the key components of this long-range plan is the establishment of a commuter rail stop in downtown Elkton that will create a “Train to Main” connection. Do you see that eventually becoming a reality?

Thirty years ago, there was an Amtrak stop in Elkton, and then it went dormant, so we’re looking to establish a commuter rail stop here. We are confident that Maryland Transit will connect to SEPTA in Newark, and once the connection is made, that there will be a stop in Elkton to follow. Once established, it will bring the critical mass that we need in order to boost our economic downtown development.

Part of our revitalization will be retrofitting affordable housing opportunities not just for students nearby at the University of Delaware, but units for commuters. Once you have that amount of people here – that critical mass -- they will use Elkton’s services and enjoy its cultural growth.

The business infrastructure is in many ways already locking into place, in advance of the roll out of the Downtown Elkton Plan and the planned rail stop, yes?

We have Terumo Medical, as well Northrop Grumman, W.L. Gore and recruited another company known as Clene, in addition to the industries that we already have in our downtown district.

I strongly believe that all growth should be within municipalities that have existing infrastructure – that Elkton, North East, Perryville and Rising Sun should be growing within the framework of what is already well established, not in the outer regions of the county. The town of Elkton is eight-andhalf square miles, and we need to focus and push as much industry and business into the area as we can.

Courtesy image

The Downtown Elkton Master Plan includes the development of a rail stop that will bring visitors to the town’s activities and social calendar.

|Cecil County Life| Robert J. Alt

You have another long-term initiative that’s been in the conversation stage for quite some time and is about to become a reality – what is now called the Southfield Sports Park.

For years, our residents have said to me, ‘We need better restaurants and hotels,’ but in order to create those possibilities, you need that critical mass of people. They’re not going to come unless you have a reason for them to be here. At first, I tried to sell the concept for a sports complex to the town but it was just too large a project.

Four years ago, I met with Ray Jackson of Stonewall Development, who is the developer for Southfields of Elkton. He looked at the concept and told me, ‘Mayor Alt, if you give me the opportunity to create a commerce center, some apartments and single-family homes, I will build your sports complex around it.’

They have built one-third of the Elkton Commerce Center, are working on the final

Downtown

approvals for the 300 single-family homes and the 300-unit apartment complex, developing two hotels and multiple restaurants, creating a new park on the water and performing streambed restoration – and the sports complex figures into that design.

What will Southfields of Elkton to for the Elkton community?

This will bring about 45,000 overnight visitors to Elkton in an average year. Not only will we have the transient dollar, but we will also have the “Work, Live, Play” contingent who are needed to fill the jobs.

Courtesy photo

Elkton has continued to cultivate a thriving arts and culture scene.

First and foremost, it will strengthen our downtown district, because that’s where the heart of a community resides. I want our downtown to thrive, and the more that projects like Southfields of Elkton happen around us, that critical mass will want to come to downtown Elkton.

On your last day in office as the Mayor of Elkton – when you close the door to your office for the last time – what do you most want to have achieved during your time in office? Where do you most want to have left your imprint, your signature?

Eight years ago, at the time I was elected as mayor, we were coming out of a terrible economy. Our assessments were actually going down, and the value of living in our community was stagnant. What I can say when I leave here is that we have doubled our taxable base – from $1.1 billion in assessable tax dollars to well over $2 billion over the next four years. I am very proud of that. I

Courtesy image Upon completion, Southfields of Elkton will consist of residential units, retail, commercial, sports/recreational, light industrial and open space, all designed to create a “Live, Work, Play” community.

believe that there will be a huge opportunity to reduce our tax base in Elkton, and that the next mayor is not going to have to worry about seeking money from our residents.

I felt like I was hired as the economic director when I was first elected as mayor, and I have accomplished these goals, and continue to build on other projects, as well. We’re building a new

|Cecil County Life|

pump house. We’re building another water tower, which will bring us up to five water towers. We were also able to build a state-of-the-art neighborhood community center. Our infrastructure is very solid in Elkton, and will remain so for many, many years.

What have you loved most about your job as the Mayor of Elkton?

The smaller the town, the closer an elected official is to the people. If you love people, you need to be in a smaller community, because you get to affect people’s lives for the positive on a daily basis. If a neighbor calls about a water and sewer issue, for instance, we can react, immediately.

What is your favorite place to visit in Cecil County?

One of my most favorite events is the Fair Hill Races. I love thoroughbred racing, and I am proud that Cecil County is a part of that. I also love going into Chesapeake City. I love visiting North East, and I enjoy the amenities in Perryville and their park.

But of all of these places, downtown Elkton is where I most want to be.

Robert Alt throws a dinner party, and he gets to invite anyone he wishes – living or not, famous or not. Who will we see around that dinner table?

I would imagine two different dinner parties. I lost my mother when she was 53 and I was 20, so there is no question that I would love to sit down over dinner just with her.

I am a huge baseball fan, and I would love to be at a table with Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, Mickey Mantle, and Frank and Brooks Robinson – just to hear their stories. I love the era of baseball in the 1950s and 1960s.

What food or item can always be found in your refrigerator?

There is always some type of dairy product in there. I am a milk drinker, but there are always cheeses as well, but cottage cheese is probably my favorite.

- Richard L. Gaw

Scholarship honor first responder Scholarship honor first responder

In the wake of the tragic death of a young man whose life was dedicated to helping others, family and friends have come together to establish an enduring tribute to the spirit of his life. Trevor Garrison McNabb passed unexpectedly at 22 following his shift as an Emergency Medical Technician with the Singerly Fire Company in Elkton earlier this year.

In his honor, the Trevor McNabb Memorial Scholarship has been established at Cecil College, which will help fund the training of paramedics and emergency medical responders. McNabb was a graduate of the paramedic training program at Cecil College.

“Trevor was passionate and dedicated to service for others

Courtesy photo

A scholarship has been established at Cecil College in honor of Trevor Garrison McNabb.

rs fallen

providing an infectious spirit of hope and inspiration to all those that met him in both his personal and professional lives,” said Robert F. Muller, program director of the Cecil College Paramedic Program.

serving others from an early age. Upon joining the Christiana Fire Company in 2015, he immersed himself in the world of Emergency Services, obtaining certifications from The Delaware State Fire School while becoming an Emergency Medical Responder.

on

Trevor Garrison McNabb

Learning of the need for Emergency Medical Responders at the Singerly Fire Company through high school friends, McNabb joined the station house in 2016. He was quickly recognized for his skill and dedication to his duties and the patients he served on hundreds of service calls. Focusing on his training enabled him to become a nationally certified EMT in 2017 and an IV Technician in 2017. He was recognized as a field training officer and certified to drive the emergency response vehicles.

Outside of his duties with the Singerly station, McNabb worked as a private transport EMT for Saint Francis Hospital in Wilmington, where he became an EMT III, FTO, and served as an instructor. His obligations extended to service with Five Points Fire Company, Talleyville Fire Company,

and the Aberdeen Fire Company.

Because his death occurred within 24 hours of being on duty, McNabb’s death is counted as a “line of duty death.”

The scholarship was developed to support students pursuing credit and non-credit courses related to certification as an Emergency Medical Technician and licensing as a paramedic. For information on either course of study, information can be found at www.cecil.edu/hcc or by reaching out to the Program Director at rmuller11@cecil.edu.

To apply for this and other Cecil College scholarships, visit cecil.edu/scholarships. For those interested in donating to this scholarship and supporting a student through a taxdeductible gift, please contact the Cecil College Foundation at foundation@cecil.edu or visit www.cecil.edu/foundation.

Cecil College establishes new memorial scholarship, named for Kurzenknabe

The Cecil College Foundation iannounced the creation of the Jack Kurzenknabe Memorial Scholarship that will support students enrolled at Cecil College. Mr. Kurzenknabe held education in high regard with the belief that one is never too old to learn.

A native of Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., Mr. Kurzenknabe was born in 1937. Following high school, he served four years in the United States Air Force, where he learned the value of hard work and dedication to mission. At the conclusion of his service, he followed a path into banking, where he had a distinguished career.

He rose through the ranks of the banking industry to finish his career as the Chief Financial Underwriter for the First Nationwide Bank of San Francisco.

Upon retirement, he and wife Marti returned to New Jersey where he became an accomplished digital artist. Some of his work is available for free on flickr.com at https://www.flickr.com/people/painting-with-pixels/ Despite lacking a college education, Mr. Kurzenknabe never stopped striving to learn something new. He wished to pass that same passion about learning onto the next generation in the form of a scholarship. The Jack Kurzenknabe

Memorial Scholarship is dedicated to helping Cecil College students realize success through academic achievements.

This scholarship was established by Mr. Kurzenknabe’ wife, Marti Kurzenknabe, and longtime friend Larry Singer.

To apply for this and other Cecil College scholarships, visit cecil. edu/scholarships. If you are interested in supporting a student through a tax-deductible gift, please contact the Cecil College Foundation at foundation@cecil.edu or visit cecil.edu/foundation.