Somerset: Marshlands and Heritage

Somerset County has flat fields, extensive marshlands and tidal creeks that flow into Chesapeake Bay. The island portion of Janes Island State Park encompasses more than 2,900 acres of salt marshes. More than 30 miles of marked waterways also run through the island’s marshes. This puts the landscape and the marked waterway network at the center as two distinct aspects of nature.

Nature Between Water and Land

Janes Island State Park offers more than 30 miles of marked waterways through the island’s salt marshes. On land, the Terrapin Run Recreational Trail is suitable for hiking and biking. Its first section was completed in 2021; further construction phases may change its length. This lets you weigh a focus on waterways against an activity on foot or by bike when planning your trip.

Beaches, Shorelines and Launch Sites

Local parks offer different features. At Manokin River Park, fishing is possible from the riverbank; a shallow launch site is intended for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. Wellington Beach and Park has a small public beach and a public pier. Fishing and crabbing are permitted there.

Raccoon Point Beach & Park includes a beach on the bay and a shallow launch site for kayaks and canoes. There is also a pavilion with a grill available to rent. These amenities offer concrete pointers for planning your day—for example, whether you want to fish, go crabbing, launch a watercraft or spend time at the beach.

Buildings and Regional History

Fairmount Academy was built around 1860–1867 as a public school for the Potato Neck District. It is considered the last surviving 19th-century schoolhouse in the county. Another perspective on building history is offered by Teackle Mansion: L. D. Teackle bought land in 1802 to build the Neoclassical-inspired brick house now known by this name.

Somerset County’s architectural heritage also includes plantations, homes in the countryside and towns, churches, and agricultural buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. The broader regional context is also reflected in the Beach to Bay Heritage Area, which spans Maryland’s Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties.

Museums and Craftsmanship

The J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum covers Chesapeake-area history from the first people who lived in the area more than 10,000 years ago to the era when Crisfield was considered the seafood capital. The museum’s listed hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., from May through October, and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., in winter. Check these hours before your visit.

The small, free Burgess Rural Living Center is dedicated to the history of Somerset County, covering roughly the period from the turn of the 20th century to around the mid-1930s. Check opening hours before visiting. At the Skipjack Heritage Museum in Chance, local artifacts, historic photographs, oyster-harvesting equipment and models document the lives of watermen and families on Deal Island. Skipjack Heritage, Inc. preserves the history of skipjacks, other workboats and the people of the wider Deal Island area.

The Smith Island Cultural Center features exhibits about the traditions of working on the water and life on an island. The center can be reached by boat from Crisfield and Solomons. Lem and Steve Ward are considered icons of wildfowl carving; the Ward Brothers Workshop is associated with their legacy. Tours of the workshop are by appointment.

Festivals and Regional Specialties

Crisfield’s National Hard Crab Derby takes place every year over Labor Day weekend. The program includes crab races, boat docking contests, crab cooking and picking contests, arts and crafts, live music, a parade and fireworks. The program may vary from year to year; check the dates and schedule for the relevant year.

The Labor Day festival Skipjack Races and Land Festival includes races featuring single-masted oyster boats. The program also includes a parade, concerts and a workboat docking contest for watermen; here too, events may vary from year to year. Smith Island Cake is sold whole, by the half or by the slice. Sales hours may change, so checking in advance is recommended.

Discover more destinations: Princess Anne, Crisfield, Charles County, Garrett County, Queen Anne's, Montgomery, Howard, Washington

For the broader travel overview: Maryland.