Near North East in Cecil County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Welcome to Turkey Point!

Photographed By Carl Gordon Moore Jr., March 30, 2020

1. Welcome to Turkey Point! Marker

Inscription.
This historic walk takes you to the Turkey Point Light Station in Maryland's Cecil County. You will find, atop a 100-foot-high bluff, an 1833 tapering conical stucco-covered brick tower and a 1913 cement oil house. This Lighthouse is 31_1/2 feet high and is visible for 13 miles.

At one time, if you had visited this area, you would have found a keeper's quarters, fog bell tower, boat landing, stable, wood shed, and smokehouse which have since been destroyed.

The tower and keepers quarters were built in 1833 for $4,355. The last keeper of Turkey Point was Fanny May Salter, who took over her husband's duties in 1925 thanks to the personally granted authorization of the President Calvin Coolidge. She served until August 1947 when she retired at age 65. An interesting fact: Turkey Point had more women lighthouse keepers than any other lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay.

At present, Elk Neck State Park, as part of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, is maintaining the land surrounding the Lighthouse. All are welcome to visit and take home a historic memory.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #30 Calvin Coolidge, and the Lighthouses series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is August 1833.

Location.

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39° 26.999′ N, 76° 0.505′ W. Marker is near North East, Maryland, in Cecil County. Marker can be reached from Turkey Point Lighthouse Trail. This is at Turkey Point in Elk Neck State Park. To reach it takes a walk of more than a mile from the southern end of Route 272, where there is a parking lot and no permission to travel any further by car. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: North East MD 21901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Enemy Returns (here, next to this marker); Sentinel on the Bay (approx. 0.7 miles away); Why Build a Lighthouse? (approx. 0.7 miles away); An Earthly Paradise (approx. 3.2 miles away); Bird’s Eye View (approx. 3.2 miles away); Hazelmore (approx. 3.7 miles away); Rose Hill (approx. 4.4 miles away); Cherry Grove (approx. 4½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in North East.

More about this marker. Where it refers to 1833 construction, I found no apostrophe in what would have been "keeper's".

Credits. This page was last revised on July 31, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 5, 2020, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. This page has been viewed 152 times since then and 13 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on April 5, 2020, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.