The Wharf: Adventure and a Link to Life on the Water

The Wharf: Adventure and a Link to Life on the Water. Centreville Heritage Trail. For most of its history the wharf was a large part of the economic lifeline linking the world and Centreville. However, with the attractions of water, sand, and the comings and goings of ships there were many adventurous opportunities, some of which are shown here.

(Left Pane)
Many exciting events occurred at the wharf over the years, but the "Hydro-Aeroplane" landing was among the (unreadable) of these!
Two US Navy lieutenants from Annapolis made the trip on a Saturday morning taking 31 minutes to make the flight. The two young naval officers were met at the wharf by William (unreadable) into Centreville to his home for lunch. The plane returned to Annapolis at 4:30 in the afternoon. According to the newspaper, it was (unreadable) witnessed the event. These comments were recorded in the Centreville Observer of June 29, 1912: "It was a beautiful sight coming up the Corsica, the airship gracefully following the winding course of the river like a huge bird well up in the air with out-spread wings and striking the water about four hundred (unreadable) Bridge leading to Spaniard Neck."
(Upper Caption): Note that the plane landed on the 'upside' of the bridge across the river and pulled up on the beach.

(Center Pane)
Schooner The Australia anchored at the wharf in Centreville. For a few years Centreville was home port.
Beginning life as Ella Alida in 1862 in New York, this coastal schooner was a blockade runner out of the Bahamas during the Civil War under the name Alma. During the war it was captured by the U.S. Navy, sold at auction and it was purchased by Hiram Dudley of Queenstown. He renamed the schooner The Australia. It operated on the Chesapeake Bay for 60 years. It is presently part of an indoor display of historic vessels at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut, donated to the museum by her last owners, the DuPont family in 1951.
(Upper Caption): Here is how people went sailing on it.
(Lower Caption): Photo credit: Centreville History Collection of MMR Goodwin

(Bottom Pane)
The Frampton family planned much of the fun at the wharf. Before Mill Stream's upstream development, the white sands at the wharf were a happy meeting place as shown in this 1900's Frampton photo. In the background can be seen the granaries and warehouse sheds of Captain Ozmon and his schooner. Also immediately behind this happy group are the sheds of the Langrall Fruit Packing plant.
(Caption): Photo credit: Centreville History Collection of MMR Goodwin

(Right Pane)
(unreadable) shipped off to Baltimore and beyond, the (unreadable) family also supplied seafood locally. Note the (unreadable) of the crabs!
(Caption): Photo credit: Centreville History Collection of MMR Goodwin

Dressing up for a trip to the wharf to greet passengers from the steamboat was a big event for people of Centreville as seen from this damaged photograph.
(Caption): Photo credit: Centreville History Collection of MMR Goodwin

For a time in the early 1900's one of the main social events in Centreville was the arrival of the floating theater at the wharf.
(Caption): Photo credit: Centreville History Collection of MMR Goodwin

Mary Larrimore as a child. She scratched her name into one of the windows in the Ozman house. Behind her is the home of Capt. Harrison, partner of Capt. Ozman in late 1800's.
(Caption): Photo credit: Centreville History Collection of MMR Goodwin

Mildred Frampton as a child on the bridge from Chesterfield Avenue across Mill Stream with one of the Langrall Fruit sheds in the background.
(Caption): Photo credit: Centreville History Collection of MMR Goodwin