Stevensville in Queen Anne's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
B&E Railroad Trestle
Walking the Kent Island Railroad
Photographed by Pete Skillman, June 12, 2025
1. B&E Railroad Trestle Marker
In 1892, the first shipment of Kent Island railroad ties arrived in Baltimore and made their way to Love Point via ferry. Maps show a bridge in this location in 1899. The railroad on the island did not open until 1902, so this may have been one of the first points of construction providing the transportation of material further east.
During the blizzard of 1911, trains faced many problems. Snow drifts halted a locomotive right before this trestle bridge. Veteran station agent, Franklin Marion Crouse Lewis, provides his firsthand account of the incident in a 1967 newspaper:
"It was stuck for quite a while. We had to walk in and shovel it out. In those days, engines had wooden cow catchers, and we used to nail two boards to it to make a plow, but we still got stuck."
Twice daily, trains crossed here, carrying passengers, freight, mail, crops, and newspapers. Occasionally, special lines passed through, including those for excursions or express services. The bridge even provided the path
this page online
As cars gained popularity, commuter rail declined, and the state added additional ferry services at Matapeake and Romancoke. Despite the efforts of island residents to keep their passenger service, it ceased in 1938, leaving only a tri-weekly freight service.
By the 1950s, with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on the horizon, the railroad's end drew near. On June 25, 1956, the fading freight line was abandoned, and the Cox Creek crossing closed, marking the end of an era. After a full reconstruction, the bridge opened again in 1998 with its new purpose.
(Captions):
B&E Railroad Trestle
Crossing Cox Creek (1957)
Blizzard of 1911
Locomotive stuck in snow drift at trestle
B&E Railroad Trestle
Looking east (1995)
Erected 2024 by Historic Kent Island.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Railroads & Streetcars.
Location. 38° 58.897′ N, 76° 17.717′ W. Marker is in Stevensville, Maryland, in Queen Anne's County. It is on Cross Island
Photographed by Pete Skillman, June 12, 2025
2. B&E Railroad Trestle Marker - wide view
Regionally, this marker is on the Eastern Shore. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic, on the Delmarva Peninsula, in the Tidewater, in the Chesapeake Bay Region, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Lands of Cornelius Tanner (within shouting distance of this marker); Christ Church Glebe Farm (approx. 0.2 miles away); Coxes Neck Path (approx. 0.3 miles away); Eminent Domain (approx. half a mile away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); Kent Island (approx. 0.7 miles away); Site of Stevensville Station (approx. 0.7 miles away); Site of Chester Station (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map
Photographed by Pete Skillman, June 12, 2025
3. B&E Railroad Trestle Marker view of modern bridge
Also see . . . Historic Kent Island. The website of the local preservation organization that erected this marker. (Submitted on June 12, 2025, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 12, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 12, 2025, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. This page has been viewed 147 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 12, 2025, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware.
