Cambridge in Dorchester County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Living off the Land

Photographed by Don Morfe, October 28, 2014

1. Living off the Land Marker

Inscription. Agriculture has been a mainstay of the local culture and economy for centuries. In the1700s, grain production was so widespread that the Eastern Shore was called the “breadbasket of the American Revolution.” The farming tradition continues today.

The Canning Craze
—Before refrigeration, truck, and trains, Dorchester County was a leader in the food processing industry. With rich soils for growing crops and many waterways for transporting goods, Dorchester saw 187 canneries built between 1870 and 1960. That’s when the area near the Choptank River Lighthouse a bustling wharf, home to canneries, packing plants, and plenty of hubbub. Boats large and small were loaded with everything from melons to oysters destined for faraway cities. By the early 1900s, Cambridge was the second largest canning center in the nation.

The Rise and Fall of Phillips Packing Company
In 1902, three local men formed a canning company in Cambridge that grew into the world’s largest packer of tomato products. By 1939, their Phillips Packing Company was the area’s main employer. The company bought more than $1 million in produce annually

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from Delmarva farmers and competed against national firms such as Campbell’s Soup Company. But boom turned to bust as the food business changed. Operations ceased in the early 1960s, ripping a hope in the local economy. To see relics from the canning age, visit the Heritage Museums and Gardens of Dorchester.

Farming with a Twist
Many Dorchester County farmers still grow corn, wheat, and soybeans or raise poultry. Others have taken farming in new directions. One family expanded their crops to include grapes and opened a winery and tasting room. Another rolled generations of farming know-how into a destination farm stand. One farm was transformed into a bison ranch, while another host a corn maze and paintball adventure park.

(Inscription beside the photos in the center)
Tomatoes, watermelons, and other produce were the foundation of the local economy for generations.

(Inscription under the photo in the right center)
One local farming family turned some of their fields into a vineyard.

Erected by Maryland Heritage Area.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.

Location. 38° 34.302′ N,

Living off the Land Marker-Hospital and Choptank River in the background image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, October 28, 2014

2. Living off the Land Marker-Hospital and Choptank River in the background

76° 3.816′ W. Marker is in Cambridge, Maryland, in Dorchester County. It is on Rose Hill Place. The marker is on the back porch of the Dorchester County Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2 Rose Hill Place, Cambridge MD 21613, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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: Choptank River Bridge (a few steps from this marker); Choptank River's Natural History (a few steps from this marker); The Dorchester Waterman (a few steps from this marker); Barbara Mikulski (a few steps from this marker); Exploring Dorchester's Fragile Beauty (within shouting

Explore the Chesapeake-Marker at the entrance to the Dorchester County Visitor Center image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, October 28, 2014

3. Explore the Chesapeake-Marker at the entrance to the Dorchester County Visitor Center

distance of this marker); A Landscape and Lifestyle Defined by Water (within shouting distance of this marker); Cambridge (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Maryland's Eastern Shore (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cambridge.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Maryland's Eastern Shore (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 8, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 495 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 8, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.