The Forest, Home, Cemetery, and Wharf

This property is a rich and important area not only ecologically for its diversity from forest to fields to river shoreline, but also for its historical and cultural value. It is a true example of the past of the historic Westside of Wicomico County, upriver from the village of Whitehaven, Green Hill Church--and downriver from Poplar Hill Mansion in Salisbury MD and Pemberton Hall, both on the Heritage Trail.

The Forest

• +/- 85 yrs  mixed hardwood/pine, upland wetland

• Biodiverse; important bird habitat

• Vernal pools; amphibians, salamanders, frogs, etc.; birds, waterfowl, fungi, etc.

• 230 acres of best type of land use for water quality (aquifer, river, etc.) is mature forest

• Replacement value of watershed filtration with man-made systems = $5k/acre* x 230 acres = $1.5 M (*Fairfax County VA wetland credit cost land developers use to offset disruption of wetlands)

• Registered with, and recognized by, the US Forest Service as 9/11 Memorial Forest

The Farmhouse

• A house shown on 1877 map (and before, oral tradition says 1859)

• Included barns, chicken houses,  summer kitchen to south of house, as well as other outbuildings

• 1943 map shows five significant structures north of house

• House needs to be fully assessed historically, structurally, etc. for potential re-use

• Listed with Md Historical Trust; this does not protect it; County intends to demolish without evaluating historical importance or value for Park re-use​

The Cemetery

• Pre 1850

• 3 vaults c. 1850; likely others unmarked from earlier that century

• Remains property of Scaggs/Brady family, never conveyed to later ownership in 1850 property sale

The Wharf

• Shown on 1877 map; multi-layer construction; grass landing, not pier—needs study by Md Historical Trust; COE and MDE wants to 'armour' with stone

• Leased in 1890’s to Baltimore steamboat company; Portuguese tuna boat docked in 1950’s to deliver tuna for canning; also barge lay-over