Discover Somerset: Wetlands and History
Accommodation in Somerset
Somerset County in Maryland combines expansive marshlands, waterways and a multifaceted regional history. Travellers who want to combine nature experiences with museums, historic buildings and local traditions will find a variety of options for planning their days. The choice of a holiday apartment or holiday home should therefore match the experiences you want to make the focus of your trip.
Salt Marshes and Waterways
Janes Island State Park offers a defining landscape experience. The island area encompasses more than 2,900 acres of salt marshes. It also has more than 30 miles of marked waterways through the island's salt marshes. This makes it possible to discover Somerset from a water-focused perspective. Those who enjoy observing, photographing or planning days on the water can consider this landscape an important part of their trip.
Water and shorelines are also central in other places. At Manokin River Park, fishing is possible from the riverbank; the park also has a shallow launch area for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. Wellington Beach and Park is a small public beach with a public pier. Fishing and crabbing are permitted there. Raccoon Point Beach & Park also offers a beach on the bay as well as a shallow launch area for kayaks and canoes. A rentable pavilion with a grill adds to the options for spending time outdoors.
Historic Places and Museums
Somerset's history is reflected in many different forms. Fairmount Academy, for example, was built between about 1860 and 1867 as a public school for the Potato Neck District. It is described as the last surviving 19th-century schoolhouse in the county. Teackle Mansion dates back to L. D. Teackle's purchase of the land in 1802; the neoclassically inspired brick house that is known by this name today was subsequently built.
Several museums offer a deeper look at the region. The J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum covers the history of the Chesapeake region from the first people who lived in the area more than 10,000 years ago to Crisfield's time as the seafood capital. The museum is open from May to October, Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturdays in winter from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Burgess Rural Living Center is a small free museum about the history of Somerset County from around the turn of the 20th century to approximately the mid-1930s.
The cultural landscape also includes plantations, rural and town houses, churches, and agricultural buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. In Chance, the Skipjack Heritage Museum is dedicated to local artefacts, historic photographs, historic oystering equipment and models depicting the lives of the watermen and families of Deal Island. The Ward Brothers Workshop is connected with the legacy of Lem and Steve Ward, who are regarded as icons of wildfowl carving; tours are available by appointment.
Island Culture, Festivals and Regional Specialities
The Beach to Bay Heritage Area extends across Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties in Maryland. The Smith Island Cultural Center presents exhibitions about the traditions of working on the water and island life. It can be reached by boat from Crisfield and Solomons. A regional speciality is Smith Island Cake, which is sold whole, by the half or by the slice.
Crisfield's National Hard Crab Derby, an annual event held over Labor Day weekend, is also part of its distinctive character. The programme includes crab races, boat docking competitions, crab cooking and picking contests, arts and crafts, live music, a parade and fireworks. The Skipjack Races and Land Festival adds to this maritime tradition with races involving single-masted oyster boats, a parade, concerts and a competition for docking working boats used by watermen.
Which Accommodation Suits Your Travel Plans?
If you primarily want to experience salt marshes, waterways and boat launch areas, these attractions can form the focus of your trip. For days centred on cultural history, museums, historic buildings and evidence of agriculture and life on the water are suitable options. A holiday apartment in Somerset is particularly worth considering if you want to organise your days flexibly between nature, culture and regional events. When choosing, consider above all which part of your itinerary sets the pace and whether you would prefer to combine water-based activities, museum visits or festivals.
For further regional orientation, you can also include Princess Anne and Crisfield in your search.
For the overarching travel overview: Maryland.
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