Havre de Grace

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July 17.

We left Havre de Grace headed for Deleware City. But first, Havre de Grace. Perhaps not on the “main path” north, but it should be. Very cute town and great marina. We may be predijuice as the people who owned Rincon Feliz before us (then named Eventide), Gary and Barbara Pensell live in Havre de Grace and own a marina there.

Jim said to tell you he was only partially stoned. Gary and Barbara took us on a little tour of Havre de Grace on their center console. Gary was born and raised here so knows the history.

We met them several times when considering the purchase of Rincon and hit it off. Very simpatico. They were so gracious.

During our visit to Havre de Grace as well as a wonderful, fresh dinner of crab cakes and very fresh veggies, the boat tour and letting us use their car, they took us on a little car trip to Lancaster County, PA, just across the Susquehanna River at the headwaters of the Chesapeake. This is Amish and Mennonite farming country. Lits of great fruit and veggie stands and stores with I interestung foods.

Grocery store parking
I had not realized this community was focused on home remedies for health care, but it makes sense. I imagine I coukd go to my guide to Native American and Hispanic remedies and figure out how to use many if these

These is also a very fascinating decoy museum full of the history of decoys for waterfowl hunting, the history of hunting in this area, and information on the decline of waterfowl populations. This area had millions of waterfowl, but as with much of the Chesapeake, it has been way over harvested in the past 150 years. But the decoys, mostly hand carved at this time are beautiful. One had to do lots of carving as you needed a whole flock to attract other birds.

The museum had separate cases for each of the many local carvers. As well as ducks, they carved geese, swans and shore birds. Plastic decoys became popular and so carvers made miniatures and full si,e as art for sale.. I never realized the cute shore bird carvings one sees for sale came from this tradition.

I do have to say a word about Gary and Barbara’s house. Very modern, with a simple but elegant design inside. Gorgeous!

Gary and Barbara’s from the outside. It is right at the marina, thus the little sailboats. The uniqueness outside translates inside to the big view windiws. I could easily live in this home.
A more typical Havre de Grace style home. Although this one is on a grander scale than many.

The Maritime Museum, every town seems to have one, had an intetesting exhibit on the underground railroad in the area. It gets the maratime angle as atvtbis point, travelers month had to cross the Susquehanna River.

Although not at the museum, there is a nacent arts community and a series of murals around one building depicting the history of Havre de Grace. Here is one related to the underground railroad.

We are now on the Delaware River getting close to Philadelphia. Another story or two.

Barbra playng cow, Gary as farmer and Jim as the pig.

Comments

Havre de Grace — 5 Comments

  1. Did you ever find the real duck museum or was the decoy museum too effective, hmmm?

  5. They didn’t have many decoys for sale or I would have. We could have gone to one specific carver that has a store, but didn’t.