Elkton, Maryland

Town of Elkton, Maryland
Town
View of Main Street
Official seal of Town of Elkton, Maryland Seal
Nickname(s): "The Elopement capital of the East Coast"
Location of Elkton, Maryland
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Cecil
Government
• Mayor	Robert J. Alt
Area
• Total	8.61 sq mi (22.30 km2)
• Land	8.35 sq mi (21.63 km2)
• Water	0.26 sq mi (0.67 km2)
Elevation	30 ft (9 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	15,443
• Estimate (2012)	15,579
• Density	1,849.5/sq mi (714.1/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	21921-21922
Area code(s)	410
FIPS code	24-25800
GNIS feature ID	0590150
Website	Official website

The town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,443 at the 2010 census. It was formerly called Head of Elk because it sits at the head of navigation on the Elk River, which flows into the nearby Chesapeake Bay.

Elkton was once known as the "Gretna Green of the West" because of its popularity as a place for eloping couples to marry. However, a state law was passed in 1938 requiring a 48-hour waiting period. To this day, there are several wedding chapels in the town.

History

The town was founded by Swedish mariners and fisherman from Fort Casimir who settled the area in 1694. They called their settlement Head of Elk, as it was the head of navigation of the Elk River.

The town saw several actions during the American Revolutionary War. On Aug. 25, 1777, Sir William Howe's Anglo-German army (13,000 British soldiers and 5,000 Germans) landed on the Elk River and marched 11 miles north to Head of Elk. Howe soon advanced to the short and victorious campaign of the Brandywine, and thence to capture Philadelphia. On March 8, 1781, the Marquis de Lafayette embarked his troops there to attempt a capture of Benedict Arnold. Returning on April 9, he began his overland march to Virginia. George Washington and Rochambeau with their combined forces stopped in Elkton on September 6–7, 1781, on their way to Yorktown.

In 1787, the town was incorporated as Elkton. By 1880, the population was 1,800.

The landmark historic home, Holly Hall was built by James Sewall in the 1810s and quickly became a regional seat for important dignitaries and local politics.

When northern states began to pass more restrictive marriage laws in the early 20th century, Maryland did not. As a result, a number of Maryland towns near borders with other states became known as places to get married quickly and without many restrictions, or "Gretna Greens". Elkton, being the northeasternmost county seat in Maryland (and thus closer to Philadelphia, New York, and New England), was particularly popular. It was a notorious Gretna Green for years; in its heyday, in the 1920s and 1930s, it was "the elopement capital of the East Coast" and thousands of marriages were performed there each year. While some of the marriages obtained in Elkton were of celebrities or celebrities-to-be (Cornel Wilde, Joan Fontaine, Debbie Reynolds, Martha Raye, John and Martha Mitchell, Willie Mays, and Pat Robertson all got married in Elkton), the overall tawdry flavor grew to be too much for the state. A 48-hour waiting period was imposed in 1938, but Elkton continued to be a place to marry, and especially elope; it simply took longer. In time, Las Vegas became the new "American Gretna Green," although hundreds of people are still married in Elkton each year.

On December 8, 1963, Pan Am Flight 214 was struck by lightning and crashed near Elkton. The crash was listed in the 2005 Guinness World Records as the "Worst Lightning Strike Death Toll."

Geography

Elkton is located at (39.610016, −75.825883).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 8.61 square miles (22.30 km²), of which, 8.35 square miles (21.63 km²) is land and 0.26 square miles (0.67 km²) is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Elkton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	1,099		—
1870	1,797		—
1880	1,752		−2.5%
1890	2,318		32.3%
1900	2,542		9.7%
1910	2,487		−2.2%
1920	2,650		6.6%
1930	3,331		25.7%
1940	3,518		5.6%
1950	5,245		49.1%
1960	5,989		14.2%
1970	5,362		−10.5%
1980	6,468		20.6%
1990	9,073		40.3%
2000	11,893		31.1%
2010	15,443		29.8%
Est. 2014	15,852		2.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 15,443 people, 5,580 households, and 3,673 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,849.5 inhabitants per square mile (714.1/km²). There were 5,944 housing units at an average density of 711.9 per square mile (274.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 76.0% White, 15.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.0% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.9% of the population.

There were 5,580 households of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.21.

The median age in the town was 32.8 years. 28% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 9.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,893 people, 4,446 households, and 2,898 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,480.5 people per square mile (571.8/km²). There were 4,743 housing units at an average density of 590.4 per square mile (228.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.85% White, 9.64% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.78% from other races, and 2.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.97% of the population.

There were 4,446 households out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the town the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,171, and the median income for a family was $44,348. Males had a median income of $36,495 versus $25,543 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,789. About 9.4% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Elkton High School is a public school located in the town, and Eastern Christian Academy is an online-focused high school based out of Elkton.

Infrastructure

Public transportation

Although in Maryland, Elkton is served by Delaware's DART First State Route 65, which runs into Newark, Delaware, where it connects with the Newark Rail Station and other DART routes. The buses run roughly every 90 minutes, Monday through Friday.

Cecil County operates "THE BUS", a two-route bus system. The Glasgow Connection runs from 5:30 am and ends at 6:15 pm, Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 2:15 pm between Elkton and People's Plaza in Glasgow, Delaware. The Perryville Connection runs from 6:00 am and ends at 6:30 pm between Elkton, North East, Perryville (town and the MARC train station) and Perry Point Veteran's Medical Center. The county also operates the C.T. Cruiser, which is a countywide, curb-to-curb transit service for all ages. RIdes must be scheduled in advance, and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The C.T. Cruiser operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Notable people

• Robert Alexander, an American planter, lawyer, and Tory political leader during the American Revolution
• James Allison, Jr., (1772–1854), born in Elkton, United States Congressman
• Rev. John Andrews (clergyman) D.D.(1746–1813), born near head of the Elk River/ attended Head of Elk School, graduate, professor and provost of University of Pennsylvania. Founder of York College of Pennsylvania.
• John A. J. Creswell, United States Postmaster General
• Austin Lane Crothers, 46th Governor of Maryland.
• Martha Finley, an author of children's books in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Although she was not born in Elkton, she lived there for several years
• James Black Groome, 36th Governor of Maryland.
• Dwayne Henry, a former MLB Relief Pitcher.
• Bernard Purdie, American drummer and session musician who has worked with various well-known soul, rock, pop, and jazz musicians.
• Paul Rabil, Professional Lacrosse Player and Champion, NCAA Lacrosse Champion
• Jeremy Rose, American jockey and 2005 ESPY award winner
• Michael Rudolph, United States Army officer, served as acting Adjutant General and acting Inspector General of the U.S. Army in 1793.
• Julian C. Smith, a United States Marine Corps general
• Larry Webster, Former NFL defensive tackle with Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets
• Larry Webster III, son of Larry Webster, Defensive End for the Detroit Lions in the National Football League
• Harry Woolman, motorcycle daredevil, character actor, movie stuntman, and special effects performer.

See also

• Elk Landing
• Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route

External links

Official website