CALVERT COUNTY, MARYLAND

HISTORICAL CHRONOLOGY

1608, Aug. Capt. John Smith explored Patuxent River.

1654, July 3. Calvert County formed by order in Council of Maryland. County originally encompassed most of Prince George's County, and parts of Anne Arundel and St. Mary's counties.

1669. Courthouse built by this date at Battle Town on north shore of Battle Creek.

c. 1678. Arthur Storer (c.1642-1686), America's first colonial astronomer, arrived in Calvert County from Lincolnshire, England.

1683. Battle Town renamed Calvertown.

1695. Prince George's County erected from parts of Charles and Calvert counties (Chapter 13, Acts of 1695, May session)

1725, Nov. 5. County seat moved from Calvertown to William's Old Field.

1728, Oct. 30. William's Old Field renamed Prince Frederick Town.

1731-32. First Courthouse under construction at Prince Frederick Town.

1732, Nov. 4. Thomas Johnson (1732-1819), Maryland’s first elected governor, born near St. Leonard’s Creek.

1748, April 20. Fire destroyed Courthouse at Prince Frederick.

1749. Second Courthouse at Prince Frederick authorized.

1777, March 17. Roger Brooke Taney (1777-1864), who served as U.S. Attorney General, 1831-33, Secretary of the Treasury, 1833-34, and Chief Justice, U.S. Supreme Court, 1835-64, born in Calvert County.

1779, Jan. 14. Joseph Kent (1779-1837), Governor of Maryland, born in Calvert County.

[photo, St. Leonard Creek, Calvert County, Maryland] 1814, June 8-10. Joshua Barney (1759-1818) commanded flotilla of barges and gunboats against British forces at First Battle of St. Leonard Creek. Battle ended with withdrawal of both fleets.

1814, June 26. Barney's Flotilla and shore artillery fought the British fleet again in the Second Battle of St. Leonard Creek. Some 36 vessels engaged with no clear victory; Flotilla withdrew to Benedict.

1814, July 4. British forces burned wharves and warehouses at Town of St. Leonard.

St. Leonard Creek, Calvert County, Maryland, May 2002. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

1814, July 19. British burned Courthouse at Prince Frederick.

1814, Aug. 19 British fleet sailed up Patuxent River.

1819. Third Courthouse at Prince Frederick completed.

c.1870. Solomon's Island causeway built, connecting island to mainland.

1882, March 3. Courthouse, County records, and most of Prince Frederick destroyed by fire.

1883. Drum Point Lighthouse erected at Solomons.

1884. Fourth Courthouse built at Prince Frederick.

1886. Chesapeake Beach incorporated.

1886. First Calvert County Fair held at Smithville (now Dunkirk).

[photo, Calvert County Courthouse, Prince Frederick, Maryland] 1886, June 6. Charles Whitley lynched at Prince Frederick.

1897. Chesapeake Beach Railway linked Washington, DC, to Chesapeake Beach.

1910. North Beach incorporated.

1916. Fifth Courthouse at Prince Frederick completed.

Calvert County Courthouse, 175 Main St., Prince Frederick, Maryland, November 2012. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Research boat, Patuxent River, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, Solomons, Maryland] 1925. Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, Solomons Island, started as research station by Reginald V. Truitt.

1937, Dec. 27. Harriet Elizabeth Brown, represented by attorney Thurgood Marshall, won case against County Board of Education, ending teacher salary distinctions based on race.


Research boat, Patuxent River, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, Solomons, Maryland, April 2019. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

1942, June 11 - April 1, 1945. U.S. Naval Amphibious Training Base, Solomons, first in nation, in operation (now Calvert Marina).

1949. Slot machines allowed by law in Calvert County (Chapter 13, Acts of 1948 Special Session).

1952. Benedict Bridge opened across Patuxent River, connecting Calvert and Charles counties.

1963, April 30. Legislation passed to abolish slot-machine gambling by 1968.

1964, Dec. 6. Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland created.

1969. Baltimore Gas and Electric Company began construction of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant at Lusby.

1972, Aug. Construction began on lower Patuxent River bridge (now Governor Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge).

1975, May. Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant began operation in Calvert County.

[photo, Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge, Solomons, Maryland] 1977. Battle Creek Cypress Swamp leased to Calvert County as a public park.

1977, Dec. 17. Governor Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge opened across Patuxent River, connecting Calvert and St. Mary's counties.

1980. Community College at Calvert County organized.

1984. Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum opened at St. Leonard.

Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge, Solomons, Maryland, April 2019. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

2000, July 1. College of Southern Maryland Prince Frederick Campus began to function as community college.

2004, March 2. Electronic voting system used during primary elections at polling places and for absentee ballots in all counties and Baltimore City.

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