Talbot County

Talbot County, located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, is one of the province's original counties. The form of the creation of the county, though not known, was probably by virtue of an order of the Governor in Council. The county was in existence by February 18, 1661/62, when a writ was issued to the county sheriff. The county is bordered on the west by the Chesapeake Bay, the north and northwest by Queen Anne's County and the Wye River, the east by Caroline County, and the south by the Choptank River. The county is named after Grace Talbot, sister of Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore.

Like other Eastern Shore counties, agriculture and the seafood industry are the main sources of income in Talbot County. The low flatland, thickly wooded along stream banks, is well adapted to farming, which, along with fishing furnishes a livelihood for many of the area's residents.

Easton serves as the county seat and as a commercial center. Although not an industrial town, a variety of smaller enterprises have located here. In addition to its growing industrial capacity, the town is a banking and medical center as well as a trading and distribution point for a four county area. For a century Easton was the largest and most important and progressive town on the Eastern Shore. The first newspaper on the Eastern Shore was established here (1790), the first bank (1805), and the first steamboat line to Baltimore (1817).

Near the border between Queen Anne's and Talbot counties is the Wye Oak, the largest white oak in Maryland and one of the largest in the United States. The tree and surrounding area were acquired by the State in 1939, and two years later the Maryland legislature designated the white oak as the state tree.