Federalsburg Historical Society

06/20/2026

☀️🍅 First Day of Summer in Federalsburg 🍅☀️

The first day of summer always feels a little extra special here in Federalsburg. The mornings get brighter, the Marshyhope seems to sparkle a bit more, and gardens all over town start showing off the promise of the season.

For many of us, that promise looks like tomato plants—sturdy little vines that have been carefully watered, fussed over, and checked daily like they’re old friends. By June, they’re climbing their cages, blooming yellow, and holding those tiny green tomatoes that make you dream of what’s coming.

There’s nothing quite like that first ripe tomato of the season.
The one you pick warm from the sun, slice right on the counter, sprinkle with a little salt, and enjoy like it’s the best thing you’ve tasted all year. Around here, it usually is.

Whether you grow your own, buy from a neighbor, or pick up a basket at the Federalsburg Farmers Market, summer tomatoes are one of those simple joys that tie our community together—shared recipes, shared gardens, shared memories.

Here’s to long days, warm evenings, and the sweetest tomatoes of the season.
Happy first day of summer, Federalsburg 🌞🍅🌿

06/19/2026

✨ Honoring Juneteenth in Federalsburg ✨

On June 19, we join communities across the nation in commemorating Juneteenth — the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in the United States finally learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It is a day of remembrance, resilience, and reflection, but also a celebration of culture, community, and the ongoing pursuit of equality.

Here in Federalsburg, Juneteenth invites us to look closely at our own local story. Caroline County’s history includes the voices and lives of free and enslaved Blacks who shaped this region long before and long after 1865. From the labor that built our farms and mills, to the families who forged tight‑knit neighborhoods, to the generations who contributed to our churches, schools, and civic life — their legacy is woven into the fabric of our town.

Juneteenth reminds us to honor:

• The strength of those who endured enslavement and fought for freedom in ways large and small
• The families who built new lives during Reconstruction, often with limited resources but extraordinary determination
• The Black communities of Caroline County, whose stories deserve to be preserved, shared, and celebrated
• The ongoing work of remembrance, ensuring that local history reflects every voice that helped shape Federalsburg

As we mark this day, we invite our neighbors to reflect on Federalsburg’s past, learn from its complexities, and celebrate the rich cultural heritage that continues to define our community.



📷 Photo courtesy of Black Eastern Shore

06/17/2026

🍑 Federalsburg’s Peach Orchards: A Sweet Chapter in Caroline County History

Long before Federalsburg became known for its canneries and busy Main Street, our landscape was dotted with something softer and sweeter — peach orchards. From the late 1800s through the early 20th century, peaches were one of the Eastern Shore’s most important fruit crops, and the farms surrounding Federalsburg played a meaningful role in that heritage.

Local families planted orchards along the fertile ground near Marshyhope Creek, where the sandy loam soil proved ideal for stone fruit. Spring meant rows of pink blossoms drifting in the breeze; summer meant wagonloads of peaches heading into town; and fall meant pruning, planning, and preparing for the next year’s harvest. Many of these early orchards supplied peaches to the canneries that later became central to our town’s economy. Before tomatoes and beans filled the packing houses, peaches were among the first crops processed and shipped from Federalsburg to markets far beyond Caroline County.

Families still remember peeling peaches on back porches, helping load crates for the railroad, and the unmistakable scent of ripe fruit drifting through town during harvest season.

Blades Orchard, located just outside Federalsburg, carries that tradition forward today. While many of the early orchards disappeared by the mid‑1900s due to disease, changing markets, and the rise of large commercial growers elsewhere, Blades Orchard has kept the region’s peach‑growing heritage alive. Their modern orchard — with farm‑fresh produce, wholesale sales, venue rentals and arborist support — echoes the agricultural rhythms that once shaped daily life here. In many ways, they’re preserving a living link to the orchards that helped build Federalsburg’s early economy.

From the historic groves that supplied our canneries to the thriving rows at Blades Orchard today, peaches have left a sweet and lasting mark on Federalsburg’s story. And as long as local families are still biting into a warm Eastern Shore peach in July, that legacy continues to bloom.

📷 Image credit: Blades Orchard

06/14/2026

in 1946: Donald John Trump was born at New York, New York.

Happy 80th birthday, President Trump!
🎉

06/14/2026

❤️🤍💙Honoring Flag Day in Federalsburg ❤️🤍💙

Today we celebrate Flag Day, a moment to reflect on the history of the American flag and the ideals it has represented for nearly 250 years — unity, resilience, and the ongoing work of building a more perfect nation.

Here in Federalsburg, the flag has long been a familiar sight over Main Street parades, schoolyards, mill buildings, and front porches. Generations of local families have served under it, worked beneath it, and gathered around it during moments of pride and challenge.

From the early days of our riverside industries to the community events that still bring neighbors together, the flag has been a steady witness to Federalsburg’s story — a reminder that even small towns play a meaningful role in the nation’s history.

As the Federalsburg Historical Society, we honor not only the flag itself, but the local stories, photographs, and memories that show how our community has carried its spirit forward.

❤️🤍💙 Happy Flag Day, Federalsburg.

May we continue to preserve the history that connects us.

📷 Photo courtesy of Nice Farms Creamery

06/12/2026

in 1924: George Herbert Walker Bush was born at Milton, Massachusetts.

Happy 102nd birthday, President Bush!
🎉

06/12/2026

🏡 Step Back in Time at Historic Exeter — Summer 2026 Open House Dates Announced!

If you’ve ever wondered what life looked like in Federalsburg more than two centuries ago, Historic Exeter is your chance to walk straight into the past.

Built around 1800, Exeter stands as one of the oldest surviving structures in the Federalsburg area — a rare glimpse into early Eastern Shore life. Its hand‑hewn beams, original woodwork, and quiet, sunlit rooms hold stories of the families who shaped our community long before the modern town took root along the Marshyhope.

This summer, the Federalsburg Historical Society is opening the doors for a series of special Open House & Tour Days, and you’re invited to explore this beautifully preserved piece of local history.

📅 2026 Summer Open House Dates
Saturdays — June 13, July 11, August 8, and September 12
⏰ 10 AM – 2 PM
💵 Admission is FREE — donations are warmly appreciated and help preserve Federalsburg’s history.

✨ What You’ll Experience
Guided tours that bring Exeter’s history to life — from its Federal‑period architecture to the families who lived within its walls.

Artifacts and displays that highlight early Federalsburg craftsmanship, daily life, and the evolution of our community.

A peaceful, authentic setting that feels like stepping into another century.

Friendly, knowledgeable volunteers from the Federalsburg Historical Society, ready to share stories and answer questions.

🌿 Why Visit?
Exeter isn’t just a historic home — it’s a living reminder of the resilience, creativity, and community spirit that built Federalsburg. Whether you’re a lifelong resident or discovering the area for the first time, Exeter offers a meaningful, memorable connection to the past.

Spend a summer Saturday exploring, learning, and rediscovering the history right in our own backyard.

06/10/2026

If you grew up on the Delmarva Peninsula, chances are scrapple has been on your breakfast table at least once — fried to a crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and served with everything from eggs to apple butter. But scrapple isn’t just a regional favorite. It’s a food with a long, practical history that connects Federalsburg to centuries of tradition across the Mid‑Atlantic.

Scrapple’s origins stretch back to pre‑Roman Europe, where early farmers developed ways to use every part of the hog to avoid waste. That tradition traveled to America with German‑speaking immigrants, whose dish panhas became the direct ancestor of the scrapple we know today.

By the 17th and 18th centuries, these settlers — later known as the Pennsylvania Dutch — adapted their old‑world recipes to New World ingredients, especially cornmeal. The result was a hearty loaf made from pork scraps simmered into broth, thickened with cornmeal and flour, seasoned with herbs like sage and pepper, and cooled into a sliceable block.

From there, scrapple became a staple across the southern Mid‑Atlantic, including Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It was prized not just for flavor, but for thrift — a way to honor the work of butchering by using “everything but the oink.”

Here in Federalsburg, where agriculture shaped daily life for generations, scrapple fit naturally into local foodways. Families who raised hogs each fall knew the value of stretching resources, and dishes like scrapple helped sustain households through long winters. It was common on farm tables, in small-town diners, and at community breakfasts — a quiet but enduring part of our shared heritage.

Today, scrapple remains a beloved symbol of Eastern Shore identity. Whether you fry it thin and crispy or thick and tender, you’re taking part in a tradition that connects Federalsburg to centuries of resourcefulness, community, and good food.

From the fields of early Europe to the kitchens of Caroline County, scrapple tells a story of making the most of what we have — a value Federalsburg has always understood well.

What's your favorite scrapple? How do you eat it? Grape jelly? Maple syrup? Mustard? Thick or thin? We're pretty sure there's not a wrong way to eat scapple but inquiring minds want to know!

06/09/2026

TONIGHT!

✨ Community Spotlight at the Federalsburg Historical Society
✨Tuesday, June 9, 2026 • 7:00 PM
✨ Federalsburg Historical Society Museum

The Federalsburg Historical Society is honored to welcome David Ricks of Men for Change and the Federalsburg Activity Center for a special evening of conversation, inspiration, and community connection.

Men for Change has long been a powerful force for mentorship, leadership, and positive transformation on the Mid‑Shore. This presentation will shine a light on the work being done right here in our community to support youth, strengthen families, and build a brighter future for Federalsburg.

This is more than a program — it’s a chance to learn, reflect, and celebrate the people who are investing in our town’s next generation.

✨ All are welcome.
✨ Free admission.
✨ Light refreshments.

Come be part of an evening that honors service, community, and the shared history that connects us all.

06/05/2026

There's lots to do in Federalsburg on Saturday, June 6th! Make sure a stop at the Federalsburg Historical Society Museum is on the top of your list. We'll be open 10-2.

🎉🏁🌱 WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS SATURDAY IN FEDERALSBURG? 🌱🏁🎉

If you're looking for something to do this Saturday, Federalsburg has you covered! Whether you're interested in racing, history, gardening, community connections, or a great breakfast, there's something happening for everyone throughout the day.

🏁 Delmarva Soap Box Derby Watch young racers take to West Central Avenue as one of Federalsburg's most beloved traditions returns for another exciting year of competition, sportsmanship, and community spirit.

🌱 Community Garden Tour & Volunteer Morning Stop by the Federalsburg Community Garden to see what's growing this season, meet members of the Garden Club and Federalsburg Better Together, learn about the garden, and discover ways to get involved. Whether you have a green thumb or just want to stop by and say hello, everyone is welcome!

🍳 Community Civic League Breakfast Start your morning with a hearty breakfast and support a great local organization while enjoying good food and good company.

🤝 Let's Build Community Day Hosted by Redemption Alleyway, this event brings together organizations, resources, vendors, giveaways, and opportunities to connect with neighbors and community partners. Plus, it's an official FBT Passport to Fun stop!

🏛️ Federalsburg Historical Society Museum Open House Take a step back in time and explore a special Soap Box Derby exhibit featuring photos, memorabilia, and local history celebrating one of Federalsburg's most cherished traditions. Learn how the Derby has evolved through the years and helped bring generations of community members together.

❤️ From racing and gardening to history, breakfast, and community building, Saturday is shaping up to be a great day in The Burg.

Grab your friends, bring the family, and spend the day exploring all that makes Federalsburg special.

👇 Which event are you planning to attend?

🏁🌱🏛️❤️🍳🤝