Dinner with Friends

 Derby hanging out on the

deck enjoying the spring weather.

 They are watching a female duck in the yard.

We think she's looking for a place to nest.

 Cherry trees ... I wish they would

hold their blossoms a little longer.

 Last Thursday we celebrated Bob's birthday at Theo's

in St. Michaels.  Bob & AJ have written two books

Life in the Chesapeake Bay

and

Life along the Inner Coast

 Having a little fun at Bob's expense his next book

should be titled 

'Bob ... the Man in the Moon'

...

Now on to Oxford, Maryland

& dinner with JoAnn & Lloyd

at the Robert Morris Inn ...

but first a little history.

A charming, tree-lined and water bound village with

 a population of less than 1000, Oxford is one of the 

oldest towns in America and has a long 

history in maritime activities. Early in the day, 

you will still find local watermen at the town

 dock unloading the catch of the day. 

 While other waterfront towns have succumbed to 

waterfront condos and glitz, Oxford has retained 

its historic charm. The tourism and leisure activities

 are fueled by people's desire for quiet charm, 

fresh air, summer breezes, and a haven from

 the hustle and bustle of city life.

 Oxford is one of the oldest towns in Maryland. 

Although already in existence for perhaps 20 years,

 Oxford marks the year 1683 as its official founding, 

for in that year Oxford was first named by the 

Maryland General Assembly as a seaport and was

 laid out as a town. In 1694, Oxford and a new town 

called Anne Arundel (now Annapolis) were selected 

the only ports of entry for the entire Maryland province. 

Until the American Revolution, Oxford enjoyed prominence 

as an international shipping center surrounded

 by wealthy tobacco plantations.

 Early citizens included Robert Morris, Sr., agent for a Liverpool

 shipping firm who greatly influenced the town’s growth;

 his son Robert Morris, Jr., known as “the financier of the Revolution;”

 Jeremiah Banning, sea captain, war hero, and statesman; 

The Reverend Thomas Bacon, Anglican clergyman who wrote

 the first compilation of the laws of Maryland; Matthew Tilghman, 

known as the “patriarch of Maryland” and “father of statehood” 

and Colonel Tench Tilghman, aide-de-camp to George Washington 

and the man who carried the message of Cornwallis’ surrender

 to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

 The American Revolution marked the end of Oxford’s glory. 

Gone were the British ships with their variety of imported goods, 

and tobacco was replaced by wheat as a cash crop. 

Businesses went bankrupt, cattle grazed in the streets, 

and the population dwindled.

After the Civil War, Oxford emerged from its “long slumber”

 to nearly 100 years of a new prosperity signaled by 

completion of the railroad in 1871 and improved methods 

of canning and packing which opened national markets 

for oysters from the Chesapeake’s bountiful beds. 

Business was booming, houses were going up everywhere, 

and tourists and boaters were arriving in droves. 

But it was not to last. In the early part of the 20th century, 

the oyster beds played out, the packing houses closed, 

other businesses went bankrupt, and the railway 

and steamships eventually disappeared. Oxford became 

a sleepy little town inhabited mainly by watermen who still 

worked the waters of the Tred Avon.

 JoAnn & Lloyd

Outside the entrance to the Robert Morris Inn Tavern

as always we have a fun time together.

 Wilson & I keep talking about taking the

westies for a walk around the town of

Oxford and hopefully this spring we will!

Thank you for stopping by my blog.

Hope you have a great week.

~~~ Katie ~~~