Talk: The Nearly-Forgotten History of Church Creek

South Dorchester Folk Museum
Presents: The Nearly-Forgotten History of Church Creek
Speaker: Rev. Dan Dunlap
Today’s passerby could hardly be faulted for seeing the town of Church Creek as a collection of residences near a crossroads with a post office. But the story of Church Creek is typical of many nearly forgotten communities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and one that is worth telling.
Predating Cambridge, the town of Church Creek grew rich with its shipyards, fisheries, and canneries, drawing on its resources of white pine, abundance of fine oysters, and fertile soil, reaching its peak population of 400 in 1900. The twentieth century was not kind to the town, as timber resources dwindled, and the cannery industry collapsed.

Join us on September 4, when Rev. Dunlap will recall the days when the community boasted handsome churches, a successful sawmill, a fruit and vegetable canning house, a blacksmith, a druggist, a physician and five general stores. Learn about the history behind this crossroads on the creek – a history that continues to draw people with a love of the past to the community today. 

Before becoming Rector of Old Trinity Church, Rev. Dunlap served parishes in Philadelphia, PA; Exeter, UK; and Tomball; TX. He received his doctorate in historical theology from Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, in 2001, and has taught at various seminaries and colleges. Before coming to Dorchester County, he served as Professor of Historical Theology & Worship at Houston Graduate School of Theology for ten years and as Dean of the Faculty for five years. Lately he has enjoyed teaching for the Institute of Adult Learning at Chesapeake College (Cambridge Center) in the areas of Science & Religion and Christian History. 

The South Dorchester Folk Museum (SDFM), in cooperation with the Dorchester County Historical Society, presents this FREE program in its lecture series about local history. For information about this program or the SDFM, call 410-228-6175 or email Phil Hesser at philliphesser@gmail.com. The public is warmly invited to attend. Reservations are not needed.