Notes:
Havre de Grace (play /ˌhævər dɪˈɡreɪs/; sometimes abbreviated HdG) is a city in Harford County, Maryland, United States. Located at the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the head of the Chesapeake Bay, Havre de Grace is named after the port city of Le Havre, France. Its name in French means "Harbor of Grace".
History
Early history
During the Revolutionary War the small hamlet known as Harmer's Town was visited several times by General Lafayette, who commented that the area reminded him of the French seaport of Le Havre, which had originally been named Le Havre-de-Grâce. Inspired by Lafayette's comments, the town was incorporated as Havre de Grace in 1785.
19th century
See also: Raid on Havre de Grace
On May 3, 1813, during the War of 1812, Havre de Grace was attacked by British Rear Admiral George Cockburn. Lieutenant John O'Neill single-handedly manned a cannon to help defend the town. He was wounded, captured by the British, and soon released. In gratitude, Havre de Grace made O'Neill and his descendants the hereditary keepers of the Concord Point lighthouse marking the mouth of the Susquehanna River.
The early industry of Havre de Grace included oyster and crab harvesting and fruit orchards. It was also the southern terminus for the Proprietors of the Susquehanna Canal and later the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal, which carried freight up aand down the Susquehanna River between Havre de Grace and Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, and connected to the Pennsylvania Canal. The Lock Keeper's house and remnants of the canal exist today as a museum. There are also a few tenant farm houses left over from the Mitchel farm which overlooked the city. Havre de Grace was also known for duck hunting and hunters stayed at its hotels and used local guides to escort them hunting. A strong cottage industry of decoy making soon sprang up.
During the Civil War, a large population of free African Americans found a home there by the 1860s, so much so that it became one of the seven sites for the recruiting of "U.S. Colored Troops." Havre de Grace, being in the tidewater area of Harford County, was atypically split in its attitudes toward the Confederacy, allowing blacks to find a safe haven under the protection of the caucasian Northern-sympathizers.
In 1878, the town became a city with the establishment of its own government. Around that time, Havre de Grace had a number of citizens who participated with the activities of the "Underground Railroad" in the forwarding of former slaves to safe haven.
20th century
Havre de Grace was known as "The Graw" from 1912 through the 1950s, and it prospered as a stop for travelers. These included gangsters and gamblers en route to New York City from the south following the pony routes. The Havre de Grace Racetrack operated from 1912-1950. Alphonse Capone was reported to have spent some time at the former "Crazy Swede" (now known as "Chiapparelli's Restaurant"). However, at the end of the 1950s, the horse track was removed, and its rights were sold to Pimlico.
An incident during 1949 involving the denial of a license to use a city park and the subsequent arrest of a Jehovah's Witnesses preacher led to the Supreme Court case of Niemotko v. Maryland.
More recently, in the 1980s, Havre de Grace began to undergo a complete reconstruction, turning older communities into new housing. Historic lands and older forests are being cleared, and upscale homes are now extending and growing along Chapel Road northwest towards Webster Village.
The city has benefited through development of new properties and venues in the last few years.
21st century
In September 2003, Hurricane Isabel destroyed the boardwalk and flooded the city about 2 blocks into downtown. In 2004, with very strong efforts from Americorps NCCC, the promenade was reconstructed, and now serves as a waterfront board walk and nature walk from Tydings Park to the Maritime Museum, and on to Concord Point Lighthouse.
In July 2007, the movie From Within was filmed in Havre de Grace.
In the summer of 201 and spring of 201, the cruise ship American Spirit made calls at Havre de Grace.
City/Town : Latitude: 39.54509482960738, Longitude: -76.09182357788086Matches 1 to 1 of 1
Last Name, Given Name(s)  |
Birth  |
Person ID | Tree | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Bay, Mary | Monday 12 January 1784 | Havre de Grace, Harford County, Maryland, USA | I449137 | Veenkoloniale voorouders |
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