DIRECTIONS & DRIVING TOUR:
From the intersection of Rte. 50 and Rte. 16 in Cambridge (intersection with the Hyatt Regency Resort & Wal-Mart), drive on route 16 west for approximately 16 miles to the bridge which will take you over Slaughter Creek onto Taylors Island. Once you cross this bridge, you will see the Becky Phipps Cannon on your right. This cannon was captured from a British ship tender by a company of the Dorchester County militia in the War of 1812 in a battle known as "The Battle of The Ice Mound". The cannon was named after the officer in charge of the British tender, Lieutenant Phipps, and the ship's cook whose name was Becky.
Not far from the cannon on the right side of the road (.1 mile), you will pass the Taylors Island General Store (now called the "Boats & Hose"). The Chapel Cove Marina has a bait shop here that is open during fishing season. Next to the General Store is the Taylors Island Volunteer Fire Company. The fire company was started in 1957 and is located on the site of the first Church on Taylors Island, built prior to 1780. This Episcopal "Chapel of Ease" is preserved and located on the grounds of the Grace Foundation (further up the road on the right).
Continue to proceed straight on Hoopers Neck Road, named after early Hooper family landowners, (passing Robinson Neck Road on the left and Hall Road on the right) and to the left you will see the "new” school house (.3 mile from the General Store) that was constructed in 1916 and was finally closed in the 1970's. This was the last active school on the island. Children now travel by bus to the South Dorchester School (pre-K through 8th grade) in Golden Hill and to Cambridge to attend the Cambridge-South Dorchester High School. This building once housed the Taylors Island Museum and unfortunately is now in disrepair.
Just .1 mile from the "new school" is the intersection of Hoopers Neck Road and Bayshore Road (Bayshore Rd. is 3.6 miles in length and loops back to Hoopers Neck Road further up) is an old shed that served as the Post Office for many years until the new Post Office was built. About a quarter mile from this “old” Post Office, on the left side is private trailer home (4328 Hoopers Neck Rd.). The small field to the left side of this house is the site of what once was a small red building which served as a schoolhouse. The schoolhouse, which was constructed in 1916, was used for education of African American children on the island until desegregation. Due to deterioration the building was demolished shortly before the year 2000.
Further, on the right and about half-mile from the “old” Post Office, are three original old buildings of special Taylors Island significance. A small building on the south side of the property was the first schoolhouse in the area. It was constructed in 1785, prior to the beginning of the public school system. It originally stood on the North end of Taylors Island near a road that led to James Island. By 1855, the building had been abandoned as a school and was purchased by Travers Spicer of Mulberry Grove for $90.00. He moved it to his farm and used it for various purposes including a smoke house. Finally, in 1959, the building was given to the Grace Foundation by the Spicer family, moved to its present site, and restored.
To the left of the "Old Schoolhouse", stands the "Chapel of Ease". This was the first church established on Taylors Island. Built by Episcopalians before 1781, it was originally located where the fire company is located today. After being abandoned as a place of worship by the Episcopalians, it was used as an African American school sometime after the 1860's. In it's history the Chapel was also used as a community center and polling place for voters. Later it was purchased by J. Stapleforte Neild, Sr., who used the building for storage of hay and grain. In 1952, the Grace Foundation purchased the building from Mr. Neild, moved it to its present site, and restored it as it would have been originally.
Grace Episcopal Church, on this property, was constructed about 1873 by the Episcopal congregation and is now only used for special occasions.
All three buildings on this site are registered in the National Register of Historic Places and are owned and operated by the Grace Foundation of Taylors Island.
As you continue north on the Hoopers Neck Road, you will arrive at two more churches. The first, a wooden building, was built by the African American Methodist congregation. This building was built in 1897 and for many years was the site of very popular camp meetings. The church is no longer in use.
The second church, constructed of brick, is on the site of the first Methodist church in Dorchester County. The first building to be constructed at this site was a wooden chapel built in 1787 and located across the road from the present building. Bishop Francis Asbury met with the Methodist Society on Taylors Island in 1784, just three years before the first Methodist chapel was built. Freeborn Garrettson, one of the first native preachers, preached one of their first services at the new chapel on June 10, 1787. The present building was built at a cost of $3241.39, dedicated September 27,1857, and named the "Bethlehem Church". The people of the island have called it the "Old Brick Church" for many years. This church is no longer in use and is owned by the Grace Foundation.
To continue this tour of historic places, one must turn around and go about one quarter mile and turn right onto the Bayshore Road, which makes a long loop to the west and returns to the Hoopers Neck Road at the “old” Post Office. There are several historic old homes on the Bayshore Road. The oldest house still in use on the island is Mulberry Grove. It is located on the right at the first sharp turn on the road. From this curve you can look up the waterway (Oyster Creek) and see the remnants of James Island where the Little Choptank River meets the Chesapeake Bay. built in 1684, Mulberry Grove is on the highest piece of land on the island, nearly 12 feet above sea level. It has some walls 18 inches thick, siding attached with hand-made nails, and interesting wooden paneling inside. This home, once owned by the Pattison and Spicer families, is privately owned and is posted private property. The driveway to the home was once the road that would lead to James Island, previously accessible by land.
On the southern part of the Bayshore Road (on the left side of the road after you pass Punch Island Rd.) is an interesting old home known as Ridgeton Hall. It was built in 1859 by Judge Levi D. Travers, Jr.. The house has a "widow's walk" on the roof, a large entrance hall, and two large brick chimneys which each support four fire places with separate ducts. It is said that the two chimneys contain as many bricks as were used to build the "old Brick Church". This house is also privately owned.
Further up Bayshore Rd on the right, on the way back to Hoopers Neck Road, is Chaplain Memorial M.E. Church built in 1888. It was last used for church services in 2014 and is now owned by the Grace Foundation.
Not far from the cannon on the right side of the road (.1 mile), you will pass the Taylors Island General Store (now called the "Boats & Hose"). The Chapel Cove Marina has a bait shop here that is open during fishing season. Next to the General Store is the Taylors Island Volunteer Fire Company. The fire company was started in 1957 and is located on the site of the first Church on Taylors Island, built prior to 1780. This Episcopal "Chapel of Ease" is preserved and located on the grounds of the Grace Foundation (further up the road on the right).
Continue to proceed straight on Hoopers Neck Road, named after early Hooper family landowners, (passing Robinson Neck Road on the left and Hall Road on the right) and to the left you will see the "new” school house (.3 mile from the General Store) that was constructed in 1916 and was finally closed in the 1970's. This was the last active school on the island. Children now travel by bus to the South Dorchester School (pre-K through 8th grade) in Golden Hill and to Cambridge to attend the Cambridge-South Dorchester High School. This building once housed the Taylors Island Museum and unfortunately is now in disrepair.
Just .1 mile from the "new school" is the intersection of Hoopers Neck Road and Bayshore Road (Bayshore Rd. is 3.6 miles in length and loops back to Hoopers Neck Road further up) is an old shed that served as the Post Office for many years until the new Post Office was built. About a quarter mile from this “old” Post Office, on the left side is private trailer home (4328 Hoopers Neck Rd.). The small field to the left side of this house is the site of what once was a small red building which served as a schoolhouse. The schoolhouse, which was constructed in 1916, was used for education of African American children on the island until desegregation. Due to deterioration the building was demolished shortly before the year 2000.
Further, on the right and about half-mile from the “old” Post Office, are three original old buildings of special Taylors Island significance. A small building on the south side of the property was the first schoolhouse in the area. It was constructed in 1785, prior to the beginning of the public school system. It originally stood on the North end of Taylors Island near a road that led to James Island. By 1855, the building had been abandoned as a school and was purchased by Travers Spicer of Mulberry Grove for $90.00. He moved it to his farm and used it for various purposes including a smoke house. Finally, in 1959, the building was given to the Grace Foundation by the Spicer family, moved to its present site, and restored.
To the left of the "Old Schoolhouse", stands the "Chapel of Ease". This was the first church established on Taylors Island. Built by Episcopalians before 1781, it was originally located where the fire company is located today. After being abandoned as a place of worship by the Episcopalians, it was used as an African American school sometime after the 1860's. In it's history the Chapel was also used as a community center and polling place for voters. Later it was purchased by J. Stapleforte Neild, Sr., who used the building for storage of hay and grain. In 1952, the Grace Foundation purchased the building from Mr. Neild, moved it to its present site, and restored it as it would have been originally.
Grace Episcopal Church, on this property, was constructed about 1873 by the Episcopal congregation and is now only used for special occasions.
All three buildings on this site are registered in the National Register of Historic Places and are owned and operated by the Grace Foundation of Taylors Island.
As you continue north on the Hoopers Neck Road, you will arrive at two more churches. The first, a wooden building, was built by the African American Methodist congregation. This building was built in 1897 and for many years was the site of very popular camp meetings. The church is no longer in use.
The second church, constructed of brick, is on the site of the first Methodist church in Dorchester County. The first building to be constructed at this site was a wooden chapel built in 1787 and located across the road from the present building. Bishop Francis Asbury met with the Methodist Society on Taylors Island in 1784, just three years before the first Methodist chapel was built. Freeborn Garrettson, one of the first native preachers, preached one of their first services at the new chapel on June 10, 1787. The present building was built at a cost of $3241.39, dedicated September 27,1857, and named the "Bethlehem Church". The people of the island have called it the "Old Brick Church" for many years. This church is no longer in use and is owned by the Grace Foundation.
To continue this tour of historic places, one must turn around and go about one quarter mile and turn right onto the Bayshore Road, which makes a long loop to the west and returns to the Hoopers Neck Road at the “old” Post Office. There are several historic old homes on the Bayshore Road. The oldest house still in use on the island is Mulberry Grove. It is located on the right at the first sharp turn on the road. From this curve you can look up the waterway (Oyster Creek) and see the remnants of James Island where the Little Choptank River meets the Chesapeake Bay. built in 1684, Mulberry Grove is on the highest piece of land on the island, nearly 12 feet above sea level. It has some walls 18 inches thick, siding attached with hand-made nails, and interesting wooden paneling inside. This home, once owned by the Pattison and Spicer families, is privately owned and is posted private property. The driveway to the home was once the road that would lead to James Island, previously accessible by land.
On the southern part of the Bayshore Road (on the left side of the road after you pass Punch Island Rd.) is an interesting old home known as Ridgeton Hall. It was built in 1859 by Judge Levi D. Travers, Jr.. The house has a "widow's walk" on the roof, a large entrance hall, and two large brick chimneys which each support four fire places with separate ducts. It is said that the two chimneys contain as many bricks as were used to build the "old Brick Church". This house is also privately owned.
Further up Bayshore Rd on the right, on the way back to Hoopers Neck Road, is Chaplain Memorial M.E. Church built in 1888. It was last used for church services in 2014 and is now owned by the Grace Foundation.
