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Cambridge, Maryland

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Cambridge is a city in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 13,096 at the 2020 census.[4] It is the county seat of Dorchester County and the county's largest municipality. Cambridge is the fourth most populous city in Maryland's Eastern Shore region, after Salisbury, Elkton and Easton.[5][6]

Cambridge, Maryland
City
Cambridge Creek at sunset
Cambridge Creek at sunset
Flag of Cambridge, Maryland
Flag
Official seal of Cambridge, Maryland
Seal
Motto(s): 
"Living, Working, Relaxing...And Loving It"[1]
Location in Dorchester County and the State of Maryland
Location in Dorchester County and the State of Maryland
Cambridge is located in Maryland
Cambridge
Cambridge
Location within the U.S. state of Maryland
Cambridge is located in the United States
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge (the United States)
Coordinates: 38°33′59″N 76°4′37″W / 38.56639°N 76.07694°W / 38.56639; -76.07694
Country United States
State Maryland
County Dorchester
Incorporated1793[2]
Government
 • MayorStephen Rideout
Area
[3]
 • Total
12.95 sq mi (33.53 km2)
 • Land10.65 sq mi (27.58 km2)
 • Water2.30 sq mi (5.96 km2)
Elevation
20 ft (6 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
13,096
 • Density1,230.02/sq mi (474.90/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code
21613
Area code410
FIPS code24-12400
GNIS feature ID0589879
Websitewww.choosecambridge.com

History

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Aerial view, 1932

Colonial era

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Rescue Fire Company Train Garden

Settled by English colonists in 1684, Cambridge stands as one of the oldest colonial cities in Maryland.[7] During the time of English colonization, the Algonquian-speaking Choptank Indians resided along the river bearing their name. Throughout the colonial years, English colonists developed farming on the Eastern Shore, with the largest plantations initially focusing on tobacco, before shifting to mixed farming. Enslaved people were purchased by the planters for labor in tobacco and mixed farming. Cambridge served as a regional trading center, with its town pier being a major hub for slave trading, a history extensively documented by historical markers scattered throughout the town center.

National era

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Cambridge was officially incorporated in 1793,[citation needed] taking over part of the former Choptank Indian Reservation.[8] The town received its name from a city and county in England.[9] Cambridge also became a stop on the Underground Railroad, which provided a network of safe houses for enslaved people escaping to the north.

In the late 19th century, Cambridge developed food processing industries, specializing in the canning of oysters, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. The town's industrial growth was led by the Phillips Packing Company, which eventually became the region's largest employer. Winning contracts from the Department of Defense during the First and Second World Wars greatly aided the company's growth. At its height, the company employed as many as 10,000 workers.[10] However, shifting tastes brought a decline in business, causing Phillips to reduce its operations. By the early 1960s, the company had ceased operations entirely, leading to widespread unemployment and exacerbating the city's growing social issues.[10]

Cambridge movement

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Main article: Cambridge movement (civil rights)

From 1962 to 1967, Cambridge was a center of protests during the Civil Rights Movement, with local Black residents advocating for equal employment and housing opportunities, as well as the eradication of racial segregation in schools and other public facilities. Riots broke out in Cambridge in 1963 and 1967, prompting the deployment of the Maryland National Guard to the city to help maintain peace.[11] The movement's leader was Gloria Richardson, and with the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, public segregation in Cambridge officially ended.

Present

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In 2002, the opening of the 400-room Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay resort provided a significant boost to the city's economy through job creation and tourism. The resort features a golf course, spa, and marina, and has hosted numerous high-profile events, including the 2007 U.S. House Republican Conference, featuring an address by U.S. President George W. Bush, as well as subsequent visits by U.S. President Barack Obama.[12]

Cambridge was designated a Maryland Main Street community on July 1, 2003. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development established Cambridge Main Street as a comprehensive downtown revitalization process with plans to enhance the economic potential of select cities across the state. This initiative has led to the improvement of heritage tourism attractions and, along with other cities on the Eastern Shore, has contributed to attracting more tourists to Cambridge. As a result, the downtown business district of Cambridge, part of which was declared a historic district in 1990, has undergone revitalization.[13]

Four different teams in the old Eastern Shore Baseball League—the Canners, Cardinals, Clippers, and Dodgers—were located in Cambridge.

The Brinsfield I Site, Cambridge Historic District, Wards I and III, Christ Episcopal Church and Cemetery, Dale's Right, Dorchester County Courthouse and Jail, Glasgow, Goldsborough House, LaGrange, Annie Oakley House, Patricia (log canoe), Pine Street Neighborhood Historic District, Rock Methodist Episcopal Church, Stanley Institute, Sycamore Cottage, and Yarmouth are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[14]

Geography

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Cambridge is located at 38°33′59″N 76°4′37″W / 38.56639°N 76.07694°W / 38.56639; -76.07694.[15]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.64 square miles (32.74 km2), of which, 10.34 square miles (26.78 km2) is land and 2.30 square miles (5.96 km2) is water.[16]

Cambridge is on the southern bank of the Choptank River.

Climate and climate mitigation

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The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Cambridge has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[17]

A 4.3 MW solar farm in Cambridge supplies about 40% of the power for the National Aquarium, and saves about 1,300 metric tons of carbon dioxide during the summer.[18][19]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18601,862—
18701,642−11.8%
18802,26237.8%
18904,19285.3%
19005,74737.1%
19106,40711.5%
19207,46716.5%
19308,54414.4%
194010,10218.2%
195010,3512.5%
196012,23918.2%
197011,595−5.3%
198011,7030.9%
199011,514−1.6%
200010,911−5.2%
201012,32613.0%
202013,0966.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[20]
2010[21] 2020[22]

2020 census

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Cambridge city, Maryland - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[21] Pop 2020[22] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 5,419 5,001 43.96% 38.19%
Black or African American alone (NH) 5,814 6,208 47.17% 47.40%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 33 26 0.27% 0.20%
Asian alone (NH) 162 192 1.31% 1.47%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 4 2 0.03% 0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 19 66 0.15% 0.50%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 265 558 2.15% 4.26%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 610 1,043 4.95% 7.96%
Total 12,326 13,096 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

Per the 2020 Census, the population was 16,823.[23]

2010 census

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As of the census[24] of 2010, there were 12,326 people, 5,144 households, and 3,040 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,192.1 inhabitants per square mile (460.3/km2). There were 6,228 housing units at an average density of 602.3 per square mile (232.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 47.9% Black or African American, 45.9% White, 0.4% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 2.0% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.9% of the population.

There were 5,144 households, of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.0% were married couples living together, 24.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.9% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93.

The median age in the city was 37.6 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 15.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.8% male and 54.2% female.

2000 census

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As of the census[25] of 2000, there were 10,911 people, 4,629 households, and 2,697 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,622.3 inhabitants per square mile (626.4/km2). There were 4,629 housing units at an average density of 777.6 per square mile (300.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 47.75% White, 49.9% Black, 0.16% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.61% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.

There were 4,629 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.7% were married couples living together, 23.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,967, and the median income for a family was $32,118. Males had a median income of $25,705 versus $21,221 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,647. About 17.2% of families and 20.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 18.6% of those age 65 or over.

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Cambridge was the inspiration of the fictional town Patamoke in James Michener's novel, Chesapeake. In the book, Patamoke is located on a fictitious promontory on the Choptank River, opposite of Cambridge's actual location.[26]

Media

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Draper Media broadcasts WCEM (AM), WCEM-FM, WTDK-FM and WAAI-FM radio stations from studios at Cambridge Marketplace. This facility also serves as the home to the Mid-Shore Bureau for WBOC-TV. Weeknights, they cover news affecting Cambridge and surrounding communities.

WHCP-LP 101.5 FM is a community sponsored low powered station broadcasting from studios in downtown Cambridge.

Cambridge is home to two weekly newspapers: the Dorchester Star, which is affiliated with the Star-Democrat, and the Dorchester Banner. The Dorchester Banner was founded by Lindsay C. Marshall and Armistead R. Michie as The Daily Banner, notable for being the Eastern Shore's first daily newspaper. The first issue was published on September 22, 1897.[27][28]

Infrastructure

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Transportation

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U.S. Route 50, a major east-west route of the U.S. Highway System, bisects Cambridge on its 3,011 mi (4,846 km) journey from Ocean City, Maryland to Sacramento, California. U.S. 50 is locally known as "Ocean Gateway", with the segment running from the Choptank River to Cambridge's eastern city limit designated "Sunburst Highway".

The Cambridge-Dorchester Airport (FAA Identifier: CGE) is a county-owned, public-use airport located just southeast of the city of Cambridge. The airport is a general aviation facility with a lighted 4,477-foot asphalt runway.

The Maryland & Delaware Railroad (MDDE), a shortline railroad, provided freight rail service to Cambridge until recently. The city had served as the western terminus of the railroad's Seaford Line. The Maryland & Delaware interchanges with the Delmarva Central Railroad at Seaford, Delaware, which interchanges with the Norfolk Southern Railway at Clayton, Delaware. The line remains in place, though rail service was suspended in May 2016 due to derailment issues along the line south of Hurlock, Maryland.

Government

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City Commission

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Cambridge is governed by a mayor and a five-member city commission, who all serve four year terms.[29]

In 2008, Victoria Jackson-Stanley was elected mayor, the first woman and the first African-American to hold the position.[30] She would serve three terms before losing to Andrew Bradshaw in a runoff election in 2020.[31]

Andrew Bradshaw was sworn in as the city's youngest mayor on January 4, 2021,[32] but was arrested on November 15 and charged with fifty counts of distributing revenge porn, allegedly posting explicit photos and captions to Reddit in April and May 2021, some which also included racial slurs.[33] City Council President Lajan Cephas assumed the responsibilities of mayor following his arrest.[34] On December 13, city commissioners unanimously voted to recommend that the city attorney remove Bradshaw from office.[35] A special election to elect a new mayor was held on August 23, 2022. No candidate received the majority of the vote, forcing a runoff between the top two candidates on September 20, 2022.[36] Former Cambridge commissioner Stephen Rideout won the runoff election with 55 percent of the vote and now is mayor.[37]

List of mayors (1896-present)

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  • 1896-1900 James G. James
  • 1900-1904 Robert G. Henry
  • 1904-1908 Clement G. Rogers
  • 1908-1910 Zebedee Andrews
  • 1910-1912 George M. Phillips
  • 1912-1916 Clement G. Rogers
  • 1916-1932 Earl W. Orem
  • 1932-1940 Charles E. Brohawn
  • 1940-1944 Irving B. Jackson
  • 1944-1948 Dorsey E. Davis
  • 1948-1952 Julian L. Tubman
  • 1952-1960 Russell P. Smith, Jr.
  • 1960-1964 Calvin W. Mowbray
  • 1964-1976 Osvrey C. Pritchett
  • 1976-1980 Albert B. Atkinson
  • 1980-1992 C. Lloyd Robbins
  • 1992-2000 David J. Wooten, Jr.
  • 2000-2008 Cleveland L. Rippons
  • 2008-2020 Victoria Jackson-Stanley
  • 2020-2022 Andrew T. Bradshaw
  • 2022-Present Stephen Rideout

[38]

Horn Point Laboratory

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Horn Point Laboratory is home to the largest oyster hatchery on the East Coast.[39][40]

A myth states that in 1699 William Kidd hid treasure, stolen from sugar traders, on land which today is Horn Point Lab. Students and researchers enjoy speculating where the treasure may be.[41][failed verification]

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ "City of Cambridge, Maryland". City of Cambridge, Maryland. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  2. ^ "Cambridge". Maryland Manual. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  3. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  4. ^ "Cambridge city, Maryland". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  5. ^ "U.S. Census website". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  6. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  7. ^ History Of Dorchester County, Maryland. Williams & Wilkins. 1902. p. 60.
  8. ^ "Cambridge, Maryland". Maryland Municipal League. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved April 6, 2009.
  9. ^ "Profile for Cambridge, Maryland, MD". ePodunk. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  10. ^ a b Wennersten, John R. (August 14, 2006). "The Phillips Packing Company". In Hardy, Beatriz B. (ed.). Maryland Online Encyclopedia (MdOE) (concept demonstration ed.). jointly by Maryland Historical Society, Maryland Humanities Council, Enoch Pratt Free Library, and Maryland State Department of Education. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2008. When the Phillips Company ceased its operations in the 1960s, an era had passed.
  11. ^ Cambridge MD – 1962; Cambridge, MD – 1963 ~ Civil Rights Movement Archive, accessed Mar 18, 2010
  12. ^ "President Bush Speaks to the House Republican Conference". georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov.
  13. ^ "Cambridge Historic District, Wards I & III". Maryland's National Register Database. Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved January 21, 2008. Wards I and III of the Cambridge Historic District are a large residential, commercial, and governmental area in the northwest section of the city.
  14. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  15. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  16. ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 20, 2011. Retrieved 2013-01-25.
  17. ^ "Cambridge, Maryland Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase.
  18. ^ "National Aquarium | Solar Solutions, FTW!". National Aquarium. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  19. ^ "National Aquarium, Constellation efforts yield major summer savings". OneEnergy Renewables. September 30, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  20. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  21. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Cambridge city, Maryland". United States Census Bureau.
  22. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Cambridge city, Maryland". United States Census Bureau.
  23. ^ "Cambridge city, Maryland". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  24. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  25. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  26. ^ James Michener, Chesapeake; see also Google maps.
  27. ^ "Maryland State Archives, Guide to Special Collections". speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us.
  28. ^ "Dorchester Star". Newspapers.com. n.d. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  29. ^ "Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  30. ^ Staff, Daily Record (August 11, 2020). "Victoria Jackson-Stanley | Maryland Daily Record". Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  31. ^ ""It's just an exciting time" - Andrew Bradshaw elected mayor of Cambridge in runoff election". 47abc. December 2, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  32. ^ "Cambridge's Mayor Andrew Bradshaw sworn in, discusses priorities". 47abc. January 4, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  33. ^ "Cambridge mayor behind bars after allegedly posting revenge porn to Reddit dozens of times". 47abc. November 15, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  34. ^ Spy & WHCP Community Radio (December 13, 2021). "Cambridge Check in: Council President Lajan Cephas on Mayor Bradshaw's Status". Talbot Spy. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  35. ^ "Cambridge City Commission votes to remove Mayor Bradshaw: City attorney will begin proceedings". Bay to Bay News. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  36. ^ Flaks, Rob (August 24, 2022). "Cambridge Mayor race heads to runoff between State Senator Addie Eckardt and former Commissioner Stephen Rideout". WMDT. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  37. ^ Kurtz, Josh (September 21, 2022). "Sen. Eckardt loses comeback bid in Cambridge mayoral election". Maryland Matters. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  38. ^ "Cambridge Mayors, Dorchester County, Maryland". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  39. ^ Taylor Robson, Nancy (November 19, 2018). "Planting Hope". Chesapeake Bay Magazine. Retrieved June 2, 2019. ...the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Horn Point Oyster Hatchery in Cambridge, the largest oyster hatchery on the East Coast.
  40. ^ "About Horn Point Oyster Hatchery". Horn Point Lab Oyster Hatchery. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  41. ^ "Pirates - Chesapeake Bay Program". chesapeakebay.net.
  42. ^ "Bea Arthur - Jewish Women's Archive". jwa.org.
  43. ^ Maurice Thompson (1898). Stories of Indiana. American Book Company. pp. 128–130.
  44. ^ "Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys". Maryland State Arts Council. Archived from the original on July 5, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  45. ^ McDonough, Megan (July 22, 2013). "Charles N. Quinn, NBC news correspondent". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  46. ^ "'Oh, I'm So Good at Math': Lessons From the Jay-Z Business Model". July 15, 2013.

Further reading

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  • Peter B. Levy, Civil War on Race Street: The Civil Rights Movement in Cambridge, Maryland, Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press, 2003
  • John R. Wennersten, Maryland's Eastern Shore: A Journey in Time and Place, Centreville, Maryland: Tidewater Publishers, 1992.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cambridge, Maryland.
 
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Cambridge, Maryland.
 
Wikisource has the text of a 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article about Cambridge, Maryland.
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