History

Our History

The Turkey Point Peninsula has been around for a great deal of time, and therefore has a deep history. Many of our residents are second, third, and even fourth generation in their families to reside here. This page is devoted to sharing the history of Turkey Point and Rockaway Beach with old, and new residents through multimedia such as ; photographs, newspaper clippings, home movies, etc. Please take a moment to “walk through time” and reflect back on the memories made here on Turkey Point!

*We are always on the lookout for old photographs or home movies of the peninsula. If you have some you’d like to share with us, please contact contact our site administrator Kevin McDonough.

Memories of “Old” Middle River by Jackie Nickel

Memories of Old Middle River

Essex, Maryland Heritage 1909-1969

Essex, Maryland Heritage 1909-1969 by Baltimore Or Less


Essex, Maryland
by Jackie Nickel
Advertised in a 1909 sales brochure as “The Rising Suburb of the East,” Essex, Maryland, has seen its fate and fortune rise and fall and rise again. The town enjoyed its early reputation as a haven for city dwellers with picnic groves, hunting and fishing clubs, dance halls, and waterfront amusement parks. The boom continued with new jobs and prosperity until the 1950s, when a fire destroyed much of the town’s main street. Economic decay set in as a result of the loss of industry and an influx of low-income housing. Several attempts at redevelopment and legislation failed, resulting in the residents’ distrust of government intervention. Finally a county-backed Renaissance project was established in 2002, bringing Essex a new epithet: “The Hidden Gem of Baltimore County.”
Order from Amazon.com.
Also available for $20 at The Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River gift shop.

MemoriesOfOldMiddleRiverJackieNickel
Memories Of  “Old” Middle River: A loving look back at the town and its people
By Jackie Nickel
Essex-Middle River was a destination for waterfront recreation. Its recent publicity as the shoreline showplace of the 21st century is merely history repeating itself. To visualize the unfolding results of revitalization is to recall the days when Essex was known as “the rising suburb of the east” with Middle River as its shining star.
Free download courtesy of the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River’s archive.org collection.
Also available for $5.00 at The Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River gift shop.

Essex-Heritage-1909-1969
Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River 60th Anniversary – Essex 1909-1969
Free download courtesy of the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River’s archive.org collection.

essex-thennow
Essex and Middle River (Then and Now: Maryland)
by M. Linda Martinak and Angela Martinak Sutherland
The origins of Essex and Middle River can be traced back to the early 1800s, though Essex did not attain an official community name until 1908. The area grew rapidly, particularly because of the Glenn L. Martin Company, which employed more than 53,000 residents during World War II.
Order from Amazon.com.

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