DORCHESTER COUNTY
Administrative Offices
501 Court Lane
Cambridge, MD 410-228-1700
www.docogonet.com
Chamber of Commerce
528 Poplar Street
Cambridge 410-228-3575
www.dorchesterchamber.org
Highways
U.S. 50
Distinguished as the largest county on the Eastern Shore, Dorchester claims 1,700 miles of shoreline and 108 square miles of water. Chosen as the setting for James Michener’s epic novel Chesapeake, Dorchester County is a place where nature harmonizes with history and time-honored traditions. Whether you are a newcomer or long-time resident, you can expect delightful surprises at every turn. The largest city in the Mid-Shore region is located in Dorchester County, yet the area is known for its rural flavor and wide open spaces. Finding solitude and relaxation is easy, but those who desire an active life can enjoy a full calendar of events and celebrations—from church spaghetti suppers to large festivals that attract thousands of visitors.
Today, more than ever, Dorchester is a county of pleasing contrasts. While many seek its quiet byways and serene shoreline to escape the pressures and crowds of metropolitan life, Dorchester’s role as host to the wealthy and famous often catches the attention of the media. For decades, this area has been a second home for DuPonts and Chryslers as well as a convention center for executives of the nation’s leading businesses. Among those who regularly visit Dorchester County are former president Jimmy Carter and the elite guests of Wall Street’s Tudor Jones’ Tudor Farms.
Economy and Transportation
Committed to preserving the area’s rural atmosphere and unique charm, Dorchester County planners and leaders are encouraging the addition of clean, new industries to the long-established agricultural industry. The county is home to two state enterprise zones, and over 720 local businesses provide employment opportunities close to area residents. Major employers include Philips Technologies, Airpax Protector Group, Allen Family Foods, Cambridge, Dorchester County Hospital, Hi-Tech Plastics, Coldwater Seafood Company, Maryland Wire Belts, Visual Concepts Plus and Mail-Well Graphics. Nabisco recently joined the ranks, followed by Interstate Corrpack, a fabricator of waxed boxes used in poultry processing.
An efficient transportation system includes the Route 50 link to such key metropolitan areas as Baltimore and Washington DC. On the regional scope, Dorchester County is also accessible on US Route 13 from the New England states. Served by Maryland and Delaware Railroad, the county is ideal for businesses that serve multiple markets. While several major international airports are easily accessible, the Cambridge-Dorchester County Airport and the Salisbury-Wicomico County Airports provide convenient facilities to meet private, charter and corporate aviation needs.
Education and Healthcare
Dorchester County residents are justly proud of their public school system, where young people receive the caliber of education that paves the way for the expression of individual talents and a superior quality of life. In fact, the Board of Education has been recognized throughout the state for achieving dramatic improvements in student performance stores. Private schools are available for those who are looking for an educational alternative, and public schools provide both academic and technical training. The Dorchester County Career and Technical Education Center in Cambridge offers everything from auto mechanics to horticulture and medical services.
Many high-school graduates and adults choose to continue their education at the two-year institution of Chesapeake College in Wye Mills, where they can select a specialized career path or a college-track program. Four-year institutions are available at a number of colleges and universities located close to home in neighboring communities. Among the options are Salisbury State University, the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore and Wilmington College in nearby Delaware. Just four miles west of Cambridge is the Center for Environmental and Estuarine Studies.
The Dorchester County Hospital is the focal point of healthcare resources and one of the area’s major employers. Located in Cambridge, the hospital is part of the Shore Health System’s regional network of hospitals, specialists, primary-care physicians, home health and nursing services and emergency care. When highly specialized care is indicated, residents have the assurance of easy access to Baltimore’s world-renowned research and medical centers.
Lifestyle
From the conversation with the clerk in the country store to the friendly wave of a passing stranger, newcomers are quick to feel the warm welcome of Dorchester County. Lining the tree-lined streets of historic towns or nestled in small fishing villages where watermen harvest the day’s catch, this scenic area offers equally attractive housing options. Newcomers can choose from waterfront properties with spectacular views, stately estates with generous acreage, modest older homes in quiet neighborhoods, or expansive farmhouses surrounded by country beauty and patchwork fields. For the ultimate in privacy and serenity, consider the waterfront community of Elliotts Island—perhaps the most remote residential haven in the county.
While some residents are drawn to Dorchester Country for its link to the past, others have an eye firmly set on the future. For the growing business or ambitious entrepreneur, this area still provides the untapped resources and abundant opportunities that attracted settlers 300 years ago. You may hear people speak of North Dorchester and South Dorchester, a local distinction that uses Route 50 as the dividing line. North Dorchester remains the focal point of the agricultural community, although some of the richest farmland is situated to the south along Maple Dam and Egypt Roads.
When the time arrives to relax and enjoy leisure hours, few locales can rival Dorchester for providing a natural playground . Paddle, cycle, sail or meander along breathtakingly scenic water vistas. Explore the vast marshes where Harriet Tubman once traveled the Underground Railroad, leading hundreds of slaves to their freedom. Area residents celebrate the region’s colorful heritage with festivals, exhibits, carnivals and special events that span the four seasons. Just a few of the favorites include the National Outdoor Show, the Dorchester Art Exhibit, Spocott Windmill Day, Horn Point Antique Aircraft Fly-In, the Cambridge Class Powerboat Regatta, the Seafood Feast-I-Val, the Warwick Riverfest and the spectacular holiday lighting tours.
In addition to some of the nation’s finest hunting and fishing opportunities, Dorchester County offers abundant places for the public to access the water. In fact, nearly every water-related sport you can imagine is available here. Tranquil creeks and ponds provide the perfect backdrop for canoeing or kayaking. Open rivers and bays are ideal for power boating and sailing. Quiet coves and natural harbors wait around every bend for swimming or welcoming anchorage .
The county is home to several wildlife preserves, including the world-renowned Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. During the autumn and winter months, thousands of migrating waterfowl visit this 22,000-acre sanctuary. Remember to pack your birdwatcher’s log and binoculars to take full advantage of rare views of mammals and birds that you’ve only seen pictured in books.
Offering primarily flat terrain that’s ideal for cycling adventures, Dorchester County is the home of the Cambridge Triathlon Bicycle Course—ranked among the top ten rides by Bicycling Magazine.
A region brimming with watermen history, Dorchester County is home to fascinating museums that highlight the fine art of boat building or trace the area’s maritime history. After a full day of shopping in the area’s quaint stores or exploring the unspoiled countryside, a variety of exceptional restaurants offer mouth-watering seafood. Many of these dining establishments provide outdoor tables in the warmer months within view of pleasure boats or watermen returning from a hard day’s work.
Almost poetically, the outline of Dorchester County resembles the shape of a heart. Those who are fortunate enough to call this beautiful land “home” certainly regard it as the heart of Chesapeake Country—a place where residents have preserved an intimate relationship with the land and water. Whether you are kayaking, biking, boating or sailing, Dorchester invites you to slow down and savor each moment in the “Land of Pleasant Living.”
Cambridge
City Offices
410-228-4020
www.choosecambridge.com
Chamber of Commerce
410-228-3575
www.dorchesterchamber.org
Eastern Shore hospitality is epitomized in Cambridge, a community that hugs the shores of the Choptank River. Its centerpiece is historic High Street, lined by stately 18th and 19th century homes. Anglers can drop a line at Long Warf, Great Marsh and the Choptank fishing piers, or simply relax and watch the endless parade of sailboats and pleasure boats. From its historic bed-and-breakfast inns and brick streets to the first-rate golf course of the local country club, Cambridge strikes a pleasing balance between historic ambiance, modern amenities and the shoreline’s natural serenity. Cambridge is home of the renowned Sailwinds Park, a $30 million revitalization project that includes a public beach, Playspace for the younger set, boardwalk and Visitor’s Center, and a multitude of cultural exhibits that focus on the area’s water-based heritage. Each July, visitors flock to Cambridge to watch the Sail Regatta on the Choptank River—an event that features a variety of single-design sailboats.
