The "A Trip Down Bohemia Avenue: Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Making my final additions to my post for today.  Yesterday I began a trip down Bohemia Ave. in the City of Chesapeake City, MD.  The houses are beautiful, many with historical plaques in front of them.  Years ago, Carol and I actually looked at one that was for sale, but after having to stoop to get from one room to the next, we kind of nixed the idea of moving to Chesapeake City.  We usually visit the city, an hour and a quarter trip, once a month to eat at either the Bayard House or the Chesapeake Inn.  Naturally, during the summer months the boat traffic is heavy on the canal with all the pleasure boats out in full force, but the large barges and container ships caring their cargo can be seen throughout the year on the canal taking their goods from the Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware River.  Check out the remaining homes and establishments that I have added below to get a better idea of the beauty of the small city that was first started as Bohemia Village in the early 1800's.  As you'll see, the beauty and restoration of the homes in this waterfront city makes it a great place to spend a day.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This building serves as the Town Hall.  It was built in 1914 by Ralph Rees and originally was a hardware store, later followed by the first car dealership in Cecil County, MD.  The front of the building features a pressed tin facade which you can see much better if you click on the photo to enlarge it.  Restorations to the building were begun in the 1980's when a cabinet maker moved into the building.  In 2002 the town purchased it, completed the restorations and converted it into the town hall.

The big tooth next to the front door will give you a clue as to who may have lived here at one time.  The home was built in 1848 and is of Greek Revival architecture.  Mr. Waitman Smithers, who was the toll collector and superintendent on the canal down the street purchased the home in 1912.  The home was named for his son Delmar who was the town Dentist and who moved into the home with his family after his father's death.  Dr. Smithers had two daughters who lived in the house until 1995.  The sisters began the Chesapeake City Civic Asso. and Historic Commission.  In 1997 Mr. Lee Collins restored the home, including the big tooth by the door.  Pretty neat!

In 1948 the Capt. Colmary-Salmon House was built.  It too has the same style of architecture as the previous one above.  Both buildings were called pace-setters since they were two rooms deep.  Capt. Colmary, steamboat captain on the C & D Canal,  built this home before the Civil War.  He operated a small steamboat that carried passengers and freight on the canal.  The house was transferred to a Mr. Frank Conrey in 1882 for the sum of $2,250.  I assume the current owners are the Salmon family who donated the plaque that stands in front of the house.

This is the Sarah Beaston House in Chesapeake City.  It was built in 1848 for Sarah who was a prominent business woman in the early 1800's.  She had this home built so she could retire in it.  At one time she owned and operated the Bayard House which I talked about yesterday.  The lot you see here she paid $147.00 for to build her house.  Lovely place and evidently painstakingly restored.

The house with the fish at 214 Bohemia Street was built in 1884 by Dr. William C. Karsner.  It is a 3-story, 3-Bay house with a rear wing.  Dr. Karsner was the town doctor until 1914 then Dr. Edward H. Wilsey moved into the home and opened his office a year later.  The house was totally restored from 2003 to 2009.

The Whiteoak House was built in 1840 and is in the poorest condition of all the homes that I have shown to you.    People in the know in Chesapeake City say that this home rests on the first lot sold in town.  In 1854, the owner, Richard Bayard, leased the property to Absalom Cropper, a boat captain.  In 1867 Mr. Cropper transferred the land to James Porter, a farmer.  Eventually, through a series of heirs, Dr. Delmar Smithers sold the property to Wilmer Bristow, a canal tugboat engineer.  Clifford Whiteoak who was a dispatcher on the canal for 38 years moved into the place in 1931.  The current owners are not listed on the plaque in front of the house. 

My final posting is a place known as The National Bank of Chesapeake City.  It was built in 1903 by the John Banks Family.  Port Deposit Granite covers the outside of the place and the inside still has the original vault and tin ceilings.  It was a bank until 1986 when it was donated to the town of Chesapeake City and served as the Town Hall for 20 more years.  A stained glass studio opened in the building in 2007 and today a gift shop fills the vaults of the place.  On the right of the front of the building stands a large stone that carries the names of those who served in the armed forces during WWI.  

Well, we have finished our tour of Bohemia Street and are on our way back to our car which sits at the bottom of the hill, underneath the flags.  In the distance is the Chesapeake Inn which is another of our favorite dining spots in the city.