| Washington Slept Here |
The historic towns, sprawling farmlands and leafy forests of the eastern side of immense Chesapeake Bay in Maryland are universally referred to hereabouts as, simply, the Eastern Shore. When Captain John Smith first sailed along this shore in 1608, he noted that it was “fit for harbors and habitations.” The Bay then boiled with healthy marine life—blue crab, oysters, fish of many stripes. Today, despite generations of effort to restore its waters, the Chesapeake remains on the nation’s endangered list. Yet the Eastern Shore has defiantly resisted over-development. Kent County, its heart, has kept population steady at just over 18 thousand for more than a century. Its quiet country roads and lanes are perfect for solitary walks and pleasant bike rides, and in its pretty little colonial-era towns, a traffic jam is 2 or 3 cars at a stop sign.
Our favorite is Chestertown, which dates to 1706. Washington really did sleep here. It’s the county seat and a college town, home to Washington College (which George really did help fund—George Goes Green is the stewardship and sustainability initiative of the college’s Center for Environment & Society, in honor of our first President’s promotion of compost to amend damaged soils.) This is the kind of town where you might easily happen upon the Kent County Marching Band, complete with middle-aged majorettes and flagbearers, polishing its routine on the downtown streets on a weekend evening, attracting a few moms with strollers and elders waving from their rocking chairs on front stoops. The town sits grandly on the Chester River, which flows to the bay, and its graceful homes, especially those on and around Water Street, seem more Confederate than Yankee in their mien. On our most recent visit, as Earth Day approaches, we enjoy the friendly Saturday morning farmers’ market in Fountain Square and see signs posted in storefronts promoting local “Go Green Programs.” Alas, we also learn that curbside recycling has been suspended due to budget cutbacks. Signatures on petitions for its resumption are being earnestly collected at the excellent Chestertown Natural Foods.
Lots of D.C. types escape here, especially in summer, for weekend getaways. Chestertown is only a bit more than an hour away from the nation’s capitol by car. But we think almost anytime is quite special for a visit to these parts. Where to stay? Read on….
Our green favs
Brampton B&B Inn: historic & eco-spirited
Just a mile outside Chestertown is the award-winning Brampton Bed & Breakfast Inn. This rambling oasis is a 20-acre, antebellum country estate that’s a certified wildlife habitat (by the National Wildlife Federation), and has been successfully run as a B&B for more than 2 decades by eco-spirited Michael Hanscom and his Swiss-born wife, Danielle. Historically, Brampton was a peach plantation, one of the biggest on the Eastern Shore. The centerpiece is the 3-story plantation house, built by Henry Ward Carvill in 1860 for his new bride, Anna, and meant to resemble a wedding cake.
The Brampton’s dozen rooms and suites, in the main house and cottages created from a smoke house and horse barn, are tastefully done up in handsome antiques and custom reproductions, high-end fixtures and oriental rugs. A bountiful, a-la-carte breakfast, made from scratch daily using absolutely no processed foods and as much fruit and other seasonal treats from the estate’s own organic garden (and local farms) as possible, is served at individual tables in Brampton’s lovely dining room. Or it will be delivered to the privacy of your cottage. A typical breakfast might include asparagus quiche, puff pancakes with fresh berries, homemade yogurt. A daily tea service (and cold drinks in summer) is accompanied by fresh baked goods, sweet and savory.
Local, organic breakfasts. Photo: Jumping Rocks Media
Be assured that white vinegar and other nontoxics are used for cleaning, as well as environmentally safe laundry detergent. Insects are trapped, not sprayed. Only organic slow release fertilizer is spread on lawns. The grounds are planted in permaculture fashion—”well taken care of, but definitely not manicured,” in Danielle’s words. Recycled wood products such as flooring have been used, and on-demand water heaters and other earth-friendly features were installed during the remodeling of the cottages. Even the grand chandelier in the dining room has been retrofitted with energy-efficient lights. Guests are encouraged to recycle. All food scraps (except meat) are composted, which prompts Danielle to observe, “We have the biggest compost pile in the county, I’m absolutely convinced of that.”
A pickled past
A few miles south of Chestertown before the fishing village of Rock Hall, you’ll find the very first member of the Green Hotels Association in Maryland. This manor house, circa 1743, is the Inn at Mitchell House. It has a pickled past. During the War of 1812, Sir Peter Parker, commander of British forces in the area, was badly wounded in a skirmish with local militia. He was brought here for treatment. He died. For transport back to England, his body was stuffed in a barrel of rum. Ho ho ho and a … well, never mind.
Inn at Mitchell House: green plantation
Mitchell House has been operated by Tracy and Jim Stone for nearly a quarter century. Jim teaches environmental outdoor education, captaining sailing trips on the bay in a traditional workboat to engage school kids about local ecology and history. Their inn, where they also live, sits at the end of long gravel lane, far from 21st-century intrusions, on 12 manicured acres (the plantation originally spanned more than 1 thousand acres). The inn is beautifully maintained and “doily free,” as Tracy puts it with a wink. Nothing too frilly or cutesy. Instead, the halls and mantles sport many examples of “rescue taxidermy”—African antelope, birds-in-flight and other trophies given a more dignified end than a dusty attic or garbage heap in return for their ultimate sacrifice. The inn has 6 well appointed guest rooms. One is named for the unfortunate Sir Peter Parker, but our top pick is the Joseph T. Mitchell Room, which is the most spacious. Plus there’s the upscale country charm of the new Stones Throw cottage, built by a green contractor. A full country breakfast and complimentary beverages, made mostly with organic fruit from the property and produce from local farms, are included in your stay. The Stones Throw comes stocked with breakfast items and beverages to start your day and has a fully equipped kitchen. The Chesapeake Bay is only half-a-mile away, and guests may use the private beach and full services of the Tolchester Marina.
Joseph Mitchell Room
Guests here, too, are encouraged to recycle. Food waste is composted, and the grounds-keeping is done without toxic chemicals. The natural guest toiletries are provided in reusable, refillable containers. Energy and water efficiencies are in place. Cleaning uses mostly nontoxic agents.
