This region is situated in the Atlantic Coastal Plain area, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, it is part of the Delmarva Peninsula. It is mostly a level farm area where corn, wheat, tomatoes and other crops are harvested, and where cattle and poultry are raised. Many of the region's historic and natural landmarks can be accessed by bicycling or driving on quiet country roads. Creeks, rivers, inlets and bays can be explored by boat. Fish, crabs and oysters harvested here are a delight to residents and visitors alike.
In 1642 Kent County, Maryland's second oldest, was founded by settlers who gave it the name of their home county in England. Working and living oriented to the water is important here.
In 1631, Kent Island was founded as a trading post. As more people settled there, Queen Anne's County was formed in 1706 and named after England's monarch at that time. In St. Michaels, Bay history and lifeways are alive at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. It houses exhibits on vessel construction, decoy carving, steamships and Bay crafts.
In Denton, the Caroline County seat, the Annie Taylor House Museum of Rural Life evokes life on a farm. Abolitionists held their gatherings during the Civil War at the Quaker Neck Meeting House, also in Denton.
Water and history come together in Dorchester County. The 1684 port town of Cambridge, the county seat, has many historic homes, buildings and museums with agricultural, maritime, industrial and Native American displays.