Elkton, Maryland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elkton, Maryland
Town
View of Main Street
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  "The Elopement capital of the East Coast"
Location in Cecil County and the State of Maryland
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Cecil
Incorporated	1787
Area
• Total	9.16 sq mi (23.73 km2)
• Land	8.89 sq mi (23.02 km2)
• Water	0.27 sq mi (0.71 km2)
Elevation	30 ft (9 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	27,028
• Density	1,778.27/sq mi (686.56/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	21921-21922
Area codes	410, 443, and 667
FIPS code	24-25800
GNIS feature ID	0590150

Elkton is a town in Maryland, United States. It is the main town of Cecil County. In 2020, about 15,776 people lived there.

Elkton was once called Head of Elk. This is because it is at the very start of the Elk River. This river flows into the northern part of the Chesapeake Bay.

The town was famous for a long time as a place where couples could get married quickly. It was known as the "elopement capital of the East Coast."

History of Elkton

Early Settlement and Name

Swedish sailors and fishermen first settled this area in 1694. They named their settlement Head of Elk. This name came from its location at the start of the Elk River.

Elkton During the American Revolution

Elkton played a part in the American Revolutionary War. In 1777, a large British and German army landed on the Elk River. They marched from there to fight in the war.

Later, in 1781, Marquis de Lafayette gathered his troops here. They were trying to capture Benedict Arnold. Also, George Washington and Rochambeau stopped in Elkton. This was on their way to the important Yorktown battle.

Becoming a Town and Growth

In 1787, the settlement officially became a town and was named Elkton. By 1880, about 1,752 people lived there.

A historic house called Holly Hall was built around 1810. It became an important meeting place for leaders and local politics.

Elkton: The Marriage Capital

In the early 1900s, many northern states made it harder to get married quickly. But Maryland did not have as many rules. Because of this, towns near state borders became popular for quick weddings. Elkton was especially popular because it was close to big cities like Philadelphia and New York.

Thousands of marriages happened in Elkton each year during the 1920s and 1930s. It was known as "the elopement capital of the East Coast." Even some famous people got married there.

In 1938, Maryland added a rule for a 48-hour waiting period before marriage. This slowed things down, but people still came to Elkton to marry. Ministers found ways around the rules, especially if a young man was going to war. In 1942, about 14,000 marriages took place in Elkton.

Over time, Las Vegas became the new popular place for quick weddings. The last wedding chapel in Elkton closed in 2017.

Tragic Plane Crash

On December 8, 1963, a plane called Pan Am Flight 214 crashed near Elkton. It was hit by lightning and 81 people died. This was the worst lightning strike accident in history. A small memorial marks the spot where the plane crashed.

Geography and Climate

Location and Size

Elkton covers a total area of about 8.61 square miles (22.30 km²). Most of this area is land, and a small part is water.

Elkton's Climate

Elkton has a climate with hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate.

Population of Elkton

People Living in Elkton (2010)

In 2010, there were 15,443 people living in Elkton. There were 5,580 households. About 40.9% of these households had children under 18.

Most residents (76%) were White. About 15.1% were African American. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 5.9% of the population. The average age in Elkton was 32.8 years old.

Education in Elkton

Students in Elkton go to schools run by Cecil County Public Schools.

• Elkton High School is a public high school in the town.
• Cecil College has a campus in Elkton called Elkton Station.
• There are also three elementary schools and one middle school in Elkton.

Sports and Recreation

Elkton has several parks for fun and activities.

• Marina Park is on Bridge Street. It has a tennis court and a small basketball court.
• Meadow Park (also called John P. Stanley Memorial Park) is the biggest park. It is known for hosting kids' football and soccer games.
• Eder Park is close to Meadow Park. It hosts little league baseball events in spring and summer.
• There is also a dog park across from Meadow Park.

For fishing, a popular spot is Howard's Pond on Red Hill Road. Many people go there to fish for fish that have been put in the pond by the state.

Transportation in Elkton

Main Roads and Highways

US 40 westbound past Maryland 781 in Elkton

• U.S. Route 40 is the main east-west highway through Elkton. It goes south of downtown.
• Maryland Route 213 runs north-south through Elkton.
• Maryland Route 279 starts west of Elkton and goes northeast, bypassing the town center.
• Interstate 95 is a major highway just north of Elkton. You can get on it from MD 279. It connects Elkton to cities like Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Wilmington, and Philadelphia.

Public Transport Options

Cecil County has a bus system called Cecil Transit.

• The Glasgow Connection (Route 1) runs between Elkton and Glasgow, Delaware.
• The Cross-County Connection (Route 2) connects Elkton to other towns like North East and Perryville.
• The Elkton Newark Connection (Route 4) links Elkton to Glasgow and Newark, Delaware. In Newark, you can connect to Amtrak and other local buses.
• The county also offers a Demand Response service. This is a ride service that picks you up and drops you off anywhere in the county. You need to schedule these rides ahead of time.

Notable People from Elkton

Many interesting people have connections to Elkton:

• Robert Alexander was a lawyer and political leader during the American Revolution.
• John Andrews (clergyman) was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
• John A. J. Creswell served as the U.S. Postmaster General.
• Austin Lane Crothers and James Black Groome both served as Governors of Maryland.
• Martha Finley was a famous author of children's books.
• Dwayne Henry and Bob Jones were professional baseball players.
• Bernard Purdie is a well-known drummer and musician.
• Larry Webster and Larry Webster III played in the NFL.
• Vic Willis was a Hall of Fame baseball pitcher.
• Harry Woolman was a motorcycle daredevil and movie stuntman.

See also

In Spanish: Elkton (Maryland) para niños