County Events

Rising Sun to celebrate its 150th anniversary over 8 days.

The celebration of Rising Sun’s 150th anniversary has arrived and planners of the eight-day party hope residents and neighbors will join in the fun.

“I think people will like the variety,” said Mary Gibney, a member of the anniversary’s publicity committee along with her husband, Jimmy.

She said every effort was made to keep events from overlapping during the yearlong planning process.

“We want everyone to be able to see everything,” she said.

Jimmy Gibney was a child when Rising Sun celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1960.

“I do remember parts of it,” he said. “I remember my mother and father were involved. I remember plays every night and fireworks. And I remember there was a lot of excitement in town.”

Gibney said he hopes that excitement returns fifty years later.

“I’m really looking forward to the whole week,” he said.

The Gibneys said the town’s 150th birthday celebration would pay homage to local history and heritage through music, activities and events for all ages,. The festivities will begin with a parade at 9 a.m. Saturday and culminating with a gala dinner and dance at Rising Sun Banquet Hall on Oct. 2.

Jimmy said the parade is expected to include 60 participating groups, or about double the number that typically march in the town’s annual SunFest parade.

The anniversary parade also will include a larger route by starting on East Main Street at Ryan Drive before turning onto Walnut Street, Haines Avenue, Pearl Street, Cooper Avenue and West Main Street, before reaching South Queen Street and Colonial Way.

Former Rising Sun mayor Catherine Lane will serve as the parade’s grand marshal.

“In 1960, she was the queen of the parade for the 100th celebration,” Mary Gibney said, adding that the dress Lane wore in that parade is on display in the Rising Sun Historical Museum.

Saturday’s festivities also will include an 11 a.m. open house at St. Agnes Church on South Queen Street, a 1 p.m. fashion show at Rising Sun Middle School and a 3 p.m. vintage baseball game between the Eclipse Baseball Club of Elkton and the Bohemia Eurekas on the lawn of the American Legion Hall on East Main Street.

“Back in the day, there were no ballfields,” Jimmy Gibney said.

Fans are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair, he said.

With the exception of the Oct. 2 gala dinner and dance, all of the events planned for the town’s 150th anniversary will be free.

Jimmy Gibney said the committee has received generous support from the town, county government, local businesses and individuals. He said the committee also has generated revenue by selling commemorative items, including T-shirts, stationery and books.

Sunday will be recognized as Faith of Our Fathers Day. Brookview Chapel at Brookview Cemetery will be open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., with guided tours of the town between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

“It’s usually self-guided, but the committee will put on period attire and give guided tours that day,” Jimmy said.

The tours will begin in front of Town Hall at the corner of East Main and North Queen streets.

Sunday’s celebration will finish with a concert by the Reed Family and Dell Lord at Janes United Methodist Church.

Monday will be Agriculture Day and include a display of antique farm equipment across from town hall sponsored by the Cecil County Farm Museum.

Tours of Colora Orchards on Liberty Grove Road, Dove Valley Winery on Harrisville Road and the bottling plant at the Kilby Farm off Firetower Road also will be available during the day.

“It’s for retirees or people who want to take the day off from work,” Gibney said. “People are very interested.”

The Fabulous Hubcaps will perform their doo-wop show in the parking lot of the old Martin’s Grocery Store on East Main Street from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Seating will not be provided.

On Tuesday, the celebration will focus on businesses and technology, and include a 6 p.m. presentation on American business by local historian Erika Quesenbery’s at the Rising Sun branch of the Cecil County Library. The Rhythm Doctors also will bring their big band sound to town from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Wednesday has been dubbed Youth and Sports Day. A Civil War encampment will arrives at the Rising Sun Veterans Memorial Park off Wilson Avenue, while a BMX Bike Stunt Show will take place on East Main Street from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Mike Dixon of the Cecil County Historical Society will talk about the history of the railroad in Rising Sun in the library at 7 p.m.

And from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., four local teen bands are scheduled to perform.

“Brad Vrankovich got the bands together,” Jimmy Gibney said. “The GoAround, Defeat the Deep and Between the Blue are on the bill, along with Indigo Eyes, which is comprised of students from Rising Sun Middle School.”

“The kids are really looking forward to this,” Mary Gibney said. “They’ve done a lot of their own advertising by word of mouth.”

The Patriot Brass Ensemble and the Upper Chesapeake Chorus of Sweet Adelines will perform Thursday night.

On Friday night, the concert series will move to a pavilion behind the Community Fire Company of Rising Sun’s fire hall on Joseph Biggs Memorial Highway. It will be followed by at 9:15 p.m.

To cap off the celebration Saturday, there will an open house at West Nottingham Academy on Firetower Road from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday and more guided tours of town between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The 150th diner and dance gala will complete the celebration with music by The Epics and the Ola Belle Reed family.

While the gala won’t be a formal affair, period attire is optional.

Memorial Day 2010 : Celebrate and Remember

by Chuck DeSocio

Today Cecil County celebrates Memorial Day but how many of our residents will take the time to observe this day for its true meaning? As we crack open our beers and sidle up to the grill for our second hot dog let’s all take a moment to remember the American Soldier.  There are U.S. servicemen and servicewomen from every branch of the military serving across the globe and some of them will not make it home to celebrate another Memorial Day.

Formerly known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the Civil War), it was expanded after World War I.

Cecil County has a long and rich history of military service to the United States beginning with our War for Independence when the 6th Maryland Regiment was raised from Cecil, Harford, Prince Georges, Queen Anne’s, Frederick and Anne Arundel counties in 1776.  The 6th Maryland was an infantry regiment and part of the famous “Maryland Line”. They fought with distinction at the battles of   Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Camden and Guilford Court House. Many Cecil County residents gave their lives during this war to establish our country and the freedoms we now enjoy

In The War of 1812 American Soldiers from Cecil County gave their lives to protect and preserve their homes serving in battles throughout the country but also fought in these battles close to home:

April 29. Skirmish near Elkton, Cecil County. British forces repulsed by American troops at Fort Hollingsworth and Fort Defiance.

April 29. Skirmish at Frenchtown, Cecil County. Depot burned by British.

May 3. Skirmish at Havre de Grace, Harford County. British defeated local militia, then burned town.

May 3. British raid destroyed Principio Iron Works, Cecil County.

May 5. Skirmish at Fredericktown, Cecil County.

The British sailed on Elkton during the War of 1812 , the County Seat, but met fierce resistance at Fort Defiance. Cecil County residents put a barrier across the water at Head of Elk. Despite repeated efforts, the British ships could not get past it and close to the town. They sailed back up the Elk River and charted a course for Havre de Grace where they burned 50 of the 60 homes, and plundered homes..

The British then sailed up the Sassafras River, capturing a small vessel carrying two Americans. They were then sent by the British to spread a warning to Fredericktown and Georgetown, on opposite shores of the river. If the British met with no resistance, civilians and their property would be spared. They would only burn public buildings and vessels. The warning was not heeded, and so the British attacked with the full brunt of their forces, burning and plundering as they went.

They also considered attacking Port Deposit, but were told by a prisoner that the town had militia that could put a bullet in an eye at a distance of 100 yards. Instead, they sailed to Principio Furnace, a primary manufacturer of cannons in the United States, located between Perryville and Charlestown. The cannons were considered highly reliable and accurate. Cockburn’s men burned the plant, and destroyed finished weapons that were about to be shipped to American troops. The British navy had more soldiers and fire power than Cecil. The County suffered at the hands of British during the War of 1812, but the County Seat was protected by its residents.

Though citizens of Cecil County did not have to endure battles on their soil, the County was touched by the Civil War. As Maryland was a border state. Some supported the Union forces, and others sympathized with the Confederacy. Cecil County had vastly divided loyalties but the theme of Cecil Countians fighting for their country remained. Though citizens of Cecil County did not have to endure battles in the County they were touched by the Civil War. Maryland was a border state, with some supporting the Union forces, and others sympathizing with the Confederacy. Cecil County had vastly divided loyalties but once again Cecil Countians answered the call and signed up to serve their country. Many of them fought and died for their country during the Civil War and Cecil County’s Perryville became a critical staging area for Union soldiers and supplies.

During World War I, World War II, Vietnam, The First Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and every conflict in between Cecil County residents have stayed true to their strong tradition of military service. We find County residents who have fought and died in every major conflict since the foundation of our country. Today as we take a much needed day off let’s remember those who have come and gone over the centuries who made it possible for us to have a peaceful and relaxing day to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy. Let’s also take a moment to remember the fallen and thank them for their sacrifice including those soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and pray for the safe return of all our soldiers serving abroad.