After learning which shops and restaurants were best in Havre de Grace from our pals at the marina last night, Steve and I spent much of Tuesday, 09/28/21, walking around the historic downtown area. I stopped into a kitschy little shop with wares straight out of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s called JoRetro, which I really enjoyed. We also wandered into a very large antique mall called Seneca Cannery. Even Steve found some interesting items in that place.
Scenes from JoRetro in Havre de Grace, MD. This was a fun shop that carried antiques (aka “vintage”, as its now referred to) and brand new productions made to look like old. I didn’t get pictures of them, but there were racks of newly-made 60s shifts and A-line dresses that really brought back memories.Look at this Mid-Century living room set. 🙂 I loved those Havre de Grace map pillows, and would’ve purchased one if I’d had room for it on our boat… 🙁Seeing these sets took me right back to my mom’s avocado-green kitchen from way back in the day.As a child, I actually owned a round, clock radio like the bright orange one above, only mine was white.This sign I found in JoRetro reminded me of myself!
Later on that day, we walked to highly-recommended River City Public House for dinner, especially since Tuesday nights are steak nights! We both enjoyed the vibe we felt in Havre de Grace, and were glad we’d decided to heed recommendations and stop there for a few days.
Murals are a BIG thing in Havre de Grace, and were everywhere we looked…This mural celebrates Havre de Grace’s horse-racing history from back in the early to mid 1900s.Our choice for dinner in Havre de Grace on Tuesday evening, 09/28/21. It was steak night, which made Steve happy. 🙂
Back aboard the boat, we could watch out the starboard window of Legacy’s salon and see the multiple bridges that cross the mouth of the Susquehanna River, where it meets the Chesapeake Bay. There was a bridge for automobiles, one for regular railroad cars, and another for the high-speed Amtrak passenger train, which seemed to pass every fifteen minutes. Whenever the Amtrak zoomed across its bridge, it made a sound just like rumbling thunder from an approaching storm. It took me the entire time we were there to remember I was hearing a train passing, and not impending inclement weather.
US Highway 40 bridge across the Susquehanna River in Havre de Grace, MD.This shot also shows the railroad car bridge in the foreground, and yet another bridge in the far background. I found this area beautiful.
There is an historical trail in Havre de Grace, called the Lafayette Trail which uses ornate, brass markers embedded into the sidewalks at regular intervals, marking out a path through town that passes historical sites. There is an accompanying map that tells sight-seers who follow the trail all about each of these sites. The trail is reputed to be three miles from start to finish, so Steve was not interested in walking it, but I decided I’d give it a try on Wednesday, 09/29/21 – especially since the weather was perfect that day! Steve just scoffed and said he highly doubted I’d complete all three miles of the trail. I started off great gang-busters, map in hand, but very quickly found myself sidetracked into some of the many antique shops I encountered along the way – ha! Needless to say, I did not complete the trail, but walked to and from and inside so many shops, I think I probably actually didcover three miles, if not more!
One of the many plaques that mark the path of the historic Lafayette Trail, which winds for three miles, through Havre de Grace.Monument to the General Marquis de Lafayette, who once graced Havre de Grace with his presence, back in 1825.There are a handful of houses in Havre de Grace that were fortunate enough to somehow survive the destructive War of 1812, and are still standing today. They are each marked with plaques such as this one.These two historic Havre de Grace homes were decked-out to the max for Halloween. 🙂I loved this little home and told Steve I thought I could live there happily. This is one of the many restored homes in town, but there are also many brand new homes that are all designed and built to historic standards, per building code. I love seeing examples of that!I was enamored with this sweetly-decorated side yard, and took this picture for posterity’s sake, as I might want to copy its design at my own home, once we purchase another one. 😉I loved all the heavily-decorated front porches in Havre de Grace! Steve, not so much… (He just doesn’t understand kitsch…) More scenes from around town…This antique mall was so large, I could easily have spent several full days in there by the time I looked closely at every single item on display.Other fun antique shops I patronized…
Later that same day, I found myself enjoying the beauty of McLhinney Memorial Park, underneath the bridges over the point where the Susquehanna River meets the Bay. This small but charming park is located right underneath the US Hwy 40 Bridge, and is named for one of Havre de Grace’s longtime, honored residents.
At McLlhinney Memorial Park, I learned about the very old Susquehanna Lower Ferry, which was used by many historical figures when traveling between the north and the south, WAY back in the day.A view of Log Pond Marina. The chairs and fire-pit in the foreground are where we sat and chatted with new friends, the first night we arrived.Legacy, at her tie-up at Log Pond Marina, in Havre de Grace, MD.This blog post’s First Prize winner! (The birds were taking a break in this shot. 😉 )
