As May is National Historic Preservation Month, we thought we would share a Flashback Photo of a Kent County site that is both historic and has undergone a number of preservation efforts over the year. The current Janes United Methodist Church building on the corner of Cross and Cannon Streets, and pictured here in an undated photo, was dedicated on November 8, 1914, was the church’s third building, and is on its third site. Construction had started on March 1, 1914 with the laying of the cornerstone, only to be delayed when a fire destroyed much of downtown. The roof was replaced during a larger renovation project in 1992, but due to the use of faux slate, fiber-cement shingles, it was a matter of less than a decade before the roof again began to need attention. In 2020, those shingles had been replaced by a new, historically-appropriate slate roof tiles expected to last 90+ years.

A QUICK QUIZ: What is the name of the 1,000 pound bell, first acquired by the church in 1909 and the only piece of the church that survived the 1914 fire? If you know, please put it in the comments below, or email the answer to [email protected]. Image courtesy of Historical Society of Kent County.

On this last Friday of Women’s History Month we share a 1988 portrait by Tyler Campbell of Delia Ringgold Caulk, who was born in Big Woods in 1910 and called Kent County home all her life. According to a passage about Mrs. Caulk from Here on the Chester, Washington College Remembers Old Chestertown by John Lang (© 2006, Washington College),

As a young girl, Delia Ringgold Caulk worked in the fields, did domestic work, and worked for several canneries. At hog butchering time, she went from farm to farm, where she helped cut up meat, made scrapple, and put up lard in 50-pound cans. She later worked at the Rigbie Hotel in Betterton, where as a “pantry girl” she washed and sorted the silver for each waitress. She worked at the Chestertown Cannery and the Vita Foods plant. At one time, she was the only black woman who worked at the old Acme store, where she dressed chickens.

Yet apart from her lifetime of labor, Mrs. Caulk served the Lord and her community. She was the first president of the No. 2 Kent and Queen Anne’s Hospital Auxiliary (No. 2 indicating the black membership), and at one time she was chaplain of the Kent County PTA. Her life centered around Fountain Methodist Church on Big Woods Road, where the pastor and parishioners called her “Old Faithful” and “Rock of Gibraltar” because they could always count on her to help. She taught Sunday school, and was president of what is now the Methodist Women. At one time she was in a “praying band,” part of a troupe of musicians with only their voices for instruments.

The first exhibit of 2025 at the Bordley History Center includes several oral histories from the Historical Society’s collection. Delia Caulk’s is among them, and all are encouraged to stop in and listen to Mrs. Caulk’s story in her own voice, and to the others that are also available. The Bordley History Center is open Thursdays and Fridays from 11 am – 2 pm, Saturdays from 10 am – 1 pm. Image courtesy of Tyler Campbell.

Do you know where Golts, Maryland is? Today’s undated Flashback Photo of the Golts post office shines a light on this unincorporated community right here in Kent County, almost in Delaware. If you have any stories, photos, or information to share about life in Golts, please email [email protected]. Image courtesy of the Historical Society of Kent County.

March is Women’s History month, so for our first flashback photo of the month we have a c. 1970 photograph of a Kent County woman in military service, Eleanor Rochelle Ringgold. She stands on the footstep of a large military vehicle, in uniform, wearing glasses, and smiling at the camera. Image courtesy of Chesapeake Heartland.

 As always, if you have any additional details to share about this photograph, or about floating saw mills in Kent County, please email [email protected].

The first Flashback Photo of 2025 is an undated image of Still Pond Train Station. Part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington Baltimore line, in the Delaware Division of Pennsylvania Railroad, Still Pond was on the Chestertown branch line, which also included Lambson, Black, Kennedyville, Lynch and Chestertown. Despite ambitious plans, no train line ever made it as far as Rock Hall or Tolchester.

From On the Main Line The Pennsylvania Railroad in the 19th Century, by Edwin P. Alexander, published in 1971:

The Pennsylvania Railroad probably did more to make a photographic record through the nineteenth century than did most other railroads. From the late 1860s on, photographs of rolling stock, locomotives, and scenes along the line were made. Special trains, usually a locomotive with one or perhaps two cars, were sent out with photographers such as Gutekunst, W. T. Purviance, and H. Hipple in the 1920s.

In the center of the car’s clerestory roof, a small platform for setting up the camera may be seen in many pictures, and sometimes the car was lettered “Photographer’s Car.” At least forty of the photographs show the photographer’s train.

As usual, the Historical Society of Kent County’s museum and shop in the Bordley History Center will be closed for the winter months, but the offices will be open most weekdays. Limited Research Library appointments are available based on staff availability, and research requests are accepted via email at [email protected]. Stay warm!

Image courtesy of Historical Society of Kent County.

The eight day festival of Chanukah begins on December 25th this year, coinciding with Christmas, and overlapping with Kwanzaa from the 26th to January 1. These holidays all share traditions including candles and light at the darkest time of the year, food and feasting, gift-giving, and of course music and singing.

With all these holidays in mind, we have a wintry scene and a one-horse open sleigh for this holiday week’s Flashback Photo. More information about Kwanzaa, Chanukah, and Christmas traditions around the world is available at the links provided.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all! Image courtesy of Historical Society of Kent County.