FY 23 Approved Budget Book

AN OVERVIEW OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND

HISTORY 1608 Captain John Smith, representing the Virginia Company, explored the Chesapeake Bay and mapped the Harford County area. He traveled the Willobye’s River (known today as the Bush River) past Spesutia Island in Havre de Grace, up the Susquehanna River to a stream, which is believed to be Deer Creek.

1627 An English trading post was established on Palmer’s Island (now called Garrett’s Island), near Havre de Grace in the Susquehanna River.

1632 Maryland’s Charter was granted to Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore and the first Proprietor of Maryland.

1658 Havre de Grace was settled. It was originally called Susquehanna Lower Ferry and was a stop on the Old Post Road.

1 6 5 Baltimore County was established by the colonial assembly as the sixth county in Maryland, and included parts of present-day Baltimore, Harford, Cecil, Carroll, Howard and Kent counties. 1 6 The town of Old Baltimore was established on the east bank of the Bush River (now Aberdeen Proving Ground).

1 6 Settlements were established along the Gunpowder and Bush Rivers. 1 6 Old Baltimore was authorized as the first Baltimore County Seat. 1 7 The County Seat was relocated to the fork of the Gunpowder River at Joppa.

1 7 6 With Joppa’s harbor silting up and other numerous difficulties, including a smallpox epidemic, the County Seat was moved to Baltimore. 1 7 7 Henry Harford, son of Frederick Calvert the Sixth Lord of Baltimore, inherited the Province of Maryland. Henry Harford was the last Proprietor of Maryland. 1773 Harford County was separated from Baltimore County, and named for Henry Harford. The Act of the General Assembly of 1773, Chapter 6, called for the division of Baltimore County and for the erecting of a new one by the name of Harford. The boundaries of the County were established. Bush was established as the County Seat. Four acres of land were purchased for the purpose of building a courthouse and a prison in the new county.

23