FY 24 APPROVED OPERATING BUDGET

AN OVERVIEW OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND

COUNTY OVERVIEW

Harford County, Maryland, with its northern border being the Mason-Dixon Line, lies between Pennsylvania to the north and the Chesapeake Bay to the south, with the Susquehanna River to the east, and most of its western border along Little Gunpowder Falls. The northern areas of the County are in the Piedmont Plateau, two to seven hundred feet above sea level. The southern areas are part of the Coastal Plain and range from forty to two hundred feet above sea level. Today the County encompasses 448 square land miles* and 16.5 square water miles*. Harford has three incorporated towns: Aberdeen, Havre de Grace, and Bel Air, which is the County Seat.

*Per the MD Geological Survey 3/3/05

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.

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