Elkton, Maryland

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Elkton, Maryland
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Elkton, Maryland


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Maryland
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Cecil
government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
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unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 21.3
area_land_km2 = 20.8
area_water_km2 = 0.5
area_total_sq_mi = 8.2
area_land_sq_mi = 8.0
area_water_sq_mi = 0.2

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 11,893
population_density_km2 = 571.6
population_density_sq_mi = 1480.5

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 9
elevation_ft = 30
latd = 39 |latm = 36 |lats = 36 |latNS = N
longd = 75 |longm = 49 |longs = 33 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 21921-21922
area_code = 410
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 24-25800
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0590150
website =
footnotes =

Elkton is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cecil County.GR|6 It was formerly called Head of Elk because it marks the head of navigation on the Elk River, which flows into the nearby Chesapeake Bay.

Elkton was once known as the "Gretna Green of the West" because of its popularity as a place for eloping couples to marry until a state law was passed in 1938 requiring a 48-hour waiting period. Still, the town maintains several wedding chapels. Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller were married in the Main Street Chapel.

The crash of Pan Am Flight 214, which was struck by lightning, occurred in Elkton on December 8, 1963. The crash of Pan Am Flight 214 was registered in the Guinness Book of World Records (2005) as the "Worst Lightning Strike Death Toll."

Geography

Elkton is located at coor dms|39|36|36|N|75|49|33|W|city (39.610016, -75.825883)GR|1.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 200 people, 50 households, and 2 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,480.5 people per square mile (571.8/km²). There were 4,743 housing units at an average density of 590.4/sq mi (228.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.85% White, 9.64% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.78% from other races, and 2.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.97% of the population.

There were 4,446 households out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the town the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,171, and the median income for a family was $44,348. Males had a median income of $36,495 versus $25,543 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,789. About 9.4% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

History

On March 8, 1781, the Marquis de Lafayette embarked his troops to attempt a capture of Benedict Arnold. Returning on April 9, he began his overland march to Virginia. George Washington and Rochambeau with their combined forces stopped in Elkton on September 6-7, 1781, while on their way to Yorktown. [ [http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=1474 Elkton Marker ] ]

When northern states began to pass more restrictive marriage laws in the early 20th Century, Maryland did not. As a result, a number of Maryland towns near borders with other states became known as places to get married quickly and without many restrictions, or "Gretna Greens." ["State v. Clay", 182 Md. 639, 642, 35 A.2d 821, 822-23 (1944).] Elkton, being the northeasternmost county seat in Maryland (and thus closer to Philadelphia, New York, and New England), was particularly popular.Citation
last = Berdan
first = Marshall S.
author-link =
title = Elkton, Marry-land
newspaper = The Washington Post
pages = C2
year = 2002
date = February 13, 2002
url = ] It was a notorious Gretna Green for years. ["Greenwald v. State", 221 Md. 235, 237-38, 155 A.2d 894, 896 (1959).] While some of the marriages obtained there were of celebrities or celebrities-to-be (Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller, Cornel Wilde, Joan Fontaine, Debbie Reynolds, Martha Raye, John and Martha Mitchell, Willie Mays, and Pat Robertson all got married in Elkton), the overall tawdry flavor grew to be too much for the state. A 48-hour waiting period was imposed in 1938, but Elkton continued to be a place to elope; it just took longer. In time, Las Vegas became the new "American Gretna Green," although hundreds of people are still married in Elkton each year.

Public Transportation

Although in Maryland, Elkton is served by DART First State Route 65, which runs into Newark, Delaware, connecting with the Newark Rail Station and other DART routes. The buses run roughly once every hour and a half, Monday through Friday. Elkton is not served by any Maryland-based transit agencies.

Notable residents

*Robert Alexander, an American planter, lawyer, and Tory political leader during the American Revolution
*James Allison, Jr., (1772-1854), born in Elkton, United States Congressman
*John A. J. Creswell, United States Postmaster General
*Austin Lane Crothers, 46^th Governor of Maryland.
*Martha Finley- an author of children's books in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Although she was not born in Elkton, she lived there for several years
*James Black Groome, 36^th Governor of Maryland.
*Jeremy Rose, American jockey and 2005 ESPY award winner
*Julian C. Smith, a United States Marine Corps general
*Larry Webster, Former NFL defensive tackle with Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets

References

ee also

*Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route

External links

* [http://www.discoverelkton.com/ Elkton, Maryland Community Directory]