Tilghman Island

History

Initially known as Great Choptank Island, the island became identified with a series of local families. It was owned by Matthew Tilghman's family from 1752 and has been known as Tilghman Island ever since. During the War of 1812 the island was briefly occupied by the British, who obtained provisions for their military forces. The community of Tilghman appeared in the 1840s. The economy shifted from farming to greater reliance on oystering and fishing as markets developed in Baltimore and Washington, aided by steamboat service in the 1890s. In 1986, the Island made national news after four residents burned a cross in front of the home of the town's only black family. Following the trial, four Ku Klux Klan members held a rally on the Talbot County Courthouse lawn to protest against the sentences of the three individuals convicted in the cross burning. The victimized family later moved away, blaming the incident and feeling that "the Eastern Shore is way behind the rest of the world."

Geography

Tilghman Island is located at (38.708795, −76.335016). The southern tip of Tilghman Island is covered by Black Walnut Point NRMA, a Maryland state park. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and (4.91%) is water.

Largest nearby schools

• St. Michaels Middle/High School
  High · St Michaels · 443 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• St. Michaels Elementary
  Elementary · St Michaels · 333 students · 12.8:1 ratio
• Tilghman Elementary
  Elementary · Tilghman · 94 students · 11.8:1 ratio