Havre de Grace (), abbreviated HdG, is a city in Harford County, Maryland, United States. It is situated at the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the head of the Chesapeake Bay. It is named after the port city of Le Havre, France, which in full was once (French for 'Harbor of Grace').

As of the 2020 census, Havre de Grace had a population of 14,807. In 2014, Smithsonian magazine called it one of the 20 best small U.S. towns to visit.

History

Early history During the Revolutionary War, the small hamlet known as Harmer's Town was visited several times by General Lafayette, who became considered a hero of the war. He commented that the area reminded him of the French seaport of Le Havre on the English Channel. It had originally been named . Inspired by Lafayette's comments, the residents incorporated the town as in 1785.

George Washington stayed overnight in the town in 1789, on the journey to New York City for his first inauguration. During the First Congress in 1789, Havre de Grace missed by only one vote being named the capital of the fledgling United States.

19th century

On May 3, 1813, during the War of 1812, British forces led by Sir George Cockburn executed a raid on Havre de Grace, routing the American militiamen defending it and burning large parts of the village. American Lieutenant John O'Neill single-handedly manned a cannon to help defend the town. He was wounded, captured by the British, and quickly released. In gratitude, Havre de Grace made O'Neill and his descendants the hereditary keepers of the Concord Point lighthouse, which marks the mouth of the Susquehanna River.

The early industry of Havre de Grace included oyster and crab harvesting. Extensive fruit orchards were cultivated in and near the town. Products were shipped to markets along the East Coast and upriver.

The town was the southern terminus for the Proprietors of the Susquehanna Canal and later the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal. This was built to bypass difficult navigational areas of the lower Susquehanna River between Havre de Grace and Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, where it connected to the Pennsylvania Canal. It was built between 1836 and 1840. Operations on the canal declined after 1855, because of competition from railroads, which could carry freight more quickly. The Lock Keeper's house and remnants of the canal exist today as a museum.

Havre de Grace was a primary town on the Eastern route of the Underground Railroad in Maryland, as refugee slaves could cross the Susquehanna to havens in the free state of Pennsylvania, traveling on to Philadelphia and New York. Prior to 1840, escaped slaves from communities along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay came to Havre de Grace and often took the ferry across the Susquehanna River to safe sites in Lancaster and Chester counties in Pennsylvania. When "vigilance increased at the ferry", the African-American refugees were guided upriver to cross to Columbia, Pennsylvania, a town established by abolitionist Quakers. Because Havre de Grace had varied transportation across the river, refugees were often successful in making their way to the North.

In the 19th century, Havre de Grace became known for duck hunting, and was a seasonal destination for hunters. They stayed at the town hotels and hired local guides to escort them hunting on the river and along the bay. Local artisans became known for making high quality decoys, which they carved and painted. Prime examples are displayed today at the Decoy Museum of the city.

By the 1860s, a large population of free African Americans had settled in the town. It had enough business to support independent artisans, and numerous jobs associated with shipping on the river and canal and, increasingly, with the railroads. During the American Civil War, this town was one of seven sites where the Army recruited for volunteers for the U.S. Colored Troops, composed of African-American men. Although located in the tidewater area of Harford County, which still had large plantations and slaveholders, the city's river and canals tied it to northern industry and trade in Pennsylvania and beyond. These provided urban jobs for free blacks, and the town had a strong proportion of Northern sympathizers among whites.

S. J. Seneca In 1878, the town became a city and established its own government. Shortly after 1878, Stephen J. Seneca opened a fruit-packing factory in the S. J. Seneca Warehouse, with a tin can factory next to Havre de Grace Waterfront. Seneca made improvements to canning with his patents, such as the "Can-soldering machines" of 1889, and 1891.

The first railroad was constructed along St. Clair Street (now Pennington Ave.) to the river, so Seneca's factory was well-positioned for both water and rail shipping. Farmers in Harford County brought their produce to the Seneca Factory (later operated as Stockham's Cannery) until the time of the Second World War. Seneca served as Mayor of Havre de Grace from 1893 to 1894, and by 1899 he had become a broker of canned goods. In addition to his businesses, Seneca had a home at 200 North Union Ave. and donated funds and land to build the Methodist Church.

Seneca continued to acquire patents after the turn of the century, including:

The Baling-press (1901). The Cooker (1905). The Tomato-scalder (1905). Improved Tomato-scalder (1917). The Can-opener (1917). The Machine for peeling tomatoes (1918).

The Seneca cannery, now used as an antique shop, is a late 19th-century brick industrial building with a classical façade and stone buttresses at the rear.

20th century Havre de Grace was known as "The Graw" from 1912, through the 1950s. It prospered as a stop for north–south travelers. These included gangsters and gamblers en route to New York City from the South following the "pony routes". The Havre de Grace Racetrack operated from 1912 to 1950. Chicago gangster Al Capone was reported to have stayed at the former "Chesapeake Hotel" (now known as "The Vintage Cafe"). At the end of the 1950s, the state removed the horse track. Its race and betting rights were bought by the larger Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

In 1949, the city denied a license to use a city park to a Jehovah's Witnesses preacher; when he spoke in the park anyway, he was arrested. The resulting case reached the US Supreme Court; in Niemotko v. Maryland (1951), the court ruled that Jehovah's Witnesses were protected by constitutional rights to the free exercise of religion, and the city should have granted them the permit to speak in the park.

A few tenant farmhouses remain from the large Mitchel plantation that overlooked the city.

In the 1980s, Havre de Grace began to undergo extensive redevelopment as people were attracted to its unique character. Historic properties were renovated and sometimes adapted for new uses. In addition, former farmland was redeveloped for construction of new houses and, later, townhouse communities. Since the late 20th century, the city has benefited through development of new properties, antique stores, and other retail venues. Havre de Grace became a popular location for vacation homes on the bay and retirees. Historic farms and forests have been cleared as upscale home development extends along Chapel Road northwest toward Webster Village.

Per capita income doubled in the city from 1990 to 2000, with the arrival of wealthier residents to the newer suburban projects around and in the city. Some commute to jobs elsewhere; others are retirees. New suburban developments since the 1990s brought thousands of middle-to-upper-class residents to the town. Many working-class citizens who used to live in the city have been displaced by rising property values and gentrification.

21st century

In September 2003, Hurricane Isabel flooded the city about two blocks into downtown, destroying the promenade. It was rebuilt in 2004, with help from Americorps NCCC.Americorps Today, it serves as a waterfront boardwalk and nature walk from Tydings Park to the Maritime Museum, and on to Concord Point Lighthouse.

Havre de Grace expanded in the early 21st century by annexing land. Housing development is moderate but steady.

Havre de Grace has been affected by the BRAC activities of the Department of Defense. DOD recently moved activities and personnel from various bases to the Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), a few miles away, which has added to the demand for housing and services.

Geography Havre de Grace is located at (39.548412, −76.097554) at the mouth of the Susquehanna River.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Havre de Grace is northeast of Baltimore, west of Wilmington, Delaware, southwest of Philadelphia, northeast of Washington, D.C., and southwest of New York City.

Climate The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Havre de Grace has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Havre de Grace had a population of 14,807. The median age was 46.0 years. 19.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.9 males age 18 and over.

98.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.3% lived in rural areas.

There were 6,169 households in Havre de Grace, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.0% were married-couple households, 17.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 6,653 housing units, of which 7.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.8%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 10,283 69.4% Black or African American 2,564 17.3% American Indian and Alaska Native 52 0.4% Asian 434 2.9% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 14 0.1% Some other race 318 2.1% Two or more races 1,142 7.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 879 5.9%

2010 census As of the 2010 U.S. census, there were 12,952 people, 5,258 households, and 3,333 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,875 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 75.7% White, 16.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.1% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.7% of the population.

There were 5,258 households, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.6% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.02.

The median age in the city was 41.9 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 31.4% were from 45 to 64; and 13.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census