Rising Sun, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Rising Sun is a town in Cecil County
, Maryland
, United States
. The population was 1,702 at the 2000 census
.
The town which became known as Rising Sun was located in the disputed “Nottingham Lots” along the border between colonial Pennsylvania
and Maryland
. This area was claimed by William Penn
and settled by Quakers in 1702 over the objection of Maryland
. When Charles Mason
and Jeremiah Dixon
conducted a survey of the order in the 1760s, Rising Sun was found to be located in Maryland.
Around 1720, Henry Reynolds established a stone tavern
on Nottingham Lot No. 17 to serve as a stage coach stop. According to local lore, he erected a sign over the entrance of the tavern depicting the rays of the sun at dawn and the words "The Rising Sun". As the tavern was located along the route between Baltimore
and Philadelphia, it became known as a meeting place for business, politics, elections, and other public activities. Local legend states that the tavern was more well known than the surrounding village so that by the time the town’s first post office
was established around 1815, Rising Sun was chosen as the official name. There is some conjecture that the post office was located in the tavern.
When the town’s incorporation in 1860, the commissioners had slate
sidewalks installed, erected street lamps, and hired a lamplighter
who doubled as bailiff
and street maintenance man. Six years later the Baltimore Central Railroad began to serve Rising Sun. Most of the town’s current structure has been built since then.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
at Rising Sun are: the Jeremiah Brown House and Mill Site
, East Nottingham Friends Meetinghouse
, Joshua Lowe House
, Thomas Richards House
, and West Nottingham Meetinghouse
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), of which, 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it is land and 1.05% is water.
of 2000, there were 1,702 people, 681 households, and 456 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,826.6 people per square mile (706.6/km²). There were 716 housing units at an average density of 768.4 per square mile (297.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.53% White, 0.71% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races
, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.23% of the population.
There were 681 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.8% were married couples
living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,089, and the median income for a family was $48,646. Males had a median income of $36,765 versus $26,875 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,835. About 9.3% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.
Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,702 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
Overview
Rising Sun is located at 39°41′58"N 76°3′47"W (39.699434, -76.062998).The town which became known as Rising Sun was located in the disputed “Nottingham Lots” along the border between colonial Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. This area was claimed by William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
and settled by Quakers in 1702 over the objection of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. When Charles Mason
Charles Mason
Charles Mason was an English astronomer who made significant contributions to 18th-century science and American history, particularly through his involvement with the survey of the Mason-Dixon line, which came to mark the division between the northern and southern United States...
and Jeremiah Dixon
Jeremiah Dixon
Jeremiah Dixon was an English surveyor and astronomer who is perhaps best known for his work with Charles Mason, from 1763 to 1767, in determining what was later called the Mason-Dixon line....
conducted a survey of the order in the 1760s, Rising Sun was found to be located in Maryland.
Around 1720, Henry Reynolds established a stone tavern
Tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food, and in some cases, where travelers receive lodging....
on Nottingham Lot No. 17 to serve as a stage coach stop. According to local lore, he erected a sign over the entrance of the tavern depicting the rays of the sun at dawn and the words "The Rising Sun". As the tavern was located along the route between Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and Philadelphia, it became known as a meeting place for business, politics, elections, and other public activities. Local legend states that the tavern was more well known than the surrounding village so that by the time the town’s first post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was established around 1815, Rising Sun was chosen as the official name. There is some conjecture that the post office was located in the tavern.
When the town’s incorporation in 1860, the commissioners had slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
sidewalks installed, erected street lamps, and hired a lamplighter
Lamplighter
A lamplighter, historically, was an employee of a town who lit street lights, generally by means of a wick on a long pole. At dawn, they would return and extinguish them using a small hook on the same pole. Early street lights were generally candles, oil, and similar consumable liquid or solid...
who doubled as bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
and street maintenance man. Six years later the Baltimore Central Railroad began to serve Rising Sun. Most of the town’s current structure has been built since then.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
at Rising Sun are: the Jeremiah Brown House and Mill Site
Jeremiah Brown House and Mill Site
Jeremiah Brown House and Mill Site is a Colonial-era mill complex and national historic district at Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland, United States...
, East Nottingham Friends Meetinghouse
East Nottingham Friends Meetinghouse
East Nottingham Meetinghouse, or Brick Meetinghouse, is a historic Friends meeting house located at Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland. It consists of three different sections: the Flemish bond brick section is the oldest, having been built in 1724, by ; the stone addition containing two...
, Joshua Lowe House
Joshua Lowe House
The Joshua Lowe House is a historic home located at Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland, United States. It is a two-story, center passage plan brick building three bays wide by two bays deep, built about 1830 in the late Federal...
, Thomas Richards House
Thomas Richards House
The Thomas Richards House is a historic home located at Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland, United States. It is a stone and brick farmhouse; the -story kitchen section of fieldstone construction dating from the late 18th century, and the main block of brick construction, dating from the early 19th...
, and West Nottingham Meetinghouse
West Nottingham Meetinghouse
The West Nottingham Meetinghouse, or Little Brick Meetinghouse, is a historic Friends meeting house located at Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland, United States. It is a brick one-story building built in 1811, rectangularly shaped, and measuring 45 feet, 4 inches by 30 feet. Also on the property is...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), of which, 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it is land and 1.05% is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,702 people, 681 households, and 456 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,826.6 people per square mile (706.6/km²). There were 716 housing units at an average density of 768.4 per square mile (297.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.53% White, 0.71% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.23% of the population.
There were 681 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,089, and the median income for a family was $48,646. Males had a median income of $36,765 versus $26,875 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $17,835. About 9.3% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.