Even people who know the Chesapeake Eastern Shore don't know about this little place. After you've crossed the Sassafras River in Georgetown, and you're approaching Galena, turn right at Galena's only stoplight toward Chestertown, and a few miles down the road you turn right on Route 444. This road heads back toward the Sassafras, and after a couple of miles you'll find a small community on the left.
This is a private community, made clear by all the signage, that was founded about 1940. My grandfather was one of the first people to own a house there. The first houses were simple one-story places gathered around an inlet from the river, with a long pier allowing small boats to dock and a small beach and bathing area. But in the last generation, the land values have soared as rich folk discover this hideaway and tear down (or build onto) the original houses. There are no businesses there, so if you don't have an official reason to visit, you're not really welcome. I travel there a couple times a year, just to remind myself of the place I spent all of my summers until I was a teen (my kid profile pics were taken there). The surrounding area is interesting to drive through - Kennedyville was like a ghost town, but Galena seems to be teeming with antique stores today. Chestertown isn't far, and is very charming. If you are traveling through and want to see a curious area, just cruise around, stop in at Vonnie's for lunch, and take it all in. read more