Rising Sun, Maryland

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Rising Sun is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,702 at the 2000 census.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Rising Sun is located at 39°41′58″N, 76°3′47″W (39.699434, -76.062998)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.5 km² (0.9 mi²). 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²) of it is land and 1.05% is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 1,702 people, 681 households, and 456 families residing in the town. The population density was 706.6/km² (1,826.6/mi²). There were 716 housing units at an average density of 297.3/km² (768.4/mi²). 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.

[edit] History

From its crossroads genesis in the 1720s until the Mason-Dixon line was established, the town now known as Rising Sun was actually located in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The taxes were paid in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and all the early deeds and records are still recorded there. The town occupied part of what were the controversial “Nottingham Lots” claimed by William Penn and given to his Quaker friends in 1702 over the vigorous objection of Maryland’s Calverts. Messrs. Mason and Dixon settled the dispute by determining that the area in question was indeed a part of Maryland.

Records show that, around 1720, Henry Reynolds established a stone tavern on Nottingham Lot No. 17 to serve as a stage stop. Over the entrance was a swinging sign depicting the rays of the sun at dawn and the lettering THE RISING SUN. It was around this busy tavern that the village of Summer Hill began to grow.

Located along the direct route between Baltimore and Philadelphia, the tavern enjoyed growth in its popularity as a meeting place for business deals, political maneuvering, elections, and sundry other activities. Travelers and locals alike adopted the habit of saying “We’ll meet at The Rising Sun.” The phrase was so entrenched by the time the town’s first post office was established around 1815, that Summer Hill yielded to Rising Sun as the official name of the place. It is likely that the post office was actually located in the tavern.

Soon after the town’s incorporation in 1860, the commissioners constructed slate sidewalks, erected coal-oil 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, and the pace of growth accelerated. Most of the town’s current structure has been built since then.

Today, Rising Sun is the business hub of a large area of farmland and rolling countryside encompassing most of the northwest corner of Cecil County. It is also home to many schools. [...]

(Text taken from [1] Maryland Municipal League, Inc.)