The settlement named Gratitude has strong ties to Rock Hall’s history as a busy port. In the 19th century the town experienced some growth due to the emergence of sailing packets bringing cargo from Baltimore. Eventually steamboat traffic also made its way to Rock Hall, and this development allowed for much more travel from one side of the Bay to the other, and to points further north and south as a result. Gratitude gets its name from a steamboat of the time, demonstrating the importance of technological advances in shipping and travel to the people of the Chesapeake Bay. The biggest industries of the time in Rock Hall included seafood, canning, shipbuilding, and exporting agricultural products such as peaches and tomatoes.
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