Pemberton Historical Park

Hours: Dawn to Dusk

Once a thriving plantation, Pemberton Hall was built on the Wicomico River near Salisbury in 1741 by Isaac Handy, one of the city's founders. It is an outstanding example of 18^th century Eastern Shore regional architecture. The gambrel-roofed brick structure is the only original 18th century house open to the public on the lower Eastern Shore.

The orchard next to the Hall features species that would have been planted in the late 1700s / early 1800s. The tree varieties are listed on plaques adjacent to the orchard.

Samuel Handy arrived on the Eastern Shore in the late 17^th century as an indentured servant. Upon his death in 1721, he owned over 2,000 acres as well as ships within the coastal trade. With his wife Mary, they raised 15 children. The 13^th child, Isaac, purchased 960 acres of undeveloped land from Joseph Pemberton in 1726. The new property sat opposite of the "Tondotank Indian Town," at the southern bank of what is today known as the Wicomico River. Isaac and his wife Anne would eventually build Pemberton Hall on this land.

Isaac went on to become a planter and a ships' Master. Through his hard work and advantageous marriage, he soon made a name for himself. He went on to become one of the city's founders and was appointed in 1732 to work with four others in laying out "Salisbury Town."

In 1741, Isaac completed construction of Pemberton Hall. With the exception of the window glass and iron hardware, all materials for the brick plantation home were made on site. The construction was a major undertaking at the time, and the new home served as a status-symbol for Isaac. It was dramatically larger than the 16x20 home he originally built on the land, where he and Anne raised 9 of their 11 children. The Great Room, painted in a dramatic and expensive "Prussian Blue" color, stood two times larger than the average home size in the Chesapeake Bay region.

Fast forwarding over 200 years from Isaac Handy's death in 1762, Pemberton Hall had fallen from a thriving plantation home into a saddened derelict property on the verge of destruction. With the goal to save the home and restore it to its former glory, the Pemberton Hall Foundation, Inc. was formed. Having fully restored the home, the Foundation continues to maintain the Hall and two acres upon which it sits. The home's furnishings reflect life in pre-Revolutionary times, and have been produced based on three 18^th century probate inventories of the plantation. Paint colors have also been replicated as a result of spectral and chemical analysis.

Pemberton Park is located on Pemberton Drive on the west side of Salisbury, Maryland, just a short distance from Route 50. The park's 262 acres offers the opportunity to hike 4.5 miles of Maryland nature trails, appreciate the beauty of nature and participate in environmental education, historical interpretation or special event activities. 

While hiking the trails, you will encounter ecosystems and their natural complement of plants and animals that are specific to many different regions of the Eastern Shore. It is rare to find any other place on the Eastern Shore where tidal and fresh water wetlands, fresh water ponds, upland pines, hardwood forests and meadows can all be studied within the same site. This unique feature, when coupled with the historical aspects of Pemberton Park, makes it especially attractive for school studies or a casual hike.

For the cache, follow the Pondside Trail from parking, DO NOT access from the road. Follow the trail until you get to the geocache. Then return the same way or continue on the trail until you return to parking. 

A map of the trail system can be found HERE.

A brochure of the park can be found HERE.