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DENTON – Happy 250th birthday, America! While the official date used to mark our nation’s independence is July 4, Caroline County has and plans to continue celebrating all year long.
Caroline has its own 250 Commission, which is headed by Economic Development and Tourism Director Bob Zimberoff. “We worked to form the Caroline County 250 Commission this past November to align Caroline County with the national and state movement,” he said, “There are now similar commissions throughout the country, and in most of Maryland’s counties.” Caroline County’s 250 Commission was formalized in December of 2025.
Zimberoff said the members of the Commission were specifically chosen based on guidance from the Executive Director of Maryland’s state 250 Commission, Michele Johnson. The members include town officials, community leaders, local history connoisseurs, and more: Bob Zimberoff, Sue Simmons, Jenn Reibly, Kendall Teague, Rick Schwab, Cathy Schwab, Mick McCrea, Amber Korell, Debi Sewell, Abby Lorenz, Lisa Orendorf, Brad Sears, and Tracey Snyder. Zimberoff said the Commission has also been in close communication with Recreation and Parks, Caroline County Public Schools, and Downtown Denton Main Street.
Caroline’s 250 Commission applied and was approved for the state’s Once in a Generation Grant in the amount of $15,000 to support events and happenings related to the 250th celebration of America’s independence.
So far, the Commission supported the opening of a 50-year time capsule buried in the courthouse green by North Caroline and Colonel Richardson high school students in 1976. They also participated in the Caroline County Council of Arts’ series of events “celebrating the 100th anniversary of the music, arts and literature of the African American artists who had a nationwide impact that began in Harlem” – two of the three events in this series occurred earlier this year. The third is a Riverside Speakeasy on April 25.
In the coming months, the 250 Commission will participate in and financially back several other events, including the Leverton Hubbard Foundation’s Land, Legacy and Liberty: How Indigenous Peoples Shaped our Nation celebration on Saturday, April 11 at Linchester Mill in Preston. During the 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. program, the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians will demonstrate the history of indigenous peoples on the Eastern Shore and their contributions to the local community.
Other events that the Commission plans to allocate grant money towards are the Music of a New Nation revolutionary war era history presentation at the Federalsburg Historical Society on May 16, the Juneteenth celebration at Mt. Pleasant Acre Farm on June 19, the Sons of the American Legion Post 29’s unveiling of a monument to United States servicemembers on the courthouse grounds on July 4, and Summerfest on August 21 and 22. There is also another series of events in the works, this time led by Adkins Arboretum, highlighting their Chesapeake Homelands project – an homage to our area’s Indigenous roots via media like podcasts and short films.
Zimberoff said the Economic Development and Tourism office is working to update their website with more information on how Caroline County can celebrate the country’s semiquincentennial.
