Town History

"Trappe began as a small crossroads hamlet, probably in the period between 1750 and 1760. It wasn’t until 1856 that Maryland’s General Assembly completed action on a new bill incorporating the Town of Trappe.

The “first known history and description of Trappe was originally printed in April 1874 issue of The Index, Trappe’s first newspaper, of which no copy is known to have survived. It likely was written by Robert Mullikin the editor and only exists because it was reprinted nine years later in the April 11, 1883 issue of the Trappe Enterprise, Trappe’s second newspaper, of which only one copy has survived. History hangs by a thread sometimes”.    – James Dawson

Trappe The Story of an Old-Fashioned Town, by Dickson Preston; published by the Trappe Bicentennial Committee in 1976 and reprinted in 1996 is an excellent and highly readable history of the town where some said “nothing ever happened in 300 years”. Actually, it is surprising what was going on in Trappe. Available for purchase at the Town Office - $5.00 + tax

Irregularities In Abundance, An Anecdotal History of Trappe District in Talbot Co., Md., edited and with Commentary by James Dawson, 2010 has everything you always wanted to known about Trappe district … and more! This is the third history of Trappe that has been published. It differs from the previous two in that it is an anecdotal collection of material gleaned from old documents, diaries, newspaper articles, personal recollections and other sources with commentary interspersed. Here is the good, the bad, the ugly and the humorous about Trappe and Trappe District as witnessed by the people who lived it. Also included is an extensive study of how Trappe got its name. 272 pages illustrated with photos and maps and with a complete index.

Unicorn Bookshop, 3935 Ocean Gateway, https://www.unicornbookshop.com/; Visit the Trappe History section of the Unicorn Book Shop to view Trappe postcards and old photos, learn about the two boys that published Trappe’s second newspaper The Enterprise, the day it rained frogs, how Trappe got its name, and much more.