Location: Just off Route 50 west of Ocean City, Maryland
Just a few miles inland, Berlin treats you to turn-of-the-century charm. The restored downtown business district and stately homes reflect appreciation of the good life, past and present. Berlin hosts many cultural events and a gallery of fascinating shops featuring local art, crafts, jewelry and antiques.
The Berlin Wallking Tour is a guided tour of historic structures in Berlin, Maryland. Your host is architectural historian Paul Touart. Click on the banner at the left to downlaod and listen to this podcast. Once it is downloaded to your computer you can save the file to your favorite MP3 player and bring it to Berlin to take the walking tour. Having trouble with this file? You can also pick one up at The Globe on 12 Broad Street Berlin, Maryland.
Travel back into the past with a stroll down Main Street. The path you walk is the same as that taken by the Assateague and Pocomoke Indians. Later, the path became the Philadelphia Post Road, the main route connecting the centers of commerce to the north and west. This area was part of the Burley Plantation, a 300-acre land grant dating back to 1677.
At a crossroad on the plantation, now the corner of South Main and Tripoli Streets, colonial travelers stopped at he Burleigh Inn. It is rumored that the name was contracted over time to Berlin.
Although the village began in the 1790s, Berlin was not incorporated until 1868. The town became a popular spot for tourists who enjoyed hunting and fishing on the lower shore or were on their way to Ocean City.
Berlin boasts 47 structures on the National Register of Historic Places spanning two centuries of architecture. The town is the 1885 birthplace of the Reverend Charles Albert Tindley who composed the now famous song "We Shall Overcome" among his many achievements. Berlin is also the birthplace of Stephen Decatur, the 19th century naval hero.
Today, the downtown commercial district is a true success story. Tree lined streets, art galleries, antique shops, the restored Atlantic Hotel and the Globe once again captivate and attract visitors. Berlin was recently the filming location for Paramount Pictures Runaway Bride and Disney's Tuck Everlasting.
The sites on the map below are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, or are marked with an Historic Marker. The links are to the Maryland Historic Trust which describes each location. Please note that not all sites are open to the public and some locations are not exact.
Click on the marker icons in the map to see more about our historic markers and get directions to them. Use the + and - buttons to zoom out or in. The arrow buttons move the map - or simply use your mouse to drag the map. Put the location you want to go to in the center and then zoom in. Click on the camera icons for information about each site and to get directions to or from your location.
Just a few miles inland, Berlin treats you to turn-of-the-century charm. The restored downtown business district and stately homes reflect appreciation of the good life, past and present. Berlin hosts many cultural events and a gallery of fascinating shops featuring local art, crafts, jewelry and antiques.
