Town of Port Deposit

The new Visitor Center and Towson University Research and Education Center for the Northern Map Turtle located in the restored historic Tome Gas House in Marina Park is seeking friendly volunteers to share our history and efforts to preserve the endangered northern map turtle!

*UPDATE: Due to COVID-19 the Visitor Center is closed for the season.  If you are interested in volunteering when the center does re-open or are interested in other ways you can help please contact Town Hall at Townhall@portdeposit.org or call (410) 378-2121.

The historic Town of Port Deposit is located on the banks of the Susquehanna River.  Originally called "Smith's Ferry" in 1729, the town was officially named "Port Deposit" in 1813.  Over the years, the town has enjoyed a wealth of successful business and commerce through granite quarries, mills, factories, shipping, fisheries, and lumberyards.  Port Deposit is synonymous with industrialist, Jacob Tome, who arrived in 1833 and worked to become one of the wealthiest men in the country.  In 1889, he endowed the town with a substantial part of his amassed fortune to establish a separate free school system, and he established a boarding school for boys on the high bluff overlooking the town.  Several of the historic boarding school buildings are still standing, as well as the Tome Carriage House and Gas House.   The Town of Port Deposit is designated a historic district to preserve the culture and long history through the preservation of buildings and landmarks. 

The Norfolk Southern Railroad still operates on the track alongside the Susquehanna River and the Town’s waterfront has changed over the years from industrial to residential.  The Navy abandoned the 1,250 acres Bainbridge Naval Training Center and the Town’s boundary was expanded to encompass this area, which includes the historic Tome school buildings that remain.   

 The Town’s future looks bright with the potential development of Bainbridge and continued preservation of historic buildings, which includes the restoration of the Tome Gas House.  The Gas House is the last historically significant building on our waterfront that will become a Welcome Center and research facility for students from Towson University to study the endangered Northern Map Turtle, which is indigenous to our area. We anticipate the completion of this project will launch an economic boost and draw visitors to the town of Port Deposit, as well as attract new businesses to our downtown.