PRINCESS ANNE, MD– A piece of the Eastern Shore’s indigenous history was recently commemorated by the State Highway Administration.
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) unveiled the Manonoakin Indian Town Historical Site marker on Friday.
Located two miles southwest of Indian Neck, the site was once a busy trading ground where the Manonoakin, a sub-tribe of the Pocomoke Nation, exchanged fur with European colonists, who sometimes needed help from the Manonoakin.
"They learned from the natives the types of foods and plants and animals that they would need to harvest to survive here," said Norris Howard, Jr., a member of the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs and council member for the Pocomoke Indian Nation Inc.
It took several years of research and work between MDOT, the Pocomoke Indian Nation, and others before the historical marker was sited and approved.
According to Dr. Julie Schablitsky, MDOT Chief of Cultural Resources, it's a natural fit to place historical markers along transportation routes.
"The amazing thing about the Eastern Shore is that there is history along all of our transportation routes. It's along rivers, it's along creeks, and so this is really giving us an opportunity to showcase one of these important places," Schablitsky said.
The Manonoakin Indian Town Historical Site marker is located at the Somerset County Visitor Center, located at 11440 Ocean Hwy., Princess Anne, Md.
