The City of Havre de Grace traces its origin to the day in 1658 when settler Godfrey Harmer purchased 200 acres of land that he called Harmer’s Town. That tract is the heart of the present-day Historic District of Havre de Grace. In 1695, the Lower Susquehanna Ferry made its first crossing of the river from Harmer’s Town; it continued to operate for 170 years.

The Marquis de Lafayette noted in his diary on August 29, 1782: “It has been proposed to build a city here on the right bank and near the ferry where we crossed. It should be called Havre de Grace.” The citizens took his advice, and three years later incorporated the town as The City of Havre de Grace. Later they honored Lafayette with a statue that stands at the main downtown portal, looking toward the ferry crossing that brought him to the place he called “Harbor of Mercy.”

In 1839 the Susquehanna & Tidewater Canal was completed on the Havre de Grace side of the Susquehanna River, cementing the town’s dominance as a commercial intersection. By mid-century, though, the railroad was usurping the ferry/canal in transportation importance, and a major shift in the town’s economic pattern began.

By the end of the 19th century, the DuBois Lumber Company covered several acres of land on the waterfront as did the Seneca Cannery. Fish packing houses, ice plants, and a feed mill dotted the shoreline. Inland were textile mills, a shoe factory, and a carriage factory. Today, the Seneca Cannery Building is the most prominent reminder of the town’s own “industrial revolution.”

Havre de Grace continued to expand its employment base during the 20th century. The last decade alone saw the arrival or expansion of such notable firms as Smucker Quality Beverages, Solo Cup, Cytec Fiberite, The Becker Group, Constar Plastics, and Key Operations Bank Card Center.

In the early part of that century, the city had received national attention for its thoroughbred racing at The Graw (1912) and its double-decker bridge at the site of the old ferry crossing (1923). Today, most of the old racetrack is used by the Maryland Army National Guard, and the infield is the venue of community athletic events. Of the famous double-decker bridge, only granite abutments remain. The city plans to build a visitors’ center there in keeping with the site’s legacy as a gathering place for travelers.