History
A Rich History And Tradition At This Easton Maryland Inn
The hospitality offered at the Tidewater Inn has long been renowned. The roots of our Chesapeake inn stretch back more than 265 years to 1712, when the Talbot County Courthouse was moved here from Oxford. Early reports indicate the presence of more than one tavern, the courthouse, but only three to four houses. These early homes provided lodging as well as food and drink to their patrons who would have business at the courthouse.
In 1786 authorization was given to lay out a town around the courthouse. The new town was first named Talbot, but two years later received permission to be named Easton.
As Easton grew, the community became a center for travelers in the Tidewater area. By the late 19th century, the various taverns and hotels had given way to two larger hotels and a few boarding houses. In 1891, a new frame hotel was erected on the site of the present-day Tidewater Inn. It operated for several years under the name of the Avon Hotel. When it was later sold, the name reverted to Avon until the Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1944. The destruction of the Avon left Easton without a major hotel.
In 1947, A. Johnson Grymes broke ground for the Tidewater Inn. Immediately, Eley Construction Company began building, but the postwar shortages of steel and plumbing delayed construction. The hotel was to have all of the latest features, but these were often hard to buy.
As construction resumed, Mr. Grymes knew there was no point in having the finest hotel unless it was tastefully decorated. Accordingly, he retained Marion Booth Trask as decorator.
On September 3, 1949, an open house attended by 4,000 persons marked the opening of a building that would mean more to Easton that any other structure since the Talbot County Court was constructed in 1712. The Tidewater Inn was constructed over a two-year time period.
In 1954, the Tidewater Inn added the Gold Room and additional guest rooms. Since then it has been a site of hundreds of conventions and meeting, and has hosted many of the great names in America.
In the fall of 2005, The Tidewater Inn entered a new chapter in its storied existence as Josh Freeman and The Carl M. Freeman Companies acquired this famous name in Maryland inns. It was designated a Historic Hotel of America by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in October 2006.
The Tidewater offers a full complement of hotel and conference services. Today, as in the early 1770s, hospitality lives on at the Tidewater Inn.
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Discover a classical retreat at the Tidewater Inn, where trend meets tradition. Blending old-world European charm with modern features and services, our Eastern Shore Maryland inn is a beautiful getaway destination. Book your reservations online today for our preferred rates.
