Frederick Douglass Geocaching Trail, Easton, Maryland

During our Easton trip in June 2026, I got up early Saturday morning, before everyone else, to find all the caches for the Frederick Douglass Geocaching Trail (see info about the kick-off event here). Douglass spent a lot of time in town, since he was born a slave in Talbot County in 1818. The town is proud of his influence, as is seen by Douglass's statue in front of the town courthouse. 

Frederick and me

I started the trail at the Easton Point docks, the original port for the town. Douglass arrived at this port in November 1878. He was a celebrated public figure and had a state room on the ship. He stayed at the Avon Hotel (more about that below). Both were precedents for a black man who had fled the area in the mid-1800s as a slave. Douglass may have taken a boat from here to go north to Baltimore on his way up the Underground Railroad. Now he was back with honor and respect.

The docks are a launching point for local sailors. They don't look like anything special.

Approaching the port

The main launch area

In town is a mural dedicated to the life and influence of Douglass. He is shown with his wife Anna Murray. The mural represents Douglass's impact through educational and military service. He encouraged President Lincoln to have a United States Colored Troop to fight in the Civil War. Many of Douglass's descendants served in the military.

The mural was created in 2021 by Michael Rosato who also made a mural of Harriet Tubman in Cambridge.

Douglass mural

The mural is on a rails-to-trails trail, so a nearby building commemorates that.

A nearby mural

The Avon Hotel in town was replaced with the Tidewater Inn. Douglass's last stay in Talbot County was in 1893, where the newspapers followed him around, reporting his every move. He also received visitors in the hotel's dining room and was generally treated as a celebrity.

Tidewater Inn, former site of Avon Hotel

Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is the oldest A.M.E. church on the Eastern Shore and was rebuilt in 1878, celebrating its 60th year. That same year, Frederick Douglass also turned 60 and was present to dedicate the church. They still have the same pulpit that he used almost 150 years ago. I was unable to go inside since it was before 7 a.m. on a Saturday.

Bethel A.M.E. Church

During his 1893 visit, Douglass went to the Easton Colored School where he told the students of an orphan boy who had to sleep on cold floors but he taught himself to read and speak, eventually holding public offices and gaining some wealth. That young boy was Douglas and those children had the same opportunities to improve themselves. Afterwards, the building became the Moton High School and is now an apartment building.

Original Easton Colored School

Back by the courthouse is the site where Douglass was jailed in 1836 for attempting to escape slavery. Two years later he successfully escaped. The building was torn down and a new jail built in the same spot in 1881.

Former Talbot Jail

Not far away is the Talbot County Free Library. This branch of the library has a Frederick Douglass Room with paintings of the man and many of his writings and other artifacts. I visited later in the day but the room was closed.

Talbot County Free Library

The library is one of the places that geocachers can pick up the commemorative coin for finding all the caches. I chatted with the librarians while they went and fetched my coin!

Frederick Douglass Geocaching Trail coin obverse

Frederick Douglass Geocaching Trail coin reverse