By Dave Ryan

EAST NEW MARKET - East New Market Mayor Caroline Cline died July 8. She was 89.

A fixture in Dorchester County political leadership, Ms. Cline won her 10th two-year term in office in May of 2021.

Tributes were shared among those who knew Ms. Cline and her many years of service to her community.

A statement from the City of Cambridge said, “We send our deepest condolences to the town of East New Market and the friends and family of Mayor Caroline Cline.”

Dorchester County Council Member Lenny Pfeffer posted online, “There was no greater cheerleader for the Town of East New Market than Mayor Cline. She was an avid member of the Dorchester Historical Foundation and loved the rich history of our County and her Town. Rest in Peace Mayor Cline.”

East New Market is one of Maryland’s oldest municipalities, having existed since 1660. In 1975, it became the first municipality in Dorchester County to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

“The link with the past is tremendously important to me,” Ms. Cline said in a previous statement to the Dorchester Department of Tourism. “Our informal motto here in East New Market is, ‘Rooted in the Past, Looking toward the Future.’ I have been involved with the heritage board from its very beginning, before it was even officially recognized by the county in 2002. I think the Heritage Area is the cornerstone of preserving the best elements of the past, which will serve us well in the future.”

Today, East New Market has a population of about 500, down from 1,600 residents in 1900. The decline is due in part to two great fires that occurred in the 1800s and early 1900s. In addition, the construction of the bridge over the Choptank River served to divert traffic that would have been traveling through the town. But the decline in population actually may have come with a silver lining, according to Cline.

“The decline probably helped save a lot of structures because we became like a fly in amber,” Cline said. “There was not a lot of growth, which resulted in the preservation of structures because they were not being used.”

In her statement to Dorchester Department of Tourism, Ms. Cline cited the acquisition of Friendship Park as one of the town’s most recent significant projects. There had been one remaining large block of open space in town, and it was her vision that those 12 acres be developed into a park. The tract was up for development, and a proposal called for 21 houses.

“It was important to preserve the ambiance of this small town,” Cline said. “We applied to the state for re-purposing it and received a large grant for that. We also got funding from Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and many private donors. So now that beautiful, open track is known as Friendship Park. I saw this as becoming, not just a park, but a gathering place for our small town. People have birthday parties at Friendship Hall. We have an annual community day that draws people from all over the area. It has been a wonderful thing for the town.”

Friendship Park includes the Storybook Trail, which was supported by the Dorchester County Health Department. The popular Little Free Library is on this site, as well as a children’s playground there. The town received a state community parks and playgrounds grant of $160,300, which will be used for exercise equipment for adults.

Ms. Cline’s contributions to local life will long be remembered, especially by those who live in her beloved town, enjoying the atmosphere and amenities she worked to preserve and create.

“Such a great loss,” Mike Starling posted online. “Such a great lady who gave so much.”

Ms. Cline’s funeral service will be held Saturday, July 16, at 11 a.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in East New Market.