COTTON’S LEGACY

Calvert owes much of its southern charm to the prosperity generated by the cotton industry. Established mid-nineteenth century and named for nearby plantation owner Robert Calvert, this agrarian community took advantage of the arrival of the railroad to provide a rail port for shipping cotton. By 1871, Calvert boasted of having the world’s largest cotton gin. Good fortune prevailed through the end of the 19th century despite floods and a devastating fire that swept the business district. Calvert citizens were inclined to express their prosperity in architecture, a legacy that survives today among the dozens of historic commercial and residential buildings comprising the Calvert Historic District, a nationally registered collection encompassing over thirty blocks. The 1869 Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, still in use today, provides an ideal example of mid-19th century Calvert architecture as does the 1876 Hammond House, which once served as courthouse and jail for the county and now operates as a Bed & Breakfast. Late 19th century works include the 1897 Queen Ann House and the community’s Victorian bandstand, known as the Virginia field Park Pavilion, built in 1895 and still in use as the center for concerts, dances and social gatherings. Heritage travelers may drop by many of the downtown Calvert businesses and pick up a map for a self-guided driving tour of Calvert’s extensive Historic District.