North Point State Park

Park History

North Point has been continuously farmed for almost 350 years, with evidence of human occupation dating back almost 9,000 years. During the War of 1812, local militia skirmished with British troops seeking to invade Baltimore. The British route to Baltimore passed through the present-day park and is known today as the Defenders Trail.

Bay Shore Park PostcardDuring the first half of the 20th century, a small part of the park was the site of the Bay Shore Amusement Park. Built in 1906, Bay Shore was a bustling and attractive park offering recreation and relaxation in a setting of gardens, pathways and Edwardian architecture. The park included a dance hall, bowling alley, restaurant and a 1000-ft. pier jutting out into the Chesapeake Bay. Bay Shore Park was accessible by trolley from Baltimore.

Bay Shore Park was demolished in the late 1940s when Bethlehem Steel bought the land. The property was acquired by Maryland Department of Natural Resources in 1987 to provide resource protection and limited access to the bay.