Eagle Harbor sits 25 miles south of the Beltway, down Route 5, then through Brandywine and Aquasco, along two-lane country roads dotted with roadkill. A left at the Chalk Point Power Plant leads to Trueman Point Landing at the northern boundary of the town. Once a regular stop for trading ships, the point was probably named for Thomas Trueman, who was granted a patent by Lord Baltimore in 1664. Stories of slave ships sailing up river to Nottingham, selling their cargo to plantation owners who needed help in the tobacco fields, contrast vividly with today's Eagle Harbor, where the predominantly black population, with many retirees, enjoys waterside serenity. It takes less than 10 minutes to stroll the length of Eagle Harbor, and even less to walk the width.
Nature is ever-present.
An eagle glides overhead, carrying sticks to its nest. Turkey vultures hover in waterside trees and spring peepers herald the changing season. Eagle Harbor and the adjoining community of Cedar Haven began modern life in the late 1920s as summertime refuges for blacks who wanted to escape Washington's heat and humidity, but weren't welcome elsewhere. Teachers, carpenters and those who made their living off the water were among those who built the community. Bucking the trend in Prince George's County, Eagle Harbor has seen a recent increase in its white population.