Mark’s Score 8.1
Each year, hundreds of thousands of people pass through Trappe on the way to and from the shore. Sadly, few people take the time to stop in Trappe. Which is a shame, because it would only take a few minutes and Trappe is a quintessential rural town. I like to explore when I travel, I too used to just pass by Trappe, but one day I was passing though at lunch time so I stopped to grab a sandwich at Coffee Trappe, and I am so glad I did.
Trappe began inauspiciously as a small farming community in the late 1600s, and was named Trappe in the early 1800s. Local legend holds that the town was named after a failed monastery organized by Trappist monks. I doubt this story is true as Trappe was a common town name on the eastern shore. In fact, there were so many Trappes the USPS required Allen, MD to change its name to Allen from Trappe in the late 1800s. Whatever the origin of the name the town was officially incorporated in 1827. Surrounded by lush farmland, Trappe became a center for the growing of tomatoes, peaches, and corn.
Farming still plays a large role in the economy of the town. My favorite way to enter Trappe is via White Marsh Road from Oxford. Because this road takes you through some of the most bucolic countryside on the eastern shore. The ten-mile (16K) ride from Oxford will take you past sorghum and corn fields, alternating between beautiful stands of old growth forest. As you approach Trappe you pass through majestic cornfields gently waving in the heat of the summer sun.
The fields end abruptly at White Marsh Elementary School where you turn, right on Main Street to head toward the center of town. A short distance down Main Street you come to a four-way stop and you are suddenly in the heart of Trappe. On this corner you will find Momma Maria’s, in my view, one of the best restaurants on the Eastern Shore. Across the street is a brick Revival bank building that now houses Coffee Trappe. Driving past Coffee Trappe down Main Street, you enter the historic center of Trappe. Trappe is small, the entire town runs along Main Street for less than a mile.
Though there is only the one street, is chock-a-block from end to end lined with stately Victorian houses. Half way down Main Street is the charming St Paul’s Episcopal Church. Next door to the church is Veterans Memorial Park which includes a large gazebo built in 2012.
If you follow Main Street south for just a few blocks more it connects with Rte. 50, and you can be on your way. Now you could just stay on 50 and ignore Trappe altogether, that is what most people do. But if you appreciate the countryside and the beauty of small town America, then you would be wrong to give Trappe a miss, and that would be a real shame, because you need only spend a few minutes and take a short detour to appreciate an historic village, that still embodies the historical charm of rural Maryland.
Places rated in or near Trappe
| Rating Date | Place | Category | Score |
| 2025 Sep | Momma Maria | Restaurant | 9.37 |
| 2025 Sep | Coffee Trappe | Restaurant | 8.37 |
Places reviewed in or near Trappe
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