In 1733, by an act of Maryland’s General Assembly, twenty-five acres of David Brown’s “Beckford” plantation were purchased and divided into thirty equal-sized lots, with Bridge Street (now Somerset Avenue) serving as the main north-south thoroughfare. Thus was established the town of Princess Anne, named for the 24-year-old daughter of King George II. The town was located at a narrow point, known as the “wading place,” on the Manokin River, on land that was “well elevated and conveniently suited” for a centrally located town in Somerset County. It became the county seat in 1742.
