River recreation and rural peace define life in Quantico
Quantico, Maryland, is a rural community wedged between the Nanticoke and Wicomico rivers. Locals can spend their days fishing at riverside parks and kayaking through cordgrass-covered marshland. Besides commercial farms, a lively waterfront bar and a few ferry stops, there isn’t much else in this Worcester County town. But with Salisbury, the Eastern Shore’s biggest city, less than 10 miles east, Quantico isn’t completely secluded. “People move here because it’s quiet without being remote,” says Jennifer Whittington, a Realtor with Long & Foster Real Estate, who has also sold several homes in the area. “You can drive to the city within 15 minutes and get to massive hunting areas just as quickly.”
Quantico has farmland and waterfront homes
Quantico’s oldest homes include Colonial Revivals, bungalows and farmhouses dating back to the 1800s and 1900s. Mid-20th-century ranch styles and early 2000s new traditionals are also common. Some properties are working farms, with wheat and corn crops. Houses on the water typically have boat slips or fishing piers. The median single-family home price is around $290,000, which is slightly lower than Salisbury’s median. Heavy rainfall and tropical storms can cause the Nanticoke and Wicomico rivers to overflow, so homes near these waterways may require flood insurance. Quantico’s CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, the lowest possible score.
The Nanticoke and Wicomico rivers have fishing, boating and hiking spots
“You won’t meet anybody here who doesn’t own a fishing pole or a kayak,” Whittington says. Tyaskin Park on the Nanticoke River has a wooden fishing pier and a small sand beach. After launching a boat at Wetipquin Park, boaters can cruise across the Nanticoke to reach the Fishing Bay Wildlife Management Area, Maryland’s largest protected wetland. Its 29,000 acres are popular for hunting deer, ducks and geese. Green Hill Country Club has an 18-hole golf course on the Wicomico River. Kids can run around the woodland-themed playground at Pirate’s Wharf Park, another Wicomico River recreation space. The park is also home to a 2-mile looped trail dotted with signage detailing the Eastern Shore’s past as a center for crabbing, oystering and agriculture.
Students go to Wicomico County Public Schools
Wicomico County Public Schools serve Quantico. The district earns a B grade from Niche and educates around 15,000 students with a 12-to-1 student-teacher ratio. The University of Maryland operates the Lower Eastern Shore Research and Education Center's Poplar Hill Facility at the town's core. The 214-acre campus sits along a Nanticoke River prong and has several greenhouses, farm plots and labs. Salisbury University is less than 10 miles east, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore is 20 miles in the same direction.
Locals enjoy crab and cocktails at The Red Roost
The Red Roost has been around since the ‘70s and is the only restaurant in town. “It’s got the vibe of a beach town bar, except it’s not on the beach,” Whittington says. Parchment paper covers picnic tables inside the main barn-style restaurant, where patrons enjoy unlimited steamed blue crab, hushpuppies and corn on the cob. After dinner, a van drives people down to the dockside bar, known for its frozen daiquiris and views of the Wicomico River. Salisbury is home to the closest grocery stores, the TidalHealth Peninsula Regional hospital and the Salisbury Regional Airport.
Ferries take cars across the Wicomico River
Quantico is a car-dependent community with state Route 349 leading directly to Salisbury. Drivers can take their cars on one of the Wicomico River ferries to get around the area. “Ferry rides shave about 20 minutes off of driving time when you’re trying to get over or around the river,” Whittington says. The Whitehaven Ferry provides service to the small fishing village of Mount Vernon, while the Upper Ferry goes to and from the rural Eden area. The ferries don’t operate if the tide is too low, but locals can call a hotline beforehand to check if service is currently available.
