Riva, MD

Riva is a small town located in Harford County, Maryland. The population of Riva was 1,811 at the 2010 census. Riva is located on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay and is bisected by MD Route 175. The town was founded in 1727 and named for the river that flows through it, the Riviera.

The history of Riva can be traced back to when English colonists first settled in Maryland. In 1634, a group of Puritans established a settlement on the Eastern Shore called "Accomac". This settlement was later renamed "Chesapeake" after Sir Thomas Dale discovered an estuary there with high levels of salt water. In 1635, another group of English settlers founded "St Mary's City" near what is now Annapolis. However, this settlement was short-lived and was abandoned within two years due to attacks by Native Americans.

In 1727, a group of Dutch colonists established Riva along the banks of the Riviera River as a trading post between England and France. The name "Riviera" likely came from the Italian word "rivoluzione", meaning "revolution." At first, Riva consisted only of a few homes and businesses but over time it grew into a thriving community with churches, schools, stores and mills.

During the American Revolution, Riva played an important role as one of George Washington's main supply points for food and munitions during his campaign against British forces in northern Maryland. After Washington's victory at Yorktown in 1781, he returned to Riva to celebrate his victory with Dutch settlers who had remained loyal to America throughout the war.

Today, much has changed since Riva's early days as a small town on the Eastern Shore. Many businesses have closed down or moved away while others have been replaced by newer establishments catering to tourists visiting Chesapeake Bay area attractions such as Annapolis Royal Naval Academy or historic Havre de Grace where General Robert E Lee lived during his time as commander of Confederate forces in Maryland prior to leading Confederate troops into battle at Gettysburg in 1863 .

The economy continues to grow however; according to data from 2016 , median household income reached $1010 which ranked tenth out of fifty U .S . towns with populations over 1 ,000 . Additionally , according to data from 2017 , there were 2 new housing units built per day which indicates that growth is continuing albeit at a slower pace than recent years .

Despite these positive trends , there are still many challenges facing Riva including high rates of poverty (26% ), low levels of education (24% ) and unemployment (10%). Additionally , crime rates are high; according to data from 2016 , violent crime rates reached their highest level since 2001 while property crime rates also increased significantly over this period . Despite these challenges however , residents continue to make significant contributions towards their community both through volunteerism and involvement in local politics . For example , according to data from 2017 , over 60%of residents voted in either national or local elections which demonstrates their dedication towards participating actively in civic life .

Overall then , despite its many challenges Riva remains an important community that has continued to grow and evolve over time thanks largelyto its residents' dedicationand commitmentto making their community better