Church Creek is located approximately six miles south of Cambridge.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.34 square miles (0.88 km2), all land.

[4] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

Popular tradition maintains that Church Creek predates Cambridge, Maryland as the earliest settlement in Dorchester County, and was first established at some point before 1684 under the name Dorchester Town and then White Haven.

[13] The first major industry in Church Creek was shipbuilding, established at some point before 1767, which took advantage of surrounding forests plentiful with white oak and pine.

[14] Toward the end of the 19th century, regional deforestation resulted in a downturn in the wooden shipbuilding industry.

This adversely affected the industrial prosperity of Church Creek, and the population subsequently declined.

[10] The economy of Church Creek has historically benefited from human traffic due to the town's location at the crossroads of Taylor's Island Road (Route 16) and Church Creek-Golden Hill Road (Route 335).

During the first half of the twentieth century, the residents of Church Creek maintained eight or nine general stores.

[17] Instead, private organizations, such as the northern American Missionary Association, spearheaded the raising and allocation of money throughout Maryland.

[17] The fifth African-American county school was established in Church Creek on September 27, 1865 under the care of Mary S. Osbourne, with a total enrollment of thirty-two students.

In October and November 1865, arsonists destroyed African-American schools in Millington, Edesville, and Kent County.

[19] Though the school at Church Creek was not attacked, it did encounter local antagonism.

In December 1865, a group of Church Creek residents held an "indignation meeting" to organize and communicate their opposition to the African-American school and its teacher, Mary S.