The Historical Society of Cecil County Blog

Cecil County Historical Society Blog Moves to New Address

2011-09-05T22:27:00.002-04:00

About a year ago, the Society moved to a new address on the Internet and that is www.cecilhistory.org. For about a year, we've maintained both sites but a month ago we pulled the plug on the old site, one we'd occupied since 1996. As part of the transition, we've moved the blog to its new home at

www.cecilhistory.org/blog.

Be sure to follow the latest news from the Society at that address.

Society Closed for 2011 Labor Day Holiday

2011-09-03T11:01:00.001-04:00

The Society is closed Saturday, Sept. 3 and Monday, Sept. 5 for the Labor Day holiday

Tome Student Helps Society Make Expanded Yearbook Collection Available to Patrons

2011-08-28T20:07:00.003-04:00

For years the Society has worked to build a large collection of yearbooks as these volumes, which call up memories from decades ago, make valuable research resources for individuals working on a family or local history project. Cover-to-cover there are portraits of each student, plenty of anecdotes, brief essays, highlighting specific memories, advertising, photos of activities, and school antics while many contain hand written notes to teachers and friends.

Since a large run of these titles has been assembled at the society and they span a considerable part of the 20^th century, they are yet another valuable resource researchers can turn to. We are fortunate to have such a large records group, which now consists of 308 Cecil County volumes. Tome School issued the oldest title we hold in 1906, while many of the public high schools started publishing the annuals in the 1940s.

Nate Schwartz volunteered this summer to reorganize the collection, update our inventory, and create a finding aid. The Tome School sophomore has carefully repositioned the volumes, updated the holdings records, and is now beginning to enter the titles in PastPerfect, software for managing museum collections. The Society appreciates Nate’s work and researchers will find it valuable as they are now easily able to determine the current status of our holdings. Click here to see the finding aid, Nate created and determine if we have something that will help you with your investigation.

The core of the collection came about when retired Cecil County educator, A. Rebecca Smith, having taught in the school system from 1935 to 1976, donated 33-years of Elkton High yearbooks to the society, in order to assure they would have a permanent home. After that another volunteer, Kyle Dixon, worked to expand the A. Rebecca Smith Collection and obtain volumes from all the schools in the county, with a goal of creating a complete runs of the titles. It’s a project we’re still working on and Nate has moved it to the next level, as we continue to seek volumes to fill the gaps. Thanks Nate.

Research Library Closed Monday, Aug. 29, as Area Recovers from Passage of Hurricane Irene

2011-08-28T19:56:00.000-04:00

The Society's library and museum are closed Monday as the area recovers from the passage of Hurricane Irene.

Society Closed This Saturday as Hurricane Irene Approaches the Area

2011-08-26T21:12:00.000-04:00

With Hurricane Irene working its way toward the lower Delmarva Peninsula, severe weather warnings are up for Cecil County. As a result the Historical Society will not be open this Saturday.

Team Digitizes Centuries Old Funeral Home Records, From One of the Two Undertaking Establishments in Cherry Hill

2011-07-30T22:28:00.004-04:00

Two Historical Society of Cecil County volunteers, Billie Todd and Evelyn Wekke, are pouring over aging business ledgers from the Grant Funeral Home of Cherry Hill. Scanning the old, yellowing pages they meticulously extract information on deaths from the undertaker’s account books, cataloging information about the people whom W. J. Grant buried, including names, family ties and key biographical data.

Evelyn reads the fading handwriting penned in these volumes by the mortician from the late 1880s until the 1920s, as the Society’s resident genealogist, Billie, inputs the data into a spreadsheet. Once they finish this task, one that requires painstaking care, and attention to detail, they will digitize the images of these century old pages that document the services Grant provided for the burials and their work will be made available on the Society’s website. This efficient team has done other demonstration projects of this nature, linking web based data with the high quality images. Their effort makes valuable family history research materials accessible to patrons of the Historical Society.

Cherry Hill had two funeral homes. William J Grant operated one business, which his son, Joseph R., moved the North East in 1922. Alfred T. Abernathy, the other undertaker, died in 1934. His wife continued the business, according to newspaper accounts.

The Heat Wave of 1969, Captured by Jim Cheeseman

2011-07-24T10:02:00.002-04:00

The scorching summer heat has made outdoor activities nearly unbearable for a few days now, and people are coping with the tropical conditions in a variety of ways. Late Saturday afternoon, families’ crowded tables at Betterton Beach, enjoying outdoor picnics while hopefully catching a cooling breeze from the Chesapeake Bay. Elsewhere people outside quickly scattered for whatever shade they could find and restaurants were crowded.

When Cecil County was hit by a tropical wave of heat and humidity over 40 years ago, Cecil Whig photographer Jim Cheeseman was out taking pictures for the weekly newspaper. He caught this one of a young-man attempting to escape the heat of 1969 by resting briefly in a self-serve ice-box at a business in the county seat. Elkton had a National Weather Service Observation Station from 1927 to 1976, by-the-way. H. Wirt Bouchell, the local weatherman, recorded the highs and lows every day for nearly 50 years and the highest reading he recorded in Elkton was 106-degrees on July 10, 1936.

We have thousands of Jim's photos so be sure to check those out when you visit the Society, as week by week he captured the happenings in Cecil County for the paper.

Society Closes on Tuesday Evenings for Summer

2011-07-10T14:36:00.000-04:00

During June, July and August, the Society will not be open on Tuesday evening. All other hours remain the same. Click here for operatng schedule.

First Emergency Responder to Arrive on Scene of 1963 Plane Crash Recalls Tragic Night

2011-06-26T22:21:00.001-04:00

Lt. Don Hash (Retired) of the Maryland State Police, the first emergency responder to arrive on the scene of the plane crash east of Elkton on December 8, 1963, recently talked to the Historical Society about his recollections of that dark, stormy night in a Maryland cornfield where 81-people perished

On a stormy December Sunday evening in 1963, Maryland State Trooper Don Hash, a 23 or 24 year-old rookie one year out of the academy, was cruising northbound on Route 213 near Brantwood Golf Course. As an unusual late fall thunderstorm rolled across Cecil County, heavy rain pelted the patrol car when a powerful bolt of lightning in the shape of a wishbone suddenly came out of low hanging clouds, illuminating the area. One or two seconds after that a large airplane enshrouded in an orange glow flew out of the cloud. The doomed craft continued in flight for 10 to 15 seconds before a wing fell off and the plane nosed straight down into the ground. Trooper Hash radioed to alert the barrack as he raced toward the crash site, somewhere east of Elkton near the state line.

Don, who would retire from the Maryland State Police as a Lieutenant, talked to us on June 9, 2011, about his experience that troubling, unforgettable dark night in a Maryland cornfield. He was the first emergency responder to arrive on the scene. “I could see flames on Delancy Road,” he recalled as he neared the crash site. “It wasn’t a large fire. It was several smaller fires. A fuselage with about 8 or 10 window frames was about the only large recognizable piece I could see when I pulled up. It was just a debris field. It didn’t resemble an airplane. The engines were buried in the ground 10 to 15-feet from the force of the impact.”

By this time everyone was mobilizing. The state police called for troopers from other barracks to help the three troopers covering the county that evening. In a few minutes the fire company arrived and during the next hour officers from throughout the state started arriving on the scene to help. Trooper Hash stayed on the crash scene throughout that long stormy night until he was relieved the next morning.

Click here to hear part of the interview with Lt. Hash (retired).

Society Welcomes Two Family History Groups to Cecil County in June 2011

2011-06-19T21:04:00.003-04:00

Photo Coutesy of Mount Harmon: The heritage Troupe performs at Mount Harmon

Early this morning in downtown Elkton, a bunch of characters were hanging out in the vicinity of the Historical Society. The buzz around the Main Street crowd was unusual for a Saturday, and when passersby took a closer look at this gaggle curiosity was peaked even more. The eccentrics were dressed as if they stepped out of aother era. Some men in tricorn hats were styled just right for the 18^th century. A finely and properly dressed lady and gentlemen were out of the 2^nd-half of the 19^th century and children were scampering around in colonial garb.

This early morning crowd was actually the Cecil County Heritage Troupe, a volunteer group sponsored by county tourism, closer investigation revealed. The company formed in the 1990s to entertain and inform audiences in a different way by taking them back in time to centuries old happenings right here in northeastern Maryland. During lively skits, they tell the county’s story theatrically as skits about the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and much more unfold for attentive audiences.

They were at the Historical Society to welcome about 50 visitors to the county, the Teague family History Group. The Teague association traveled from around the country to visit here as part of an annual family get together. And they were in for a treat as they chatted with Zebulon Hollingsworth, Judge Sample, Kitty Knight, other important people, and children who lived through these troubling times.

Soon after being welcomed to the Society by librarian Carol Donache the visitors to our historic region were treated to an excellent stage show about the history of the county by these fine performers. It was great to see Zebulon Hollingsworth return to the stage for he keeps things rolling along with some history, plenty of humor, and the best interplay with an audience you’re ever going to see. But there was Judge Sample, too. The old man, present when the enemy attacked Cecil County, recalled those troubling days when the cry the British are coming, the British are coming frightened citizens. Kitty Knight told her story about confronting the British, and there was a dramatic skit as local citizens and children worried and argued about the upcoming Revolution War.

For an hour or so this morning some of the most interesting people from our past, individuals with stories of dramatic times were hanging around downtown welcoming visitors to this place with so many historical connections. The Troupe does an excellent job and has great performers, taking our visitors on a fun filled and enjoyable trip to the past.

A week earlier another Descendants of Valentine Hollingsworth were at the Society for their annual reunion, so it’s been a busy time in Elkton for visitors making our county a destination because of our past and the institutions that are working as our heritage-keepers.

Old Building Caught Up In Discussion About Demoliton by Elkton Officials Yields Up Some Interesting Archeaological Features From Earlier Era

2011-06-03T16:59:00.001-04:00

You never know what kind of buried treasures might turn upwhen someone starts digging around older parts of Elkton. Many parking areas, streets, and buildings lots have yielded relics that were tossed aside and buried long ago. It’s been that way for centuries as people are often astonished after unearthing Revolutionary War and War of 1812 artifacts. Beyond projectiles of war, the soil yields up relics of everyday living including old building foundations, architectural elements, bottles, coins, ceramics, buttons, and arrow-heads. One bona-fide archaeological dig produced Spanish coins, stoneware from prehistoric peoples, and human bones from an aboriginal burial ground.

These archaeological discoveries put the spotlight on a dimly illuminated part of Cecil County’s history as our written record here is strong so we know lots about that extended period. But in earlier times, as the manuscripts grow weaker, we have to depend on archeology to help puzzle out the past. So whenever a contractor starts digging deep into the earth in some of the oldest parts of the county seat, one has to wonder what’s being unearthed. Some of those discarded materials would help us solve historical mysteries since our soil is crammed with lots of artifacts that have been buried for centuries.

The exposure of some fascinating architectural elements of a building being demolished this past week at 124 and 124 ½ E. Main Street is what brought this subject up. The frame commercial, vernacular structure that stood on the property circa 1880, replaced a much earlier building. Once it was torn
down, some below Main Street elements became visible from Howard Street. On the west side of the frontage lot was an attractive arched brick structure, which probably supported something heavy such as a multistory fireplace, from an earlier period (see photo). On the east side was another
opening under Main Street.

A few weeks ago, unidentified town officials decided to rush through the governmental bureaucracy a request to tear down the late 19^thcentury vernacular structure, bypassing the town’s procedural requirements. As it turned out in this instance, just as it has in other cases, the decision to ignore municipal regulations simply made it far more complicated than necessary. Officials
had to stop the contractor’s work so everyone could back up and go through the regulatory steps enumerated by Elkton ordinances. When they stepped back to address the requirements, the historic district board approved the demolition in a split vote, only requiring that an “attractive fence” be installed on Main Street as it was unclear what the future held for the parcel.

: Main Street area in 1858

This is a property that is connected with some of the municipality’s earliest development so one never knows what types of surprising artifacts are waiting to be found and how they will yield insight to the past. Whenever an archaeological study is done around Elkton, the investigators frequently find historical secrets in the ground. The key is there is a lot of stuff we don’t know about that’s buried under Elkton soil. Hopefully officials, in their rush to restore the downtown, will think about archeology as a minimum, though we also suggest they require some minimal examination of properties being considered for demolition. Presentation of data concerning a site will help everyone make an informed decision and document the basics on the parcel's history, as a minimum.

Chautauqua 2011: A House Divided, the American Civil War Coming to North East July 8 – 10

2011-05-23T22:12:00.002-04:00

As a border state, Maryland played a critical role in the Civil War, and beginning in 2011, the Maryland Humanities Council (MHC), regional historic sites, museums and other cultural organizations throughout the state will be observing the Civil War Sesquicentennial.

As part of this remembrance, MHC’s 2011 Chautauqua living history series will feature three key figures of the Civil War: Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman and Jefferson Davis.
Maryland was truly a state divided, with slaves and free blacks living in the same community, families split politically and emotionally between the North and South and political and military leaders in both camps. The Sesquicentennial gives us an opportunity to reflect on this pivotal period in our state and nation’s history and to consider what unites us and what divides us today.

Abraham Lincoln will be portrayed by Chautauqua veteran Jim Getty. Lincoln, our 16th president, led our country through its greatest internal crisis and is remembered as the savior of the American union and “The Great Emancipator.”

Harriet Tubman, brought to life by Chautauqua and Speakers Bureau presenter Gwendolyn Briley-Strand, was born a slave in Dorchester County, Maryland. Known as “The Moses of Her People,” she led scores of slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad and served as a union spy during the Civil War.

Jefferson Davis will be portrayed by another returning Chautauqua favorite, Doug Mishler. A fervent defender of Southern whites’ “right” to own slaves and an advocate of slavery’s expansion, Davis broke from the Union after deciding that Lincoln’s election might lead to its being further restricted or even abolished. Davis believed that peaceful secession was legal under the U.S. Constitution. He served as president of the Confederacy throughout the war.

Our 17th summer Chautauqua will take place July 5–13 in six regions throughout the state: Baltimore County, Cecil County, Charles County, Garrett County, Montgomery County and Talbot County.
Join us for these free events and engage in spirited conversation with celebrated figures from the past.

2011 Chautauqua schedule by date
Click here for more information

2011 Chautauqua Sponsors
Chautauqua would not be possible without the generous sponsorship of the organizations and individuals listed below, nor donors to our annual fund. Thank you to them and to you for your continued support!
Chautauqua in North East is sponsored by Cecil County Arts Council, Cecil County Tourism, and Delmarva Power

Window on Cecil County's Past

2011-04-02T13:28:00.000-04:00

By James R. Koterski

Clay deposits played a major role in the economy of by-gone Cecil County. Some were mined and shipped out-of-state while others provided the key raw material to potters and firebrick makers. Wheel-thrown redware and stoneware were fired in kilns at Rising Sun, Brick Meeting House, NorthEast and Rock Springs. Meanwhile some Delaware and Pennsylvania potters relied on the county’s clays to turn their pots. The names of some potters like William Carter and Eli Haines were virtually unknown until this book traced the role this craft played in their lives. An exquisite harvest jug fashioned by Carter in 1847 survives today. Other names – Remmey, Grier, Hare, Magee, Brown and Schofield – are much more recognizable to today’s collectors and historians, yet in many cases, connections to Cecil County were unknown or incomplete.

Commercial firebrick operations were attracted by the abundance of kaolin-based clays. Some were short-lived while others carried on for decades. Most companies like Cecil, North East, Wakefield, Green Hill and United molded and fired these refractory bricks around the town of North East.

Potters and Firebrick Makers of Cecil County, Maryland, and Nearby is illustrated with over 100 images, nearly half in color. Spanning 140 pages and 8.5” X 11” in size, this book was built from numerous newspaper accounts, land records, family histories and pottery collections. It provides a valuable window to the past and deserves the widespread interest from fans of local history and pottery enthusiasts and collectors alike.

Available From History in Print, P.O. Box 185, Mendenhall, PA 19357, (610) 388-6836; fairhill3@aol.com $30.00

Library Holiday Calendar Announced for 2011

2011-02-23T16:39:00.000-05:00

Lbary Holiday Closings 2011

January 3 Society reopens

January 17 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Society closed

February 21 Presidents’ Day, Society closed

May 30 Memorial Day, Society closed

July 2 Independence Day weekend, Society closed

July 4 Independence Day, Society closed

Sept. 3 Labor Day weekend, Society closed

Sept. 5 Labor Day, Society closed

Oct. 10 Columbus Day (observed), Society closed

Nov. 24 Thanksgiving Day, Society closed

Nov. 26 Thanksgiving weekend, Society closed

Dec. 20-Jan. 1 Christmas-New Year’s, Society closed

Jan. 2 Society reopens

Watch the news section of our web site for press releases on specific activities and updates on the Society schedule.

Snow Closing Policy: Whenever Cecil County schools and/or Cecil College are closed, anticipate that the Society is closed.

Merry Christmas from the Historical Society of Cecil County

2010-12-25T22:20:00.001-05:00

As we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, we share two photos from the 1970s holidays in Cecil County. These two images are from the Jim Cheeseman collection, a photo journalist who donated over 10,000 images to the Society.

In the top photo Santa takes a break while working at a Cecil County Dept. Store, while in the lower image he's arriving in downtown Elkton in the 1970s

Rising Sun 150th Anniversary Title Available From Historical Society

2010-12-07T18:24:00.002-05:00

As a year filled with exciting events celebrating the 150th anniversary of Rising Sun draws to a close, a new book about the event and the community’s past just came off the press. This commemorative volume, Rising Sun, MD 150th Anniversary, is loaded with informative articles that chronicle the town’s past and features stories about its people, businesses and organizations.

“In putting together this commemorative book, we have tried to bridge the gap between the Centennial Book time frame and the Sesquicentennial time frame,” Mayor Sandi Didra recalled an earlier title that was published in 1960. “We have also summarized much of the material from the first book.”

It was a large task to produce this attractive work. But for nearly a year writers and photographers have been reaching out to residents to gather information for the volume. Speaking of that challenge, Ed Belote, the publisher said: “. . . . A massive amount of human effort was invested in putting this book together and we have all become a part of Rising Sun history. Fifty years from now, when our children and grandchildren come together to create the 20t0h anniversary celebration book for Rising Sun, I hope they have as much fun doing it as we had.”

This attractively illustrated limited edition volume loaded with original local content is something we’ll keep proudly at hand in our library. The title retails for $20 (plus tax) is available from the Historical Society.

Society Holidays Hours

2010-12-07T17:38:00.001-05:00

The Society will close for the holidays starting on Dec. 21. We reopen on Jan 3, 2011

Author of War of 1812 Title Talks About County During the War During Annual Meeting

2010-12-07T17:33:00.001-05:00

Dr. Ralph Eshelman, one of the authors of a newly published Johns Hopkins University title, the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake, was the guest speaker for the annual Historical Society of Cecil County meeting on October 18th. The War of 1812 scholar spent years investigating sites connected with the conflict in Maryland, including Cecil County sites.

In a lively and engaging talk, the distinguished historian shared his findings about the history of the War of 1812 in Cecil County with the 80 members attending the annual event At the Chesapeake Inn. No theater of war suffered more than the Chesapeake Bay region, where 11 battles, 63 skirmishes, and 86 raids took place, he remarked. Several of those incidents took place right here in Cecil County. “Elkton and St. Michaels share the distinction of turning the British back twice.” He highlighted some of the history we don’t recognize here in the county as he continued, while also swiftly dispatching a few our cherished myths.

Dr. Eshelman was the director of the Calvert Marine Museum in Maryland from 1974 to 1990. In 1974 he received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. The widely published maritime and military history lecturer was also a research associate at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. In addition he served as a consulting historian on the War of 1812 on the Chesapeake for the Maryland Historical Trust and the National Park Service.

Authored by the regions foremost scholars on the war, Dr. Eshelman, Scott S. Sheads, National Park Service Historian, and Professor Donald D. Hickey, this title will serve as the definitive work on the war in the Chesapeake region, including Cecil County. The research in this encyclopedia title surpasses any body of material brought together on this matter and it is supported by primary documents including diaries, journals, and newspaper articles. The Society has added this well researched title to our library for it’ll get lots of use as planning continues for the celebration and it gives us a comprehensive volume of verified facts. Page after page is loaded with facts about incidents in Cecil and Harford counties, as well as throughout the state.

While this title is going to earn its keep in the library, there are a number of other works that are helpful too. But one additional manuscript is in the works. Authored by Ron Turner, it specifically deals with the War of 1812 on the Upper Chesapeake. Ron, a professional writer and journalist, wrote the draft a few years ago for the Roundtable and we’ve had an opportunity glance at this fine piece which focuses on Harford and Cecil. It is our understanding that this local title will be published and available to the public as a detailed local source of information, as the celebration nears.

Johns Hopkins Press Author, Dr. Eshelman, to Speak on War of 1812 in MD at Annual Historical Society Meeting, Oct. 18

2010-08-22T22:40:00.000-04:00

One of the authors of a newly published Johns Hopkins University title, the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake, will be the guest speaker for the annual Historical Society meeting on October 18th in Chesapeake City. Dr. Ralph Eshelman spent years investigating sites connected with the conflict in Maryland so as the bicentennial of this chapter of our past nears, we’re pleased to have the opportunity to hear the distinguished historian.

His presentation will focus on the campaign in Maryland and our general area. “No state has more battlefields, graves or sites associated with the War,” he noted in a Washington College lecture. “Elkton and St. Michaels share the distinction of turning the British back twice.”

Dr. Eshelman was the director of the Calvert Marine Museum in Maryland from 1974 to 1990. In 1974 he received his Ph.D. in geology and vertebrate paleontology from the University of Michigan. He’s now a research associate at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. He is widely published and lectures on maritime and military history, popular exploration and paleontology. In addition he also served as a consulting historian on the War of 1812 on the Chesapeake for the Maryland Historical Trust and the National Park Service.

The evening program will be held at the Chesapeake Inn in Chesaepake City, MD, start at 6;00 p.m. with dinner on Oct. 18th. Watch for additional information on the evening’s arrangements soon, but keep this important date on your calendar. The author’s book will be available for purchase.

Cecil’s Field of Dreams Coming April 30th

2010-03-30T22:12:00.000-04:00

Cecil County has a long and rich love affair with baseball going back more than a century, with its share of “local boys” making good in the Big Leagues. On Friday, April 30, from 5 to 8 p.m., sports fans of all ages are invited to experience the best years of county baseball all over again as part of “Cecil’s Field of Dreams,” a new exhibit at the Historical Society of Cecil County that celebrates our baseball heritage.

For the exhibit opening, members of the Elkton Eclipse Vintage Base Ball Club will be on hand in their late 1800s-era uniforms to portray players from the sport’s earliest days. The Historical Society will be exhibiting some interesting sports-related items from its extensive collection, featuring team photographs and memorabilia that includes vintage uniforms, autographed items and more.

All county baseball players past and present are invited to come out and reunite and reconnect with former teammates.

“What a great way to relive your baseball glory days with friends and family,” said Paula Newton, president of the Historical Society of Cecil County. “Sports is sometimes overlooked as an important part of our local heritage, which is why we want to make this exhibit a fun learning experience for the whole family.”

County resident James Crothers will be discussing his new book “History of the Rising Sun Little League” and signing copies. (This book was excerpted recently in the Historical Society’s publication, The Inkwell.)

Drawings will be held for Blue Rocks tickets and baseball cards, and there will be free Cracker Jacks, hot dogs and peanuts for hungry baseball fans.

This event is free and open to the public. The Historical Society of Cecil County is located at 135 E. Main Street, Elkton, Md. For more information, please call the Historical Society at 410-398-1790 or email info@cchistory.org. Visit the Historical Society online at http://www.cchistory.org/

Cecil's Field of Dreams an Exhibit Showcasing the History of Baseball in Cecil Co. Opens April 30th.

2010-03-22T21:00:00.005-04:00

(Click on image for a better view)

Kermit Deboard Scholarship Fund

2010-03-17T21:59:00.002-04:00

The Society will be awarding the Kermit DeBoard Scholarship Award, a $500 grant to a high school senior showing outstanding archivement in history who plans to pursue a degree in American history or a related field of study. Kermit DeBoard, a local history enthusiast, was a founding member of a group called the Round Table -- a group interested in learning about and promoting local history in Cecil county. When Mr. DeBoard recently died the Round Table was disbanded and donated their remaining funds to other local history organizations. The Society was asked to be the steward and create and administer a scholarship fund in Kermit Deboard's memory. High School students in Cecil County public schools interested in applying should see their guidance counselors.

Click here to obtain more information, including the application form

Honeymoon Express Program, Sat., Feb 13 Cancelled as Recovery From Feb. Blizzard Continues

2010-02-11T20:58:00.000-05:00

The program scheduled for Feb. 13, the Honeymoon Express, has been cancelled as a result of the February blizzard. The program will be rescheduled in a few months.

Genealogy Basics Workshop, Jan. 16

2010-01-04T19:35:00.002-05:00

While you have your snow shovel out this winter, think about digging up a little history with the Historical Society of Cecil County’s winter programs. You can start digging at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 16 by uncovering your roots with a program entitled ”Getting Started With Your Family history: An Introduction to Genealogy.”
This three-hour workshop will introduce you to the basics of genealogical research. You will learn about the online resources available to you , as well as the records at our local historical society and the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The Society has access to records and databases you might not know about.

This workshop is intended for everyone even if you don’t have Cecil County family roots. The workshop is free for members of the Society and is $5 for non-members. The program will be held at the historical Society at 135 E. Main Street, Elkton.

Death Certificates added to Web Site

2009-12-27T21:12:00.004-05:00

Evelyn Wekke and Billie Todd, two of our volunteers, have digitized a number of our collections over the past few years and Evelyn recently completed another one. This time it is death certificates from the 1940s and 1950s. It joins earlier work the two had done with death certificates from the 1920s - 1940s and burial permits from 1906 to 1912. (Evelyn is shown at right working in the library.) These products can be accessed by clicking on the link here.

A Free Program: When the Marriage Industry Thrived in Elkton - Feb. 13

2009-12-13T15:23:00.002-05:00

Cecil's Past for Ms Litzenberg's Class

2009-11-22T22:45:00.002-05:00

Book Features Details About Powerful World War II Era Bainbridge Naval Training Center Football Team

2009-09-26T16:24:00.003-04:00

Wilbur D. Jones, Jr., the author of “Football! Navy! War! How Military ‘Lend-Lease’ Players Saved the College Game and Helped Win World War II“ will speak about his new title and sign books at the Historical Society of Cecil County on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 1:00 p.m. While highlighting the Navy’s role in preserving the game and football’s impact on national morale and the war effort during the 1940s, it has a significant local angle. One of the star players, “Choo-Choo” Charlie Justice trained at the Bainbridge Naval Training Center.

During World War II, the U. S. military and colleges joined forces, fielding competitive teams to prepare men for combat. The book highlights the Department of the Navy’s role in preserving the game and football’s impact on national morale and the war effort through their “Lend-Lease” to colleges of officer candidates, including All-America and professional players. It describes wartime college and military football.

From a local perspective, the book features details about the powerful Bainbridge Naval Training Center teams of 1943-45, whom Jones rates as the No. 1 military wartime team. Bainbridge opened in 1942 as a boot camp and advanced training station, and closed in early 1970’s. The center was located at the Jacob Tome Institute at Port Deposit. This is a major previously unpublished work on the history of Cecil County and region during WWII.

“Exciting military games were a diversion from war’s horrors and sacrifices, and they helped boost bond sales and home front morale for civilians and the military,” Jones writes. His book covers such games as Great Lakes Navy’s final-minute 19-14 upset over perennial power Notre Dame in 1943 (though the Irish won the national championship anyway). Featured in previously unpublished detail is the sport’s wartime star, teenaged halfback Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice, a kid among the All-Americas and NFL players at Bainbridge Navy and a postwar superstar at North Carolina.

Admiral James L. Holloway III (Ret).., 20th Chief of Naval Operaitons and Chairman Emeritus of the Naval Historical Foundation said Football! Navy! War! “is an untold story about the relationship of America’s great game with the armed forces – especially the United States Navy – during this struggle against the Axis powers. As one who fought alongside many of the outstanding athletes that Wilbur Jones portrayed, I can testify how the smash-mouth tactics of the gridiron were applied in the waters and archipelagoes of the Western Pacific. The book is a must-have for any patriot and fan of the sport.”

Don Jenkins of Sports Illustrated said: “I’ve been waiting for somebody to do this book and preserve these treasured college football memories, and now Wilbur Jones has done it – and done splendidly.”

The author, Wilbur D. Jones, Jr., is a retired Navy captain with four decades of service. He spent several days in Cecil County working on this project. This free program takes places at the Society’s headquarters at 135 E. Main Street in downtown Elkton. Light refreshments will be served.

Click here to read a full review of this title in the Star News Online (Wilmington, NC)

The Haunted Eastern Shore at Oct. Meeting

2009-08-12T21:40:00.004-04:00

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF CECIL COUNTY
ANNUAL DINNER MEETING
OCTOBER 19, 2009
6:00 P.M.
CHESAPEAKE INN BANQUET ROOM

GUEST SPEAKER – MINDIE BURGOYNE
“HAUNTED EASTERN SHORE: GHOSTLY TALES FROM EAST OF THE CHESAPEAKE”

MUSIC BY BOXTURTLE BOB

The October Dinner Meeting of the Historical Society of Cecil County will be held on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 6:00 P.M. at the Chesapeake Inn Banquet Room, 605 2nd Street, Chesapeake City. Please enter through the Ballroom entrance which is to the right of the restaurant entrance. Please inquire with the valet if you need to use the elevator. There is limited parking so carpooling is suggested.

Our guest speaker will be Mindie Burgoyne who has recently published the book “Haunted Eastern Shore: Ghostly Tales from East of the Chesapeake” Mindie is a native Marylander who currently lives on the Eastern Shore and works for the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. There will be copies of her book for sale at the dinner meeting.

The cost of the dinner is $23.00 per person for members and $25.00 per person for non-members. You may select between Crab Cake or Chicken Marsala. Your meal will include salad, coffee or tea and dessert.

Please send your reservation by mail to the Society, with your check, to Paula Newton, HSCC, 135 E. Main St., Elkton, MD 21921. Please make your check payable to the Historical Society of Cecil County. The deadline for reservations is October 9, 2009. This is a catered dinner making it impossible for us to take late reservations or walk-ins. If you have any questions, please call the Historical Society at 410-398-1790.

Don't forget to list the names of the attendees and their meal selection.

Chautauqua 2009 Coming to Cecil County in July

2009-06-23T20:34:00.004-04:00

"Rights & Reformers" - July 2009

When:4 pm - 6 pm

Where: Perryville Outlet Center, Heather Lane, Perryville, MD

Description: Performers bring important historical personalities and their accomplishments to life, in live, free, summer presentations. This year's theme is "Rights and Reformers". On Friday the 10th, listen to Woody Guthrie celebrate the life of working people in his songs, poetry and prose. On Saturday the 11th, hear how Jackie Robinson dealt with being the first black player in major league baseball. And on Sunday the 12th, see how Eleanor Roosevelt changed both our nation and the world through her commitment to social activism.

Society Wraps Up Spring Meeting With Living HIstory Performance

2009-03-29T17:28:00.003-04:00

Saturday evening, the Society wrapped up its spring meeting. For entertainment, Abby Harding performed in character as Mary Pickersgill the flag lady of Baltimore. In addition, the Society presented the Ernest A. Howard Award to the publishers of Cecil Soil and recognized other special guests, including Vince & Sid LaMonica and Mrs. Letts.

Enjoy the slide show presentation containing photos from the evening.

Publishers of Cecil Soil Receive Prestigious Earnest A. Howard Award

2009-03-28T23:35:00.001-04:00

The Historical Society of Cecil County presented the Ernest A. Howard Award to the publisher of Cecil Soil Magazine, Ed and Carol Belote, at its spring meeting on Saturday, March 28. This prestigious recognition honors individuals who have made a significant contribution to the preservation of the county's historic resources, while facing huge challenges in trying to protect the built environment, save scarce relics, or record folkways. Each and every page of the local publication, completely filled with unique content, captures the area’s history, culture and the arts in a way that no other serial does. In its premiere issue nearly 5 years ago, the publisher said the magazine, which was written by and about the people of the area was "a grass-root forum established to honor and promote the people and businesses."

Ed had a vision about publishing a magazine for the “gentle people of Cecil County” in 2003. Struggling to bring his idea to readers, he had challenges that had to be overcome in a time when start-up publications were under pressure. He had to obtain high-quality local editorial matter to fill pages, get advertising to support the enterprise, make sure circulation was good, and arrange all the back-shop affairs. Somehow at Back Porch Publications, (the name of his holding company), Ed and his wife, Carol, a team of two, overcame many start-up obstacles, at a time when print publications were disappearing.

As Cecil County changes in the first decade of a new century, it is important that our residents, new and old, know about the heritage of the place that is their home. In the short five years, since the premier issue hit the streets, the community has embraced this homegrown periodical, its editorial material focused solely on the county. It is also valued for its website, (www.cecilsoil.com) which received over 255,000 hits in January 2009. Six times a year residents look forward to the arrival of Cecil Soil at their doorsteps, Paula Newton observed. "We thank Ed for his efforts and we look forward to a continued partnership that records time’s passage at the head of the Chesapeake. We also thank Ed for being a strong supporter of the Society."

The award is named after Ernest A. Howard a man who was especially instrumental in helping to build the strong Society of 1,000 members, which serves as the county's heritage-keeper. Born in Childs in 1885, this benefactor of the organization was deeply involved in the successful revival of the nonprofit in the 1950s and served it as historian and editor of the newsletter. He worked tirelessly to preserve local heritage and was active in the restoration of several old churches and others buildings. In 1955 he was a central figure in the establishment of a modern headquarters for the Cecil County library, and he donated a wing to the library in part to provide a home for the Historical Society. Howard passed away in 1973.

The prestigious award is only given to someone who has overcome significant obstacles to preserve our past. It was last awarded to Earl Simmers for the work he did to preserve Gilpin Falls Covered Bridge. As the number of covered bridges in the nation dwindled each year, the 19th-century wooden structures falling victim to flood, fire, and neglect, this local grassroots project involved an effort to preserve Cecil’s own span. It too was threatened by time, inattention, and decay. With only a handful remaining in Maryland, Earl persistently worked to save this most threatened of county resources for it is an irreplaceable reminder of another century and time. Despite the many risks faced by this relic, he never gave up on the structure owned by Cecil County Government. Right now, thanks to Earl's tireless, effort the bridge is being preserved with the help of a federal grant. Without his tireless effort, it was at serious risk of being lost.

Ed remarked that he was delighted to be honored by the Howard award. I know he published lots of Cecil’s history fifty years ago, so it’s exciting for us to be following in those footsteps in the 21st century. “Carol and I are pleased that we have been able to create a growing homegrown product for the county’s readers and advertisers,” Ed added. “It is the stories of the everyday people that make our magazine what it is.” To illustrate, he discussed his premiere issue that featured Vince and Sid LaMonica and the story about Circus Park by 90-year-old Mildred Letts. Both Mrs. Letts and the LaManoicas were on hand to receive special recognition from the Society. “I joke with our advertisers that their material will be around for a 100 years because I know the society is archiving each copy.”

“We are pleased to place Cecil Soil in this class,” Paula Newton remarked. "Without Ed's exceptional publication permanently documenting the memories of our residents, many of these recollections would fade in time. We have government agencies to record facts and figures for posterity, but the most important historical records, the memories of the people, would be lost were it not for this venue for sharing recollections of people, places and things right here in the county. Ed, thank you for joining in as a keeper of our heritage," she concluded. "We proudly archive each and every one of these publications and use them frequently as people research the county's past.”

Naturalization Records Added to Web Site

2009-03-16T23:28:00.004-04:00

Billie Todd, one of our senior genealogist, has created a digital collection of Cecil County Naturalization Records from 1903 to 1906. She abstracted all the family history information from each document and created an image, which is accessible on the web. The site address is www.cchistory.org/naturalization.

Thanks Billie for making this record group available.

Registry of Cecil County Covered Bridges Online

2009-03-14T10:33:00.003-04:00

Maryland's Covered Bridges are the subject of an excellent web site found at www.mdcoveredbridges.com This virtual repository of fascinating information includes data on about 20 structures that faded from the Cecil County landscape a long time ago and our two existing structures. If you are looking for a narrative history on a bridge, the basic technical data and photos or illustrations, in many instances, this is the place to go. Be sure to check out the registry of structures since Jim Smedley has done an excellent job compiling data for a number of counties in Maryland. Thanks Jim for making this body of material available on the web. We'll add a link to your site since your work will help researchers.

Rising Sun Community Little League History Blog Created

2009-03-01T23:52:00.003-05:00

The Historical Society of Cecil County has created a blog focusing on the early years of the Rising Sun Community Little League. The idea for this web 2.0 product came about after James Crothers, an original member of the Rising Sun team, pulled together a fascinating history about the early years, 1954 and 1955. Once he finished his extensive and thorough research, he gave the Society the opportunity to publish this excellent local history. We were so pleased with the material that we dedicated two issues of the Inkwell, our print membership publication, to the informative cluster of articles and essays. The material is exactly what local historical societies should be doing these days, capturing the memories and recollections of times that are beginning to grow distant in memory.

But as we looked at the product we noticed a lot more material, such as photographs, old newspaper stories, and brief biographical pieces, that weren’t going to be able to make it into print so we added a blog to the series. This will allow us to make all the material available to the public, add additional content as more information comes along, and have comments, as well as interactive discussions with anyone surfing our way. Anyone clicking on the weblog is welcome to share additional memories, ask questions or post feedback on the virtual history home for the early years of the Rising Sun Community Little League. When we asked the author if he would be willing to moderate this site in the blogosphere for us, he said sure he would give it a try. The site was thus created.

Please feel free to add your comments, posts, memories and feedback to the site and watch the blog for additional pieces, brief notes, and comments on the subject. Be sure to check out the other parts of our virtual library on the World Wide Web, while you are at. We thank James Crothers for allowing us to publishing this excellent series and for also agreeing to serve as our blogmaster on this weblog.

Click here to go to the blog

Past Comes Alive at Society on March 28th with Mary Pickersgill Performance

2009-02-28T21:56:00.006-05:00

The past will come back to life during a fascinating living history performance at the Society on March 28 at 7:00 p.m. For this theatrical, living history presentation, University of Delaware History major, Abby Harding, returns for another popular performance. Abby was last with us in Feb 2008 when she played to a packed house, appearing as Tillie Pierce a young witnessed to the battle of Gettysburg.

This year she performs as Mary Pickersgill, the well known 19Th century flag maker. While she was especially known for her ship’s flags, during the War of 1812 she was selected to make a huge high-flying flag for Fort McHenry. The commander, General Armistead, knew that this would help raise the spirits of Baltimoreans during the British attack on the city for Fort McHenry.

You don’t want to miss her performance and interpretation of Mary Pickersgill for this year’s living history show. This is a free program.

Click here to go to brochure describing program

Editor of Society Journal Retires: Look for the Inkwell Soon

2009-02-28T20:57:00.004-05:00

By Paula Newton, President of the Society

Milt Diggins, after a long stint as Editor of the Historical Society Journal, has decided to retire from that position. Consequently, the Board of Trustees has decided to resurrect the newsletter format which will be much more economical to publish and mail. It will also allow us to modernize our membership print product by incorporating color and more graphics in the product you receive as a member.

We will continue to publish the Inkwell three times a year with the content remaining much the same as the Journal. This issue features an exciting article about the history of the establishment of the Rising Sun Little League. As always, we invite contributions of historic articles or queries from our membership. Thank you for your continued interest in the Historical Society of Cecil County and we hope you enjoy this new/old format.

Cecil County Burial Permits 1906 - 1912

2008-11-02T15:27:00.002-05:00

Two of our volunteers, Evelyn Wekke and Billie Todd, have been busy over the past year or two creating spreadsheets which abstract essential genealogical data from some of the death and burial records in the Society's holdings. Last month they finished another digitization initiative, creating an online file of Cecil County Burial Permits from 1906 to 1912.

We're posting the new spreadsheet here on the blog and it and it will shortly migrate over to to our death and burial records section of the website where their other work resides. As we prepare to move this sheet over to its permanent home on the World Wide Web, we want to make sure our virtual patrons are aware of its existence so they may start using it right away. We have the actual sheets so you may email for us full photocopies.

Be sure to check out their new work and to also examine the death and burial records section. We'll put more of the content they've created online as they get projects done since this is so valuable for researchers. Thanks you Billie and Evelyn for creating these products, which are so helpful to genealogists and researchers.

Cecil County Burial Permits 1906 - 1912

Elkton Eclipse Fall to Rivals from Brooklyn in Final in 19th Century Base Ball

2008-10-20T22:48:00.000-04:00

ELKTON PLACES 2ND IN EASTERN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Elkton, MD— The Brooklyn Atlantics downed the Eclipse Base Ball Club of Elkton in the 19th Century Base Ball Eastern Championship on Saturday, October 18 at Elk Landing, Maryland as the 1864 townspeople of Elkton looked on. After Elkton took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, things started to unravel for the Maryland State Champs. After going up 4-2 in the 4th inning, the Eclipse let the Atlantics back in to the match by giving up 2 unearned runs. The Eclipse ran out of gas by the 6th inning, and the final score was Brooklyn 17 and Elkton 6. It was the 13th straight loss to the Atlantics in a span of three years.

In the semi-final, the Maryland champs defeated the legendary New York Mutuals 14-13 after coming back with 8 runs in the 7th frame to take the lead from the New Yorkers to go up 13-11. After adding one talley in the 8th inning, the Eclipse held on for dear life giving up 2 in the ninth before holding on to reach the finals.

In the other semi final, the Atlantics who were the champions from New York downed the New Jersey State Champion, Flemington Neshanock 28-10 to advance to the championship. In the 3rd place match, the Neshanock stunned the Mutuals 11-10.

Just about the entire 1864 population of Elkton was in attendance as the ladies in town were there catching up on the gossip of the day in their best attire. There were even women their protesting that they should have the right to vote. Of course the few gentlemen who were still left in town and not in the War, told them to go back to the kitchen. In addition to the townsfolk, about 80 on lookers were in attendance to see the fortunes of all four clubs.

The Eclipse finished with their best record ever at 17 wins and 12 loses. This included the regular season Maryland Championship as well as the Maryland State Championship Tournament. The Eclipse will start their 2009 season in early April next year. New clubs in the region include the Diamond State BBC of Delaware, the Havre de Grace Dauntless, the Williamsburg (VA) Pastimes, and the Gettysburg Sentinels. They will be in the mix next year along with the Potomac BBC of Washington, the Talbot Fair Plays and the Chesapeake Nine of Baltimore. Anyone who is interested in playing 19th century base ball with the Eclipse or any of the other clubs in the region, please contact the Eclipse at elktonbase_ball@yahoo.com or eclipse@elktonbbc.com. The Eclipse is also looking for volunteers to help with the program as well as sponsors. See our website at www.elktonbbc.com for more details.

New Blog Site Examines School Integration in Cecil, Kent & Queen Anne's counties

2008-10-12T22:36:00.003-04:00

The Society is pleased to welcome the latest blogger to join the Cecil County crowd. Check out the road-to-compromise at blogspot.com. This one focuses on studying an aspect of our 20th century history by comparing how school integration developed in Cecil, Kent, and Queen Annes counties. Check it out. We’re always glad when a new local blog sprouts up and we hope to see many more.

Bringing History Online, One Newspaper at a Time

2008-10-12T21:52:00.001-04:00

The nature of historical research with newspaper is changing as more of these important sources are digitized. We've clipped this announcement from Google about an initaitve that the web search engine is working on since it will be of interest to our readers.

-------

9/08/2008 09:33:00 AM For more than 200 years, matters of local and national significance have been conveyed in newsprint -- from revolutions and politics to fashion to local weather or high school football scores. Around the globe, we estimate that there are billions of news pages containing every story ever written. And it's our goal to help readers find all of them, from the smallest local weekly paper up to the largest national daily.The problem is that most of these newspapers are not available online. We want to change that.Today, we're launching an initiative to make more old newspapers accessible and searchable online by partnering with newspaper publishers to digitize millions of pages of news archives. Let's say you want to learn more about the landing on the Moon. Try a search for [Americans walk on moon] on Google News Archive Search, and you'll be able to find and read an original article from a 1969 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.Not only will you be able to search these newspapers, you'll also be able to browse through them exactly as they were printed -- photographs, headlines, articles, advertisements and all.This effort expands on the contributions of others who've already begun digitizing historical newspapers. In 2006, we started working with publications like the New York Times and the Washington Post to index existing digital archives and make them searchable via the Google News Archive. Now, this effort will enable us to help you find an even greater range of material from newspapers large and small, in conjunction with partners such as ProQuest and Heritage, who've joined in this initiative. One of our partners, the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, is actually the oldest newspaper in North America—history buffs, take note: it has been publishing continuously for more than 244 years.You’ll be able to explore this historical treasure trove by searching the Google News Archive or by using the timeline feature after searching Google News. Not every search will trigger this new content, but you can start by trying queries like [Nixon space shuttle] or [Titanic located]. Stories we've scanned under this initiative will appear alongside already-digitized material from publications like the New York Times as well as from archive aggregators, and are marked "Google News Archive." Over time, as we scan more articles and our index grows, we'll also start blending these archives into our main search results so that when you search Google.com, you'll be searching the full text of these newspapers as well.This effort is just the beginning. As we work with more and more publishers, we'll move closer towards our goal of making those billions of pages of newsprint from around the world searchable, discoverable, and accessible online.Posted by Punit Soni, Product Manager

Cemetery Walk - Sat., Oct. 18

2008-10-04T22:12:00.001-04:00

As the Halloween season gets underway, hear about things that go bump in the night and listen to tales of the unknown as The Historical Society of Cecil County brings the popular cemetery walk to Elkton on Saturday, October 18. While shadows lengthen on the Big Elk Creek and a cool fall darkness descends over an ancient churchyard, stories of legends, ghosts, and history will intrigue you. Join in on this fun tour, which combines tales of the paranormal and history. Storyteller Ed Okonowicz tells the tall tales, stories of hauntings and unexplained happenings at the top of the Chesapeake. Historian Mike Dixon weaves in fascinating historical facts about the area.

Held for the first time in several years in Elkton, the Society has arranged for one tour of the cemetery on Saturday, Oct. 18. The walk steps off from the Society’s headquarters at 135 E. Main Street at 5 p.m. The cost is $8 or $5 for children under 15 years of age. For additional details or reservations phone 410.398.1790 or e-mail history@cchistory.

On a space available basis, walk-ups are welcome on the day of the tour, but to assure your spot reservations are encouraged. You will want to hear about haunts, graves, spirits, and history at the top of the Chesapeake, a place where the past is present so don’t miss it.

Wilmington & Salisbury Papers Note Award Winning MD History Day Projects by Cecil County High School Students

2008-10-02T23:12:00.011-04:00

The Wilmington News Journal and Salisbury Daily Times carried a piece on Society Volunteer Kyle Dixon's award winning Maryland History Day Project. For the project Kyle developed a prize-winning web site, which involved a study of desegregation on the three upper Shore counties. At the state contest he award awarded the African-American history prize by the Maryland Commission on African-American History and Culture. Also, Tyler Haines and Andrew Nguyen from Rising Sun High School were honored with a senior prize for their cryptology study, "The Molotov-Rippentrop Pact."

---- Wilmington News Journal - Oct. 2, 2008

Modern View of Maryland history
Cecil student develops prize-winning Web site
By PAULA F. KELLY • Special to The News Journal • October 2, 2008

ELKTON, Md. -- Maryland History Day challenges students to ask questions about and to research significant historical events. While complacency could have directed Kyle Dixon to learn about desegregation from print for his entry, he sought primary sources that lived it.

Dixon's efforts were rewarded. His Web site submission, "School Integration: The Long Difficult Road to Compromise," about desegregation in Cecil, Kent and Queen Anne's counties, received first place at the county level and also garnered an honor on April 26 at the state contest, where more than 400 students competed.

A senior at Bohemia Manor High School, Dixon received the senior prize from the Maryland Commission on African-American History and Culture at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. The Maryland Humanities Council sponsors the event.
Tyler Haines and Andrew Nguyen from Rising Sun High School also were honored with a senior prize for their cryptology study, "The Molotov-Rippentrop Pact."
Entry options included a paper, exhibit, one-act play or Web site on any topic with the theme of Conflict and Compromise. Dixon chose the Internet -- a new approach in the contest this year -- and it's at www.cchistory.org/kyle.
Kyle focused on having as many primary sources as possible," said Michael Means, Dixon's history teacher. "He got much more depth and went out into the field. The site he put together is gorgeous. Ninety percent of the public would not know a high school student did it."
Desegregation always held Dixon's interest, but it was the death of John Andrews, a vice principal at Queen Anne's County High School in Centreville, Md., that inspired the history buff to explore the issue further.
Dixon, also a theatre enthusiast, frequently visited the Queen Anne's school to enjoy its plays. He always noticed Andrews, dressed in coat and tie, for whom everyone held an obvious respect.
After Andrews was killed on Aug. 23, 2007, in a car accident, Dixon learned that the 71-year-old man had come to Queen Anne's County when desegregation was being implemented.
Months later, Means mandated that his Advanced Placement U.S. History class participate in Maryland History Day. Dixon immediately thought about Andrews. "I never knew him," he said, "but he was still part of that inspiration for the project."
The three upper Eastern Shore counties chose different routes to integration, Dixon discovered.
In 1966, Susan Boone was a senior at the newly built Queen Anne's County High School, where she now is the media specialist and was a colleague of Andrews.
"Kyle pried me with well-structured questions," Boone said.
The yearlong preparation for the new high school, she said, was a comprehensive and well-organized and involved representatives from each of the four county high schools, including the all-black Kennard. Everyone involved decided upon details such as school color and mascot. The opening year went smoothly, Boone said.
As a fifth-grader at Galena Elementary, Ellen Cook's first day at school was frightening. She and six other youngsters traveled from Millington to the small town as part of the Freedom of Choice plan to introduce integration, but only because the county was in danger of losing its federal funding for not complying with the 1954 Supreme Court ruling.
In Cecil County, a lawsuit filed by the NAACP on behalf of a black naval family in Port Deposit prompted desegregation in the mid-1950s. By 1964, all the black schools were closed in the county, and integration was complete.
Like other schools nationwide, Delaware schools were to become desegregated following the 1954 Supreme Court decision of Brown v. The Board of Education. But few did. In 1958, the Supreme Court said it would no longer review desegregation cases; Delaware schools began a system of voluntary registration for blacks beginning in the first grade. Still, racial equality was not achieved as most blacks lived in Wilmington and in the New Castle area. In the 1976 U.S. District Court decision of Evans v. Buchanan, New Castle County was to become one school district. Students would be bused to the Wilmington and New Castle areas and vice versa for several years during their education to achieve a racially balanced education.
Dixon's interest in the past comes as no surprise; he is a chip right off the old history block. His father, Mike Dixon, has been a history enthusiast since the age of 14 when he joined the Historical Society of Cecil County. He has served as society president, historian and board member. Kyle credits his father for fostering his pursuit through family trips to spots such as Gettysburg, Fort Delaware and Williamsburg. Mike Dixon countered that his son showed interest at age 5. Like his father, Kyle volunteers at the historical society, where he started a local high school yearbook collection that includes one from George Washington Carver, the all-black school that closed in 1964.
In the future, Kyle plans to teach high school history. Meanwhile, chronicling the past suits him fine. "It's an important era of U.S. history that needs to be documented."

Diggins to Speak at Oct. 20 Dinner Meeting

2008-09-17T22:39:00.000-04:00

The October Dinner Meeting of the Historical Society of Cecil County will be held on Monday, October 20, 2008 at 6:00 P.M. at the North East River Yacht Club. From Rt. 40 take Rt. 272 South. Continue through North East, travel 1 mile then bear right onto Hances Point Rd., travel half a mile and turn right onto Bayside Drive.

Our guest speaker will be Milt Diggins who is a retired county school teacher and formerly the Editor of the Historical Society’s Journal. He recently published Images of America Series: Cecil County. His talk will focus on Chapter 2, “Passing Through”. There will be copies of his book for sale at the dinner meeting.

The cost of the dinner is $27.00 per person for members and $29.00 per person for non-members. You may select between Crab Cake or Chicken Marsala. Your meal will include salad, green beans almandine, red potatoes, coffee or tea and apple crisp.

Please complete the bottom portion of this letter and mail it, with your check, to Paula Newton, HSCC, 135 E. Main St., Elkton, MD 21921. Please make your check payable to the Historical Society of Cecil County. The deadline for reservations is October 10, 2008. This is a catered dinner making it impossible for us to take late reservations or walk-ins. If you have any questions, please call the Historical Society at 410-398-1790.

U of Scranton History Major Volunteers at the Society

2008-07-27T14:56:00.005-04:00

This summer, Erik Lesniak a history major at the University of Scranton, is volunteering with the Society. The 2007 Tome School graduate is also taking a minor in creative writing and is interested in applying new media methods to the study of the past. At the Society, Eric is doing restoration work on a model of a 19th century Cecil County house that is in our collection and is also examining the possibility of writing an article for our journal. It is always exciting to see young scholars emerge, particulary when they apply their interests to the study of local history. We are pleased that Eric is spending part of his summer with us and taking on a couple of worthwhile projects.

Over 29,000 Cemetery Records Online

2008-07-17T22:25:00.002-04:00

As we blogged Sunday evening, we were able to add a large database of Cecil County tombstone inscriptions thanks to outstanding work done by Gary Burns. Today Gary gave us additional data, and the database now contains over 29,000 inscriptions from several dozen cemeteries throughout the county.

Check it out at the URL below since we're sure it will help you will local research.

www.cchistory.org/cemetery

We hope to add more digital collections in the future.

Researcher's Alert: Over 16,000 Tombstone Inscriptions Placed Online

2008-07-13T15:21:00.004-04:00

One of our most experienced family history researchers and a past president of the Genealogical Society of Cecil County, Gary Burns, has worked several years transcribing tombstones at practically every known cemetery in Cecil County. From Bald Friar to Warwick, and every other place in between, he and helpers, have visited quite old country graveyards, as well as those in towns, to record data found on the memorials. Once they collected the information, they entered it into an Excel Spreadsheet.

Gary has given us a copy of this insightful work and we have created a web page for the product, since it will be extremely helpful for researchers. As it stands now, it contains over 16,000 entries for Cecil County Tombstones. It is still a work in progress and we will add additional data as Gary makes it available. (Right now it is only through the letter P.)

The Society appreciates the opportunity to make this valuable product available to online visitors to the Society's web site. We thank Gary and all those who contributed to this work. We will update this as he gets more work done

Click here to visit the appropriate section of the web site.

New Title Images of America Now Available at the Society

2008-06-23T22:12:00.002-04:00

The new title, Images of America - Cecil County, has arrived and copies may now be purchased at the Society bookstore. Stop by and get your copy of Milt's excellent work soon or order it online. The links below will take you to the advertisement for the title and our online order form.

Advertisement for title

Online Order Form

Advance Copy of Images of America - Cecil County Has Arrived

2008-06-17T22:03:00.006-04:00

We’ve had the opportunity to see a copy of the new title, Images of America – Cecil County, by the editor of our journal Milt Diggins. People who have glanced at this advance copy have offered many favorable comments about this volume, which is filled with images of people, places, and events. We expect it to arrive in our gift shop in the next week or so and we’ll put a notice up on the blog when it arrives. If you are seeking an enjoyable window to Cecil’s past, this is a title you will want to purchase.

Members buying the book from the Society receive a discount. This outstanding works adds greatly to the body of leisure and research literature about our county and we congratulate Milt on this fine accomplishment.

We will have a book signing at the Society on Saturday, July 12 from 1 to 3 p.m., but the book will be available in our gift shop as soon as the copies arrive. Click here to go the Society's advertisement for the book.

You may purchase the book online or by visiting the Society. To go to the online order form click here.

Online Membership Payment System Now Available

2008-06-06T22:22:00.006-04:00

The Society now takes online payments for membership through Paypal. If you are not enrolled in that online processing system, you may still use your credit card on the secure site.

Drumming legend Bernard “Pretty” Purdie Brings It Home

2008-06-01T23:09:00.013-04:00

No one needed to call for a drum roll at Edge Entertainment on Bridge Street in Elkton Saturday evening for the R & B luminary, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie. A host of talented percussionist from Cecil County Schools, as well as others, took care of that as they laid down some solid grooves of their own and warmed up the crowd for the 65-year-old. By the time the legendary hometown musician who has played with practically all the heavy hitters, including Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin, and James Brown, took the stage, this group of fine young musicians had everyone grooving to the rhythm.

When he took center stage, he flashed his trade mark grin as he started charming the crowd. After a few remarks he began pounding out the Purdie Shuffle, his signature technique. It was great to see the delight on the face of the highly respected musician who has played in giant concerts and performed in recording sessions for the major labels, as he performed for an appreciative hometown audience on the "welcome home tour."

In a part of the program called Bernard “Up Close and Personal,” he talked about his formative years in Elkton. He had musical talent at an early age and Mr. Leonard Haywood, his music teacher at George Washington Carver School, took an interest in helping him. Over time, Mr. Haywood, who played in the Clyde Bessick’s Orchestra, started taking the teen with him on gigs. Sometimes when the teacher needed a nap, Bernard joined the orchestra for the second-half of the show. In 1960, he moved to New York and his career really took off after that. As a delightful evening came to a close, "the worlds most recorded drummer" was surrounded by people seeking autographs, a chance for some conversation, and a handshake.

Over the past couple of years Ed Dennis, a writer, has been in touch with the Society as he researched and wrote a book about the performer. That book will be out soon and about one-third of it has to do with his life in Elkton, Bernard said. The Society is excited about this forthcoming biography and we eagerly look forward to its release.

At the show we ran into Rob Churnside, a local folk singer, who has written some great pieces about local personalities. He mentioned that he’s just written a song about Elkton’s famous musician and he showed us the lyrics. We’ll look forward to hearing that tune sometime in the near future.

It was a pleasure to see Bernard Pretty Purdie at this show and we thank Bobby D and Rhythmland Drum Center on Main Street in Elkton for making this coming home show possible.

Saying So Long to the Mayor of Main Street

2008-05-22T23:39:00.022-04:00

Wednesday evening, as gusty spring winds swept Elkton, I attended Tony Trotta’s viewing at Hicks Funeral Home. Born four years before young men from Cecil County marched off to fight in World War I, the popular 95-year-old passed away Monday. Later that night as I drove past his place on Main Street, the shop was dark except for two light bulbs softly illuminating a mirror, the chair in the big window where he sat waving at passersby was empty, the red and white barber pole wasn't revolving, and the closed sign informed everyone that the barber would not be in again. As I gazed out my car window on this unseasonably cool late May evening a few sprinkles feel on the quiet street that had bustled with activity for much of Tony’s life, and my mind wondered over nearly a century’s worth of town history.

Tony started cutting hair at this location during the dark days of the Great Depression, when he first came to work for his future father-in-law, Anthony Williams. In time, the 23-year old married the owner’s daughter, Jessie, and took over the business. It was the place to get your hair cut in the county seat and the Elkton shop owner had a regular clientele of judges, lawyers, courthouse regulars, businessmen and everyday people. As the decades passed quickly by in this old-fashioned shop, his customers grew old with him and retirees beginning spending hours hanging out, swapping stories, and playing the banjo. Often strangers walking down the street back in the 1970s and '80s were startled as they looked into the window of the shop to see two or three people playing guitars or plucking a banjo.

At age 90 he was still working six days a week, but as he grew older he gradually cut back, while the retirees started slowly disappearing as many of them passed away. But you would still see him sitting in his window waving to passers-by while people stopped in for a quick chat. Even in his ninth decade you would see him around town, out for a stroll with his dog, enjoying a meal at a restaurant, or sitting on one of the park benches. The last time we talked, probably a month or so ago, his mind was as sharp as ever, never forgetting a name or elements of events from a long time ago.

I always enjoyed my chance meetings with the 95-year-old and his daughter, Patty, for those visits were filled with decades of local history. His stories were about Elkton’s heyday, the marriage racket, World War II, big fires on Main Street, lively small town personalities, a bustling downtown, and much more. In fact anytime someone wanted information on Elkton’s 20th century history, we’d send them down to see Tony. Afer all he was born when Howard Taft was in the White House. If they were early enough (he opened at 5:00 a.m.), they would find him in his window. They always came back pleased with the keen insights, as well as the hospitality he provided. Through that very same window since 1935, in a quaint shop that didn't change, Tony watched Main Street change and history march along, as young men went off to war, couples came here for quick marriages, and the era of shopping centers and Internet retailing fueled the decline of main streets across the nation.

They laid Tony to rest today and as I pass by those three empty old-time chairs and the shop with the sign saying closed, I know the barber will never be in again at 118 E. Main Street. Although I’ll miss the chance to pop in for a few minutes to talk with him or to simply wave as I rush by, my knowledge of the 20th century is much greater for having had the privilege to hear so many of Tony's wonderful recollections.

The Mayor of Main Street has passed away. His friendly greetings, conversation and keen memories provided us with connections to the town's past. He will be missed.

Make Online Contributions and Purchases at Society

2008-05-14T13:18:00.005-04:00

No longer do you need a stamp and an envelope to forward money to the Society for we are now offering patrons the option of making payments online. This is done safely and securely through PayPal and even if you don't have an account with that company, you may use a credit card. We've started off with a donate button on the homepage, but over the next several weeks we'll add additional buttons for membership, photo-services, and our store.

County Once Again Proposes Entire Elimination of Budget for Society

2008-05-07T22:15:00.006-04:00

The Historical Society of Cecil County was disappointed to hear that the Board of County Commissioners has recommended complete elimination of the Society’s small funding line item of $5,000 in the proposed budget. While this is a minuscule allocation for the county, it is an important one for our organization, a group that provides economical services to the commissioners.

Our volunteers work hard for that small amount. In fact, the value of the services we provide to government is far greater than the amount the county provides for support. Since last year when the commissioners first proposed eliminating our funding, we have maintained a tabulation of the work we do at the request of local government. Our records show that we have provided over $16,000 in direct work for governmental bodies.

A few examples illustrate this value proposition and demonstrate how we save the county money.

When the commissioners needed photographs to decorate their new office building, they turned to us. Our volunteers attended meetings, met with county officials to plan the work, scanned and printed the images, and delivered them to the new facility. Most likely we were the only volunteers attending the meetings.
When the commissioners decided they wanted to change the county seal, they turned to us for a research report providing insight on this aspect of their legislated and cultural history. Our volunteers provided an in-depth, professional report at no cost to county government.
While the commissioners prepared to move their offices out of downtown Elkton, they turned to us for information on the history of their facilities. Our volunteers were pleased to spend many hours researching this request and preparing a professional report for all stakeholders.
When the Board of Education needed insight on integration in Cecil, we responded to the request.
When the Board of Education needed information on the George Washington Carver School for the rededication of that facility, we researched the subject.
When the county released an interactive emergency preparedness DVD, they turned to us to aid in the production of a 10-minute segment examining the history of major emergencies and the development of disaster management in Cecil. We were pleased to aid this important project by preparing a script and making our photographs and research resources available.
As the archives for county government records, we carefully preserve tax records, road books, minutes, poor house documents, marriage certificates, and much more from the colonial period until early in the 20th century. (We received that appointment after we rescued neglected colonial-era county road books that were dumped in the basement of an old 1950s fallout shelter building and were in danger of being lost or damaged.)

These are but a few examples of our value proposition for Cecil County Government for we frequently provide services to county departments, providing them with insights that would cost much more if the government hired consultants or had staff use our resources to accomplish the tasks. Too, we help developers, realtors, homeowners, businesses and non-profits with research related to their interactions with local government. Our volunteers, working at no cost to the government or anyone else, constantly seek to make a positive contribution to Cecil, its image, and its history.

This comes at a time when we are working to strengthen the 76-year-old institution. As a result of our renewed commitment we have been busy transforming the organization from a well-resourced research library and museum into an institution offering a broader array of history related programming. To deliver and expand these services, we raised over $45,000 from sources other than the county budget. Our membership of nearly 1,000 is growing, making us the largest membership organization in Cecil and we are the only county-wide heritage group.

We hope the Board of Commissioners appreciate our role as Cecil’s heritage keepers but in particular we trust the Board values the savings that occur as a result of the professional work done by our volunteers at the request of local government. The Society asks the county to recommit to the nominal allocation, which was has been fixed at the same level for over 10-years, when it was cut in half. In a budget that exceeds $271-million, isn’t our effort worth the allocation?

History of County Seal Researched for Board of Commissioners

2008-05-06T22:55:00.004-04:00

Recently the county asked that we prepare a history of the county seal so we got busy examining commissioners minutes, searching newspapers, and checking state legislation. Click here to see the full report. As the archives for the county, our volunteers are pleased to support local government with these research services.

National Air Mail Stamp Released at Elkton in 1938

2008-05-04T23:01:00.005-04:00

While preparing for the first day release Friday, we recalled that Elkton had at least one other commemorative first-day ceremony here. In celebration of National Air Mail Week in 1938, Postmaster J. Mercer Terrell arranged for an airmail plane piloted by Dr. A. L. Trussell to make the first stop to pick-up mail from the local station. The plane landed at Elk Landing to collect a sack of mail containing a special cancellation just for the county seat. The cachet showed an old stage coach carrying mail over the old post road, and an airplane, "the fastest method of fast mail service."

Society Participates in First Day Sale Ceremony

2008-05-04T21:44:00.008-04:00

The U.S. Post Office held a first-day ceremony on May 2 in front of Elkton's old town hall in honor of a new stamped envelope showing an Elk. Local officials, stamp collectors, and citizens were on hand to purchase hand-canceled envelopes, which showed that it was postmarked on its first day in circulation at the official ceremony. On a first-day sale only one station in the nation is authorized to hold the event. Chris Lazaroff, an Elkton resident and president of the First-Day Cover Collector's Association, came up with the idea for the event and the dedicating officer was Postmaster Andrew Denney. The Society was invited to make remarks about how Elkton got its name. We see that this local collectible is already on Ebay.

Two Cecil County Entries Win Prizes at MD History Day Contest

2008-04-30T19:03:00.009-04:00

Across Maryland this spring some 12,000 senior and junior high school students participated in the Maryland History Day Project by completing an original research project. Over 400 of these teens were selected at county level competitions for the annual statewide contest at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Two Cecil County entries won prizes at the state contest on April 26.

From Rising Sun High School, "the Molotov-Rippentrop Pact," submitted by Tyler Haines and Andrew Nguyen, won the senior prize for the study of cryptology.

Society volunteer, Kyle Dixon, an 11th grade student at Bohemia Manor, won the senior prize in African American studies. His project, "School Integration: The Long Difficult Road to Compromise," examined desegregation in Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's County.

The Society congratulates these young scholars. This national initiative is sponsored here by the Maryland Humanities Council.

In this photo Society Volunteer Kyle Dixon is receiving his prize from UMBC President Hrabowski.

Colora Civic Association Remembers the Past & Continues Advocacy

2008-04-27T16:48:00.014-04:00

The Colora Civic Association hosted another one of its "Remember When" programs on April 21. At these meetings everyone is invited to share their remembrances of Colora and listen to stories from the community's past. This one was on the Railroad and the Society participated by showing slides of the Octoraro line. Over 50-people turned out, and we are told that the response to the first session on Downtown Colora was even larger. The members, drawing on first hand experiences or stories handed down from an earlier generation, shared insights, adding to the rich knowledge of this area.

We were impressed with the excellent turnout, as well as the enthusiasm the interested guests and officers of the association brought to the subject. We commend the members for the proactive work they are doing to look after the community's past and care for its rural legacy. In a time of tremendous change at the top of the Chesapeake, it is good to know that there are citizen-stakeholders working to preserve our legacy and environment and to assure that sound decisions are made as changes occur.

Click on the link above to get more information on the Association and to check the schedule for future programs. Thanks to Hazel, Dianna and all the officers and members for inviting us to attend an enjoyable evening where we learned so much and for the work they're dong as advocates for the Colora area.

Long Time Volunteer, Rebecca Smith, Recognized as Trailblazer

2008-04-19T23:23:00.011-04:00

We were pleased to learn this week that a longtime supporter of the Society and former trustee, Rebecca Smith was selected to receive the 2008 Trailblazer Award. Sponsored by the Cecil Whig, the award is given to a woman who has blazed a trail in serving the community.

The Society was pleased to join others in nominating her for this recognition. Miss Smith touched the lives of two generations of Cecil’s young people as a teacher and guidance counselor during a career spanning five decades. In the midst of the Great Depression she completed her bachelor’s degree at Western Maryland College and started teaching history at Perryville High in 1935. After World War II, the practice of school counseling emerged and Miss Smith became one of the first practitioners here. The devoted educator sought out new professional development opportunities and broadened her knowledge as she helped guide teenagers. After serving the county for 41-years the popular and respected educator retired in 1979.

Glance at the handwritten notes scribbled in yearbooks during these years and you will see the admiration so many young people had for a caring professional that dedicated a great portion of her life to teaching them important lessons and helping them with the challenges of maturing. The Elkton High Class of 1976, which dedicated its yearbook to Miss Smith, illustrates this point: “As we worked our way through high school there was always one person to whom we turned in times of joy and sadness. The patience and devotion she gave each of us is deeply felt as we remember those times when her gentle nudge and her words of encouragement were all we needed. . . . With these things in mind, the class of 1976 voted unanimously to dedicate the 1976 Antler to their guidance counselor, Miss Rebeca Smith.” After that she served as the Chief Judge of the Orphans Court, finally retiring a few days before turning 88-years-old.

Beginning in the early 1980s, the lifelong Cecilton resident volunteered as a trustee at the Historical Society. During that time, she worked tirelessly to advance the organization and to assure that the County’s heritage was preserved. While helping better the organization in many ways, she was directly responsible for developing two valuable resources. The A. Rebecca Smith Yearbook Collection began when she donated her cherished volumes with so many fond memories of her students to the Society. The initial gift of 33-editions inspired others to donate so there are now nearly 300-books, which reveal the high school years of generations of teenagers and invoke priceless memories. Researchers putting together their family history or studying Cecil’s past treasure this valuable source containing once in a lifetime memories. Many other county societies have remarked to us that they wished they had such a valuable holding for one rarely sees such a large body of these works in special collections libraries.

She also created the Cecil County writers’ collection. This special holding is composed of books that were written by local authors and she always sought out additions to those titles. When she retired from the Society in the late-1990s, the tireless supporter and volunteer had improved the organization in many concrete ways.

We frequently hear that our organization is in the very top tier of societies in Maryland. During 16-years as a trustee and a much longer period as a member, the dedicated volunteer greatly contributed to the services and facilities we, as Cecil’s heritage keepers, bring to the public. We were pleased to nominate her for this honor and pleased that she is being recognized for a lifetime of community service.

Continuing to Acquire Outstanding Primary Research Materials

2008-03-26T21:06:00.005-04:00

We recenty acquired a couple of ledgers books for our collection from the middle of the 19th century, which should provide researchers with new primary research documents. One is an 1866 inventory of all the businesses in the county with weights and measures and the other is an 1841 inventory of mills by Adam Whann.

Diggins Booksigning - July 12

2008-03-15T21:02:00.004-04:00

We are pleased to announce that the Society will host a booksigning for a new Cecil County history title on July 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. Milt Diggins, the editor of the Society’s Journal is the author of this title, which is part of the Images of America series by Arcadia Publishing. Milt spent much of 2007 examining thousands of Cecil County photos and he selected over 200 of these for his volume. Many of these images have been unseen for decades, some are from glass-plate negatives from the 19th century, and, since he also worked with private collections, some of picture have never been published. We eagerly look forward to hosting the first booksigning for Milt's Images of America – Cecil County. Watch our blog and keep an eye on our calendar for updates. We’re sure you will enjoy this title.

Society Volunteer Wins First Place at History Competition

2008-03-02T19:30:00.004-05:00

Yesterday one of our volunteers, Kyle Dixon, received a first place award for an entry in the Maryland History Day Project. This competition required extensive, independent research of historical subjects related to a national theme of conflict and compromise. An 11th grade AP history student in Mr. Mean’s class at Bohemia Manor High School, Kyle completed a comparative study of desegregation of schools in Cecil, Kent and Queen Anne’s counties. It’s always exciting to see young scholars enhance academic skills and prepare for college by exploring some aspect of Cecil’s past. We congratulate Kyle and the other 12 winners from Cecil County in this year’s competition. They will all go on to be judged at the state-level academic competition in April. (Kyle is introducing one of our performers in the winter living history series in this photo.)

Remembering the Past at Mr. Caldwell's School

2008-02-18T19:50:00.004-05:00

The Cecil County Board of Education celebrated the legacy of one its former schools on February 10th when it rededicated the central office on Booth Street as the George Washington Carver Education Leadership Center. This facility, the county-wide high school for African-Americans in the era of segregated education, graduated its last class in June 1964.

The blast of strong winds and snow showers rattling the building on this special Sunday wasn’t able to put a freeze on the excitement at the ceremony. An overflow crowd of several hundred former students, friends, educators, and others eagerly looked on as Dr. Carl Roberts discussed the reason for rededicating the building while others recalled its history. This large turnout on this wintry Maryland Sunday and the conversations that filled the hallways afterwards as old friends rekindled memories and recalled past experiences spoke to the strong bonds that remains for George Washington Carver alumni and family.

A community’s history is important and it is essential that we preserve reminders of the past so we have context for understanding current events. Dr. Roberts, the Historical Society of Cecil County thanks you for helping assure that we recall this part of our heritage and for helping to make sure we keep in mind a time when the challenges at Principal Caldwell’s school were different.

The House was Packed for Tillie Pierce Performance

2008-02-17T15:56:00.007-05:00

An outstanding performance by University of Delaware history major Abby Harting playing Matilda “Tillie” Pierce wrapped up our winter living history series. Fifteen-year-old Tillie witnessed the battle of Gettysburg and she wrote about those dramatic days later in her life. The house was full as Abby, in character, vividly told guests about the civilian side of this pivotal Civil War battle. The emotions felt by a young lady witnessing dreadful scenes that July in Gettysburg caught the audience up in the show. Once she finished the performance, the crowd peppered her with lots of questions. If you missed this show, you missed a superb portrayal. In addition to portraying Tillie, the Middletown Delaware resident has done reenacting and interpretations related to the War of 1812 at Fort McHenry. Abby sometimes plays the young Civil War era lady at the Tillie Pierce House Bed and Breakfast in Gettysburg. If you missed this engaging performance, perhaps you can catch her there over the summer. Look for more information on next year’s winter living history series later this year.

Photos from the Thurgood Marshall Presentation

2008-01-23T23:38:00.000-05:00

We're still hearing lots of positive comments from Dr. Henderson's Thurgood Marshall living history performance and we thought you might enjoy seeing a few of the photos from that performance.

Thurgood Marshall Visited Historical Society

2008-01-14T21:55:00.000-05:00

Friday evening guests at our January living history program were treated to an outstanding performance called "Thurgood is Coming!" Thurgood Marshall, the Civil Rights Advocate and Supreme Court Justice, was portrayed by Dr. Lenneal J. Henderson. This program brought to us by the Maryland Humanities Council was fantastic and if you weren't there you missed an enjoyable, informative evening. It really seemed as if Justice Marshall had come to visit us in Cecil County as Dr. Henderson dramatically portrayed the Maryland lawyer. Once the formal presentation was over, he took questions from the audience and afterwards greeted everyone there individually. We have one more program remaining in the winter history series as a young girl, Tillie Pierce tells us about the Battle of Gettysburg. Check out our calendar for more details.

Annual Drawing

2007-12-12T21:53:00.000-05:00

At 6:30 p.m. this evening, the Society held the drawing for the antique trunk. This year's winner is Betty Fritz of Rising Sun.

Click here to see a vidcast of the drawing. - This is a larger file of the same vidcast.

Portions of 1954 Holly Tree Broadcast Online

2007-11-28T18:20:00.000-05:00

As Cecil County prepares to ring in the holiday season with the lighting of the Jackson Station Holly Tree, we are pleased to post a virtual exhibit containing clips of sounds from the 1954 ceremony, as well as photos.
Please click here to go to view the virtual exhibit and see our comments in the post below this one about the Holly Tree.

The Travelers' Christmas Tree

2007-11-25T00:55:00.001-05:00

One tradition for kicking off the Christmas Season in Cecil County is the annual lighting of the “Holly Tree by-the-tracks.” The Baltimore & Ohio held the first public ceremony in 1948 when thousands of people gathered to ring in the season as lights from thousands of bulbs on the evergreen softly illuminated the Jackson, MD hillside. For many years the company dispatched a special train from Mount Royal Station to Jackson for the occassion. After 1971, the tree was dark for a time until a group of volunteers started making sure the tree festively blazed for the holiday season.

The Society has an old 33 1/3 long playing record that captures the magic of the 1954 lighting ceremony, including carols by the B & O Glee Club and the B & O Women’s Music Choir. That old vinyl, a long unheard broadcast, has sat silently on a shelf, but we recently digitized the audio. We then enjoyed the snap, crackle and pop of the vinyl recording, as another lost Cecil County sound poured from the speakers. Musical selections directed by Dr. James Allan Dash, a narration by the master of ceremonies Walter Linthicum, gasps of delight and loud applause, and much more poured from our speakers. We’re going to post a special vidcast containing portions of that broadcast this week so you too may enjoy the special festive occassion that took place over a half-century-ago.

To illustrate the audio, we have a selection of photos from Jim Cheeseman, old postcards and B & O railroad materials of past evenings along the tracks. But we needed some current shots for the vidcast so on an unseasonably cold Saturday, about the time dusk was settling on the head of the bay, we drove down Holly Tree Lane. On this early winter evening, we found three members of the Holly Tree Committee getting things in order for the festive evening on Dec 1st. Mike Morgan, President of the group, along with Ed Slicer, former Cecil County Director of Parks and Recreation, and John Gallaher were there working through the cold approaching darkness to make sure everything worked. So we talked with the volunteers, took a few photos, and then drove down to Port Deposit to enjoy a fine evening meal at CM Tuggs, in the heart of another old county town, Port Deposit that is ready for the Christmas season.

Be sure to check back later this week for the vidcast and come to the opening ceremony on Dec. 1 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Ernest Howard Fact File Digitized

2007-11-23T10:32:00.000-05:00

A fast facts file on Cecil County History was created by Ernest A. Howard in the 1960s or 1970s. Based on years of research, he outlined basic data pertaining to the area's towns, villages, companies, geography, churches, organizations, and much more on 3 X 5 cards. Although it was created nearly half-a-century ago, the cards are a source our volunteer staff consults when helping patrons with an initial investigation for they contains a basic framework for initiating a project. Since our library staff finds valuable insights on those old 3 X 5 cards, the Society’s editor, Milt Diggins, digitized the material so our Internet patrons would have access.

Click here to access the Howard Files, including his almanac.

Diggins Title Coming Soon

2007-11-16T09:03:00.000-05:00

We are pleased to announce that Milt Diggins, the editor of the Society’s Journal, has a new Cecil County history title coming out in a few months. Part of the Images of America series by Arcadia Publishing, Milt spent the summer examining thousands of Cecil County photos and he has selected over 200 of these for his volume. Many of these images have been unseen for decades, some are from glass-plate negatives from the 19th century, and, since he also worked with private collections, some of picture have never been published. We eagerly look forward to hosting a reception for Milt and Images of America – Cecil County in a few months at the Society. Watch our blog and keep an eye on our calendar for an update. We’re sure you will enjoy this title.

Clifford Jones & Fletcher White Recall George Washington Carver High School

2007-11-06T08:44:00.000-05:00

Each year hundreds of graduating seniors receive high school diplomas in Cecil County. But in June 1964, when nine students at the George Washington Carver in Elkton stepped forward to receive degrees, it was a particularly historic moment for it marked the end of segregated high schools in Cecil County. At the commencement five boys and four girls walked proudly across the stage to receive well-deserved diplomas from Principal Charles Caldwell. The final graduating class was made up of Edward Townley, Genevieve Jones, Bryant Wilson, Carolyn Clark, Robert Henson, Barbara Banks, William Calm, Dorothy Waters and Robert Owens. After all these years students at that school still glowingly recall experiences and some of the people who helped them meet the challenges.

While the old high school is long gone, 66-year-old Clifford Jones’ memories are as indelible as the ink on his diploma. For the class of 1960 graduate, there was the feeling of accomplishment at getting his diploma, but the friendships developed during those times in a tight-knitt school are important too. “We didn’t have a football team, but we competed in track and basketball. Our team was in the regional playoffs and we went to Hyattsville to play there. On the track we were good and we got to compete in Chestertown and other places.” Despite being out of school for almost a half-century, Cliff remembers the teachers who influenced his life and the lessons they instilled in him. “Mrs. Bessicks, my first grade teacher, I can never forget for she was a pillar in the community and her husband taught music. Mrs. Fitzgerald taught English. Our teachers were dedicated and set high standards. All of them lived right here in Elkton and we saw them in church on Sunday and wherever else we want. Mr. Caldwell, the principal, was fantastic but he was strict. If I got in trouble in school, he would spank me and then call my mommy”. Cliff went on to say that when he got home his mother, Margaret Coursey, would be waiting and he’d get another spanking. He also recalled that Mr. Caldwell helped him get his first job at Merrey’s Candy Store at the corner of High Street and North Street.

Fletcher White graduated in 1953 and he brought his yearbook to show us. He too echoes Cliff's observations as we recently walked around the property, while the two men recalled many good times. Fletcher's father built houses too and we had a chance to see some of his work and Fletcher recalled working on the school building.

Though it’s been over 40 years since students filled the classrooms and wandered the halls of the Board of Education’s Booth Street Center (the former high school), many pleasant memories are still alive after the passage of decades for that quick fleeting journey through the halls of George Washington Carver brought many valuable experiences, lessons, and knowledge to young scholars, as well as life-long recollections and friendships. We enjoyed spend a pleasant couple of hours with Cliff and Fletcher as they shared memories from decades ago.

Fletcher & Cliff stand outside the Board of Education maintenance building, recalling that this facility served as the high school until a newer building opened.

Truman Appears in Elkton

2007-11-04T16:12:00.000-05:00

The past came back back to life last night when President Harry Truman walked on stage to perform for a Historical Society audience as part of our season of living history performances. The thirty-third President of the United States, Harry Truman, dispensed his Missouri straight talk in a one-man show called “Give ‘em, Hell Harry!” Of course, the real Truman died in 1972, but the nation’s leader was played on this special evening by Gerald Riley of Wheatfield Theatre Company. Two Mount Aviat Academy students, William & Rielly Graham, who also happen to be two of our youngest members, greet the important visitor after the show. Check out the Society event blog for additional upcoming performances during our winter living history series.

Death & Burial Records Added to Web Site

2007-11-04T13:51:00.001-05:00

Evelyn Wekke and Billie Todd, two of our volunteers, have digitized some of the death and burial records in our collection. (Evelyn is shown at right working in the library.) Their products can be accessed by clicking on the link here. Maryland law required a burial permit in order for a body to be interred and a sexton or other person could not permit a burial unless it was accompanied with a certificate. Locally the burial permits were issued by coroners and the burial spreadsheet contains abstracted data data from 1912 to 1955. The death certificates came from the file copies kept in the local corners office. These records are important sources of genealogical information and Evelyn and Billie are working on more of these valuable projects, including additional death records. Billie, our most experienced genealogist and the person we turn to with our complex family history research questions, is also working on digitizing (with images) some of our naturalization records. We thank them for this valuable contribution for we're sure researchers will find insights here. Please check back occasionally as we add more of the content they've created to the web site.

The Legacy of Lynching on the Eastern Shore

2007-10-23T10:08:00.000-04:00

Sherrilyn Ifill, a professor at the University of Maryland and the author of On the Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Lynching in the 21st Century, held an open discussion of lynching’s legacy on the Eastern Shore at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Chestertown, last week. While facilitating the conversation on the long silence that followed these grim incidents, the Civil Rights attorney pointed out that that these terrible crimes did not bypass Kent County. The time flew by all too quickly during this insightful evening as many interesting points were made, including the fact that no one seemed to know about the cases in Kent. As I drove back to Elkton, I had plenty of time to think about the evening. The title is a valuable account of a violent period and the research was first-class. But as I drove on I began thinking about the discussion, particularly about the silence and the fact that the crowd that filled the sanctuary was unaware of the Kent County tragedies. The same would apply in Cecil County I believe for there were cases here so I thought we should at least get these tragedies into the historical record.

On the evening of July 29, 1872, three African-American men were brought before the Magistrate Bell in Warwick on the charge of firing a dwelling near Sassafras. During the hearing, it was ordered that John Jones, Robert T. Handy and a young person named Thomas were to be committed to the Cecil County Jail for further investigation. Special Constable Merritt put the three men in his carriage (two were manacled and one was riding free) for the trip to the county seat. As they passed through a woods near Pivot Bridge (outside Chesapeake City), a group of men “in disguise” surrounded the carriage and took the prisoners. Hours later, when Sheriff Thomas and Deputy White arrived from Elkton, they found one of the men “strung up by a rope around his neck to the limb of a hickory tree,” according to the Delawarean. No trace of the other two men was found.
In September 1861, a young African-American named Frederick was charged with rape. After an investigation in Cecilton, the Cecil Democrat, reported that he was “taken to a tree in the vicinity of the act and hung.”

Passenger Service Discontinued on the Octoraro Line

2007-10-18T00:00:00.001-04:00

Regular passenger service for stations on the Maryland part of the Octoraro line became a thing of the past when "Gilligan's Train," which had been an institution for more than half a century, was taken off the road on April 13, 1935. On that Saturday evening, Conductor T. S. Wilson eased the Oxford-Baltimore Express past the quiet lonely Rowlandsville station a little after 5 p.m. for the last time. (The photo of the Rowlandsville Station is from the first decade of the 20th century.)

Sharing Stories of The Octoraro Branch Railroad

2007-10-17T23:53:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday about 20 people came to the Rising Sun Library to participate in a discussion about the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Octoraro Branch. Old photographs, timetables, maps and newspaper clippings were used to initiate a discussion of the line through Rising Sun, Liberty Grove, and Rowlandsville. Several audience members shared their knowledge, some of them drawing on the things they had heard from earlier generations of residents, stories of using the train for trips to the city or for moving into the area. Others enthusiastically shared their enjoyment in strolling through this particularly scenic part of Cecil County and discussed the possibility of a rails-to-trails route. Jack Hill, a biologist and railroad enthusiast, came down from Pennsylvania to share some of his knowledge. Jack has been investigating the history of the line for a few years and he is presently writing a book on the old Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad with the tentative title of Out of the Ashes – the Octoraro Branch. We’ll look forward to hosting a book signing for this valuable title and hearing Jack’s talk on his research when it rolls of the press. We’ll blog on this a little more on this later.

Society Aids in Production of Emergency Management DVD

2007-10-03T11:05:00.001-04:00

The Cecil County Department of Emergency Services recently released an interactive emergency preparedness DVD, which “teaches people how to prepare for disasters.” The production, focusing specifically on the county, also contains a 10-minute video examining the history of some of the area’s major emergencies and the development of disaster management. The Historical Society assisted in the development of this important public safety product by preparing the script and by making the resources of our research library available. As the archives for the County, we are pleased to support local government initiatives such as this. We also congratulate the agency on its professionally done production, which will be of great value to citizens. For a copy, contact the Department of Emergency Services.

Veterans Groups Continue Vauable Support to Society

2007-09-28T20:53:00.000-04:00

Over the years Cecil County Veterans groups have been some of the strongest supporters of the Society and they have greatly helped advance our mission of being the keepers of the area’s heritage. These organizations funded projects to conserve fragile local newspapers, record memories of veterans from World War II, produce exhibits for the public, and much more. This year when we appealed to the veterans, the Rising Sun Legion Post 194; Elkton VFW Post 8175; VFW Post 8185, Port Deposit; American Legion Susquehanna Post 135, Perryville; and VFW Post 7687 Chesapeake City answered the call, donating $4,000 to the Society. For our largely volunteer group, which raises most of its money through volunteer efforts and does much to serve the community, this is an important donation. The money will be put to work improving the local collection. The County has some of the finest veterans groups in Maryland and we appreciate their continued service to the community and their support.

Order of the First Families of Maryland Scholarship

2007-09-03T18:24:00.000-04:00

The Order of the First Families of Maryland seeks to perpetuate the memory of the settlers of Maryland, foster an interest in colonial research, and aid in education, recently emailed the Society about a scholarship the organization is offering for college students. We’ve imbedded a copy of the Colonial History of Maryland Scholarship application and accompanying fact sheet here. Also if you have questions about the organization visit the OFFMD web site or if you have questions about the scholarship email the Sappington Scholarship Chair, The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Forde at spiritsouth@gmail.com.

Victorian Tea on Sept. 8th Cancelled

2007-08-31T10:14:00.000-04:00

The Victorian Tea on September 8th is cancelled.

Book Signing for Haunted Maryland on Sept. 8

2007-08-22T22:17:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, Sept. 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Society will host the first book signing and public event associated with the release of Haunted Maryland: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Old Line State, by local author Ed Okonowicz. This latest volume of regional folklore by the award-winning author and folklorist was released in August by Stackpole Books of Mechanicsburg, PA., and it includes legends, superstitions, history and strange tales associated with Maryland’s historic heritage. Since before the Revolution, through the Civil War era and into modern times, Maryland has been the historic center of the nation. In this informative and entertaining book, learn about the famous people and other Old Line State residents with eerie tales to tell.

According to Okonowicz, “A number of local, Cecil County stories, are included in the new book, but every county of the state is represented. I’m sure readers will find a wealth of fascinating lore associated with the state’s significant historical heritage and, once again, the link between legends and history is apparent in nearly every entertaining and eerie tale.” His new book, Annapolis GHOSTS: History, Mystery, Legends and Lore, also will be on sale and be part of the discussion.

Ed will present a talk at 11 a.m. about the research he conducted and his experiences writing the book. After that, he will be available to sign copies of the book, which are being offered as a fundraiser through the HSCC. Haunted Maryland lists for $9.95 and Annapolis Ghosts for $11.95. There is a discount for members.

KI Lecture Cancelled - Wed, Aug 22

2007-08-21T14:03:00.000-04:00

The lecture on canning on Delmarva is cancelled for Wednesday, August 22. All others continue as planned.

KI Lecture Series Kicks Off

2007-08-15T22:49:00.000-04:00

The Key Ingredients lecture series kicked off Wednesday evening with a fascinating lecture called "Before the Age of Acme" by Dr. Constance Cooper, the manuscript librarian at the Historical Society of Delaware. Dr. Cooper outlined what it was like to shop for food in the era before supermarkets and convenience stores replaced corner stores and she provided the audience with a fun look back at the history of food shopping. Once the slide-illustrated talk was over, the audience had plenty of questions for her about how food shopping, preparation, and service habits have changed over the centuries.You won’t want to miss the other upcoming talks in this series, which all take place at 7:00 p.m. on the designated date at the Society, 135 E. Main Street, Elkton:

Wednesday Aug 22 at 7:00 p.m. Ed Kee presents a lecture on "Saving Our Harvest," the story of the Mid-Atlantic's canning and freezing industry
Monday, August 27 -- 'Building Houses out of Chicken Legs – Black Women, Food & Power” is the subject by Dr. Psyche Williams Forson. Using a receipe of scholarly analysis, personal interviews, film advertisments, cookbooks and literature, Williams-Forsythe examines the role of the chicken in African American Life, paying special attention to the connection between chickens and African-American Women. From slavery to the present, families have been fed with chickens raised by these women, who have made their livings cooking and serving in houses, resturants, on the roadside, at the harbor and in churches.
Wednesday, Sept. 5 -- Dr. Cooper returns for a talk on the "The Delmarva Peach Industry."
Wednesday, Sept. 12 -- A talk on Growing Heirloom Vegetables by Heather Morrisey, a history and how to guide for growing heirloom vegetables.

Key Ingredients: America by Food, has been made possible by the Maryland Humanities Council. Key Ingredients is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the Federation of State Humanities Councils. These lectures are also underwitten by a grant from the Maryland Humanities Council.

A Night on the Town - Key Ingredients Exhibit Opening Video Blog

2007-08-13T22:48:00.001-04:00

We've posted a videocast of the Key Ingredients Exhibit Opening, an evening when the shops, galleries, and restaurants of downtown Elkton filled with patrons as folks came to the county seat to celebrate the arrival of the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit. Conducted locally in cooperation with the Arts Council, the exhibit was made possible by the Maryland Humanities Council. In addition to the larger file, there's a smaller flash visual for those with slower connections. Click here to go to the media page. When the video screen comes up, hit "loop all" to star

Congratulations to Photo Contest Winners

2007-08-10T23:31:00.000-04:00

The Society congratulates the winner of the photo contest. First place was won by an entry submitted by Laurene K. Poole; 2nd place by Rich McNeil; and 3rd place by Amanda Butler.

A Night on the Town

2007-08-10T23:14:00.000-04:00

On a very comfortable August evening, a great crowd turned out to help the Society welcome the Smithsonian Key Ingredients Exhibit to town. People filled the Society, as great music flowed, and shop owners and restaurants stayed open in the business district to welcome visitors downtown. If you didn't make it this evening, you missed a wonderful opening, but the exhibit and programming will continue through Sept. We'll blog a little more on this in the days ahead, but we were so excited with the pleasant evening, the heart of the old town filling with strollers enjoying the county seats ambiance and entertainment, that we wanted to get something up on the blog quickly.

Generosity of the late Albert Moore Benefits Society

2007-08-08T09:02:00.000-04:00

The Historical Society was one of many benefactors of the estate of Albert V. Moore who passed away on December 5, 2005, at the age of 92. Mr. Moore was born in Providence in 1913. As a young man he worked for the Providence Paper Mill and then at the William duPont estate at Fair Hill before eventually retiring from the University of Delaware. Cecil’s history was important to him and having lived through much of the 20th century he knew a great deal about the area’s past. The bequest of this friend of the Society and long-time member is greatly appreciated for it will enable us to do more vital work as the county’s heritage keepers, something that was significant to Mr. Moore. In a largely volunteer organization that raises most of its money through donations from members and fundraising efforts by volunteers, Mr. Moore’s nearly $8,000 bequest allows us to accomplish tasks that would not have been possible if Mr. Moore had not remembered the organization in his will. In this photo, he is shown with his wife Ruth, who passed away away a few years earlier.

Key Ingredients Exhibit Opens Friday Evening

2007-08-05T22:23:00.000-04:00

“Key Ingredients: America by Food" a traveling Smithsonian exhibit that is making a tour across the nation, opens this Friday evening in Elkton. The show and associated programs, which are being sponsored locally by the Historical Society of Cecil County and the Arts Council, explores the connections between Americans and the foods they produce, prepare, preserve and present at the table.

The opening reception runs from 4pm to 7pm at 135 E. Main Street in Elkton, home of the Historical Society. In addition to the Smithsonian exhibit highlighting the evolution of American cuisine from food gathering by Native Americans to today’s home cooking techniques, the story is also told through a Society curated exhibit containing county photographs, illustrations, artifacts and an interactive computer station. The reception features refreshments and live music by Soul Oh.

As Cecil digs into this exhibit, area restaurants and merchants are joining in with a taste loop in Elkton. Nearly twelve downtown businesses will stay open and at each location patrons will be offered beer and food. There is a nominal charge at each place (approximately $2 to $4). The taste loop kicks off at 135 E. Main Street, where a $2 cup is purchased. A map detailing the business locations that are open for the evening will also be available.

Food service enterprises participating in this exciting evening are: Bentleys, Elkton Diner, the Howard House, the Grist Mill, Judy’s Java, Main Street Café, Union Hospital Café, and the Wellwood Club

Key Ingredients: America by Food, has been made possible in Cecil County by the Maryland Humanities Council. Key Ingredients is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the Federation of State Humanities Councils. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Hearst Foundation.

For a full schedule of events for the remainder of the exhibit, which runs through September 22, visit the Society’s web site at http://www.cchistory.org/news/ingredeints.htm.

Final Call for Photo Contest Entries

2007-08-02T22:16:00.000-04:00

The Society is pleased to invite all photographers, including amateur and expert (and any level in between), to participate in an open photography show, “From Cultivation to Culinary Delights: Interpretive Photographs of Food in Cecil County.” The photographer is free to interpret food in Cecil County in any form – agriculture, harvesting, cooking, business, and industry (such as grocery stores, restaurants) – through photography. The photographs will be displayed at the Elkton Alliance, 101 East Main Street, from August 10 through September 22, 2007. The following rules apply for all entries: (1) the photographer may submit only one photograph for the show; (2) the photograph must be taken of an image located in Cecil County, MD; (3) the photographer must submit

two original prints of the one photograph [one print will be hung in the exhibit and one print will become part of the permanent collection of the Historical Society of Cecil County]; (4) the photographer may use any medium of photography, including digital enhancements to an existing photograph; (5) the photographer may write a short description of, or inspiration for their photograph (not required, but suggested); and (6) the photograph must be submitted not later than August 9, 2007 to the Historical Society of Cecil County, 135 East Main Street, Elkton, MD 21921. All entries will be judged and prizes will be awarded.

The photography show is co-sponsored by the Historical Society of Cecil County and the Cecil County Arts Council and is being held in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution’s “Key Ingredients: America by Food,” a traveling exhibition that examines regional food, at the Elkton Arts Center from August 10 through September 22, 2007.

The first prize is $300 cash and the second prize is $100 gift certificate to Bentley's Restaurant. The third prize is a joint membership to the sponsoring organizations. The prizes are underwritten by Jodlbauer's Furniture Elkton.

Society Congratulates Elkton Town Board

2007-07-28T22:59:00.001-04:00

At the July meeting of Elkton’s Mayor and Commissioners the Town Board appointed an historic & architectural review committee. A few years ago, an older part of the town, a section with a character reflective of the past and distinctive architecture, was designated as a historic district. The Mayor and Commissioners apponited the commmittee in order to preserve this valuable community asset. The Society congratulates the Mayor and Commissioners for taking such a visionary step to preserve a valuable section of the community, one that contains a number of dwelling representative of the colonial era and other unique architectural periods and styles.

Young Scholar Initiates Original Research Project

2007-07-13T21:50:00.001-04:00

This summer Abigail Bratcher, a Rising Sun High School Senior, is undertaking a valuable research project, which will be published by the Society toward the end of 2007. It’s always exciting to see young scholars enhance academic skills and prepare for college by exploring Cecil’s past. We first met the serious scholar when she worked on a research paper for Mrs. Dillaway’s AP 11th grade history class. Earlier in the year she participated in Maryland History Day, a juried state-competition that requires extensive, independent research of historical materials related to a national theme. As she worked through that process, she won the Cecil County History Day competition with a paper on Maryland’s role in the Civil War. Abigail plans to study history or anthropology as she prepares for an academic career in one of those disciplines. Look for her original research examining events in Cecil as the darkness of the Civil War rolled over the nation in a future edition of the Journal.

Mayor Fisona Wants Passenger Service in Elkton

2007-07-11T22:24:00.001-04:00

It’s been a quarter-of-a-century since a conductor has called out at "all aboard" at the old depot in Elkton. But Mayor Joseph Fisona is working to see that the quiet of the station is shattered by more than the swish of fast trains rushing by for he wants a few of those runs to stop for passengers. Some time ago he started a petition drive, collecting signatures urging state and federal officials, as well as Amtrak to bring regular passenger service back to the county seat.

He's continuing with his campaign for on a very pleasant July Sunday he was working for the community again on this initiative and we had the opportunity to accompany him to the Kilby Farm for a Sustainable Energy Fair. At the fair he collected more signature to support this effort. He's shown in the top photo talking to former Cecil County Commissioner Phyllis Kilby about mass tranit. In the photo below, he's sitting next to some of the Society's historic photos of the railroad station, while he pauses to enjoy a delicious cup of Kilby's Ice Cream.

If you’re interested in a little more history of the train in Elkton and an old photo click here. The Society thanks Mayor Fisona for his effort on behalf of the community to return important commuter service to the eastern part of Cecil County.

Last Whipping Post Sentence in Cecil County

2007-06-30T23:15:00.000-04:00

Each week the reference staff answers a number of queries on a range of subjects, and this week the volunteers had to do a little extra digging to find the answer when a patron wanted to know when was the last time a whipping post sentence was handed down in Cecil County. In December 1940 the Cecil County Circuit Court ordered a 42-year old prisoner to serve 60 days in the jail and the sheriff was to give him ten lashes on the bare back at the whipping post as the sentence on a wife beating charge. A local newspaper, the Cecil Democrat, remarked that this was the first time in 46-years that a person was sentenced to the whipping post. The task of carrying out this assignment fell to Sheriff David Randolph. At one time this method was used as punishment for forgery, theft, Sabbath breaking, blasphemy and other crimes and before it was dropped in the 20th century it applied only to wife beaters. Neighboring Delaware kept its whipping post law on the books until 1972, though the last criminal in Delaware was whipped in 1952 for beating a woman.

Researcher Alert - Additional Naturalization Records & More Added to Collection

2007-06-16T15:14:00.000-04:00

We're constantly adding new research materials to our holdings and this past week we've added a few items, which will be of great assistance to researchers. We now have a large run of naturalization records from about 1889 into roughly the 1920s. We also acquired the register of intended voters for 1925 and records from the Bohemia River Bridge.

Elkton Wedding Chapel Receives Marker

2007-06-07T19:17:00.000-04:00

Wednesday a group gathered in downtown Elkton to unveil the county's newest roadside marker from the Maryland Historic Trust. Joining the owners of the Little Wedding Chapel, Bobby Ann and Frank Smith, were Dianne Broomell, who coordinated the project for Delegate Michael Smigiel's , Delegate Smigiel, Senator Pikin, and others. Diane read the following remarks at the unveiling:

"Today's event is the culmination of two years, one month, and one day of effort to preserve an era for which Elkton should be remembered. Applying for an historical marker with the Maryland Historical Trust can be a long, cumbersome process but it is well worth the effort.

After contacting Nancy Kurtz, the National Register Coordinator, she was surprised Elkton didn't already have a marker signifying this event and she encouraged us to send in the application.

The most involved process was the research in order to provide documentation showing how the Elkton Wedding Chapel Era impacted Cecil County from the 1920s to the 1950s. Just as tedious was drafting the proposed text for the marker because you are attempting to write a whole chapter in 55 words or less. At least three drafts were attempted which subtly resemble the final draft.

Since the Historic Little Wedding Chapel is the last one from this period, it's only appropriate that this would be the location for the marker. In fact, Bobby Ann and Frank have done a wonderful job in keeping this period alive and their chapel has been featured in National Geographic and the Baltimore Sun, usually on Valentine's Day.

Today is is very reward to see the final product and to know that this important time in Elkton's history will not be forgotten."

Remarks by Diane Broomell

Please enjoy our videocast of this event

Naturalization Records, Optometry Register & More Added to Collection

2007-06-05T09:28:00.000-04:00

It’s always exciting when we add primary source research materials to the collection, especially when the documents involve records that haven't been accessed in a century or more. With some degree of regularity that sort of exciting thing happens, and just last week we had an opportunity to receive a group of new research materials materials when we were taken to a seldom visited storage room deep in the basement of the old courthouse, a room that overflowed with leather-bound volumes of old records.

As the official county archives we were asked to check out some of these unexpected treasures, to see if they belong in the research archives. Well they do for they are full of nuggets of information for genealogists and local history researchers. As these records aged and were seldom used by the public, they were placed in long term storage and were largely forgotten.

In the material that we have acquired thus far are three volumes of naturalization records from about 1905 – 1921, a debt docket the middle of the 19th century, and the Optomestrists Registration book. We have these just in time for the summer vacation season, a time when many genealogists hit the road in search of elusive ancestors. These might just contain some clues for the traveling or local genealogist. Continue to monitor the blogosphere as we continue sifting through these materials.

Society Remembers Anne Copley

2007-06-02T23:53:00.002-04:00

Anne Copley, who passed away on May 9, was remembered at a Memorial Service earlier today at Jenner’s Pond in West Grove PA, when friends and family gathered to honor her life. She was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1921, graduated from Tucson High School in Arizona, and Ohio State University in 1943. Anne volunteered at the Society for nearly 30 years, and served on the board for most of that time.

A tireless contributor, she worked in the library nearly every Monday helping family historians, old house researchers, and students discover the county’s legacy. She always put the organization first and supported new ways for doing things as we began reacting to changes taking places in special collections libraries, as far back as the mid-80s. During her decades with us, she helped usher in a wide-array of innovations, ranging from employing our first museum professional nearly two decades ago to adapting to computers and all that meant for the organization. Anne had a vision for improving the Society and she helped implement advancements as she worked on and supported many of the changes we’re benefiting from today.

I still recall in the early ‘90s as we began experimenting with offering lively, engaging programs focused on broader audiences, how she put together our first public workshop, one on researching the history of your old house. On that pleasant autumn Saturday morning, as we nervously waited to see if anyone would show up, the room suddenly filled with new students. Once everyone settled into a comfortable seat, Anne, Miss Taylor and a few others went right to work offering a fantastic seminar on mining data on the county’s past. As I write this now, I still recall that pleasant day so many years ago.

We are a much better Society because of her involvement and because of her strong belief in moving forward. When I talked to her daughter, Phyllis Machledt, soon after she passed away, she mentioned that the historical society was always very important to her mother and a few days before she passed away, she was talking about important matters concerning the future of the organization. Over the past three decades as we launched many steps to improve the institution, Anne was always someone I turned to for advice when we were assessing new initiatives for the Society. If we moved forward, she was there to help support the change and to work on the enhancement.

Anne, a major leader and contributor to the organization for three decades, will be missed, but her leadership, wise-advice, and her many hours of work will serve as a continuing example to those whom she touched and to a new generation of leadership that is beginning to guide the Society through the 21st century.

New Historic Marker Arrives in Time for Summer Tourist Season

2007-06-01T23:52:00.000-04:00

Early Friday morning, a State Highway Administration crew was seen putting up a new sign on Main Street in Elkton, in front of the little Wedding Chapel. A closer look showed that they were erecting a familiar looking cast iron sign, one of the State’s historic roadside markers. We’re pleased that there’s an abundance of these signs around the county, but this one is particularly interesting since it tells of Elkton’s famous marriage history. Its arrival is timely since the summer tourist season is getting underway here at the top of the Chesapeake and we hope to see many visitors taking a moment to gain insight into this important aspect of our past. Joining Bobby Ann and Frank Smith, the owners of the Little Wedding Chapel or Delegate Michael Smigiel (far right) who worked to get the sign erect and his chief of staff, Cailey Locklair.

While you're on the net, surf on over to our media section and see our videocast on this new marker: http://www.cchistory.org/media/index_files/podcast.htm