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

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.

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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.