We’re in the midst of another sweltering Maryland summer, and in Baltimore, there’s one classic way to cool down: a sweet Baltimore snowball. ANATOMY OF A SNOWBALL For those unfamiliar with the summer treat, they are distinctly different from snow cones and Hawaiian...
History
Help Restore Vandalized St. Thomas Cemetery
In early June 2017, vandals damaged dozens of historic gravestones in the cemetery of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The congregation is now reaching out to preservationists and the community to help make the needed repairs. Prince George's...
Historic Foodways: Making Ice Cream in Maryland
It's National Ice Cream Day! BRIEF HISTORY OF ICE CREAM The history of ice cream in the United States dates back to 1744. An official from Virginia named William Black dined at the house of Maryland Governor Thomas Bladen in Annapolis. Black’s journal entry about the...
Journey through Maryland History: Howard County Historic Highlights
The journey through Maryland history continues for Diane Caslow, Vice President of our Board of Directors! Last month, she explored Howard County and she concentrated the adventure on Columbia, celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year, and Ellicott City, just about...
Then & Now: Glen Echo Park
Today Glen Echo Park in Montgomery County is a lively campus of open space, arts studios, and plays host to many community events. Some portions of the Park are operated by the National Park Service and some by the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture. What...
History on the Air: History of the Bay Bridge
As part of the Maryland Humanities' Humanities Connection segment on WYPR, our Maggie Pelta-Pauls, a Preservation Maryland Waxter Intern was on the air reading her original essay on the history of the Bay Bridge! If you missed it on the radio, you can listen anytime...
Made in Maryland: The Phillips Packing and Seafood Company
The Phillips Packing Company began in Cambridge, Maryland in 1902 with a single plant and went on to become the largest employer in Dorchester County and one of the most recognized names in seafood. As the company expanded so did its legacy on the Eastern Shore...
Tour Recap: Historic Highland Beach Walking Tour
Highland Beach is an incredibly important place in Maryland; it was founded so that African-Americas could escape segregation and enjoy the Chesapeake, and now the community is committed to ecological stewardship of the historic landscape. Preservation Maryland...
PreserveCast Ep. 14: Tolson’s Chapel and the History of Reconstruction
Tolson's Chapel was once a school, a church, and the center of a community. Now, thanks to the work of folks like our guest Edie Wallace - with support from Preservation Maryland - it may hopefully serves as a way to glimpse into the often overlooked second act of the...
Flag Day: History of the Maryland Flag
Maryland's flag stands out! Every Marylander has had at least one occasion to lament - or defend it's bold colors and eye-catching design. Here's the story of how the flag came to be. For those unfamiliar with the Maryland state flag, it features four alternating...
Journey through Maryland History: Riding the Rails in Allegany County
Continuing her twenty-four Maryland counties in twenty-four months travelogue, Preservation Maryland Board Vice-President, Diane Caslow, spent a lovely May weekend in Western Maryland. Her travels took her to Cumberland and along to the Western Maryland Scenic Railway...
Video: Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites Conference
The Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites annual conference brought over 60 attendees to Anne Arundel County to hear about current events, like the response to the vandalized Mount Carmel in Philadelphia and the latest in conservation technologies. The sessions...
PreserveCast S1E12: Jake Wynn of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine
Civil War history is a popular topic, especially in a state with as complex a history in the Civil War as Maryland. Medical advances may not be the first thing that comes to your mind as a lasting impact of the long and bloody conflict, but thanks to our guest Jake...
How the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Connected Maryland
On it's way to celebrate 65 years of connecting Maryland, take a quick trip into the history of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. BEFORE THE BRIDGE The Chesapeake Bay separates the two sides of Maryland, the main land and the Eastern Shore and they were relatively isolated...
Journey through Maryland History: Horse and Hound Scenic Byway in Baltimore County
This April, our Board Vice President, Diane Caslow and crew explored the Horse and Hounds Scenic Byway through Baltimore County. One of eighteen designated Maryland Scenic Byways, the route took the crew to horse races and historic sites. Follow along in the...
Highland Beach: Douglass Family-Founded Beach Town on the Chesapeake
On the Bay sits a historic beach community founded by the youngest son of activist and abolitionist Frederick Douglass as a resort town for the African-American community. Incorporated as a year-round town in 1922, it is still home to many descendants of the original...
Why are Maryland’s Sports Teams Called Terps?
The history of the diamondback terrapin turtle in Maryland can be traced at least as far back as the Native Americans with two important contemporary milestones that led to the University of Maryland mascot and team name - the Terps. What's a terrapin? These turtles...
The History of the Preakness at Pimlico in Baltimore
All of your questions about the Preakness and Pimlico are answered below - by history! How'd Baltimore get the race? Why is it called the Preakness? And how much does the winner take home? Read this blog before the annual race starts: What we know today as the...
International Museum Day
May 18, 2017, marks the 40th anniversary of International Museum Day. Museums are imperative to preserving and interpreting cultural heritage and history, and this celebration of museums hopes to encourage education and understanding about what museums mean to our...
Event Recap: Preservation Maryland UMD Archive Open House
This April, Preservation Maryland hosted an Open House at our archive held at the Hornbake Library at the University of Maryland. The event was curated by Jen Wachtel, a UMD graduate student, who has been working with the collection over the semester. Read on to find...
Old Bay was Created in Baltimore by a German-Jewish Immigrant
Summer is here and every Marylander knows that that means two things: piles of steamed crabs and family-size tins of Old Bay. And did you know that Maryland’s favorite spice was created by a refugee? Read on for the story of Gustav Brunn, the German-Jewish immigrant...
Maryland’s Aviation History and Achievements
While North Carolina and Ohio battle it out on their licence plates for aviation accolades, Maryland is home to its own unique set of aeronautic firsts! Did you know Maryland was home to the first helicopter flight, the flight of the first government-owned airplane,...
PreserveCast S1E10: Cemetery Preservation with the Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites
When you picture a historic cemetery, you probably imagine a place that's calm and serene...when you picture cemetery preservation, the fact is that the work done by folks like our guest this week Eileen McGuckian, of the Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites,...
World Heritage Day: Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism in Maryland
Today, April 18, 2017, is World Heritage Day! While we consider the natural and historic wonders of the world, let's also look around Maryland at the special places we're proud to call part of our home. And for this year's international theme, especially those places...
April is Maryland Archaeology Month 2017
Proclaimed by the Governor and organized by the Archeological Society of Maryland, April is Maryland Archaeology Month - and this year their is a focus on the real impact of water on our natural and cultural resources. Archaeologists across the state have contributed...
100th Anniversary of U.S. Entrance into WWI
After years of neutrality, on April 6, 1917, the United States made the fateful decision to enter the fighting in World War One. The decision sent shock-waves across the world and changed the lives of millions of Americans - including many Marylanders. In addition to...
The History Channel’s American Pickers are Coming to Maryland
It turns out Maryland isn’t only good for picking crab - but also antiques. American Pickers, a hit show on The History Channel is returning to the Old Line State this May. Antique enthusiasts Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are constantly on the lookout for large,...
O! Say, Can You See Its Opening Day?
Today is Opening Day for Major League Baseball! It’s time to revive the game day traditions, play catch, and warm up those voices. Why? Find our why we sing the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of sporting events, and why Marylanders hollar, "O!" every chance...
Testimony: Tolson’s Chapel Tells a Story of Struggle and Courage
At the March hearing date of HB1513 that would establish a base-level of funding for historic preservation grants in Maryland, Preservation Maryland was joined by amazing colleagues from across the state, including Zunny Miller-Matema of Friends of Tolson's Chapel....
Roland Bounds’ Legacy in Historic Ellicott City
Preservation, and what is saved and is what is lost, is often determined by the passion and persistence of committed individuals. In Ellicott City, much is owed to Roland Bounds, a founding member of Historic Ellicott City, Inc. Read more about his legacy: This essay...
Statewide Smart Growth Workshop
December 10 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pmPreservation Basics with Talbot Historical Society
SAVE THE DATE! More information and registration page coming soon.
January 8, 2025 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pmHeritage Fund FY25 Information Session
Save the Date! Join Preservation Maryland on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, to learn more about the He...
January 22, 2025 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Events
Preservation Maryland participates in and hosts many events in and around Maryland. Take a look at our upcoming events to see where we’ll be next.