Calendar of Events

Please contact the Historical Society at (410) 848-6494 for information about the many events offered during the year.
	TUESDAY, APRIL 8 Skeletons in the Belfry In the 1500s, churches began to keep records of baptisms, marriages, burials, confirmations and communicants and the German churches of Maryland continued this tradition. Pastor Frederick Weiser, translator of the Maryland German Church Record series, examines this rich historical resource. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16 Bus trip - Sotterley Plantation and Calvert Marine Museum The first stop of the day is at Sotterley, one of the oldest tidewater plantations in Maryland. Sotterley features the early 18th-century mansion, an original slave cabin and an array of outbuildings set amidst 95 acres of rolling fields, gardens, and riverfront. What began as a simple two-room house evolved into an architectural masterpiece. The Chinese Chippendale staircase and shell alcoves in the drawing room are among the finest examples of 18^th woodwork. We’ll have a guided tour of the house with time to enjoy the gardens and grounds. For lunch, we’ll have a special treat and dine on the portico at Sotterley. Lunch choices include a ham, turkey or roast beef sandwich or a veggie wrap. All lunches come with salad, dessert and beverage. Specify lunch choice when making reservation. After lunch, we’re off to the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Maryland. Their permanent exhibit, Maritime Patuxent: A River And Its People, tells the story of human activity along the Patuxent River from the 17^th century to present. The Drum Point Lighthouse, which dominates the museum's waterfront, is one of only three remaining screwpile, cottage-type lights that once served the Chesapeake Bay. The Small Craft Building Houses nineteen of the small craft in the museum's collections. In the Boatbuilding Skills Preservation Center, traditional craft such as crab skiffs and log canoes are built and sailed. A special outdoor exhibit features two live otters which visitors can observe from above and below the water. The bus leaves from the parking lot on Ralph Street, behind the Church of the Ascension at 7:30 a.m. Cost for the trip (includes transportation, admissions and lunch) is $80 for Society members and $90 for non-members. Reservations are required by March 28. No refunds can be given for cancellations made after the reservation deadline. To reserve your seat, contact the Society at 410-848-6494.
	TUESDAY, MAY 13 Shoot! If you must . . . Barbara Fritchie In 1862, Frederick resident Barbara Fritchie bravely waved her country’s flag as Confederate troops marched past her home in Frederick. Such was her bravery that John Greenleaf Whittier immortalized her in a poem memorized by generations of schoolchildren. But, did the famed confrontation really take place? Dean Herrin of the Catoctin Center for Regional Studies examines the myths, legends and facts of Barbara Fritchie’s life. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.
	TUESDAY, JUNE 10 Glimpses of the Civil War Nearly 1,000 Carroll County men served in the military (on both sides) during the Civil War. Others who passed through during those trying times returned to call the county home. Mary Ann Ashcraft and Ned Landis tell the stories of some of these men and their lives during and after America’s great conflict. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.
FRIDAY, JUNE 13 Bus trip - A.R.T. Research Enterprises (fine art foundry) and Ephrata Cloister You've probably been to Lancaster before but you’ve never seen it like this! Learn to “Think Sculpture” during a unique visit to one of the largest fine arts foundries on the east coast. A.R.T. Research Enterprises has produced sculptures and memorials for locations from New York to Pittsburg to Washington to Detroit to Chicago to Tampa and places in between. This rare tour will provide the opportunity to see new art works being produced using the lost wax method and older pieces being restored to their original appearance. After our artistic morning, we’re off to the Green Dragon in Ephrata. Since 1932, over 400 local growers, merchants and craftsmen have gathered on this 30-acre site, creating one of the largest farmers markets on the east coast. There will be time to explore the market and to find lunch on your own at one of the five sit-down restaurants or eleven snack shops. Lunch is not included in the price of the trip. After lunch we’re off to a unique historic site, the Ephrata Cloister. One of America's earliest religious communities, the Ephrata Cloister was founded in 1732 by German settlers seeking spiritual goals rather than earthly rewards. Gathered in unique European style buildings, the community consisted of celibate Brothers and Sisters, and a married congregation of families. At its height in the 1740s and 1750s, about 300 members worked and worshiped at the Cloister. The Society declined after the American Revolution and by 1800 the celibate orders were practically. Many of the buildings remain including the Sisters’ House, Meetinghouse, Bake House, Print House and Solitary House. We’ll have a guided tour and time to explore the other buildings and the grounds. The bus leaves from the parking lot on Ralph Street, behind the Church of the Ascension at 8:30 a.m. Cost for the trip (includes transportation and admissions) is $65 for Society members and $75 for non-members. Reservations are required by June 2. No refunds can be given for cancellations made after the reservation deadline. To reserve your seat, contact the Society at 410-848-6494.
	TUESDAY, JULY 8 The Routes West: The National Road and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Two 19^th century civil engineering projects - the Historic National Road and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad - opened up a major section of America for commerce, settlement, industry and leisure travel. Paul Bridge examines the common roots of these projects, how Marylanders were deeply involved and their legacies that are visible today. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.
	TUESDAY, AUGUST 12 Good Sports Don Haines, author of a new book on Carroll County athletes, discusses how he became involved in the project, the selection of athletes for inclusion in the book, how he researched his subjects, the choice of a publisher, the cost of the project and some of his favorite stories. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.
	TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 Fearless and Bold: The history of McDaniel College, 1866-2002 McDaniel College historian James Lightner will describe the seven-year process of researching and writing this extensive history of the local college, read some short excerpts from the book, answer questions and debunk some myths about the school’s history. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.
	SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Antiques Appraisal Day Bring your family treasures and join HSCC for this annual event. A panel of nationally-known and certified appraisers will be on hand to examine items and provide an identification and verbal estimation of value. Watch for details.
	TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 A Healthy Endeavor For nearly half a century, Carroll Hospital Center has been providing quality medical care for the communities it serves. Founded by a group of forward-thinking community members, Carroll Hospital Center opened it doors as Carroll County General Hospital in 1961. Staff from the hospital offer insights about the people and events that have shaped the organization into the thriving medical center it is today. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.
	TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 Tours of Duty: Carroll County and the Vietnam War Hundreds of Carroll County residents served in the military during the Vietnam War. Carroll County native Gary Jestes (a Vietnam veteran) and Jay Graybeal (Chief Curator at the Army Heritage and Education Center) tell the stories of some of Carroll’s soldiers - before, during and after the war - and of the twenty-one men who never returned home. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.
	TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9 Hail to the Chiefs: Presidential Visits to Carroll County From 1791 through the middle of the 20th century, Carroll County played host to five American presidents. Historical Society Curator Catherine Baty examines the who, when and why of these memorable days. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.

Last updated: April 1, 2008 Historical Society of Carroll County 210 East Main Street, Westminster MD 21157 (410) 848-6494