Finding clues from the past that give us a glimpse into the places and lives of Marylanders who came before us
A perfect storm of circumstances started a fire at a residence in 1911 Baltimore. “A candle, loose wall paper and a breeze blowing in the open window of the kitchen at 129 South Caroline street” started a “slight blaze” in Louis Ginsman’s home, according to a Baltimore Sun article with the headline “Candle, Breeze, Blaze.”... Continue Reading →
West Washington Street in downtown Hagerstown is a treasure trove of ghost signs. Down the road from Eyerly’s Department Store is the painted ghost sign of the long-shuttered Updegraff’s Clothiers, Hatters and Furnishers. The unassuming, fading sign has been prominently displayed at the top of a four-story building for decades. “It is apparently the oldest... Continue Reading →
Accidental poisonings seemed to take place often a century ago. One such incident involved the poisoning of Miss Teresa Nierhaus at the hands of her friend in August 1911. The Baltimore Sun reported that the 22-year-old woman, who was living on West Lexington Street in Baltimore, thought she was taking a dose of paregoric, which... Continue Reading →
With the start of baseball season last week, this incident from July 1, 1904 can resonate with all the Orioles fans who have ever been frustrated by umpires’ calls. “Aged eggs were the feature of yesterday’s ball game at Oriole Park,” began the Baltimore Sun article. “They were intended for an umpire who had been... Continue Reading →
From the New Windsor Museum (Carroll County): “Sun Dial from Garden of Dielman Inn "Dated 1909, this sun dial was a fixture behind the Dielman Inn until 2010. Attributed to Sir Charles Leonard Woolley (1880-1960), famous British archaeologist and discoverer of Ur, the ancient city of Abraham, now in today’s Iraq. Woolley is said to... Continue Reading →
Bygone Maryland 