Finding clues from the past that give us a glimpse into the places and lives of Marylanders who came before us
Apples, burned nuts and cabbage stalks. Learn how Baltimore celebrated Halloween in the 1800s: “Tonight is All Hallowe’en, dedicated formerly by lads and lassies to lovers’ games and charms, but now degenerated into the ringing of door-bells and the hanging of cabbage stalks on door-knobs and other impish tricks by mischievous boys. The scarcity of... Continue Reading →
In November 1965, a Frederick County newspaper received a call from a tipster reporting that he fought off a frightening creature in his backyard — the dwayyo. In The News article “Mysterious ‘Dwayyo’ On Loose In County” (complete with the subhed “Don’t Mess with It”), a man named John Becker reported fending off a 6-foot-tall,... Continue Reading →
Sightings of a snallygaster — a mysterious creature with a curious name — brought fright and concern to the Middletown valley (Frederick County) and beyond in the first few decades of the 20th century. “For those not in the know,” according to a 1965 article in The News, “a snallygaster is said to be a... Continue Reading →
Reported sightings of a mysterious veiled lady roaming around the small town of Williamsport (Washington County) at night frightened residents for years in the 40s and 50s.
Jousting has been Maryland’s official state sport since 1962 (and was the first state ever to adopt an official sport), but Marylanders were passionate for the sport for hundreds of years before that designation. According to the Maryland Manual On-Line, jousting has taken place in our great state since the colonial times, but interest in... Continue Reading →
It may be hard to believe now, but Ocean City used to be a small fishing village before it was transformed into a place for summer frolicking in the late 19th century. Ocean City started to gain in popularity in the late 1870s, in part due to the availability of the resort by rail and... Continue Reading →
Today, we generally think of flies as more of a nuisance than a health hazard. But in the early 20th century, flies spreading typhoid, cholera, tuberculosis and other diseases was a true public safety concern. In 1912, government officials encouraged farmers to keep stables clean, use screens in doors and windows and fly-catching devices to protect... Continue Reading →
Hot. Humid. Sticky. Miserable. If you’re like me, you’re not a fan of Maryland’s oppressive heat. Ads and information in local papers had remedies and recommendations for dealing with Maryland summers: The Heat Does All This? We're In Trouble The medicine advertised in the August 25, 1880 Herald and Torch Light (Hagerstown) claimed to cure a... Continue Reading →
Summer has been my favorite season for as long as I can remember. Here are five things I love about Maryland summers: The Beach. I’ve been going to Ocean City ever since I can remember. Bayside, oceanside, oceanfront, it doesn’t matter to me. Yes, I’ll admit there were some years that my feet never... Continue Reading →
In the spring and summer of 1883, happenings from around the state included two accidents and a “devilish” act of animal cruelty: ‘Not a Suicidal Leap’ The June 2, 1883 Denton Journal reported that Miss Bertha Gebhardt did not commit suicide “by leaping from her bed room window” in Baltimore; instead, she fell out the... Continue Reading →
Bygone Maryland 