Finding clues from the past that give us a glimpse into the places and lives of Marylanders who came before us
The following incidents reported in the late 1880s and 1890s show us how life can change in an instant: A Fork in the Eye In 1897, Mrs. Hobbs, the wife of farmer Wm. M. Hobbs living near Sykesville (Carroll County), lost an eye after attempting to untie a knot. “She was trying to untie a... Continue Reading →
My father and I took a field trip last week. We visited Prospect Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C., to find the grave sites of my great-great grandparents, great-grandparents and great-grand aunt, which we did successfully with the assistance of the cemetery’s very helpful superintendent. Prospect Hill Cemetery is a historic German-American cemetery on North... Continue Reading →
A October 1895 issue of the Catoctin Clarion described an awful-sounding accident, making us realize that even the most mundane hobbies can have painful consequences: “Miss Rose Coleman ran a crocheting needle into the index finger of her left hand. Dr. Kefauver was called, forced it through her finger and cut the barb off, then... 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 →
Bygone Maryland 