Finding clues from the past that give us a glimpse into the places and lives of Marylanders who came before us
This year, rain clouds, lightning and thunderstorms replaced the bountiful sunshine we usually experience during summer. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, July 2018 rainfall in Baltimore beat a record set in 1889 (16.73 inches vs. 11.03 inches). In June 1900, an intense storm demonstrated the power of nature when it took the life of... Continue Reading →
Another Labor Day is upon us, marking the unofficial end to summer. In September 1900, The Baltimore Sun ran a piece on the value of Labor Day. Obviously, times have changed, but much of the sentiment still holds true today: "We are essentially a working people -- every week day in the year, with a... Continue Reading →
In 1900, farmer Patrick Ryan, who lived near Cumberland (Allegany County), devised a unique way to rid his farm of rats that were ruining his corn, wheat and other crops. He’d tried various approaches, but most unconventional one — soaking corn in whiskey in a barrel — worked the best. “This the rats ate rapidly,... Continue Reading →
In January 1900, a years-long reign of terror by a menacing creature finally came to an end, thanks to a man named, fittingly, Slaughter. Farmers and dogs alike who lived near the mouth of the Tuckahoe Creek on the Eastern Shore were terrorized by “a large and fierce wild hog, with gleaming and dangerous-looking tusks three... Continue Reading →
Bygone Maryland 