Finding clues from the past that give us a glimpse into the places and lives of Marylanders who came before us
Kindness didn’t pay for Captain John Carey, Baltimore police night commander, when he treated friends to some ice cream cones when returning from an Ocean City vacation in July 1930. In fact, The Baltimore Sun reported that it inadvertently cost him about $200. “He was returning to Baltimore from Ocean City on vacation and when... Continue Reading →
Each third Saturday in May, horse racing fans descend the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore for the Preakness. In honor of this Maryland tradition, here is a glimpse of past Preakness Stakes: In 1912, according to The Frederick Post, Pimlico management created some new rules for safety, including refusing to enter a horse “...known to have... Continue Reading →
For 10 days in March 1922, Baltimore police investigated the suspicious sight of a woman’s bleeding body seen driven in an automobile, according to the Baltimore Sun. But it turns out that this murder mystery was simply a case of mistaken identity: “After 10 days’ investigation to determine the identity of the woman whose bleeding... Continue Reading →
In 1907, Governor Edwin Warfield decided that Maryland should have a Homecoming Week. “In launching this project he said … that he believed that the city and State both were ripe for an occasion of this character,” according to the Baltimore Sun. “He recited the fact that there were thousands of persons scattered throughout the... Continue Reading →
It seems as though those in Baltimore in 1901 had the same steamy weather for their Independence Day celebrations as we’ll have today, according to a Baltimore Sun article. “The celebration of Independence Day in Baltimore had all the usual features, crowds in the parks and at the resorts near the city, displays of fireworks,... Continue Reading →
Joseph Piscor of Baltimore made the paper a few times in the early 1900s for violent incidents in which he was depicted as the perpetrator and the victim. In March 1902, the Baltimore Sun reported that Piscor’s wife, Kate, allegedly beat her husband and fractured his skull with an unknown implement. “The assault is said... Continue Reading →
A railroad worker got quite a shock one evening in 1903 when he saw a “gleaming white” figure suddenly appear and slowly approach him on the railroad tracks. Pennsylvania Railroad worker Joseph Kingsley was standing in front of the Frederick Road station around 9 p.m. one March evening when he spotted a “perfectly nude man”... Continue Reading →
Mothers were warned of the dangers of immodest fashion and other activities that endangered their daughters’ morals one Sunday evening in 1912 at First Baptist Church. Dr. O.C.S. Wallace shared these dangers in his message “Present Perils and Problems,” according to the Baltimore Sun. “He said: ‘Indecent fashions in dress, which were doubtless intended by... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago, I shared the passion Orioles fans had for baseball and fair calls. This week, I’m sharing how a little common courtesy at the ballpark could have saved a little time, trouble and money for two spectators. In August 1912, Joseph F. Kennedy, having gotten to the Oriole Park early, settled in... Continue Reading →
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 →
Bygone Maryland 