Finding clues from the past that give us a glimpse into the places and lives of Marylanders who came before us
For me, it’s so interesting to see what presents children wanted from Santa in years past. This time, we go back more than 100 years to 1915 Frederick County to read letters for Santa printed in The News: "Dear Old Santa Claus: I have been a good little boy all summer and I think I... Continue Reading →
With a touch of autumn now in the air—and perhaps our hot and humid days finally behind us—it’s time to look forward to the beautiful fall foliage that graces our area. However, in 1899, Frederick area farmers looked forward to these fall leaves for a slightly different reason. They used it as bedding for their animals.... Continue Reading →
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 →
I had the pleasure of accompanying my daughter on a field trip to Rose Hill Manor in Frederick last week. My husband and I each had fuzzy memories of being served mint tea and some sort of cracker when we had visited Gov. Thomas Johnson's retirement home during our own elementary school field trip days... Continue Reading →
Driving along Creagerstown Road in the small town of Woodsboro, passersby can't help but notice the imposing maroon structure once known as the Glade Valley Mill, a town fixture since the late 1800s. The business was originally started in nearby Troutville by Daniel Saylor. In the 1890s, Anderson Etzler moved the business to be closer... 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 →
On East All Saints Street, further evidence of downtown Frederick’s industrial roots can be found with the fading signs for confections and bottling operations. The Kehne Brothers confectioners had operated in other areas of downtown Frederick for years and moved to the warehouse on East All Saints Street in September 1916, “...where we will be... Continue Reading →
Driving through the blink-and-you'll-miss-it community of Ceresville, one can’t help but notice the beautiful limestone shell of a mill that has the distinction of being the first mill in Frederick County. Known as the Ceresville Flour Mill, or Kelly’s Mill after its last owners, the building sits near the intersection of Route 26 and Route 194... Continue Reading →
It may be hard to imagine now, but many fertilizer companies once lined downtown Frederick’s South Carroll Street in the 1800s. Painted on a tan, nondescript building facing the street, one can make out the remnants of a sign identifying the Central Chemical Company. Tyson’s Phosphate Factory/J. Tyson & Son was one these fertilizer companies,... Continue Reading →
Bygone Maryland 