Finding clues from the past that give us a glimpse into the places and lives of Marylanders who came before us
On January 1, 1930, members of Naomi Hall Brady's extended family gathered around to watch 18-year-old Naomi unwrap a just-delivered Christmas gift. Inside the package addressed to Mrs. Naomi Hall was dynamite, nails and metal. As Naomi opened the festively wrapped box, it exploded.
On December 15, 1903, an opossum found himself in a pigeon coop in Frederick County. He had quite a feast, eating all of the pigeons who resided there, including one that was 14 years old. But the coop's owners had the last laugh. According to an article in The News, "The opossum remained in the... Continue Reading →
On Christmas Eve in 1900, The News (Frederick) printed children’s letters to Santa Claus: Arthur Pue Gorman Ridgely, 3, requested that Santa bring him “a little dog and a story book and some candy, oranges and nuts.” In his letter, he reassured Santa that he would appreciate his gifts: “I will be glad and thankful,”... Continue Reading →
Running the length of the red brick building on Railroad Avenue in downtown Westminster (Carroll County), whitish tan lettering declares the site’s former purpose: The Sherwood Distillery Co. Distiller of Sherwood Straight Rye Whiskey Above the faded words sits a drawing of a barrel on its side with the words “Sherwood Whiskey” on the top,... Continue Reading →
In November 1932, the Denton Journal (Caroline County) ran a powerful Thanksgiving editorial to inspire and boost readers’ spirits in the midst of the Great Depression. The piece made a case for being thankful, even in difficult times. It encouraged people to be thankful if they had their health and if they were working. It... Continue Reading →
The deplorable actions that took place alongside a desolate country road outside Myersville in July 1924 briefly thrust Frederick County in the national spotlight. Dorothy Grandon, 21, and her friend Mabel Mills had been in Myersville for about a week, calling on a friend. During their stay, there was talk that the young women had... Continue Reading →
Out of Washington County comes this tragic tale of a man coming to an untimely demise due to injuries he received from the family horse. In October 1921, 35-year-old John Weisner was unharnessing the horse when it lashed out at its owner, causing injuries that would ultimately lead to the well-known storekeeper and farmer’s death.... Continue Reading →
Those who knew Edward McKenna in life were shocked at the surprise he left in death. The Cumberland man, described as an “octogenarian gardener and expert fruit grower” by The Washington Post, died in February 1905 and was laid to rest on February 10 in St. Patrick’s Cemetery. The Post article described Edward as “…generally... Continue Reading →
Situated on sloping East Mulberry Street in Baltimore, the sign’s words on the side of the building are chipped and peeling, but still easy to read: Baltimore School of Beauty Culture Licensed to Teach Marinello System An online Maryland State Archives search reveals that two buildings – at 5 East Mulberry Street and 7 East... Continue Reading →
In 1929, Carroll County was rocked by two violent murder cases that each made front-page news, and they even shared newsprint on the same day. Threads of similarities ran through each of these cases — the death of a spouse at the hands of the other, alcohol, domestic violence and two shots — but the... Continue Reading →
Bygone Maryland 