Riversdale Historical Society

10/15/2026

Today is National Real Sugar Day!

This handy gadget was used for nipping pieces off of a sugar cone (or loaf) for domestic use. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, people did not buy sugar as granules or lumps as we do today. Instead, it came in large cone shapes, wrapped in paper. These were made from sugar grown and processed by enslaved workers on plantations in the Caribbean and West Indies. The cone shape of the loaf was a result of the processing technique used to refine the sugar.

10/13/2026

Did you know that Rosalie Calvert loved fall? She mentioned her love of the season in several letters throughout her life. What is your favorite part of fall? 🍂

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10/11/2026

Join Riversdale Historic Site & Museum for a
Lunch & Learn program with guest speaker Mélisande Short Colomb.

Event details:
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Noon - 1:00 PM
Ages 18+
Free, registration is requested:
https://tinyurl.com/RegisterRiversdale

10/10/2026

New Permanent Exhibit Is Now Open!

A Story of Their Own: Voices of the Enslaved Community of Riversdale is now open to the public at Riversdale Historic Site & Museum.

Explore the stories, lives, and experiences of the enslaved community at Riversdale through historic objects, primary sources, and thoughtful interpretation—including a remarkable handmade brick that still bears the fingerprints of the people who created it.

The exhibition is now open to the public from Thursday-Sunday, with viewing times available during tours at 12 pm and 2 pm. Admission is free. Come explore the exhibition and discover more of these important stories.

10/08/2026

! 🥬💐🍅

There's extra produce to share from the gardens today: baby mustard greens, leeks, head lettuce, flowers, basil, tomatoes, hot peppers, okra, eggplant, hibiscus, beans, and sweet peppers.

They are on a table next to the Dependency kitchen. Please bring your own container/bag to take some produce home with you. They will be out until they are gone or until tomorrow morning.

Just a gentle reminder - please do not pick any produce or flowers from the Riversdale gardens. When we have a surplus, we are happy to share. Keep an eye on our social media to see what's available to pick up!

10/08/2026

If you still have a surplus of pumpkins, here's another way to prepare them. Watch this video to learn how 18th century soldiers cooked with pumpkin over an open fire.

https://youtu.be/gFFxPVfJNXQ?is=CuHpKE0GmWq_ppH0

Cooking pumpkins in a soldierly fashion typical of the 18th century...

10/07/2026

Experience the traditions of the harvest season at Riversdale! Join Riversdale staff for a fun-filled day for the whole family. Learn about seed saving with the Historic Site Gardener, settle in for a special storytime, and explore the grounds with a harvest-themed scavenger hunt—with prizes for participating! Bring your family, friends, and your love of fall for a festive day at Riversdale!

Event Details:
Saturday, October 17
Time: 10:30 am-2 pm
Ages: All welcome
Fee: $5/person

Want to register now?
https://tinyurl.com/RegisterRiversdale

10/05/2026

in 1859, the formal dedication and opening of the Maryland Agricultural College (later University of Maryland) took place. There were a total of thirty-four students enrolled, of which four were Charles Benedict (C.B.) Calvert's sons: George, Charles, William, and Eugene.

C.B. Calvert, second son to Rosalie and George, took over ownership of Riversdale in 1838 after his father’s death, and built a nationally recognized show place for a wide range of progressive farming practices. C.B. extended his agricultural interests by serving as the first president of the Maryland State Agricultural Society, and while a member of the U.S. Congress in 1862, he encouraged President Abraham Lincoln to establish the national Bureau of Agriculture. Being instrumental in the founding of the Maryland Agricultural College was one of his greatest accomplishments.

The image below is from the 1859 daybook of C.B. Calvert showing MAC related transactions. $59.35 for bread in 1859 would have been a LOT of bread. That would be about $2,356.00 in today's economy! C.B. Calvert often financially supported the MAC until his death in 1864.

10/03/2026

October brings to mind falling leaves, gourds and pumpkins, cozy sweaters, and comfort foods. Did you know that before pumpkin flavor was trendy in drinks, actual pumpkin was a staple in a lot of people's autumn diets?

Learn more about the history of pumpkins in historic recipes here:

Who would have thought pumpkin would be an important survival food?...

10/01/2026

Today is National Homemade Cookie Day - but how would you store your cookies without Tupperware in the early 1800s?

You would store your uneaten cookies in something like this biscuit box. This Sheffield plate (formed with thin sheets of silver and copper annealed together under pressure) biscuit box has an oval body and is attached to a tray. The box has a hinged lid and sits on four ball feet. It was made by Thomas Otley and Sons of London in the late 19th century. This exact biscuit box was not owned by the Calverts at Riversdale but they may have owned a similar one.

These boxes were for tea biscuits. Think of a cookie or biscuit like a Digestive of a shortbread. Tea biscuits were/are typically crisp, lightly sweetened baked goods, designed to be enjoyed with tea and are often suitable for dunking.

Sheffield silver
Late 19th century
5.25" x 7.25" x 9.5"

This box was donated to Riversdale (M-NCPPC) in 1985 by Mr. & Mrs. Wilson Gray Lamb IV in memory of Hester Lilly Gray, grandaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Baltimore Calvert.