Old World Master Paintings: Riversdale’s Famous Art Works
Discover “some of the finest paintings ever in America!” In this week’s History Conversation, learn about the outstanding collection of Old World Master Paintings that were housed in the historic Riversdale House in neighboring Prince George’s county two centuries ago. Susan Pearl, who serves as historian for the Prince George’s County Historical Society, will showcase a selection of these paintings by such renowned artists as Rubens, van Dyck, and Jan Brueghel, with details about the paintings, the family that cared for them, and where the paintings are now.
The Odyssey of a Civil War Soldier
George P. McClelland served with the 155th Pennsylvania Infantry, Army of the Potomac, from August 1862 to his discharge in June 1865. Join us as author Robert Plumb reads from McClelland’s letters and exciting narrative excerpts from his book, Your Brother in Arms, which offer a front-line soldier’s view of some of the most crucial battles fought during the Civil War– from Gettysburg to Petersburg. Literate and evocative, the letters convey an authentic perspective of a soldier who experienced one of the bloodiest and most transformative wars in American history.
The Maryland Center for History and Culture: A (Re)Introduction
In September 2020, after 176 years, the Maryland Historical Society rebranded to become the Maryland Center for History and Culture (MCHC). This new identity reflects the organization’s mission to define itself as a space where the community can come to discover and develop a deeper understanding of our nation’s history and culture through a Maryland prism. The transformation to the Maryland Center for History and Culture has been years in the making and includes a new website, core values, and visual identity. Join Katie Caljean, MCHC’s Vice President of Education & Strategic Engagement to discuss the organization’s journey and vision for the future.
Family Myth Busting
Genealogy has exploded in interest during this past year. Join us as writer, family historian, and former librarian Julianne Mangin discusses her experiences researching a family mystery, interweaving it with a discussion of the genealogical methods that may help you uncover the secrets in your family tree.
Mapping Gaithersburg: From Wilderness to Metropolis
Explore the history and development of Gaithersburg through maps and the census with Karen Yaffe Lottes, historian, museum educator, and the Program Coordinator for the Gaithersburg Community Museum
Emancipation in Montgomery County, Maryland
On November 1, 1864, Maryland became the first state below the Mason-Dixon Line to free slaves within its boundaries by popular vote. On the 156th anniversary of Emancipation in the Old Line State, two chroniclers of Montgomery County history will describe local experiences with slavery, war, emancipation, and its aftermath.
William Marbury: The Man Whose Lawsuit Made the Supreme Court, Supreme
Learn about a 200+ year-old tale of Supreme Court history this week, as Jim Johnston details the pivotal 1803 case of Marbury v. Madison and the man behind it–William Marbury. Born to an impoverished tobacco farmer in Prince George’s County, young Marbury had bigger dreams of fame and fortune. By 1800, he had acquired wealth and a large house in Georgetown. Following a dispute in which incoming president Thomas Jefferson told Secretary of State James Madison not to deliver Marbury his commission as justice of the peace, Marbury resolved to use his wealth to teach Jefferson a lesson. Learn about the resulting Supreme Court case, Marbury v. Madison, and how it established the proposition that the Supreme Court reigns supreme on matters of constitutional interpretation.
The Washington Trolley Story
Join us for “The Washington Trolley Story” to learn about the history of streetcars in the Washington metropolitan area, including the trolley network, the evolution of streetcar technology and engineering, and the social and economic impacts on public life. Plus, you’ll be introduced to the National Capital Trolley Museum, where this history can be experienced firsthand.
A Day at Seneca Schoolhouse with Historic Medley District
Join us for a journey back to 1880, to experience what elementary education was like in a one-room country schoolhouse. Presenters Julie Shapiro and Knight Kiplinger will virtually guide viewers though the inside of the Seneca Schoolhouse and showcase 19th century school artifacts and images. The Seneca Schoolhouse, built by neighborhood donations in 1865, is Montgomery County’s oldest one-room school, a local public school until 1910. Operated today by Historic Medley District, the Seneca school is a vibrant “living history” experience for children throughout the region.
Search Our Collections: How to Use Montgomery History’s Online Resources
Do you want to use the new digital repository to conduct research but don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered! Join Sarah Hedlund, Montgomery History’s Archivist, as she walks you through using the site page-by-page. She’ll explain the difference between communities and collections; best practices for searching; and how to make the most of these free resources. Whether you are a total newbie to online research or already a pro, get acquainted with Montgomery History’s newest online search engine and take advantage of this free training to learn about Montgomery County’s past from the comfort of your own home!
Chevy Chase Lake Amusement Park
The Chevy Chase Lake Amusement Park, located at the end of the Connecticut Avenue streetcar line, was marketed as an exclusive destination for the "higher classes" of Washington. This presentation will discuss the development and history of the park, intended to attract prospective buyers for the suburban development, and the documented exclusion of Black Americans to access the park.
Divided Nation, Divided Town: One Woman’s Experience
Discover Rockville abolitionist Dora Higgins and learn about her experiences during the Civil War, as told firsthand through a letter Dora wrote to her mother describing her trials as as Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart’s men came through Rockville and captured her husband. Learn how one women’s story encapsulates a small town’s divisions over slavery, serving to illustrate the larger divide in Maryland and the United States that came to a head during the war.
Marriotts & Motor Cars: Made for Each Other
Discover the little-known origins of a global corporation and one of the county’s largest employers, Marriott International, in this week’s History Conversation. Learn about the company’s founding in 1927 as an A&W Root Beer stand in Washington, D.C. and take a journey through its history and evolution with Marriott’s Corporate Archivist, Katie Dishman. You’ll hear highlights like the company’s integral connection with cars, how the Hot Shoppes (root beer stands) became a popular restaurant chain, the corporation’s move to Bethesda in 1955, the creation of the first hotel, and Marriott’s growth into the world’s largest hotel company.�
Clara Barton at Antietam
Discover Clara Barton’s first foray on the field of battle, from the meeting that gained her permission to take supplies to and travel with the Army through Maryland, to her experiences at the Battle of Antietam and her return to Washington D.C. Despite the horrors and challenges she faced, it solidified her determination to become a dedicated humanitarian and led to the establishment of the American Red Cross.
History Conversations Rewind Baseball’s Big Train: A Conversation with the Grandson of Baseball’s Greatest Pitcher
This week enjoy one of the most popular History Conversations from earlier this summer. Whether you missed the talk the first time around or just want to revisit it, this is your chance. The prior talk from June 4, “Baseball’s Big Train: A Conversation with the Grandson of Baseball’s Greatest Pitcher” will be streamed on Zoom at 2:00 p.m. on August 25, then be available the rest of the week through our website. During the 2:00 p.m. stream, Bruce Adams will be on hand to answer questions!
The Path to Leadership: The Next Chapter
In honor of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, join Claire McDonald, the creator of our new online exhibit, for a History Conversation to discuss “The Path to Leadership: The Next Chapter.” She will talk about the influence of Montgomery County women in the political arena pre- and post-suffrage, as well as barriers they faced along the way. You won’t want to miss this detailed look at some of the most influential women in Montgomery County and Maryland politics and their amazing stories.
Lincoln and the Washingtons
Throughout his life, Abraham Lincoln idolized George Washington, from reading his biography as a boy to visiting Mount Vernon as a member of Congress. Imagine how disillusioned Lincoln was to discover so many members of the Washington family were fighting for the Confederacy. In this History Conversation, Jim Johnston, who has written about Lincoln’s relationship with Washington’s family for the White House Historical Society magazine, will detail who the Washingtons were, what they did, and why they fought against the Union their ancestor had created.�
A Visit to the Stonestreet Museum of 19th Century Medicine
In this week’s History Conversation enjoy a virtual tour, led by Clarence Hickey, of the Stonestreet Museum of 19th Century Medicine. Learn how many of today’s medical practices have their roots in the early 19th century and how scientific and medical advances shaped a local country doctor’s practice over 150 years ago. Perfect for all ages, this program will leave you charmed and entertained.
Many museums remain closed, but learning doesn't stop! Join us Thursday, August 6 at 2 pm as Clarence Hickey gives a VIRTUAL TOUR of the Stonestreet Museum of 19th Century Medicine in Rockville. Perfect for kids and adults alike, learn about the origins of modern medicine and scientific and medical advancements made in the 19th century, as told through the lens of a country and Civil War doctor.
Register for the Zoom session at https://montgomeryhistory.org/mhconnected/watch/, or watch live on our page, http://www.facebook.com/MoCoHistory/. See you there!
#localhistory #montgomerycountymd #rockvillemd #19thcenturymedicine #medicalhistory #science
City of Rockville Maryland Historical Society National Museum of Civil War Medicine
Remembering is Resistance: The Rockville Lynchings
n part two, a panel of residents will discuss both lynchings and discuss current efforts to commemorate their stories, including poetry, healing, and teachings on racial justice.
Uncovering the Stories of Two Lynchings in Rockville
In part one, Montgomery History Archivist Sarah Hedlund will present the work she has undertaken in the last year, primarily using newspaper articles from the time, to document the events surrounding Rockville’s two recorded lynchings: those of John Diggs-Dorsey (1880) and Sidney Randolph (1896).
Walls CAN Talk: The 300 Year Evolution of a Montgomery County Farmhouse
Join historian and Manager of Interpretation, Lisa Berray, as she guides participants on a journey through the nearly 300-year history of the Agricultural History Farm Park’s (Montgomery Parks) farmhouse. From the attic to the basement, go behind the scenes to find out how the Farm Park’s Bussard Farmhouse evolved over time to meet the needs of its many owners and continues, today, to give us glimpses into our County’s agricultural and social past.
Walls CAN Talk: The 300 Year Evolution of a Montgomery County Farmhouse
Join historian and Manager of Interpretation, Lisa Berray, as she guides participants on a journey through the nearly 300-year history of the Agricultural History Farm Park’s (Montgomery Parks) farmhouse. From the attic to the basement, go behind the scenes to find out how the Farm Park’s Bussard Farmhouse evolved over time to meet the needs of its many owners and continues, today, to give us glimpses into our County’s agricultural and social past.
Still Standing: The Relics of School Segregation in Montgomery County
Education, denied to the enslaved, was one of the highest priorities of emancipated African Americans. But in Montgomery County public education was not extended to black children until a decade after it was instituted for white children. Even then, the practice of “separate but equal” schools was anything but equal, and no black high school was built until well into the 20th century. A surprising number of these African American schools still exist in the county, including several erected through a partnership between Booker T. Washington and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald that helped improve black education all over the South. Join Ralph Buglass for a virtual tour of the historic school buildings that tell this story.
Longfellow Dollhouse
Experience the magic of some of the most special dollhouses in our collection by taking an interactive journey through their interiors! Dive in tomorrow at 3 pm during a History Conversation with our Curator, Elizabeth Lay. Perfect for lovers of dollhouses, furniture, historic houses, and anything and everything vintage! Link to register for the Zoom session is up on our website: https://montgomeryhistory.org/mhconnected/watch/
#vintage #dollhouses #historichouses #longfellowhouse #midcentury #videotour Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
Baseball’s Big Train: A Conversation with the Grandson of Baseball’s Greatest Pitcher
Learn about the Montgomery County roots of baseball’s all-time greatest pitcher Walter Johnson. Discovered on the playing fields of Weiser, Idaho and brought to Washington in 1907 at the age of 19 to pitch for the Senators, Walter Johnson was one of the five inaugural members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Johnson family moved to Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda in 1925 to escape the big city and then to a farm in Germantown. After his baseball playing and managing career ended, Johnson served as a member of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners.
Bread & Beauty: Making Value Visible, Foodways in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve with Claudia Kousoulas
Just as the force and flow of ancient glaciers deposited soil and shaped hills, our decisions about property, policy, family, and food also shape the landscape. So much of what we value—a clean environment, local food, a diverse landscape, and a varied economy—comes together in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve. This talk, based on Bread & Beauty: A Year in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve, will tell the history of the Reserve, and its historical foodways, from the foods (and drink) of the C&O Canal boatmen to the diversity captured in Elizabeth Ellicott Lea’s 1850 Domestic Cookery.
The 1950s Housing Boom in Montgomery County
In the 1950s the population of Montgomery County more than doubled to 340,928, igniting a housing construction boom that saw the construction of more than 40,000 single-family homes.
Join Bob Bachman, Chairman of the Center for Suburban Studies, for a History Conversation as he examines national and local factors that fueled the boom, distinctive 1950s housing styles, where these new houses were built, who built them, what they cost, and what the houses looked like.
Explore Montgomery County’s rich history at the upcoming History Conference on January 25! Tickets and more info at MontgomeryHistory.org.
#localhistory #historyconference2020
Thanks for the video Montgomery College!
Thank you to all those who attended the 2019 History Conference. We are so grateful to be able to share this county's great history with our community. Did you miss this year's conference? No worries! Six full sessions were recorded by @mctvsocial and will be posted on our website as soon as they become available. #HistoryConference2019 #MontgomeryHistory #HistoryRocks!
