Past newsletters
Volume XIX Number 2 Summer 2010
New Look for GHS Headquarters
The garden around the Germantown Bank is looking good these days thanks to the work of Goshen Enterprises, Inc. Since the County government, which owns the building and grounds, is financially hard strapped this year, GHS hired the landscaping company to weed and lay mulch. They put gravel on the north side of the building, which gets little sun, and added some dwarf boxwoods to supplement the surviving plants from our last landscaping project. They will continue to keep the garden in shape.
The two Seneca Red Sandstone blocks came from the county right-of-way on Wisteria Drive, formerly the property of our famous former resident baseball pitcher Walter “Big Train” Johnson. Local oral histories indicate that these blocks may have been used as weight stones for the horse-pulling contests that Johnson held on his farm, located where Seneca Valley High School and the Germantown Childcare Center are today.
A plaque will be placed on one of the stones honoring Mike Hulley, our “constant gardener,” who passed away this last spring. He is sorely missed.
We are so happy that Goshen Enterprises was able to finally place our “Germantown Historical Society” sign, that we had made and gotten all the permissions to place two years ago, but had not been able to locate anyone to install it. We now feel that this is truly our home!
For more information on Goshen Enterprises go to www.goshenenterprises.com or call 301-869-8544.
Save the Dates
The Germantown Historical Society will be having its annual fall lecture on Tuesday, November 9 at 7pm. The Topic of the presentation is “The Metropolitan Branch of the B & O Railroad and How It Changed the Face of Montgomery County.”
Join us for our annual Holiday Celebration on Tuesday, December to see our headquarters with festive decorations and enjoy good company and refreshments.
More on both of these events in the fall newsletter.
Intern
The GHS has hired a summer intern. Priya Pai is a senior at Seneca Valley High School. She has been busy entering all of our collection and photographs into Past Perfect museum database and marking all of the items, as well as transcribing audio taped oral histories. Priya will continue through the school year. We really appreciate her hard work and computer-savy.
Scholarships
The GHS gave out two $1,000 scholarships this past spring to well deserving students recommended by the Social Studies Departments of each school.
The Northwest High School recipient was Steven Obrzut who will we attending Renssealear Polytechnic Institute.
The Seneca Valley High School recipient was Jillian Levine. She will be attending Goucher College.
GHS President Susan Soderberg & Jillian Levine
GHS President Susan Soderberg & Steven Obrzut
King Farm Dairy MOOseum
Germantown’s very own museum about the dairy industry is now open every Saturday 10am to 4pm, and 1-4 the fourth Sunday through October 16. There will be a grand opening celebration beginning 5:30pm on October 23 with entertainment and refreshments. Check it out at http://www2.mooseum.com
Germantown Community Flea Markets
The 1st Saturday Flea Markets continue on October 2 and November 6 at the MARC commuter parking lot, Rt. 118 and Bowman Mill Road, from 8am to 1pm. If you would like to help out with this fundraiser and fun event call 301-972-2707.
Our Partners
GHS could not hold the monthly Flea Markets without the volunteers provided by the Boyds Historical Society and the Menare Foundation.
The Boyds Historical Society operates the Boyds Negro School a restored schoolhouse on White Ground Road in Boyds. The schoolhouse id open from 2-4pm on the last Sunday of every month and by appointment. For more information go to: http://www.boydshistory.org.
The Menare Foundation is dedicated to research on the Underground Railroad and slavery. It operates the Button Farm Living History Center at 16208 Blackrock Rd. in Germantown. It is open Saturday afternoons. Check out this website and our calendar for upcoming special events. http://www.menare.org
Water House closing
Good-bye to the annual Christmas Tree Lighting with Santa arriving in a horse-drawn carriage. Good-bye to the special exhibits so artfully created by Joanna Church. Good-bye to the research center adjunct to the Montgomery County Historical Society library in Rockville. And good-bye to the historic and sophisticated place to hold weddings and fancy gatherings. We will miss this special connection to our local history.
After 9 years, the Montgomery County Historical Society gave up its lease to the Waters House at the end of July. The house will now be occupied by County Parks offices.
The GHS was able to salvage one piece of furniture from the Waters House. This lovely credenza has now found a home in our headquarters, replacing a heavy old desk with a broken leg.
HISTORY CALENDAR
Exhibit at the Montgomery County Historical Society –
“An Old Brick House in Georgian Style” 190 years of history in the Beall-Dawson House (through May1, 2011) A look at the construction, landscape and families who have occupied the house since it was built in 1820.Beall-Dawson House, 111 West Montgomery Ave., Rockville. Wednesdays through Sundays, noon-4 p.m.
301-762-1492. www.montgomeryhistory.org
September 8 (and more), Wed. – Archeology Field Work at the Ziegler Log House
Montgomery County Parks Archeology section will be conducting fieldwork at the Ziegler Log House in Little
Bennett Park in Clarksburg. For more information contact Archeologist Heather Boulog at:
heather.bouslog@mncppc-mc.org
September 11, Sat., noon-6pm -- Annual Bluegrass on the Farm festival at the Agricultural History Farm Park. The Friends of
the Farm has joined forces with the Traditional Music Foundation to be able to present a stellar lineup. This year the
Gibson Brothers will be performing, along with Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, and the Blue Moon Cowgirls.
18400 Muncaster Rd., Derwood, MD 20855. $15 at the gate. www.aghistoryfarm.org
September 26, Sunday, 1 - 4 pm -- Lessons from the Past - Kingsley Schoolhouse, Little Bennett Park
Bring the family and tour the historic school building, meet former Kingsley students, play old-fashioned games,
enjoy other hands-on activities. Bring your picnic and enjoy lunch by the stream. Parking is available at the
Froggy Hollow and Wilson Mill Parking areas. Shuttle vans will transport folks to the Kingsley Parking Lot where
you can take a horse and carriage ride to the school. Sponsored by the Friends of Little Bennett Regional Park,
Clarksburg Historical Society and the Clarksburg Lions Branch.
October 2, Sat., 11:00 AM - 06:00 PM --- Harvest Festival – Agricultural History Farm Park
Down home fun on the farm! Old-time crafts, activities, live music, and food. Activities include tinsmithing,
pumpkin painting, chestnut roasting, antique farm equipment, archeological dig, as well as live animals,
demonstrations, games, and so much more! No pets, please. 18400 Muncaster Rd., Derwood, MD 20855
For more information, call 301-924-4141; on event day, please call 301-721-0312.
October 23, 24, 30, 31 “Haunted Plantation” at the Button Farm, 6:30-10pm (weather permitting)
Scary fun sponsored by the Menare Foundation. ADMISSION: $20 per vehicle. The Button Farm Living
History Center, 16820 Black Rock Road, Germantown, MD 20874. 301.916.7090 (For directions and rain
cancellation hotline). http://www.menare.org
