Working with Local Communities and the Patapsco Heritage Greenway

For my internship, I am working with the Patapsco Heritage Greenway, located in old Ellicott City. This nonprofit organization is committed to the sustainability of the Patapsco river valley and watershed, as well as working to appreciate and further explore the history and culture of the region. My goal for this internship is to create a list of thirty historic sites in the towns of Relay, Halethorpe, and Elkridge, Maryland. In addition to the list of historic sites, I am developing research guides in order to help students conduct the necessary research on their chosen site(s). The list of sites and the research guides will serve as the basis for the project for the the public history graduate class that will take place in the fall.

On June 7th, I had the opportunity to attend a board meeting held by the members of the Patapsco Heritage Greenway organization. It was important that I attended this meeting, as I was able to be introduced to the board members, many of whom have lived in the area for most of their lives. That said, working with this organization and meeting the board members has made me aware of the organization’s values and vision for the future.

Patapsco Heritage Greenway is devoted to the sustainability and continued revitalization of the Patapsco Valley. Board members have expressed that not only is PHG committed to the environmental integrity of the Patapsco region, but also they are motivated to celebrate and highlight the heritage and history of the region. By doing research and exploring these three towns, I am realizing that the values of the PHG organization are also very important to the local residents. Residents are very invested and proud of the history of their town. In my next post, I will discuss more in detail the ways in which residents and community leaders perceive and continue to use community institutions and meeting places.

Although I am researching the physical historic sites that are located in these three towns, it is important that I, as well as the students who take the class in the fall, take time to connect with community members and leaders. These local residents, since they are from a small town, are very proud of their local history. Therefore, students have to take the time to build relationships with members of these communities in order to learn more about what the town and its residents mean to them. Part of being a good public historian means building trust with community members and becoming an “adopted” member of the town you are researching.

In my next post, I will discuss in more detail how meeting with community members and institution leaders has helped me in understanding the history and changing dynamics and institutions that are occurring in these three distinct small towns.