Patapsco Heritage Greenway 2

In July, I met with the director of the Elkridge Heritage Society, Mary Bahr. She runs and maintains many of the historic documents and photographs from Elkridge. Mary showed me around the town of Elkridge, which was very helpful and introduced me to the important historic landmarks and neighborhoods in Elkridge. After I met with Mary, I realized that having grown up and lived in Elkridge all her life, she will be a valuable resource to those students that are researching sites in Elkridge.  

I also met with some local residents from Relay. Kurt and Karen Hoffman are board members of the Relay Improvement association. Not only are they interested in the history of their community, but they are also invested in preserving vital community institutions. In the town of Relay, neighborhood groups and community institutions are dwindling. One that remains at the center of Relay is the Relay Town Hall. This building is one that is rich with history for members of the community. In 1910, the structure that is now the town hall was built, and served as a volunteer fire station for the town until 1929, when it was used as a Baltimore County public library. Today, the Town Hall serves as a community center.

Talking to Kurt and Karen was very informative, as it helped me to understand certain dynamics and concerns that they and other members of the community face. One of their concerns is that the families that live in Relay do not know or try to celebrate the history of the town. Many families did not grow up in the community, and are therefore unfamiliar with its history. Furthermore, Karen was expressing that there are very few community groups where neighbors can come together. It is apparent that the Town Hall, being a historic building, is one of the last community institutions that still brings neighbors together.

On July 12th, my internship supervisor invited me to an event hosted by the nonprofit organization Preservation Maryland. It was called the Old Line State Summit, where museum professionals, historic preservationists, and advocates come together to discuss and explore various topics, challenges, and successes they have faced in the field of historic preservation. There were a series of lectures throughout the day, focusing on different topics. I was very fortunate to be able to attend this conference,as it gave me a better sense of the direction of the field, and have the opportunity to talk and hear the perspective of various professionals in the field were able to share their successes, failures, and goals for the future.

This month, I have continued to research sites in the towns of Relay, Elkridge, and Halethorpe. The challenge about these towns is that they are all so close together, yet they all maintain their own unique identities. This is something that will have to be recognized and addressed by the students who are research sites in these communities. Additionally, through my research and exploration of these sites, I recognize the importance of preserving and celebrating the history of these small towns. It is especially important, as some of the significant historical sites in these areas are crumbling or are no longer there at all. That is why public history projects and preservation efforts are so important so that the rich history of small towns is not lost or forgotten.