Irish Railroad Museum

 

My name is Hunter Higgins and I am a senior history student at UMBC, with a minor in public history.  Before the time I graduate, I believe it is imperative that I work as an intern for a historical facility.  I wish to gain experience in my chosen field, and I know that my skills will prove useful to any institution that chooses to take me on as an intern.  This semester I am undertaking an internship with the Irish Railroad Workers Museum in Baltimore.  This facility is a small museum on the corner of Lemmon and Poppleton St., across from the B&O Railroad Museum.  It consists of several buildings that once inhabited working class Irish immigrants beginning in the 1850s.  With the help of our institution, these buildings have been refurbished and repurposed into both a historical recreation house and a generalized museum dedicated to the Irish immigrant experience.  As of now, this facility is the only working-class historical house in the state.  The facility consists of two buildings, one housing the welcome center and several exhibits detailing the experiences of Irish immigrants as well as the other working-class denizens of the neighborhood.  This building additionally features much of the original furnishings that were in the house since its construction in the 1850s, including the original horsehair plaster.  The second house, next door to the other, features a historical recreation of the actual family that once called this house their home, as well as recreations of the furniture and amenities that they would have used in their daily lives.  On the second floor of this building, as well, we have a recreation of the conditions on a “coffin ship”, the repurposed slaving vessels used to ferry Irish immigrants during the Great Famine.  To assist this facility during my internship, I conduct tours in both of these buildings, helping guest to become acquainted with the material as they explore the exhibits.  Additionally, we have new a exhibit in development, and I am working tirelessly on the demographics research that will help make it possible.