More than ever, people are curious about the past that is all around them in Cecil County. Whether they are newcomers just getting acquainted with their community or those who have lived here for centuries, these inquiring types are intrigued by the area’s history and the intersection of the past with the present.
Surviving traces of earlier times — graveyards, old houses, buildings, crumbling stone fences, rusting railroad tracks, or something else — often stimulate the questions. But frequently, it is something to do with genealogy, research methods, or the narrative about a local organization. And occasionally, the discovery of a trove of family photographs or papers stored away long ago brings a question to mind. Whatever the mystery, family history riddle, or surviving relic that stimulates the desire to delve into the past, they want to know more about the past, culture, and people.
To help those mystified or curious about something, the Cecil Whig, the county’s newspaper of record, has a column in the print and online editions that lets you ask questions for the Historical Society of Cecil County to answer. Each week the volunteer researchers at Cecil County’s history and genealogy library take a current inquiry about a person or something that has intrigued a reader and provide some answers to the puzzle. There is also a weekly “recognize this” photo, where readers are asked to share their memories of an image from earlier days.
So if you are Cecil County curious, pass along the question that sparked your interest, and our local history and genealogy experts will puzzle over it for you.
