Back in 1933, Cecil County was in the grips of the darkest days of the Great Depression. In those uncertain times, as a new president rushed to launch programs to alleviate unemployment, hunger, foreclosures, and the collapse of banks, there was one bright spot and it centered on prohibition. Franklin Delano Roosevelt decided it was…
George Reynolds Honored For Digging the Past
ELKTON, November 21. 2012 — At the 81st annual meeting of the Historical Society of Cecil County, a packed house was on hand as Cecil’s heritage keepers presented George Reynolds with the Ernest A. Howard Award. This prestigious honor is given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the preservation of the county’s historic…
Observance at North East United Methodist Church to remember devastating blaze from a century ago
The North East United Methodist Church was destroyed by a massive fire in May of 1911, the blaze threatening to engulf the entire town. In the middle of the night, the pastor was awakened by crackling and a glow and when he looked out his window he noticed flames spreading through a nearby dwelling. North…
Bullfrog, A Lost Cecil County Village
In several areas of the county, there are places that were once thriving little hamlets but are now barely wide spots in the road. They might have a house or two, or perhaps a business to distract the modern traveler, while in their heyday they thrived. Once their reason for prosperity vanished, the passage of time slowly eroded…
Historical Society’s Winter Speakers Series Continues With Vietnam Mailbag, a USCT Living History Program and More
The speaker’s series for the 2012-13 seasons continues at the Historical Society of Cecil County with original programs designed to have popular appeal, introduce new research, or provide practical, how-to instruction. The talks take place on the first Saturday of each month at 2;00 p.m. at the Cecil County History and Genealogy Library at 135…
Elkton Police Oral History Project Gets Underway
A few weeks ago, with the encouragement of Willis May, we stated working on the Elkton Police Oral History Project with a large group of retired Elkton Police Officers. The purpose is to carefully document the story of the force in the 1960s and 1970s. As the preliminaries move along, we have spent a little…
Elkton Police Officers Get Together — Share Stories of Nearly a Half-Century
This afternoon, at the Elkton Diner, a group of retired Elkton police officers got together for an informal, long overdue reunion. Amidst smiles, waves, handshakes, and tales of long ago, the sense of camaraderie was obvious as they reminisced about the passage of nearly fifty years. And just as if it were yesterday, the professional…
Mt. Harmon Program: The Architecture of Taste: Building & Cooking in 18th Century Kitchens
The Architecture of Taste: Building and Cooking in Eighteenth Century Kitchens Thursday, November 8, 6:30 pm, Mount Harmon Plantation Author and professor Michael Olmert will be speaking about the architecture of 18th-century kitchens and outbuildings, including among other structures the newly restored kitchen that served the 40 workers at the Anderson Armoury and Tin-Shop at…
Memorial Remembers Victims of Pan American Plane Crash in Elkton
pan american flight 214 crash scene elkton
Private Elbert of the USCT Shares Stories of Civil War Struggles During Living History Program Dec. 1.
The Historical Society of Cecil County’s 2012-13 speakers series continues on Dec. 1 with a Civil War living history program. Private James H. Elbert of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) will share stories about African-Americans rallying to the colors to fight for freedom. The free program takes place at the Society’s Genealogy and local…