Howard County Historical Society [MD]

Description

The Howard County Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the history of Howard County, Maryland, from its origins in the colonial days to its current state as a major suburban area of Baltimore. The society owns and operates a local history museum, housed in the historic Presbyterian Church, and a library, which is located in the historic Ellicot City schoolhouse.

The society offers exhibits, guided tours and research resources. The website offers historical information regarding Howard County as well as visitor information.

Daguerreotype Portraits and Views, 1839-1864

Image
library of congress title image
Annotation

Produced at the Mathew Brady studio, this collection contains more than 725 early photographs, most of them daguerreotypes. The Brady images include portraits of prominent public figures, such as President James K. Polk, Thomas Hart Benton, Thomas Cole, Horace Greeley, and the earliest known images of President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln.

In addition, the site presents daguerreotypes by African American photographers; architectural views taken around Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD; street scenes of Philadelphia, PA; early portraits by Robert Cornelius; and copies of painted portraits. A short introduction to the daguerreotype medium and a "Timeline of the Daguerrian Era" provide context for the images. A special presentation, "Mirror Images: Daguerreotypes at the Library of Congress," includes photographs from the American Colonization Society, occupational daguerreotypes, portraits, and architectural views. Useful for studying 19th-century photography and visual culture, as well as for viewing some of the earliest American photographs.

Mount Clare Museum House [MD]

Description

The 1760 Georgian colonial Mount Clare Museum House once served as a plantation residence. The site was home to Charles Carrol (1737-1832), U.S. Senator and Barrister. The majority of the collection's 3,000 18th- and 19th-century pieces of furniture, artworks, decorative arts, and other artifacts are on display within the home. The site is primarily used to interpret 18th-century plantation life—that of the owners, slaves, and indentured servants.

The house offers an introductory video, tours, Scout and elementary school student tours with optional activities, outreach programs on 18th-century children's life for students, day camps, and research library access. Appointments are required for research library access and student programming. The second floor of the residence is not wheelchair accessible. The website offers the introductory video, activities, and lesson plans.

Maryland Historical Society [MD]

Description

The Maryland Historical Society is dedicated to the preservation of the diverse historical heritage of the state of Maryland, and runs a museum of Maryland history in order to showcase the society's impressive collection. The museum is located in downtown Baltimore, and is open to the public year round.

The society offers exhibits, guided tours, field trip programs, in class presentations, traveling trunks, primary source kits, and a student research center. The website offers information regarding all society programs, visitor information, and an events calendar.

Evergreen Museum and Library [MD]

Description

The Evergreen Museum and Library presents more than 50,000 objects once owned by Baltimore's railway royalty—the Garrett family. The collection, which includes manuscripts, decorative arts, artworks, and more than 8,000 rare books, is housed within the residence in which the Garretts lived between 1878 and 1942. Key artworks include those of Degas, Picasso, and a variety of post-Impressionists; and the museum boasts one of the largest privately held collections of both Japanese minor arts and Tiffany glass. Also within the house is the Bakst Theatre, decorated by Leon Bakst, costume and set designer of the Ballet Russes, a major visual influence of the early 1900s. A 28,600-volume library is available for use. The non-circulating collection's strength is 16th- and 17th-century English literature and history.

The museum offers guided tours, concerts, lectures, library access, and boxed lunches for group tours (at an additional price). Groups of 20 or more require advance registration.

Homewood House Museum [MD]

Description

"In 1800, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, offered his son a generous wedding gift — $10,000 to build and furnish a place in the country. Charles Carroll Jr. spared no expense and overlooked no detail in the construction of Homewood, an expression of his family's tremendous political, social, and financial stature. Visit today and experience the beauty and elegance of Homewood Museum — one of the nation's best examples of Federal Period architecture and a National Historic Landmark. Homewood Museum offers individual and group tours and a year-round calendar of changing exhibitions, concerts, and educational programs."

The site offers visitor information, an online museum shop, a history of the home, a virtual tour, an online audio tour, and an events calendar.

USS Constellation [MD]

Description

USS Constellation, the last all-sail warship built by the U.S. Navy, is open to the public as a museum in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The USS Constellation Museum invites guests to discover life on board the only Civil War era vessel still afloat and explore the ship's maritime history.

The ship offers exhibits, tours, demonstrations, living history events, lectures, and other educational and recreational programs.

Baltimore American Indian Center [MD]

Description

The Baltimore American Indian Center (BAIC) is an urban American Indian Center established to assist and support American Indian and Alaskan Native families with moving into an urban environment and adjusting to the culture change they will experience. The BAIC also serves as a focal point for the Indian community for social and cultural activities and to educate non-native people about the cultures of the North American Indian and Alaskan Native communities.

The Center offers educational cultural classes and workshops, as well as an annual powwow.

Early American Turnpikes

Description

This iCue Mini-Documentary describes the Philadelphia-Lancaster Turnpike, one of the earliest examples of an American turnpike and the way in which it helped the city of Philadelphia capture business from Baltimore.

This feature is no longer available.