When the Choptank River was frozen tonging for oysters through holes in the ice was the only way to bring in an oyster haul! Our Talbot Historical Society’s Past Perfect database identifies these men as tongers for the Tilghman Packing Company on Tilghman Island, Maryland. Photo from the Talbot Historical Society’s H. Robins Hollyday Collection.

Contact: Cathy Hill cvhill@atlanticbb.net to share your old photos and purchase our collections photos. Comment, Like our page and join the Talbot Historical Society! 

The Trappe High School was founded in 1870 and was one of four High Schools in Talbot County by 1900! It was housed in this wooden building on South Main Street which also included the grammar school. High School only went through 10th grade at that time. This building in Trappe, Maryland was demolished in 1922 when the new brick High School was built. Facts: “Trappe, The Story of an Old-Fashioned Town” by Dickson Preston 1996. Photo from the Talbot Historical Society’s Laird Wise Collection.

Contact: Cathy Hill cvhill@atlanticbb.net to share your old photos and purchase our collections photos. Comment, Like our page and join the Talbot Historical Society!

One of our many spies in the community was kind enough to share with Spy HQ a superb long-form article in the Baltimore Magazine on the Eastern Shore’s challenges with Black history and race relations from Kent County to Dorchester.

Beautifully written by the Mid-Shore’s own Lydia Woolever, accompanied by brilliant photography by Greg Kahn, it will make compelling reading for our Spy readers.

Read the full story here

After learning about all the ways that climate change could affect the Bay and its people, Talbot County students involved with the YMCA of the Chesapeake’s Take the Helm program thought of a brilliant, Covid-safe way to present their learnings.

They made a short video of a mock newscast from the future- December, 2050. With the help of Caroline J. Phillips as cinematographer and editor, these young kids brought their vision to life perfectly.

The Cambridge Spy could not ignore the Washington Post article this morning noting Harriet Tubman’s recently discovered history as a spy for the Union Army during the Civil War.

In 1863, it was Tubman that slipped behind Confederate lines to gather critical information on the location of planted torpedoes in the Combahee River.

Read the full story here.

Armstrongs Old field near Pitts Bridge was purchased in 1710 for Talbot County’s new courthouse. The town of Easton, Maryland grew up around the Talbot Court House. This snow covered new and enlarged courthouse was built in 1792-1794 after the American Revolution. The original courthouse was demolished. Facts: “ Easton Album” by Norman Harrington 1986. Maybe the old automobiles can help you date this Talbot Historical Society found in collection photo!

Contact: Cathy Hill cvhill@atlanticbb.net to share your old photos and purchase our collections photos. Comment, Like our page and join the Talbot Historical Society

Fire Company presentations normally take place at annual banquets. These are however not normal times. The Engine Pad in front of the Oxford Fire House substitutes as a socially distant venue for President Pam Baker of the Oxford Fire Company Auxiliary (OFCA ) and some of that organization’s members to present a check for $48,000 to Tim Kearns, President of the Oxford Fire Company (OFC). These funds were raised by the members of OFCA in 2020 to support OFC operations.

Every person in our community has felt the impact of the COVID 19 Pandemic. So much of what we took for granted in 2019 has completely changed. Social distancing has ended or at least suspended events throughout our communities. One such group of events were those organized by the volunteer fire companies to bring their communities together and to raise operating funds. Oxford Fire Company (OFC) is no exception. Founded over 90 years ago, the Oxford Fire Company Auxiliary (OFCA)’s purpose has always been to support OFC so that they can focus on their public safety mission. 

Seeing the challenge, the OFCA stepped in to help fill some of this void created by the Pandemic. Through virtual meetings, and socially distant working groups, they organized and created.  A website was built as new venue for sales. When masks were difficult to obtain, they made them by the thousands and distributed them through local restaurants and stores. Drive through sales with online ordering replaced various in-person venues. The long running Oxford Fire Company Antique Show was replaced with a “No Show Antique Show” that pulled together the many sponsors and advertisers who have supported that show annually to continue that support.

The 70+members of the Oxford Fire Company Auxiliary donated over 3900 of hours during 2020 in this effort. All that imagination and energy coupled with the amazing support and generosity of the community paid off. On February 6th Pam Baker President of OFCA presented to Tim Kearns, President of the Oxford Fire Company a check for $48,000, a contribution that matches the amount the Auxiliary has raised in “normal” years.

While we all have hopes for the coming year, none of us know what challenges it will bring. You can however be sure that on phones, the internet and in the home workshops of Oxford, members of OFCA are working on ways for them to help The Oxford Fire Company meet those challenges.

The John M. Dennis ferry was built in 1928 at a Portsmouth, Virginia shipyard. John McPherson Dennis, Sr. (1866-1936) founded the Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry Co. and was also Maryland’s State Treasurer from 1916-1918 and later from 1920 -1935! Facts: “Vessel’s namesake revealed; Entrepreneur: John M. Dennis founded a ferryline and served as Md. treasurer “ May 2000 “Baltimore Sun”. Photo from the Talbot Historical Society’s C.C. Harris Collection.

Contact: Cathy Hill cvhill@atlanticbb.net to share your old photos and purchase our collections photos. Comment, Like our page and join THS!

This c. 1960’s Talbot Historical Society Laird Wise Collection photo of Thompson Motors brings back memories! Do you remember exactly where this automobile Dealership was on Matthewstown Road in Easton, Maryland? What make cars did they sell there?

Contact: Cathy Hill cvhill@atlanticbb.net to share your old photos and purchase our collections photos. Comment, Like our page and join Talbot Historical Society!