with Scott Shane | Prerecorded virtual event | Scott Shane’s Flee North tells a very local tale of both tragedy and triumph. It unearths the lost story of Thomas Smallwood, born into slavery, who bought his freedom, educated himself, and became a shoemaker in Southeast Washington, a short walk from the U.S. Capitol. In 1842, Smallwood […]

with Andy Bittner | Prerecorded virtual event | At 83 years, the building of Washington National Cathedral was the longest-lasting construction project in the history of Washington D.C., and it resulted in one of the great wonders of the 20th century. Join Andy Bittner, author of the book Building Washington National Cathedral, as he takes you […]

with Ed and Nancy Bodmer | Prerecorded virtual event | In this lecture titled A World War I Soldier’s Story, Ed and Nancy Bodmer recount Charles Roszier Bodmer’s heroic experiences in World War I with his uniform, helmet, letters, and pictures.Recording available November 17– November 23. https://youtu.be/ZmkFmdc4zGA

with Susan Rosenvold | Prerecorded virtual event | Discover Clara Barton’s first foray on the field of battle, from the meeting that gained her permission to take supplies to and travel with the Army through Maryland, to her experiences at the Battle of Antietam and her return to Washington D.C. Despite the horrors and challenges she […]

with Eileen McGuckian and Susan Soderburg| Prerecorded virtual event | On November 1, 1864, Maryland became the first state below the Mason-Dixon Line to free enslaved people within its boundaries by popular vote. On the 156th anniversary of Emancipation in the Old Line State, two chroniclers of Montgomery County history will describe local experiences with slavery, […]

with Paul Kreingold | pre-recorded virtual event |  In his talk, “Potomac Marble: The History of the Search for the Ideal Stone,” Paul Kreingold explores the aftermath of Washington’s 1814 destruction by the British, highlighting President Monroe and Benjamin Latrobe’s quest to rebuild the Capitol Building with symbolic and aesthetically pleasing materials. They selected Potomac Marble, […]

with Sandy Heiler | pre-recorded virtual event |  America engaged in a century and a half love affair with an architectural feature that no one actually needed but nearly everyone wanted. This talk traces the history of the front porch through the social movements and architectural styles of the 19th and early 20th centuries, from the […]

with Deirdre Harris | pre-recorded virtual event |  The Agricultural History Farm Park is home to 275 years of farming history that includes the lives of the Magruder family, patriots of the American Revolution; the Newman family, African Americans who left enslavement in Virginia and purchased land after the failed promise of Reconstruction, and the Bussard […]

with Kevin Patti | pre-recorded virtual event |  This presentation traces the remarkable history of eight former members of Takoma Park's Boy Scout Troop 33 who served in the United States military during World War II and lost their lives. Of the eight, two of whom were Eagle Scouts, four became officers, one was awarded the […]

with Ralph Buglass | pre-recorded virtual event |  White’s Ferry–until recently closed–was a living history example of a long tradition of Potomac River ferries tying together Montgomery County and northern Virginia. And when the C&O Canal was operational for nearly 90 years, White’s, along with Edwards and Spinks ferries upcounty, took on added importance. This presentation […]