Events

 Join Montgomery History at Shirley Povich field for our annual Ice Cream Social! Coach Bob Milloy will be on hand to share some personal stories from his time as a football coach.RSVP Here

from Paths to the Present | In the early 1940s, all across the country, we were swing dancing to the music of Glenn Miller. Starlets like Ginger Rogers and Mary Martin, were lighting up the silver screen. Esquire magazine featured Petty girls. Gasoline was about 20 cents a gallon, bread about 8 cents a loaf, and a movie cost […]

https://youtu.be/7pMx38jx9kA?si=EajJnwuEflZpmVrtwith Ann Robertson | Before it was a county park and wedding destination, Rockwood Manor Special Park was a national Girl Scout Camp. When GSUSA sold the camp to residential developers, neighbors and individual Girl Scouts fought to stop the sale. Join Author Ann Robertson as she shares why Rockwood was so important to save, and […]

with retired Maryland Historical Trust Chief Archeologist Dennis Curry |Virtual Event | Canavest (located on Heater’s Island) was the last permanent village of the Piscataway Indians in Maryland. Various aspects of the site—which was occupied from 1699 to at least 1712—are vividly described in a series of colonial documents from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. These archival […]

Presented by Gwendora Hebron Reese, Suzanne Johnson, and Jeff Sypeck |Pre-recorded Virtual Event | At its height, the African American town of Sugarland in the northwest corner of Montgomery County was home to a church, a school, a store, a post office, and a practice hall for the town band. In this session, the team behind […]

At this time, tickets are sold out. Stay tuned for future tour dates! |Join Montgomery History for Button Farm Almanac, a guided tour of the Button Farm Living History Center. Led by historian and Menare founder Tony Cohen, guests will be guided on this behind-the-scenes reveal of the Button Farm in Germantown, its history and […]

with Eileen McGuckian | If we can read history in books, do we need to see historic buildings in person? Many people think so, and this session will feature how local preservation has been accomplished over the past century. The significance of places like cemeteries, the Silver Theatre, the Red Brick Courthouse, the Dickerson Railroad Station, […]

with Ralph Buglass | For most of the 1960s and '70s, Gaithersburg was an entertainment mecca for the greater DC area. Shady Grove Music Fair—first under a big-top tent and then in a theater-in-the-round venue complete with a revolving stage—hosted Broadway hits and a wide variety of pop, rock and soul singers. Stars included Simon and […]

with Sarah Hedlund | Any history of Montgomery County’s oldest newspaper of record will contain the following information: “The Sentinel was founded in 1855 by Matthew Fields, a Confederate sympathizer who was arrested during the Civil War for his opinions. After his death in 1871, his widow took over the publication.” The story almost always ends […]

with Sarah Fling, Historian at the White House Historical Association  | Since 1800, hundreds of dedicated staff members have worked behind the scenes to help the White House fulfill its roles as a seat of government, a family residence, and a historic site. Join White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling as she highlights lesser-known stories […]

with Elizabeth Lay | Originally presented to our Lilly Stone Circle members in October 2020, this special lecture by our former Curator Elizabeth Lay showcases a variety of items from the collection related to elections and voting. From ballot boxes to voting booths, learn about local elections and the stories these items tell about how voting has been […]

 “Is Our Constitution Still Viable? Resilience & Reform,” a webinar co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County MD, and Montgomery History, will examine key challenges, both historic and contemporary, that test the resilience of our democracy. The event is part of the League’s long-running Trending Topics and Montgomery History’s History Conversations. Join […]

with Patricia Maclay, MD | Lafayette’s Farewell Tour saw the French 67-year old, last surviving major general of the American Revolution, triumphantly return to the country he loved. From August 15, 1824 to September 9, 1825, Lafayette covered over 6,000 miles by carriage, stagecoach, canal barge, and steamboat, traveling to all 24 existing states and “Washington […]

pre-recorded virtual event | Visited by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Tina Turner, and dozens of other iconic entertainers, the legendary Du-Drop Inn of Emory Grove was the place to be in Montgomery County from the 1940s to the 1970s. This roundtable will feature people who grew up in Emory Grove sharing […]

pre-recorded virtual event | with Bonnie Rosenthal | Come and take a virtual tour of the historic National Park Seminary campus through photos of its various lives as hotel, private school, military rehabilitation facility, and residential community. This enchanting and unique site is a quiet, hidden gem in Montgomery County that is well worth seeing.Originally aired […]

pre-recorded virtual event | with Paige Whitley | Clara Barton touched many lives as the Civil War's "Angel of the Battlefield" and later as president of the American Red Cross. Behind the scenes, others supported her efforts and kept her household running smoothly. Among the many Black people Barton employed over the years, none maintained a […]

pre-recorded virtual event | With Sarah Hedlund and Maria Spren | In 1850 less than 2% of Montgomery County’s population was foreign born and by 1960 it was still less than 5%. Today, more than 35% of the county’s residents are foreign born and even more speak at least one language besides English. How has Montgomery […]

pre-recorded virtual event | Paths to the Present | In 2001 the Paths to the Present cable television show broadcast three episodes that focused on farms and farmers from Montgomery County—Chester Leishear Dairy Farm, Pope Farm, and Philips Farm. These episodes feature interviews with Montgomery County residents who were active in the farming community throughout the […]

with Rosa Patton | pre-recorded virtual event |  Rosa Patton has been restoring carousels for 43 years, including the 20-year restoration of Glen Echo’s carousel. Learn from her as she discusses the painting style differences between carousel manufacturers, the types of paints used, and the tools and brushes used for achieving the signature look of each […]

with Richard Morain |Tuesday, February 25 at 2:00 p.m. | Virtual Event |  Join Richard Morain, volunteer at the Maryland Museum of Military History, for an overview of the 390-year military history of Maryland, from the first day of the colonies to the work of the state’s citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maryland has made significant […]

with former Montgomery History Curator Elizabeth Lay | pre-recorded virtual event |  When we think of 200-year-old quilts, we imagine humble pieced bed coverings made of scraps. In fact, the oldest Maryland quilts are objects of great refinement, made of expensive imported fabrics such as glazed chintz. One of the most important of these is our Clarksburg […]

with with Robert Engelman | pre-recorded virtual event |  How much do we know about the enslavement of African Americans that occurred in our own neighborhoods? This project aims to chronicle the history of a three-square-mile area between Kensington and Wheaton. The unifying objective is to bring to light the experience—and ideally the names—of individuals enslaved […]

with Sandy HeilerThe War of 1812 was one of the most contentious conflicts in American history, and Montgomery countians were nearly universally opposed to it. Nevertheless, although their properties were spared the war’s horrors, Montgomery’s citizens were not. A sense of honor and proximity to Washington and Baltimore led them to take an active part […]

With Hannah LaneThe Maryland State Colonization Society was a former auxiliary of the American Colonization Society (ACS) that recruited free and manumitted black Marylanders to settle in Liberia. From 1832 to 1861, the Maryland State Colonization Society was largely supported by appropriations from the Maryland General Assembly. Join Hannah Lane, research archivist in the Legacy […]

Join Montgomery History in remembering the life of Ida Pearl Green, June 18, 1918 - April 17, 2025 through this History Conversation with her granddaughter which originally aired in February 2024.with Dr. Kisha Davis | pre-recorded virtual event |  Through daily weekday breakfasts with her grandmother, Dr. Kisha Davis learned stories of family and an African […]

with Blyth McManus, Museum Curator, C&O Canal National Historical Park | pre-recorded virtual event |  In the museum collection of the C&O Canal National Historical Park is a shop ledger from a merchant in Williamsport, Maryland. Tracking purchases made between 1856-1858, the ledger provides tantalizing glimpses into the everyday lives of its customers. Materials like flour, […]

Join Montgomery History in remembering the life of Ida Pearl Green, June 18, 1918 - April 17, 2025 through this History Conversation with her granddaughter which originally aired in February 2024. with Julianne Mangin | pre-recorded virtual event |  Through daily weekday breakfasts with her grandmother, Dr. Kisha Davis learned stories of family and an African American […]

with Emma Satterfield | Prerecorded virtual event With Washington, D.C. and Baltimore nearby, the history of Montgomery County’s LGBTQ+ community has often been overshadowed. Building on Emma Satterfield’s online exhibit for Montgomery History, this presentation seeks to shed light on the struggles and achievements of the county’s LGBTQ+ residents during the late twentieth century. Satterfield also […]

with Phil Edwards | Prerecorded virtual event Washington Grove is a small town in the middle of Montgomery County with a unique form of government. It was called by its first mayor, “a Town within a forest, an oasis of tranquility and a rustic jewel in the diadem of the great free state of Maryland.” One-time […]

with Hank Levine | Prerecorded virtual event Despite being among the community’s most storied buildings, the Bethesda Meeting House -- “the church that named Bethesda” -- was vacant and deteriorating when acquired last year by the Bethesda Historical Society. Constructed in 1820 (and rebuilt in 1850 after a fire) it features a rare “slave gallery,” was […]

 with Michael Nardolilli | Prerecorded virtual event With Western states running out of water, could it happen here? The Executive Director of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, Michael Nardolilli, traces the history of providing drinking water to the DC area, the current system, and the outlook for the future. Originally aired in November […]

 with Eugene Meyer | Prerecorded virtual event More than 163 years later, John Brown’s October 1859 ill-fated raid on Harpers Ferry to seize its federal arsenal and incite a slave rebellion is well known. Less known are the stories of five African Americans who joined with him. Their sacrifice continues to resonate, as the legacy of […]

with Jennifer Wilcox, Director of Education at the National Cryptologic Museum | Prerecorded virtual event During the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union sought to protect their own communications and “read the mail” of the enemy. Join Jennifer Wilcox, Director of Education at the National Cryptologic Museum, as she shares the history […]

with Tom Farquhar | Prerecorded virtual event The rich soil of Montgomery County has supported a wide variety of agricultural enterprises, ranging from millennia of crop cultivation by indigenous communities, to tobacco plantations of the first colonial settlers of European descent, progressing to market farming serving growing populations in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Today the agriculture […]

with Kacy Rohn | Prerecorded virtual event | For 25 years, Montgomery County’s Rustic Roads Program has protected the historic and scenic roadways that reflect the county’s agricultural character and rural origins. An update to the Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan was approved in 2023 . This presentation describes the work done to bring new roads […]

Join Montgomery History at Shirley Povich field for our annual Ice Cream Social! We'll have a trivia contest and a very brief teaser for the History Conference from our keynote speaker, Ralph Buglass. RSVP Here

with Jim Johnston | Prerecorded virtual event | Learn about a 200+ year-old tale of Supreme Court history this week, as Jim Johnston details the pivotal 1803 case of Marbury v. Madison and the man behind it–William Marbury. Born to an impoverished tobacco farmer in Prince George’s County, young Marbury had bigger dreams of fame and […]

with Sarah Hedlund and Maria Sprehn | Prerecorded virtual event | In 1850 less than 2% of Montgomery County’s population was foreign born and by 1960 it was almost 5%. Today, more than 35% of the county’s residents are foreign born and even more speak at least one language besides English. How has Montgomery County become […]

with Paul Schwartz | Prerecorded virtual event | Enjoy this must-see presentation that brings attendees through a 164-year journey of local history as told through the news stories covered in the Montgomery County Sentinel: one of the most important sources of local journalism. The paper covered everything from civil rights to the Civil War, county infrastructure, […]

with Kenny Sholes | Prerecorded virtual event | The lands around us have played an important part in American history over the last few centuries. The fields we pass through each day have spurred economic development, been the scene of battles, provided escape from the pace of daily life, and brought families together at the dinner […]

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.  

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 Dr. Kisha Davis | pre-recorded virtual event | Through daily weekday breakfasts with her grandmother, Dr. Kisha Davis learned stories of family and an African American community in Quince Orchard which went much deeper than the name of her school or a road named Quince Orchard. At 105 years young at the time of this […]

with Dr. Alexandra Jones | pre-recorded virtual event | The historic African American community of Gibson was built on self-reliance, education, faith, and mutual support in a time when African Americans were discriminated against and prevented from attending schools, obtaining insurance, and being buried in the same cemeteries as their European American counterparts. This community has […]

with Diane Baxter and Paige Whitley | pre-recorded virtual event | Benevolent societies in African American communities were an important support center for local black populations in the segregated post-Emancipation era. Historians note their role in not only providing a communal support system to members during times of sickness and death, but also in building civic […]

with Judy Welles | pre-recorded virtual event | In this talk based on her book about the prominent Montgomery County socialite and businesswoman Lilly Stone, Judy Welles tells the story of a daring woman whose remarkable life extended from the Civil War through the Cold War. After Clara Barton encouraged her to join the DAR, Lilly […]

with Joanna Church | pre-recorded virtual event | Like many women of her generation, Carrie Miller Farquhar (1842-1904) kept a diary for much of her life. These twelve volumes, now in the Montgomery History collections, detail both her young adulthood in Alexandria and Sandy Spring, and (after a gap of nearly two decades) her married life […]

with Durward Center | pre-recorded virtual event | Go behind the scenes as Durward Center, the restorer and caretaker of the organ for the last 50 years, dives into the history of the organ at the Park, its modifications, restoration, and maintenance. Plus, you’ll get a close up view of the organ’s internal mechanism and how […]

with Sarah Hedlund | pre-recorded virtual event | Any history of Montgomery County’s oldest newspaper of record will contain the following information: “The Sentinel was founded in 1855 by Matthew Fields, a Confederate sympathizer who was arrested during the Civil War for his opinions. After his death in 1871, his widow took over the publication.” The […]

with Rebecca Henson | pre-recorded virtual event | Rebecca Henson of Springsong Museum will deliver a presentation on Rachel Carson (1907-1964), world-renowned writer, biologist, and considered by many as the ‘Mother of the Modern Environmental Movement’ who lived her adult life in Silver Spring. Henson will provide an overview of Carson’s life and written works, discussing […]

with Claudia Kousoulas | pre-recorded virtual event | Just as the force and flow of ancient glaciers deposited soil and shaped hills, our decisions about property, policy, family, and food also shape the landscape. So much of what we value—a clean environment, local food, a diverse landscape, and a varied economy—comes together in Montgomery County’s Agricultural […]