Montgomery History

History Conversations REWIND | Flee North
2025-11-03 - 2025-11-09
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 began to organize mass escapes from slavery by the wagonload, with the help of a young white partner, Charles Torrey — and wrote about the escapes in extraordinary satirical dispatches for an abolitionist newspaper in Albany, New York. It was Smallwood, Scott Shane discovered, who gave the underground railroad its name. But Smallwood’s daring operation took place against the very dark background of the domestic slave trade, which thrived on Washington’s mall and at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, shipping thousands of people every year away from their families to the cotton and sugar plantations of the Deep South. The book’s third major character, Baltimore’s Hope Slatter, was the era’s dominant slave trader, operating from his private “slave jail” near the city’s harbor. The domestic slave trade, still too little understood, became an engine driving the underground railroad. Originally presented at the 2024 Montgomery County History Conference. Recording available November 3 – 9.

History Conversations REWIND | Building Washington National Cathedral
2025-11-10 - 2025-11-16
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 on a photographic journey through the years of the cathedral’s construction and introduces you to some of the key figures in that amazing story. Originally aired August 2022.

History Conversations REWIND | A WWI Soldier’s Story
2025-11-10 - 2025-11-16
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.

History Conversations REWIND | Clara Barton at Antietam
2025-11-24 - 2025-11-30
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 faced, it solidified her determination to become a dedicated humanitarian and led to the establishment of the American Red Cross. Originally aired in September 2020. Recording available November 24 – November 30.

History Conversations REWIND | Emancipation in Montgomery County, Maryland
2025-12-01 - 2025-12-07
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, war, emancipation, and its aftermath. Originally aired October 2020. Recording available December 1 – 7.

History Conversations REWIND | Potomac Marble: The History of the Search for the Ideal Stone
2025-12-08 - 2025-12-14
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, a limestone conglomerate found along the Potomac River, for the Capitol’s columns. Kriengold discusses the challenges they faced, including political opposition and quarrying difficulties. His research has led to the rediscovery of these historic quarries, and he will present polished samples, discuss British methods for burning stone buildings, early 19th-century quarrying techniques, and the use of the Potomac Canal for transporting the stone to Washington, D.C. for carving. Originally aired February 2024. Recording available December 8 – 14

Potomac Marble Walking Tour
2025-12-13 11:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Dickerson Conservation Area, 20700 Martinsburg Rd, Dickerson, 20842, United States
December 13 at 11 AM | With Paul Kreingold | Discover the stone that was used to rebuild Washington D.C. after the British invaded in 1814.Join historian Paul Kreingold on a hike to learn about the lost history of the Potomac Marble! Paul will lead a tour of the 200-year-old quarries discovered during the research for his book Potomac Marble: History of the Search for the Ideal Stone. Mr. Kreingold is the Conservation Director of the Loudoun County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League and a Virginia Master Naturalist, Banshee Reeks Chapter. Learn more about this walking tour and reserve your spotRegister Here liability waiver and medical form →

History Conversations | Before it was Leisure World, it was the Edmonson Farm
2025-12-16 14:00 - 15:00
with Dianne Bradley and Juanita Sealy-Williams | Tuesday, December 16 at 2:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | Prior to the Civil War, Paul Edmonson, a freed Black man, lived with his family on what was then one of the largest Black-owned farms in Montgomery County, now part of the land comprising Leisure World. However, while he was free, Paul’s wife and their 14 children were all still enslaved. Join Dianne Bradley and Juanita Sealy-Williams as they tell the fascinating story of Paul’s journey to free his family from slavery and their part in the abolition movement.

History Conversations REWIND | A Short History of a Long Treasured Icon: the American Front Porch
2025-12-22 - 2025-12-28
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 end of the Revolution to the beginning of WWII. There’s probably no other architectural feature that evokes such feelings of comfort, welcome, and nostalgia as the front porch. It’s an outdoor living room for leisure activities—for relaxing, visiting, entertaining, and people-watching—all out in the fresh air. At the same time, it’s an important architectural feature on the front of a house. It doesn’t just enhance the main facade; it’s often the most distinctive part of the design. Join Sandy Heiler as she discusses styles and features, history, and the true meaning of the front porch. Originally aired July 2021. Recording available December 22 – 28

History Conversations REWIND | A Tough Row to Hoe: The Agricultural History Farm Park
2025-12-29 - 2026-01-04
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 family, dairy farmers from Frederick County. The intricacies of this complex Maryland history runs deep into the soil of the Agricultural Reserve and is made as clear as the Rock Creek that flows along its borders through fact finding, archeological digs, and the oral histories of the farm family descendants. Literally and figuratively, life at the farm in Derwood was hard. Crops failed, social, political, and legal constraints over the years were challenging, and the road to historic discovery was sometimes painful. Learn about the people, the place, and the process of uncovering the past at the Agricultural History Farm Park. Recorded at the Fall 2023 Montgomery County History Conference. Recording available December 29 – January 4

History Conversations REWIND | Service, Sacrifice, and the Creation of Camp Schmitt
2026-01-05 - 2026-01-11
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 Silver Star, one the Air Medal, and two the Purple Heart. The presentation also details how the community, scouts, and scout leaders gave of their time, talents, and resources to build a boy scout camp, Camp Schmitt, in honor of the eight men in 1959. Originally aired November 2024. Recording available January 5 – 11.

History Conversations | Where the Fleet Begins: Carderock and the Naval Surface Warfare Center
2026-01-20 14:00 - 15:00
with Jonathan Thompson, US Navy | Tuesday, January 20 at 2:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | The Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center has a rich history, dating back to its inception in 1939. It was established to replace the Experimental Model Basin, which was one of the largest and finest model basins for testing models of ship designs being developed of its time. The division has since grown to become the Navy’s center of excellence for ships and ship systems, with a focus on improving the performance of ships, submarines, military watercraft, and unmanned vehicles. It has a distinguished reputation as the birthplace of superior naval technology and continues to be a major component and field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command.

History Conversations | The Early Slave Trade in Montgomery County
2026-01-27 14:00 - 15:00
With Anthony Cohen | Virtual Event | The African slave trade was firmly entrenched in Montgomery County by the time of its founding in 1776. Discover the European and African nations involved, the earliest enslaved arrivals, and learn of their customs and skills, and how they helped to transform the landscape of the region. This presentation will show how the international movement morphed into a domestic trade, from the Chesapeake to the Deep South after the Louisiana Purchase, and its lingering effects from the time of Revolution to Maryland emancipation in 1864.

History Conversations REWIND | The Making of a Pearl: The Life of Quince Orchard Resident Ida Pearl Green
2026-02-02 - 2026-02-08
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 recording, Mrs. Green was a lifelong resident of Montgomery County. Through her family’s history from slavery through integration of both schools and churches, her granddaughter shares the complex history of race relations in the county. It is a testament to resilience and turning adversity into something beautiful. Originally aired February 2024

History Conversations | Immigrant Rights in Montgomery County: What Does Due Process Look Like?
2026-02-12 19:00 - 20:30
Recording available soon!Presented in Partnership with League of Women Voters of Montgomery County |Thursday, February 12 at 7:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | Do you know the status of civil and human rights for immigrant and refugee populations in our county? To learn more about this critical topic, join us on February 12, 7-8:30pm, to hear perspectives from: Earl Stoddard, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, Montgomery County, MarylandAma Frimpong, Legal Director, CASA Stephanie Wolf, Director of Immigration Services Division, Maryland Office of the Public Defender The program, presented in partnership with Montgomery History, will be moderated by Maria Sprehn-Malagón, a professor of anthropology at Montgomery College who focuses on oral history, immigration, and Latino culture in the Washington, D.C. area.

History Conversations REWIND | Gibson Grove: Gone but not Forgotten
2026-02-16 - 2026-02-22
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 all but faded in the memories of many in Montgomery County, and today the few remaining historical sites are being threatened by the expansion of the Beltway. However, a new community of advocates has stepped in to save these sacred spots. This talk will explore the history of Gibson Grove and the actions being taken to save the two sites associated with this community. Originally aired January 2022

History Conversations REWIND | African American Benevolent Societies in Montgomery County and Morningstar No. 88 of Order of Moses
2026-02-23 - 2026-03-01
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 identities and training for civic activism. This talk provides an overview of benevolent societies in Montgomery County during Segregation and notes clues public records can provide as to their existence and workings. The case of Morningstar No. 88 of the Order of Moses in Cabin John, Maryland, and the remarkable artifacts (some of which are available online through the Montgomery County History Digital Repository) preserved by descendants and others provide additional glimpses into members’ lives and the workings of this organization. What might be hiding in your attic? Originally aired January 2021

History Conversations REWIND | Lilly Stone - A Daring Woman
2026-03-02 - 2026-03-08
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 Stone went on to organize the first literary and arts clubs in her farming community, design the first flag for Montgomery County, Maryland, and found the Montgomery County Historical Society. At the stage of life when most people retire, the widowed Mrs. Stone instead entered an industry dominated by men. In 1924, she founded Stoneyhurst Quarry, which yielded distinctive stone used in building the National Cathedral, the National Zoo, and hundreds of other buildings and homes around the nation’s capital. Lilly’s papers and letters, documented by Welles, describe the divided loyalties of County residents living close to the Potomac River during the Civil War, detail her son’s experience as a soldier in World War I, and tell how German POWs came to work at her quarry during World War II. Through her accomplishments in business and her passion for preserving history, Lilly Stone made history herself.Originally aired September 2023.

History Conversations REWIND | “I commence my journal…”: What Carrie Miller Farquhar Told her Diary…and What She Left Out
2026-03-09 - 2026-03-15
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 on a farm in Norbeck. Carrie’s words offer present-day historians a wealth of detail about mid-late 19th century education, faith, politics, war, agriculture, child-rearing, and social activities in Montgomery County. At the same time, we know from other sources that there are many stories and events that Carrie did not choose to write down, including her somewhat tumultuous courtship with Roger Brooke Farquhar, Sr., whom she married in 1867. This presentation will reap the benefits of this wonderful primary source – sharing Carrie’s story, using moments described in her diary from the exciting to the mundane – and examine the limitations of relying on a single voice, even a seemingly candid one, to study the past. Originally aired July 2021

History Conversations REWIND | Glen Echo’s Wurlitzer Band Organ – A 50-Year Perspective
2026-03-16 - 2026-03-22
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 it works. Music enthusiasts, this one’s for you! Originally aired July 2021

History Conversations REWIND | Negative Space: Rebecca G. Fields, Owner and Proprietor of the Montgomery County Sentinel, 1871-1930
2026-03-23 - 2026-03-29
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 story almost always ends there…but the full story of “his widow” has barely begun. Rebecca Fields was a rare woman business owner in a male-dominated business, and she ran that business for almost 60 years after her husband’s death. She was a complicated and unconventional woman whose true thoughts, opinions, attitudes, and politics are simultaneously known and unknowable, hidden in the white space between lines of type and glimpsed in the thinnest threads of her descendants’ memories. Archivist and researcher Sarah Hedlund uncovers the life and career of one of Montgomery County’s most overlooked historical figures, in search of the woman behind the press. Presented at the Fall 2023 Montgomery County History Conference

History Conversations | Who Owns the Potomac and Why?
2026-03-31 14:00 - 15:00
With Micheal Nardolilli | Virtual Event | Have you ever looked at maps and wondered why the boundary line between Virginia and Maryland on the Potomac River is so odd? It is not in the middle of the river, like it is in most places, and it doesn’t really follow the curves of one shoreline or the other. Michael Nardolilli, the Executive Director of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin will explain the weird history behind the stateboundaries along the Potomac River.

History Conversations REWIND | The Beauty All around Us: Rachel Carson’s Wonder, Wisdom, and Legacy in Silver Spring
2026-04-07 - 2026-04-13
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 her courage, ecological philosophy, and clear-eyed wonder in the natural world around us, including right here in Montgomery County. Originally aired October 22, 2024.

History Conversations REWIND | Bread & Beauty
2026-04-14 - 2026-04-20
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 Reserve. This talk, based on Bread & Beauty: A Year in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve, will tell the history of the Reserve, and its historical foodways, from the foods (and drink) of the C&O Canal boatmen to the diversity captured in Elizabeth Ellicott Lea’s 1850 Domestic Cookery. Originally Aired May 2020.

History Conversations | Country Doctor Edward Stonestreet of Rockville - A 19th Century American Story
2026-04-21 14:00 - 15:00
With Clarence “Corky” Hickey | Virtual Event | This presentation reflects the life and historic times of Dr. Stonestreet when he practiced medicine in Montgomery County from 1852-1903. It is based on the speaker’s 2009 book Send for the Doctor, which chronicles Dr. Stonestreet’s: medical education; 51-year medical practice of house calls and office visits as local physician and surgeon; response to accidents and injuries; service as Civil War surgeon with the Union Army, as well as the historic times during which the doctor lived and practiced.

History Conversations | Discovering Art Deco
2026-04-28 14:00 - 15:00
With Steve Knight| Virtual Event | Art Deco architecture can be found throughout the Washington, D.C. area and Montgomery County in a variety of building types including houses, apartments, commercial, and institutional buildings. Art Deco Society of Washington (ADSW) President Steve Knight will give a richly illustrated presentation on one of the most comprehensive and preeminent aesthetic movements of the 20th century that touched everything from product design, graphics, sculpture, film, fashion, home furnishings, and of course architecture. In this talk, Steve will examine the origins and character-defining features of Art Deco; look at early 20th century industrial design that influenced the style; and provide a survey of national and international examples of great Art Deco buildings, including several local ones. In addition to his role leading ADSW, the all-volunteer group that preserves, educates, and celebrates the many facets of Art Deco, Steve Knight is also a practicing architect who lives in Silver Spring. Register Here

History Conversations REWIND | Mapping Segregation: Racial Restrictive Covenants in Montgomery County
2026-05-04 - 2026-05-10
with John Liebertz | pre-recorded virtual event | For the majority of the twentieth century, private and public sectors channeled and influenced development of the county based on race and ethnicity. Montgomery Planning built a mapping tool that illustrated historic patterns of segregation inside the Capital Beltway (I-495) by recording racial restrictive covenants in the land records. This presentation discusses the conclusions of our analysis, how de facto and de jure segregation limited opportunities for people of color, and the efforts by the Black community, local activists, and organizations to open the suburbs to all. Originally presented at the January 2023 History Conference.

History Conversations REWIND | Montgomery County’s “Gift” to DC: The Washington Aqueduct
2026-05-11 - 2026-05-17
with Ralph Buglass | pre-recorded virtual event | The Washington Aqueduct, carrying drinking water to the nation’s capital but running mostly through Montgomery County from Great Falls, was a technological marvel when completed 160 years ago in 1864. After all that time of continuous service, it is currently undergoing a major rehabilitation. Through current and historical photos, Ralph Buglass will relate the fascinating history of this project, now a National Landmark, and look at its equally fascinating chief engineer, Montgomery Meigs, who was also Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army during the Civil War. In charge of all the troop logistics, Meigs has been described as “second only to General Ulysses Grant” in winning the war for the Union. Recording available May 11 – 17

Montgomery Mosaic: A 250-year Retrospective Walking Tour!
2026-05-18 10:30 - 12:30
May 18 at 10:30 AM | With Ralph Buglass | Join Montgomery History for a Rockville tour highlighting 250 years Popular Local historian Ralph Buglass will take us on a 250-year journey through Montgomery County’s history by highlighting various locations through downtown Rockville. This two-hour tour will shine a light on how our county has changed dramatically from rural & agrarian to a bustling & densely packed county with its own unique story. Ralph will guide us through a four-block area with 10 stops that will take us from the county’s founding in 1776, the evolution of county government, an important civil rights case argued by the legendary Thurgood Marshall, and more. Tickets limited!

History Conversations | Primary Elections - Why Vote? Who Votes?
2026-05-21 19:00 - 20:00
Presented in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County | Virtual Event | Did you know that only 27% of registered Montgomery County voters participated in the 2022 primary election? This month’s free Trending Topics webinar, co-sponsored by Montgomery History, will investigate voter turnout trends in primary elections. We’ll discuss who is not showing up, what can be done to address barriers, and why primary participation matters to our democracy. Panelists include Sam Novey, Chief Strategist at the Center for Democracy and Civic Participation at UMD; Dr. Gilberto Zelaya, Montgomery County Board of Elections Community Empowerment/Public Information Officer; and Ralph Watkins, Co-chair of the LWVMC’s Making Democracy Work Committee. Register Here
