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History Conversations
Enjoy our History Conversations, a program featuring periodic virtual lectures from our talented corps of speakers covering a wide variety of local history topics. Each lecture is live-streamed via Zoom and Facebook and then posted here for a week (below).


Upcoming Lectures:

“Potomac, a History of the River and the Land”
with Jim Johnston
Tuesday, April 6 @ 2:00 p.m.

The Potomac River, the dominant geological feature of Montgomery County, has also played a dominant role in American history. It was the first interstate waterway in North America, the spawning ground for the Constitution, and a protective barrier in the Civil War. To travelers today, it is a time tunnel to 250 million years of history. Learn this history from Jim Johnston and then walk along the river yourself to see the Potomac in a new way.

Click here to register!

“Glen Echo’s Two Great Carousels: Coney Island versus Philadelphia Style”
with Barbara Fahs Charles
Wednesday, April 14 @ 7:30 p.m.

Before Glen Echo’s wonderful W. H. Dentzel carousel was delivered from Philadelphia in 1921, the park featured a large carousel created in Coney Island by W. F. Mangels with horses and chariots by M. C. Illions. This presentation will consider why each of the carousels was purchased, compare the regional styles of the two manufacturers, introduce the men who carved and built the two carousels, and show how W. H. Dentzel recycled elements from the Glen Echo Mangels carousel into a “new” carousel in 1922.

Click here to register!


This is the second lecture in the four-part series celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Dentzel Carousel at Glen Echo Park, in partnership with the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture. Join us to explore multiple facets of this beloved cultural icon.

If you missed the first lecture, which delved into the Glen Echo carousel’s connection to the Civil Rights movement, you can catch up on our website. While you’re there, check out the behind-the-scenes interview and carousel tour with Park Ranger Kevin Patti.

Recent Lecture(s):


“Santified Sisters of Colesville: The Hidden History of Commonwealth Farm” with Julianne Mangin

Click here for a complete list of past History Conversations. 



History Conferences
Our annual history conference has brought together historians, students, teachers, residents, and lifelong learners since 2007. With such a wide breadth of topics covered, you’re sure to find something that suits your interests. We’ll be rotating out different videos to feature, but you can also find links to all the past videos on our History Conference page.

 

Featured Video:
“By Hands of Parties Unknown: Remembrance and Reconciliation of Three Lynchings in Montgomery County” 
Speaker: Anthony Cohen

 

Paths to the Present
Paths to the Present: Montgomery County Stories, a cable television show created by County Cable Montgomery and Montgomery History from 2000-2014, explores the often overlooked history found right in our own backyards. Produced by Emmy-winner Barbara Grunbaum and hosted by Gail Street, Paths to the Present covers a wide variety of topics highlighting this county’s past. You can watch all 86 of the episodes here.