A Monthly Newsletter for Members and Friends of the St. Mary's County Historical Society
JULY 2025
|
The View from the Loggia
Peter LaPorte, Executive Director
The View from the Loggia: It was Wonderful!
On Saturday the 12th, over one-hundred members and guests came to Tudor Hall for the 2025 Summer Social. A cool breeze from Breton Bay moderated the Summer temps as old friends and many new friends mingled on the lawn and inside. Wine and beer was provided by Historical Society Directors with nearly all the food provided by many wonderful members. And there was an abundance! As always, Wentworth Nursery generously provided flowers and greenery to make the loggia even nicer.
While they have little to do with history or genealogy, these Summer gatherings are an important part of the Historical Society. As one person commented to me, "Where else can you find food, good wine, nice people and such an enjoyable and historic setting?" Where else indeed.
Whether you're an old member, a new member, or someone who gets this newsletter but has yet to discover what we're about, make it a point to join us at next year's Summer Social.
Historically Speaking - August 20th
We have a unusual topic lined up for the next Historically Speaking: Negotiating Changing Chesapeake Identities. We often assume that due to their advanced "technology" and intrusion on the land, that the influence of European on native Americans was one-way. But not so.
University of Maryland PhD candidate Valerie J. Hall has done extensive archeological research in Southern Maryland and particularly in St. Mary's County to shed light this here-to-fore under-explored topic.
Maryland’s indigenous population, especially Indian women, transformed Early British American society during the 17th century. They provided sustenance and crafts and served as cultural brokers, providing colonists with food and native-made goods, including aboriginal ceramics.
This presentation will take place on August 20th, a Wednesday, from 7:00p to 9:00p at the Inn at Leonardtown. Admission is free but you are strongly encouraged to register by clicking here.
Save the Date!
At the Fall Dinner on October 24th, we will have the pleasure of listening to Donald Barber talk about his family and his life here in St. Mary's County. 
Donald, along with co-author David Brown, published The Barber Family: From Slavery through Segregation and The Civil Rights Movement. It's a story spanning four generations dealing with challenges, overcoming, and a changing social landscape.
Most of all, it's a family story about hard-work, love, resilience, and prosperity set in St. Mary's County. It is a story about our large St. Mary's County family.
A video of a conversation between Donald and David will be available on our website within the next couple of weeks and reservations for the dinner will open in early September. Don't miss this one.
Tudor Hall Condition Assessment & Engineering Survey
As many of you know and as mentioned at the Spring Dinner, the Maryland Historical Trust has favored us with a grant to assess the true condition of Tudor Hall. At $75,000, we understand that it is among the largest--if not the largest--grant given by the Trust for a pre-development project (that is, an investigation preceding physical work or repairs). The results of the project will be a report with in-depth findings, prioritization of work, and cost-estimates to rehabilitate Tudor Hall.
We sent a Request for Proposal (RFP) directly to six qualified historical architecture firms and, after the required posting of a "Notice of RFP" in the press, have received inquiries from eight more firms. The RFP request date closes on August 29th after which we, along with the Trust, will evaluate the proposals and select the finalist. We don't anticipate on-site investigation and assessment to begin before October. But once it has been completed, we will know what needs to be done, in what order, and have some idea of the costs we will face.
A long journey to be sure but a journey that, at along last, we've begun.
Past issues of the Tudor Hall Times can be found on our website under Publications
|