
HCHS Education Programs & Activities
The Howard County Historical Society is dedicated to expanding our programs and providing opportunities for elementary, secondary and higher education students to learn about the county’s history.
Programs & Activities
LUNCH DATE WITH HISTORY LECTURE SERIES
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INTERACTIVE HOUSE TOUR
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HOWARD COUNTY THEN AND NOW
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PROGRAMS & ACTIVITIES
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PRIMARY SOURCES & LESSON PLANS
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BECOME A HCHS MEMBER
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Did You Know?
Schedule:
Event Type
All
Children's Activities
Historical Society Special Events
Hours of Operation
Lunch Lectures
Museum Events
Walking Tours

Event Details
The Laurel History Boys are storytellers, foremost. They share relatable pieces of our hometown’s history—stories about people, places, and events that shaped Laurel, Maryland and the surrounding community. We produce
Event Details
The Laurel History Boys are storytellers, foremost. They share relatable pieces of our hometown’s history—stories about people, places, and events that shaped Laurel, Maryland and the surrounding community. We produce books and presentations that focus on niche areas of Laurel’s past, and we publish Voices of Laurel, a free quarterly community newspaper that includes a diverse range of contributors.
New details were uncovered about the 1972 shooting of the presidential candidate at Laurel Shopping Center after gaining access to the investigation files of the FBI and Prince George’s County Police Department. Even if you’ve closely followed the media coverage of this event, you will be astonished at the new information.
*Sign up today – seats are limited. Register online at https://hchsmd.org/calendar/, email info@hchsmd.org, or call 410-480-3250 for more information.
*FREE for Historical Society Members, $5.00 for non-members (online and at the door).
*Free parking is available in the Court House Drive lot, located up the hill at the top of Old Ellicott City, in walking distance from the Museums and former Circuit Court.
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Time
(Friday) 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Event Details
It’s that time of the year! Let’s get the garden ready for spring planting and new growth. $5.00 per student per class for ages 5-12. Registration is limited to a total
Event Details
It’s that time of the year! Let’s get the garden ready for spring planting and new growth.
$5.00 per student per class for ages 5-12. Registration is limited to a total of 18 students per class. Each class session includes a themed craft and special activities related to history and the season. Please register electronically with us under the Events tab!
Time
(Saturday) 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Event Details
Sophie Hess is a doctoral candidate in American History at the University of Maryland. A fellow at the McNeil Center for Early American Studies and the Maryland Center for History
Event Details
Sophie Hess is a doctoral candidate in American History at the University of Maryland. A fellow at the McNeil Center for Early American Studies and the Maryland Center for History and Culture, her research focuses on the ecological and cultural impact of humans in Maryland’s Patapsco River Valley.
Hollow Ground or “The Hollow” as it was called by its first European settlers, links histories of natural resource extraction and cultural ecology in Maryland’s Patapsco River Valley. In this lecture, participants will learn about the historic flood of 1868 and it’s impact on the region, an event precipitated by aggressive farming, logging, and industrial practices.
*Sign up today – seats are limited. Register online at https://hchsmd.org/calendar/, email info@hchsmd.org, or call 410-480-3250 for more information.
*FREE for Historical Society Members, $5.00 for non-members (online and at the door).
*Free parking is available in the Court House Drive lot, located up the hill at the top of Old Ellicott City, in walking distance from the Museums and former Circuit Court.
more
Time
(Friday) 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Event Details
Join Preservation Maryland at the Howard County Welcome Center with the Howard County Historical Society on June 2, 2023 for our Howard County Pop-Up Field Office. Staff from both organizations
Event Details
Join Preservation Maryland at the Howard County Welcome Center with the Howard County Historical Society on June 2, 2023 for our Howard County Pop-Up Field Office. Staff from both organizations will be present to answer questions about genealogical and historical research, historic preservation, programs, and funding opportunities.
The Preservation Maryland team is again hosting Pop-Up Field Offices throughout the state – one in each county. Additionally, ahead of the 250th anniversary of American Independence in 2026, we are looking to capture Marylanders’ stories and history they feel should be elevated in the upcoming commemoration.
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Time
(Friday) 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Event Details
Lee Preston taught history and anthropology for the Howard County Public School System and for Howard Community College. In addition to writing curricula for both, Mr. Preston is also the
Event Details
Lee Preston taught history and anthropology for the Howard County Public School System and for Howard Community College. In addition to writing curricula for both, Mr. Preston is also the author of the widely referenced book “Archaeology in Howard County and Beyond.” He is the former president of the Upper Patuxent Archaeology Group and president emeritus of the Friends of the Patapsco Female Institute.
Native Americans utilized stone, bone, clay, and wood among other materials to create the necessary tools to adapt to the natural environment. How they made the tools necessary for survival and examples of them will highlight this in-depth look at survival strategies dating to over 12,000 years ago. Stone tool-making techniques will include a demonstration of percussion and pressure flaking, as well as examples of key diagnostic stone tools.
*Sign up today – seats are limited. Register online at https://hchsmd.org/calendar/, email info@hchsmd.org, or call 410-480-3250 for more information.
*FREE for Historical Society Members, $5.00 for non-members (online and at the door).
*Free parking is available in the Court House Drive lot, located up the hill at the top of Old Ellicott City, in walking distance from the Museums and former Circuit Court.
more
Time
(Friday) 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Event Details
How do local historical societies remain relevant in the modern world? Former HCHS Executive Director Shawn Gladden will lead a panel discussion with local curators about the current state and
Event Details
How do local historical societies remain relevant in the modern world? Former HCHS Executive Director Shawn Gladden will lead a panel discussion with local curators about the current state and future of historical societies.
*Sign up today – seats are limited. Register online at https://hchsmd.org/calendar/, email info@hchsmd.org, or call 410-480-3250 for more information.
*FREE for Historical Society Members, $5.00 for non-members (online and at the door).
*Free parking is available in the Court House Drive lot, located up the hill at the top of Old Ellicott City, in walking distance from the Museums and former Circuit Court.
more
Time
(Friday) 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Event Details
Join Recreation and Parks Archaeologist Kelly Palich as she presents on the archaeology of Black tenant farming in Maryland. During this presentation, Palich will share findings from a variety of
Event Details
Join Recreation and Parks Archaeologist Kelly Palich as she presents on the archaeology of Black tenant farming in Maryland. During this presentation, Palich will share findings from a variety of archaeological sites identified as Black tenant farms within the context of the Jim Crow Era (1870s-1965), and share how comparative studies of sites can be used to help interpret the tenant site at West Friendship (18HO304).
*Sign up today – seats are limited. Register online at https://hchsmd.org/calendar/, email info@hchsmd.org, or call 410-480-3250 for more information.
*FREE for Historical Society Members, $5.00 for non-members (online and at the door).
*Free parking is available in the Court House Drive lot, located up the hill at the top of Old Ellicott City, in walking distance from the Museums and former Circuit Court.
more
Time
(Friday) 8:22 pm - 8:22 pm

Event Details
Howard County owes much of it’s rich history to its unique physical geography.Join Executive Director Dr. Mark Stout in this interactive session to examine our history and geography from John
Event Details
Howard County owes much of it’s rich history to its unique physical geography.Join Executive Director Dr. Mark Stout in this interactive session to examine our history and geography from John Smith’s 1608 voyage to the devastating flood of 1868. Learn how geography has influenced the historical, economic, and cultural development of Howard County. Like Maryland, Howard County could be considered “America in Miniature.”
*Sign up today – seats are limited. Register online at https://hchsmd.org/calendar/, email info@hchsmd.org, or call 410-480-3250 for more information.
*FREE for Historical Society Members, $5.00 for non-members (online and at the door).
*Free parking is available in the Court House Drive lot, located up the hill at the top of Old Ellicott City, in walking distance from the Museums and former Circuit Court.
more
Time
(Friday) 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm