Museum of Howard County History Exhibits

Whether it’s daily life in a 19th-century mill town, the history of the 4-H club, or a closer look at the lives of the county’s founding fathers, our permanent collection along with periodic themed exhibitions of artifacts and information provide visitors with a deeper understanding and a hands-on experience of Howard County history.

Lesson Plans

Ongoing Exhibits

ELLICOTT CITY: A VISUAL HISTORY

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A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT: THE FLOODS OF ELLICOTT CITY

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MUSEUM EXHIBITS

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FEATURED OBJECTS

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GIFT SHOP

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Did You Know?

Almira Lincoln Phelps became the principal of the Patapsco Female Institute and enrollment soared to 300 young ladies in 1841.

Featured Objects

In the 19th century, Ellicott City was a resort where the wealthy escaped the heat and stink of Baltimore in the summer. Both this collapsible key and a more regularly shaped companion were found around 1940 at the Howard House. This hotel on Main Street also provided space to the local Masonic Society. The key is shown against a piece of the original Howard House china.

Howard House Collapsible Key & Plate

Thomas Johnson (1732-1819) was a delegate to the 1774 and 1775 Continental Congress. His family's factory near Frederick, Md. manufactured ammunition for the rebels. He was the first governor of Maryland after the Revolutionary War, serving from 1777 to 1779. George Washington appointed Johnson an associate judge on the Supreme Court in 1791, where he authored the Court’s first written opinion. Thomas Jefferson nominated Johnson for U. S. Secretary of State, but he declined the appointment due to ill health. Johnson retired to Rose Hill Manor near Frederick, Maryland, where he died in 1819.

Thomas Johnson’s Dentures

This 1885 pipe organ built by the A. B. Felgemaker Company of Erie, Pennsylvania, is housed in the Society’s museum, formerly the First Presbyterian Church of Ellicott City. This magnificent building features stained and leaded glass windows, including three windows “hidden” behind the organ. One, referred to as “The Rose Window,” features two cherubs. Melissa Jarvis Branch (1845-1918), wife of the Reverend Henry Branch, who served as minister of the church from 1882 to 1909, donated the window in memory of two of their children who died in infancy. When the church relocated in the late 1950s, Alda Hopkins Clark, first president of the Howard County Historical Society, purchased the church building and donated it to the society in memory of her husband, the Honorable Judge James Clark Sr. The building was adapted for use as the Museum of Howard County History. One can enjoy collection displays, exhibits, organ concerts, lunch ’n learn lectures, entertaining programs, and even weddings within its walls.

A.B. Felgemacher Organ

Ellicott City: A Visual History

This new permanent exhibit at the Museum of Howard County History features images and artifacts from the Howard County Historical Society collection illustrating Ellicott City Main Street’s history from the 1880s to present day.

A River Runs Through It: The Floods Of Ellicott City

The Museum of Howard County History opened the exhibit “A River Runs Through It: The Floods of Ellicott City” on Saturday, November 12, 2016. The exhibit illustrates the numerous flood events that have plagued the small historic town since its founding, focusing on the Floods of 1868, 1952, 1975, and 2016. The exhibit features images and artifacts from the Howard County Historical Society’s collection as well as items donated by businesses affected by the 2016 floods.

The Museum of Howard County History is free to the public and open Friday to Sunday, 1:00-5:00.

Mike Radinsky has been curator at the Museum of Howard County History since 2016. His interests lie in local history, especially Howard County’s involvement in the Civil War. He participates in living history programs in the area and for the museum. Mike also leads historic walking tours and ghost tours in the historic district. He lives in Ellicott City with his family.

Becca Dobbs graduated from Towson University with her B.A. in Anthropology and a minor in Museum Studies in the fall of 2018. She came to the Historical Society in the summer of 2016 as a volunteer immediately following a Walking Tour. Becca was hired as one of the Museum’s assistants in 2017. Her duties include assisting with special events, educational outreach programs and of course working at the museum on weekends. Becca enjoys doing genealogy and drinking lots of coffee. If you see her around, please send her a friendly hello!

Charlie Jennings was born in the Boston area. He earned his B.A. & M.B.A. degrees at Dartmouth College. After working at a national public-accounting firm and earning his CPA accreditation in Massachusetts, he moved on to accountancy in the corporate sector. In the mid-70s he moved to Howard County with his wife, Tina, and two boys, to work as VP-Finance at Choice Hotels. Charlie now volunteers as our Retail Manager at both the Archives and Museum. Historical interests include America’s wars (Rev, Civil, and WWII) and European accounts including the Age of Sail and the controversies of the Empire.

Henry “Hank” Fitzer has undergraduate degrees in Spanish and Accounting with minors in German and History. Hank’s careers include Maritime Commerce at the Port of Baltimore (14 years) and with the Maryland State Government (30 years). He has recently retired and now volunteers at both the Archives and the Museum. His interests include Languages, History and Archaeology. His historical areas of greatest interest are Ancient, Native American, U.S. Colonial through Civil War, and Latin American.

Kaitlyn McKay has been a volunteer at the Howard County Historical Society since 2015. In addition to working at the Museum of Howard County History, Kaitlyn is also the Historical Society’s social media coordinator. She received her AA degree at Howard Community College & her Bachelor’s degree in English at Towson University. Kaitlyn currently works in the administration offices at the Baltimore County Public Library.

Mary Sanphilipo started with us in 2012 as a volunteer and now acts as our Museum and Collections Manager. She has her B.A. in Archaeology with a minor in History from U.M.B.C. and her Masters in Library Sciences from U.M.C.P. After college, she began her career at the Baltimore City Life Museums where she stayed for 10 years. She then took a 15 year hiatus from work to homeschool her two children, Shannon and Aiden. She also oversees our Museum rentals such as our ongoing yoga and ballroom dance classes.