Posts Tagged War of 1812 Bicentennial
Miles River Historic Site Survives Attack by British
Posted by Preservation Maryland in Eastern Shore Report, Preservation and Your Community, Preservation Maryland Events on October 22, 2012
A spectacular autumn evening in a stunning waterfront setting set the stage for An Evening of Entertainment at Wheatlands, the Talbot County home of War of 1812 hero General Perry Benson. Benson is credited with the ruse of hanging lanterns in the treetops of St. Michaels, providing a false target for British ships. In addition to friends of Preservation Maryland and our co-conspirators, the Historical Society of Talbot County, a detachment of Royal Marines invaded the historic waterfront property, taking hostage one of the female guests. Lest the damsel fall into distress, an authentic copper bucket was passed to secure the necessary ransom, and she was quickly returned to the gathering of colonials. The nervy Brits remained on site until the party’s conclusion, demanding to sample what they referred to as “grog.” 
The magical friend-raising evening for our two organizations was made possible through the generosity of Wheatlands owners Bruce and Alice Rogers. PM board members Audrey Scott and Russell Dashiell and his wife JoAnne volunteered their services to help make everything run smoothly, as did Ward Bucher, an Eastern Shore Advisory Council member.
To see more of the event, visit the photograph album posted on our Facebook page.
Louise Hayman
To Arms! The British are coming back to the Eastern Shore on October 13
Posted by Preservation Maryland in Promotion and Marketing, Travel on October 4, 2012
Not just any British, either: the Royal Marines, straight from the War of 1812. Enjoy cocktails and an abundant buffet as you await their arrival at –
An evening of entertainment at Wheatlands
Join us on Saturday, October 13 for a unique and enjoyable evening at historic Wheatlands along the Miles River. This event will be held in association with the Historical Society of Talbot County. A private home, Wheatlands is the birthplace of General Perry Benson of War of 1812 fame. Enjoy delicious buffet, a full bar, and musical interludes by the Free and Easy Group. Local actor David Foster will offer his take on The Humor of American Politics: How Laughter Has Kept the Republic on Track. Finally, HSTC’s Talbotopoly game-board will come to life with interesting sign-ups for historic excursions, dinners and unique events during the coming year. Reservations for this event are $125 per HSTC or PM member and $150 for all others. Click here to register.
Awesome Sailabration
Posted by Preservation Maryland in Preservation Stories on June 19, 2012
Fort McHenry during Sailabration
I think everyone would agree that Sailabration, the official start of the two-year celebration of America’s defeat of the British in the War of 1812, has been a great success. Hundreds of thousands of visitors and residents have flocked to the Inner Harbor and other sites in Baltimore to celebrate, making local businesses happy and organizers proud.
While the tall ships from around the world are spectacular and have been the main attraction, for me the highlight of past week has been watching the Blue Angels with my children from the ramparts of Fort McHenry on Saturday. It was a beautiful day and a spectacular setting for the show.
It was also a very profound experience to be in the Fort and reflect on what the soldiers had endured during the bombardment nearly two hundred years ago, which was witnessed by Francis Scott Key who wrote what would become our national anthem. And to fast forward to today and reflect on the important role of America’s armed forces and the sacrifices that are made by its members and their families as symbolized by the Blue Angels.
The Blue Angels perform
Of course, seeing the Blue Angels also makes you think about the incredible leaps in technology that have occurred since the ships and canons of 1812 to the jet fighters of today. It also brings to mind the important role of historic preservation as exemplified by Fort McHenry, which decrepit and abandoned was established as a national park in 1925, subsequently restored by the Works Progress Administration, and continues to serve as a touchstone to the War of 1812 and our national anthem.
It was great to see some 25,000 people in the park enjoying the air show, concerts and fireworks commemorating the defining role that Fort McHenry and Baltimore played in American history. And the celebration has just begun, because the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Baltimore isn’t until September 13, 2014!
Tyler Gearhart
Colleagues Corner: Summer Specializing
Posted by Preservation Maryland in Colleagues Corner on June 12, 2012
You can fit in water time and preservation time this summer.
Even though summer doesn’t technically begin for another week, schools are getting out, beaches are filling up and the air is filled with the aroma of grilling. When I think of summer, I think of taking time to do something that I love. While I was thinking about what my summer project would be, it occurred to me that my inbox has lately been filled with the professional equivalent of summer projects. There are lots of chances to follow a more specialized preservation passion over the summer. Below are just a few.
Later this week, in Tuskegee, Alabama, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is holding a national conference on Rosenwald Schools. The conference page is full of great resources, so even if you are not able to head down to Alabama, you can dig more into these remarkable historic resources. The resources include a searchable database of schools from Fisk University.
More in the mood for organizational development? Maryland Nonprofits have regular trainings on a variety of development, membership, and general organizational topics throughout the summer. One that caught my eye happens on July 11 and is called the Social Media Bootcamp. It has social media training for beginners and intermediate levels.
If you’re interests run more towards commissions, this year sees the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions hold their biannual Forum just a few hours away in Norfolk, Virginia. The conference runs July 18 to July 22 and has tours, sessions, roundtables, and networking opportunities. Closer to home the final workshop in the series the Maryland Association of Historic Preservation Commissions has been holding will be June 16 in Easton and will cover Design.
Maybe the National Main Streets conference that happened this past April in Baltimore made you want to participate next year. The 2013 conference will be in historic New Orleans and the call for proposals has gone out. Showcasing the great work done all around Maryland does not have to go away with proximity. If you’re interested in presenting, check out how to submit a session.
Finally, I would be sorely remiss if I didn’t mention the War of 1812 Bicentennial which is seemingly everywhere right now. It’s exciting for those of us who are becoming more familiar with that chapter of history through the celebration, so I can only imagine the excitement level of the War of 1812 experts out there! I mentioned a lot of what is happening in this feature last month, but the central place to find out what is happening in Maryland is the website of the Maryland War of 1812 Commission. The ships start rolling into the Inner Harbor this weekend and will be around until the 19th of June. Hope to see you there!
Jessica Feldt
Colleagues Corner: War of 1812 Fever!
Posted by Preservation Maryland in Colleagues Corner on May 22, 2012
As I sift through emails, tweets and Facebook posts each day it is hard to ignore. The War of 1812 Bicentennial is fast approaching. This summer is an exciting one for anyone with an interest in history or preservation. There seems to be events happening in every corner of Maryland and indeed that is just the tip of the iceberg with events being held in many states and Canada.
This weekend kicks off the start of the signature War of 1812 events. New York’s Fleet Week will celebrate the Bicentennial with a huge collection of Navy, Coast Guard, Coalition, and Tall ships descending on the Big Apple. From there the tour goes to Norfolk, Virginia and then it will be Maryland’s turn!
I’ve had June 13-19 circled in my calendar for awhile now and I hope you will be able to visit Baltimore and be a part of the celebrations. The Star-Spangled Sailabration is a week of events that should spark the interest of even those who have only a vague idea of what happened during the War of 1812. The ships will be open for tours, there will also be concerts, air shows and other programs.
While this is the biggest event in Maryland this year relating to the War of 1812, it is by no means the only one. Check out the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission’s website to find a bevy of events and sites that will educate and entertain. Baltimore also has a website set up with sites, events, and more information.
Looking for something to do right away? The Baltimore National Heritage Area will be holding a History Happy Hour on Friday, May 25 and tomorrow, May 30, Maryland Public Television will be holding a sneak peak of their documentaryThe War of 1812 on the Chesapeake: Home of the Brave.
Hope to see you on the ships in June!
Jessica Feldt
