Guest Speaker: Dr. Mark Stuot; Howard County Historical Society

Bio

Dr. Mark J. Stout currently serves as the executive director of the Howard County Historical Society. He holds a Ph.D. and M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland College Park with a concentration in history education, and a B.A. in Geography from UMBC. He worked as an educator, director, professor, and consultant prior to coming to HCHS.

A Community Divided: Howard County in the Civil War

In this presentation, participants will learn about the role that our county played in the American Civil War. With residents serving on both sides, Howard County reflected the competing sympathies of the nation. Topics will include the Election of 1860, the Howard County Dragoons, the Patapsco Guard, the mystery of Camp Johnson, a skirmish with JEB Stuart’s cavalry, the capture of the Winans Steam Gun, the Battle of the Monocacy and subsequent retreat of Lew Wallace, the United States Colored Troops, and the role of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.

Howard County: A Microcosm of Colonial America

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 our easternmost point, to the devastating flood of 1868 that wiped out our industries. Learn how geography has influenced the historical, economic, environmental, and cultural development of Howard County and Ellicott City.

The Ellicott Brothers: 18th Century Innovators

Learn about how the Ellicott Brothers saw an opportunity to apply their knowledge and inventions in the Patapsco Valley, forever changing the course of history in Howard County. Millers and Quakers from Pennsylvania, these entrepreneurs led the development of industry along the river and altered farming practices to take advantage of economic opportunities. They also built a town with schools, markets and churches; operated granite mines and iron forges; surveyed the new capitol city, and helped to build the national road.

Solving the Mystery of the Hobbs School House

When Oliver Cromwell Gilbert escaped slavery from a Howard County plantation in 1843, he later recounted his journey in a memoir of his life. His great-great granddaughter, Stephanie Gilbert wanted to trace and honor his journey to freedom by following his footsteps. She came to the Howard County Historical Society in the summer of 2023 looking for help. Hear about how a team of researchers helped her locate a key part of his journey to freedom by using multiple primary and secondary sources and maps, and then made an astonishing discovery!