- Viaduct Update
As we reported in the last newsletter, all the issues of the Viaduct Newspaper from 1987 to 2005 were digitized by Digital Maryland. Because they are not “history”, they asked us to host them but they very graciously did the scans, and that included OCR so that they are searchable. In order to make them searchable for our website, however, we needed to grab headlines and some key words to put in “Knowledge Base” articles, along with a link to the scanned PDF for the given issue. AI helped a lot, so it does have some good reliable uses! There are many ways to do this, but we decided that one Knowledge Base article per Viaduct issue was the best solution. You may find these under the Elkridge Heritage Knowledge Base tab above.
Once you bring up an issue of the Viaduct, you should be able to search it. For example, on a windows machine you can use the “CTRL-F” command to bring up a search field. That will help you zero in on what you are looking for.
We hope you enjoy perusing the Viaduct issues. You can learn about when Elkridge Corners was built, when the people of Elkridge successfully fought off a travel center and gained a location for the library, and how we got our own zipcode and official post office after years of having to go to Halethorpe, or use a contract post office at one place or another.
2. The State of the Brumbaugh House
Our contractor, Jason Miles, has his crew working hard at smoothing out the old plaster in the downstairs rooms, and fixing ceilings damaged by leaking plumbing, and a leaky roof. They will also be painting, refinishing the wood floors, installing new lighting, and putting down new vinyl flooring in the kitchen, waiting room and Dr. Office. It won’t look exactly as the Brumbaugh Babies remember, but we hope the spirit of the place will remain.
Dr. Brumbaugh’s office will go back to the way it was before we started. The waiting room will be similar, but we are adding a display case so you will be able to see some of Dr. B’s medical supplies up close. Reproductions of his diplomas and some of his awards are being framed and hung pretty much back where they were. The originals are going in our archives as they are too fragile and are being damaged by light exposure. (Digital Maryland also scanned these items for us so we have very high quality images.) There will be a few new interpretive signs to give new visitors a feeling for what Dr. B’s life was like and how the much the community appreciated him. The green sofa and the gateleg table will remain.
The front room will be staged as our Map Room. You will be able to study Elkridge’s history through maps, from the days of Captain John Smith to the 1940 geologic survey complete with a rock collection in the area. The room behind the front room, next to the waiting room, will be our Ed Hamel Business and Industry Room. Ed Hamel has been our savior many times and continues to support us in his retirement, and he salvaged the old Davis and Hemphill plant for his Hamel Builders offices, retaining much of the history. So we want to honor what he has done for us by naming the Business Room for him.
3. Memorial Display Case
This is a reminder that in the Business Room there will also be a display case dedicated to the memory of Rita Chelton, our long-time treasurer. She was such a breath of fresh air on our board, and we miss her greatly.
To donate to this cause on line, please go to the “Donate” tab, make a donation via PayPal, and follow up with an email to elkridgeheritage@gmail.com that tells us your intention – there are a few options for donating on line. You may also mail in a check to the Elkridge Heritage Society, 5825 Main Street, Elkridge MD 21075, and add “For Rita” on the memo line.
4. Update on Plank Houses at the Elkridge Furnace Inn Complex
Please read this blog from Preservation Maryland about preserving the plank houses, which were probably houses for slaves. “Their preservation offers an opportunity to tell a fuller history of the region—one that acknowledges the immense contributions of enslaved people while also honoring their resilience. The Plank Houses remain a powerful testament to the contributions and struggles of those who lived and labored there, reinforcing the importance of safeguarding this history for future generations.”
https://preservationmaryland.org/plankhouses/
5. Updated Membership Form and Online Donation Options
Because PayPal charges us fees, we signed up for the PayPal Giving Fund, but were never quite sure how to direct you to it. We figured that out and the link is here: https://elkridgeheritage.org/donate/. However, because you need a PayPal account to use it, you may scroll down to the old Donate button and there will be an option for credit card entry. We do have a GoFundMe, but that has fees too. This is a good option for people who might want to anonymously through a few dollars our way.