Maryland State Archives

Maryland State Archives Preserving Maryland's History.

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This semester, the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland Program at the Maryland State Archives partnered with the University of Maryland iSchool and the Digital Curation Innovation Center to launch a collaborative project. Student teams worked with digitized materials from the holdings of the Maryland State Archives, including census records and certificates of freedom. They visually displayed the digitized data and showed the complex relationships between slave owners, former enslaved individuals, and the community. It is a great partnership with innovative use of the visualization technology to help to begin telling the untold stories of the enslaved and freed African American Marylanders. Legacy of Slavery Program Archivist Ryan Cox was pleased to view the first phase of student analysis at the recent poster presentation on December 4 at The University of Maryland College Park. Kudos to all involved!

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October Brick Wall Session

We will hold our fall 2017 Brick Wall Session on Friday, October 6th, from 10:00 a.m to 12:15 p.m.! Sign-up goes live this Wednesday through our homepage: msa.maryland.gov. This is an excellent opportunity for genealogists and family researchers to sign up for a consultation with one of our genealogical professionals who will help break through your brick walls!

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Glebe (noun): church land.

Not, unfortunately, a term from "Alice and Wonderland." Learn this and more at the Archives of Maryland Online: Glossary of Terms. http://aomol.msa.maryland.gov/html/glossary.html

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Plant shavers - tobacco cutters.

Learn this and more at the Archives of Maryland Online: Glossary of Terms. http://aomol.msa.maryland.gov/html/glossary.html

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New blog post! Crime and punishment in the Continental Army: https://msamaryland400.wordpress.com/2017/07/28/crime-and-punishment-in-the-continental-army/

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Whereas...divers Pyrates and Sea Robbers have of late years gone from Severall parts of his Majesty's plantacōns in America to the Seas of India and Persia and other Remote parts upon the like Piraticall designs and that some of them have Return'd home again and dispersed themselves in his Majesty's plantacōns... [Such pirates] should be Seized and Apprehended.

Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98.

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From our collections: On this day 1863, the Baltimore Daily Mail reports on what turns out to be the Battle of Gettysburg.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (Baltimore Daily Gazette) 2 July 1863, pg. 1 [SC2096, SCM 2096-1]. http://speccol.msa.maryland.gov/pages/newspaper/number.aspx?id=77

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Carner: granary keeper.

Learn this and more at the Archives of Maryland Online: Glossary of Terms. http://aomol.msa.maryland.gov/html/glossary.html

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Colonial terminology getting you down? Wondering what amenuensis, dropsy, and plant shavers mean? Check out a great dictionary of terms on the Archives of Maryland Online! http://aomol.msa.maryland.gov/html/glossary.html

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This circa 1870s recipe for "Unfailing Sponge Cake" comes from the Moss Collection of Sands Family Papers, digitized and available on online through our Special Collections website under Collection 732. Challenge: Make this recipe, post a photo of your beautiful sponge cake, and tag us, and we may repost it here on our official page!

"Weigh 1 lb fresh eggs, in the shell, an equal weight of pulverized white sugar, half pound fine flour. Breake the eggs, and beat separately the yolks and whites. We always, when practicable, have one person to beat the yolks steadily, the same length of time it takes another person to beat the whites untill they stand up perfectly stiff and dry. Add the sifted sugar, gradually to the yolks, then mix in the whites. Lastly crease [cream?] gently in the flour, and be sure not to beat at all afterward or you will certainly spoil the Cake. Grate in the peel of one lemon, and add also in strained juice; more, if the fruit is indifferent. Lemon is incomparably to be preffered as the seasoning of sponge cake, but if they are not to be obtained substitute mace [nutmeg]."

Source:

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (Moss Collection of Sands Family Papers) Recipe for sponge cake, circa 1870s [MSA SC 732].

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A large and rare collection of one hundred rattlesnakes are now exhibiting in Baltimore.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (Centreville Times & Eastern Shore Advertiser Collection). October 21, 1826, pg. 2 [MSA SC 4862-1-1] .

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No person shall permit his swine or geese to go at large in the town of Benedict [Charles County]; and any citizen of said town may kill or impound any hog or goose found going at large therein; and if the owner of any hog or goose impounded shall not within three-days after notice in writing, redeem such hog or goose, by paying for impounding the same the sum of one dollar for every hog and thirty-seven and a half cents for every goose...

The Maryland Code, Public Local Laws, 1888. [Archives of Maryland Online,Volume 390, Page 918].

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Word of the Day

Today, we came across the word “miticide,” meaning a substance developed to eliminate mites, while searching for a record among our Government Publications. Among our collections is a series of bulletins entitled “Pesticide Profiles,” published by the University of Maryland in the 1970s and 80s (MdHR 201003355). You never know what you will come across at the Maryland State Archives!

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We have two great Maryland Day events coming up!

Free MADE IN MARYLAND Archives Workshop Friday, March 24, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Come celebrate Maryland Day by attending a free workshop at the Maryland State Archives. Please join us for a basic MADE IN MARYLAND Workshop on Friday, March 24, 2017 at 10:00am. This free event will provide an overview of the organization, finding aids, and use of the birth records collections at the Archives, including information on both government and church records that record birth. Guests will hear tips for using Archives' catalogs and computers systems to find birth records, as well as learn how to request and print available birth certificates. We may even find out about some famous folks born in Maryland along the way. Bring your general birth record questions and join us at this free, educational workshop, and find out how your family was MADE IN MARYLAND!!!!

Seating is limited. You must register in advance for this free workshop. Please email [email protected] to reserve a space. The workshop is offered at the Maryland State Archives building, 350 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis, MD 21401. Please bring a valid, government issued photo ID to enter the building through security.

Please note that this workshop is a basic class providing an overview of how to use the birth records collections at the Archives. Specific questions about finding individual vital records should be directed to our Help Desk (410-260-6431, [email protected]) or on-site at our Circulation Desk.

Free MADE IN MARYLAND Tour at the Maryland State House Saturday, March 25, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Come learn about some of men and women who “Made Maryland” and the nation! Staff of the Maryland State Archives will be on hand to answer your questions as tour the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use and enjoy the new exhibits, including the beautifully restored Old Senate Chamber. Explore the significant historical events that happened underneath the dome of the only state house ever to have served as the nation’s capitol. The Maryland State House is located at 100 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401. Please bring a valid, government issued photo ID to enter the building through security.

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On Friday February 24th, tune in from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Creative Mornings Baltimore to hear Jess Douglas, archivist at the Maryland State Archives, speak on the theme of "moments.”

https://creativemornings.com/talks/jessica-douglas

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Pardon Our Dust

UPDATE: Although the Maryland State Archives’ Search Room remains closed, our Lobby service desk will be open Tuesdays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. We will be closed on Saturdays. Final maintenance repairs to the building have delayed the reopening of the Search Room until mid or late February. This schedule is subject to change, and we will do our best to notify the public of any adjustments to the schedule, or limitations to the services we are able to provide, as soon as possible.

Guests requiring documents for legal or emergency purposes will be prioritized for the duration of the repair period. Please be advised that we cannot guarantee staff availability to assist with genealogical or scholarly research during this time and we strongly advise that you delay your visit until after the repair period. Until the Search Room reopens, access to digital resources remains limited to one public workstation, while researchers have access to four workspaces for viewing archival material. Please note that a fifteen-minute limit applies to consultations with the reference archivist in case of a line.

As always, our staff will fulfill orders by email at [email protected], by phone at 410-260-6487, by fax at 410-974-2525, and by mail to 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD.

Thank you for your patience during this time as we work to enhance the customer experience for the future and maintain the best environment for Maryland's priceless permanent records.

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UPDATE: The Maryland State Archives will be CLOSED to all visitors beginning Monday January 9th, with reopening currently projected for Tuesday, January 24th, as final maintenance repairs to the building are completed. This schedule is subject to change, and we will do our best to notify the public of any adjustments to the schedule, or limitations to the services we are able to provide, as soon as possible.

As always, our staff will fulfill orders by email at [email protected], by phone at 410-260-6487, by fax at 410-974-2525, and by mail to 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD.

Thank you for your patience during this time as we work to enhance the customer experience for the future and maintain the best environment for Maryland's priceless permanent records.