1:45 PM – 2:45 PM“‘Where We Were Fairly Treated’: Marylanders at the Gettysburg Seminary Hospital”Codie Eash, Director of Education and Interpretation, Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM“Clara Barton, the Missing Soldiers Office, and What War Leaves in Its Wake”Madeleine Thompson, Site Manager, Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum
4:00 PM – 5:00 PMCombat Veterans’ Experience PanelModerated by Stephen A. Goldman, M.D.
Please contact the Maryland Room for further information 301-600-1368.
History & Genealogy
Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Edward F. Fry Memorial Library with cake and crafts as we create a “Tree of Hearts” memory collage of what the library means to each of us. Enjoy photos and clippings, showcasing our 20-year timeline! This celebratory event is hosted by the Friends of the Edward F. Fry Memorial Library.
Join the Middletown Library for an afternoon of spooky-themed activities just for adults!
Enjoy a vendor-style event of activities including a horror genre book swap, tarot card making, and our annual family costume swap.
During the event, we will have two terrifying presentations to get us into the Halloween spirit:
2 p.m. - Paranormal 101: Explore unexplained phenomena & the supernatural with Chesapeake Paranormal, a dedicated team of investigators driven by a passion, in uncovering the unknown and exploring the mysteries that lie beyond the ordinary. Founded on curiosity, respect, and a commitment to evidence-based research, the team works to document and understand paranormal activity while supporting those who seek answers.
3 p.m. - Houseplants with Ceme-terrarium Make and Take: Learn about keeping and maintaining houseplants for better wellbeing with the Master Gardeners of Frederick County. After the presentation, attendees are welcomed to make their own spooky cemetery terrarium to take home. Activity available while supplies last.
Take a trip down memory lane and explore the library’s retrospective collection of Sears catalogs. Beginning with issues from the 1930s, view how clothing, furniture, appliances, toys (and the value of the dollar) have changed through the decades. Observe historical trends in marketing and other aspects of business innovation, and gain an appreciation for these artifacts that function as fascinating mirrors of our times.
Dr. Richard Bell will discuss his most recent book exploring the full breadth and depth of America’s founding event. The American Revolution was not only the colonies’ triumphant liberation from the rule of an overbearing England; it was also a cataclysm that pulled in participants from around the globe and threw the entire world order into chaos. Bell widens the lens of the “War of Independence” manifesting itself as a sprawling struggle that upended the lives of millions of people on every continent and fundamentally transformed the way the world works, disrupting trade, restructuring penal systems, stirring famine, and creating the first global refugee crisis.
Dr. Richard Bell is a professor of history at the University of Maryland, a Research Fellow at the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Abolition and Resistance at Yale University and a Resident Fellow of the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. He will have copies of his most recent book, The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, for purchase.
This program supports By the People: Civic Engagement for All, an FCPL initiative to foster civic knowledge and participation in the Frederick County community.
Ancient Origins: A history of mead
Come visit Maryland’s premier meadery! In partnership with Myersville Community Library, Orchid Cellar Meadery and Winery will host a presentation about the history of fermented honey and how modern mead is enjoyed.
A 10% discount on flights will be offered to Summer Reading Challenge participants. Snacks are available for purchase.
Come ready to eat, learn, and drink mead! 21 and older.
Get ready for Halloween and join us on a spooky walk around Urbana. Starting at the steps of the library and walking to Zion Cemetery, hear ghostly tales of local haunts and maybe meet a spirit or two. For all ages, costumes optional!
In case of rain: The Small Conference Room is located on the second floor of the library in room 302.
Wrap-up meeting for Barnstormers 2026, sponsored by the Maryland Room.
Join the Walkersville Historical Society as they share which families and personalities were here during the fight for independence. Wear your tricornes and cotton caps and learn something new and old!
Come and celebrate America's 250th at the library with historical textile expert and Revolutionary War re-enactor, Barb Christie. She will weave a tale of revolutionary time through its spinning and weaving traditions.
Frederick County is home to three of Maryland's oldest wineries, each with a legacy dating back to the 1970s and 1980s. Join the families behind Elk Run Vineyards, Loew Vineyards, and Linganore Winecellars for an afternoon of conversation. Together, they'll reflect on 50 years of grape growing and winemaking in Frederick County, sharing the stories that shaped Maryland's wine industry. Hear firsthand about the triumphs, challenges, innovations, and unexpected moments of collaboration that have defined these pioneering wineries. Hosted by Melissa Aellen, Director of Winery Operations for Linganore.
Join us for a program by the Maryland State Library Resource Center.
Hamilton: An American Musical is a sensation! Even 10 years after the beloved musical premiered it continues to inspire a renewed interest in the American Revolution with catchy lyrics and irresistible hip hop beats. But how many of those beloved musical moments are fact, and how many are fiction? In this program we will examine what Hamilton gets right, what it gets wrong and why it matters when history and fiction collide.
This program supports By the People: Civic Engagement for All, an FCPL initiative to foster civic knowledge and participation in the Frederick County community.
Join us for a star-spangled celebration! Enjoy stories, songs and crafts just right for Fourth of July fun. All Ages.
Moderated by AARCH Society President Dr. Olivia White, this live local panel discussion will focus on democratic values, civic engagement, and Frederick County’s future.
Local panelists include:
Jake Wynn, Public Historian and Communications Manager at Visit Frederick
Mary Mannix, Maryland Room Manager, FCPL
Dr. Bruce Thompson, Professor of History, Hood College, specialty in Civil Rights
Wilford X. Graham – Vice President, African American Resources and Cultural Heritage Center (AARCH)
This program supports By the People: Civic Engagement for All, an FCPL initiative to foster civic knowledge and participation in the Frederick County community.
In the years between 1785 and 1828, long before the C&O Canal and the B&O Railroad, over 200,000 tons of freight was shipped down the Potomac River to Georgetown. This was the accomplishment of George Washington’s Potomac Company, established in 1785, to “get the rocks out of the way” and allow for in-river navigation of the Potomac River. Come learn about this interesting piece of local history from Paul Kreingold, a local author and the Conservation Director of the Loudoun County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League.
This All Hallow’s Eve, Raya Bichefsky, Urbana Regional Library Associate, will guide us on an interpretive, immersive and interactive journey through time and place, recreating human stories behind local legends of the Point of Rocks riverfront. Composite characters summoned from historical data will illuminate how our ancestors processed grief and built resilience on the river frontier. Costumes welcome. Geared for tweens, teens and adults (ages 8+). Parental discretion is advised for younger ages due to themes of life and death.
Do spirits return, and can we communicate with the dead? Baltimore Spiritualists thought so, but magicians worked to disprove them. Learn about spirit mediums, the Ouija Board, and Baltimore's group of amateur magicians, the Demons Club.
FCPL was recently selected as one of 50 libraries across the country to participate in TED Democracy. As a satellite location, FCPL will livestream the day-long TED event at New Spire Arts Stages in downtown Frederick. Attendees will be able to hear speakers as they discuss thought-provoking and educational experiences respecting individual views and honoring the spirit of dialogue established nearly 250 years ago. After the event, a panel discussion of local Frederick historians and thought leaders will engage the audience in a meaningful dialogue.
This program supports By the People: Civic Engagement for All, an FCPL initiative to foster civic knowledge and participation in the Frederick County community.
As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, learn about the first battle fought after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the brave fight of the Maryland 400.
The Natelli Community Room is located on the ground floor in Room 100.
Join Vivian Fisher from the State Library Resource Center at Pratt Library for a lively discussion on the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural and social movement in the 1920s and 1930s defined by an outpouring of African American literature, theater, music, and art. Discuss the origins of the historically significant time period and explore some of the many influential visual artists, poets, writers, and musicians. Gain reading, viewing, and listening recommendations and learn about the variety of resources on the Harlem Renaissance held in the library's collection.
Frederick County’s road system is dominated by modern well-paved thoroughfares. However, tucked away among the county's towns and farms, including some in the Middletown Valley, are rustic roads dating back to the mid-1700s. Susan Hanson, Vice Chair of the Frederick County Rustic Roads Commission, will discuss the rich history of these historic pathways and efforts to preserve them.
Susan Hanson was the founder of The Friends of Rural Roads and has been a leading advocate for the preservation of Frederick County’s rustic roads for over 25 years. She operated her own business, Catoctin Pottery, in the historic Lewis Mill for 40 years. At present, she is the Vice Chair of Frederick County’s Rustic Roads Commission.
Discover the fascinating world of the Vikings with author Reiner Prochaska. This presentation will examine the Viking Age in Iceland, Norse traditions, and the expansive Viking presence throughout Europe, the North Atlantic, and North America. Prochaska, author of Bergthora’s Saga: A Heathen Revenge in a Christian Iceland, will also have copies of his book available for purchase.
Join zine publisher Paul Armentano and University of Maryland archivist and curator John Davis for a panel that explores the historical impact and cultural significance of zines! Panelists will discuss the crucial role zines played in promoting communication and awareness among bands and their fans, and how zine networks laid the foundation for the rise of underground music scenes, as well as other subcultures. The modern zine resurgence will also be examined, and how zines are able to thrive in an era of electronic media. Come and learn about the vibrant world of DIY zines - self-published, underground magazines that bypassed media gatekeepers.
Are you curious about the history of your home? Join the Thurmont Historical Society and the Thurmont Regional Library for a workshop on how to uncover the story of your old house. Retired teacher Andrew Stanley will introduce you to the online resources available for unlocking your home’s history, from researching the chain of title in Frederick County deed books to combing online newspapers and other resources for clues about previous owners.
Andrew and his wife moved to Thurmont in 2024. Curiosity about their 100-year-old house on Main Street and the town they now call home led him to the Thurmont Historical Society, where he now serves as a member of the board. Andrew holds a degree in history and classical studies from the College of William & Mary. He taught world history for 30 years with Prince William County Schools in Woodbridge, VA, and served as assistant coordinator of Hylton High School’s Center for International Studies. He was a recipient of the Washington Post’s Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award and was named Prince William County School’s Teacher of the Year in 2009.
Join Middletown Branch Librarians at the Middletown 50+ Community Center for trivia themed around classic horror films and literature.
Middletown 50+ Community Center is located at:101 Prospect StreetMiddletown, MD 21769
Join Middletown Branch Librarians at the Middletown 50+ Community Center for trivia inspired by the 250th anniversary of our nation.
Join us for a fun and creative mask making workshop that is inspired by traditions around the globe. This hands-on program will blend cultural enrichment with imaginative characters and personal expression using gems, feathers, sequins, ribbon and markers.
Tim Snyder will talk about an early Confederate seizure of two canal boats at Berlin (Brunswick), MD, in April 1861 and the ensuing resolution of the dispute between Maryland and Virginia, which involved the appointing of commissioners, visits to the site, actions by both state legislatures.
Tim lives in Hagerstown and is author of several books and articles that have appeared in a variety of journals, magazines, and newsletters.