Press Releases - 2007
Historic Elk Landing Foundation Receives $10,000 Grant from Wal-Mart
Money to be used to Help Preserve Historic Landmark in Cecil County
Elkton , Md. , September 6, 2007 – The Historic Elk Landing Foundation today announced that it has received a $10,000 grant from the Wal-Mart and Sam's Club Foundation. The money will be used to support the organization's fund raising effort to rehabilitate the Stone House.
“We extend our appreciation to Wal-Mart for its continuing commitment to Elkton, both as a responsible member of our business community and as a valued "corporate friend' that has taken that important step beyond its corporate boundaries in an effort to enrich the very community in which it thrives,” said Mayor Joseph Fisona of Elkton.
Judge Kenneth Wilcox, President of the Board of Directors of the Historic Elk Landing Foundation , echoed Mayor Fisona's sentiments. “We are thrilled that the Wal-Mart and Sam's Club Foundation recognizes the importance of our community's rich heritage,” Wilcox said. “Its resources will help us uphold our mission to build strong links between our enriched past and bright future.”
In 2006, Wal-Mart Stores and Sam's Club gave $2,587,244 in cash and in-kind donations to local causes and organizations in the communities they serve in the state of Maryland . Wal-Mart opened a new Supercenter in Elkton at 1000 East Pulaski Way in 2005.
“Wal-Mart is delighted to help the Historic Elk Landing Foundation in preserving the vibrant history of one of the mid-Atlantic's most historic landmarks,” said Bob Davis, Market Manager for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Historic Elk Landing Foundation Board Member. “This donation meets Wal-Mart's grassroots style of giving — donating locally to support the organizations in the communities we call home.”
About Historic Elk Landing Foundation
The Historic Elk Landing Foundation is a 501c3 corporation which is responsible for managing and operating Elk Landing in Elkton , Maryland . The Elk Landing Foundation was created by a group of historically-minded and dedicated citizens to raise funds, restore, preserve and interpret the rich heritage of the Head of Elk.
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Every week, more than 127 million customers visit Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Club locations across America or log on to its online store at HYPERLINK "http://www.walmart.com" www.walmart.com. The company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving back locally. Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $245 million to local communities in the United States.
HISTORIC ELK LANDING FOUNDATION HIRES
FIRST PAID STAFF MEMBER
June 26, 2007
For Immediate Release
Elkton , MD —The Historic Elk Landing Foundation in Elkton , Maryland is proud to announce the hiring of its first paid staff member. Lauren Healey, from Chesapeake , Virginia is the first Programming and Educational coordinator in the organization's history. “We are extremely pleased to have hired Lauren,” said Bruce Leith, the Programming and Events director for Historic Elk Landing. “It is a big step in the history of our organization in that now we have come far enough to hire someone to be the new ‘face' of Elk Landing.”
Laruen recently completed her coursework toward a Master of the Arts degree in Urban Affairs and Public Policy with a concentration in Historic Preservation from the University of Delaware . She also holds a bachelors degree from Virginia Tech. Lauren's immediate task will be to put together a definitive history of Elk Landing by piecing together all of the information that volunteers have collected through the years. Her other pressing task will be to reach out to schools and other educational venues to set up programming where students can learn about their local history not only in their own classroom, but at Elk Landing itself. “I am very anxious to talk to teachers and administrators in the school systems,” Lauren said, “to see how we can set up programming so children can learn about all the great history that took place at Elk Landing”. She also hopes that Elk Landing can be a historic research tool for college students and adults. “There are so many opportunities for students who are looking for an internship in a museum or at a historic site to really make a difference here at Elk Landing,” Lauren continued. “With so much information to uncover, students can really contribute to the research process here.”
Bruce noted Lauren's experience with the maritime museum industry as well. She worked as the Lead Education intern at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum onboard the USS Wisconsin in Norfolk , VA. “Elk Landing needs something that will set its apart from other historical attractions,” Bruce said. “With Lauren's background in maritime museums, we feel that she will be able to make this segment of Elk Landing (the waterfront) a major attraction for the public. Since so much of Elk Landing's history is based on its strategic position at the top of the Chesapeake , this will tell a great story and we look forward to Lauren's guidance on this matter.”
For the first time, Elk Landing will have regular office hours where people will eventually be able to come in and do research, do business with Elk Landing, or just come for a tour. Check Elk Landing's website soon at www.elklanding.org for more details.
The Historic Elk Landing Foundation is a 501c3 corporation which is responsible for managing and operating Elk Landing in Elkton , Maryland . Elk Landing was one of the most strategic points of land in the formation of the United States . In 1777, 15,000 British Troops over ran Elk Landing on their march to Brandywine and ultimately their capture of Philadelphia . In the War of 1812, the Cecil Militia held off the British from burning Elkton at Elk Landing. Elk Landing was the “I-95 of the Colonies” as virtually every package going from the Delaware River to the Chesapeake Bay went through Elk Landing. It remained an important piece of land until the coming of the railroad and the completion of the C&D Canal made its existence fade into history. Elk Landing went back to being a plantation and, until as recently as 1920, a barge building area.
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Contact Info:
Historic Elk Landing Foundation
PO Box 277
Elkton , MD 21922
410-620-6400
Eric Mease, Director Publicity
Trades Day at Elk Landing May 5th
It took a lot to keep an early American farm and port operating smoothly. Among the many tradesmen and professionals needed to get the job done were carpenters, millers, and blacksmiths. As early as 1735, Elk Landing was both a regional port and a farm. And as late as the mid 1800s, men and women were still working hard at all three of these trades in and around Elk Landing.
On Saturday May 5th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m . Historic Elk Landing will feature these tradesman for Trades Day at Elk Landing . All three individuals will demonstrate how 19th century tools were used to accomplish their tasks. The carpenter will have his saws, files, and planes. The blacksmith will have his furnace, anvil, and hammers. And the miller will have a portable mill that will show us how grain was ground over 150 years ago.
Come handle most of the tools, touch the grain, feel the heat from the furnace, examine the products, and ask all the questions you want of these tradesmen that helped make and advance the region through the 19th and now into the 21st century. Trades Day, including tours of the 150 year old Hollingsworth House and its grounds, are free and open to the public. See our web site at www.elklanding.org for directions.
Historic Elk Landing Celebrates Defenders Day 2007
Fifes and Drummers sound the alarm! Elements of the Cecil Militia respond and clash with the invading British Royal Marines. Muskets fire. Men fall. The British are driven back to shouts of “HUZZAH”!! Soon litters begin their grim task of picking up the wounded and taking them to the camp infirmary where a militia surgeon operates on their wounds. A Circuit Riding Preacher comforts the soldiers. And at the fringe of camp is a couple from Baltimore, Francis Scott and Mary Lloyd Key talking about the War of 1812 and a new poem Francis Scott Key wrote about the Fort McHenry battle.
All of these could be scenes out of a movie about the War of 1812, but they aren't. They are examples of events that will occur at Historic Elk Landing on Saturday April 21st between ten in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. It's our annual Defenders Day celebration when we celebrate the victory in 1813 of the Cecil Militia over the invading British. There is one more thing that we'll have that the original participants didn't have, refreshments! All events are free and open to the public. Here's our schedule for the day. See our web site at www.elklanding.org for more information and directions.
Defenders Day 2007 Schedule of Events
All Day
Militia Encampment
Refreshments ( Noon – 1:00 )
Military Surgeon in Camp
Circuit Riding Preacher in Camp
Francis and Mary Key discuss issues of the day with visitors ( noon – 4 )
Guided House and Grounds Tours
Noon
Fife and Drum Presentation
Skirmish between Cecil Militia and British Invaders
1 p.m.
Francis Scott and Mary Key Presentation on the Hollingsworth House Porch
2 p.m.
Pastor Ed Jiehaper preaches “Good News” to the troops from the Hollingsworth House Porch
3 p.m.
Fife and Drum Presentation
Skirmish between Cecil Militia and British Invaders
4 p.m .
Wrap up the day
Historic Elk Landing Prepares for Exciting Season
of Living History
Pirates and Preachers, soldiers and skirmishes, blacksmiths and millers, surgeons and carpenters, fifes and drums, ghosts and goblins, candle light tours and children stories are all a part of this year's exciting interactive living history program at Historic Elk Landing.
We start the year with our first, First Saturday of the Month House and Grounds tours on April 7th . Then we defend Elkton from the British on Defenders Day on April 21st . On the front lines will be members of the Cecil Militia, the Royal Marines, the Delaware Fife and Drum Corps, a War of 1812 army surgeon from Fort McHenry , a circuit riding preacher, and our special guests, Francis Scott and Mary Key who will be promoting a poem Mr. Key wrote during the Baltimore battle. Will it sell?
On Saturday May 5th we present Trades Day at Elk Landing featuring 19th century tradesmen doing the work of blacksmiths, grain millers, and carpenters using the tools and methods that would have been used over one hundred years ago.
On June 2nd we go off the deep end with “Yo Ho Ho and a Boat Load of Pirates” as some of Black Beard's friends try to plunder the Head of Elk. Grab your parrots, eye patches, and peg legs and join the fun.
The Cecil Militia returns for an encampment at Elk Landing on Saturday July 7th as we celebrate Independence Day . They will be joined by the Delaware Fife and Drum Corps which will show us a few marching steps and inspire us with their spirit of '76 patriotic music.
Then, as the dog days of August close in on Elk Landing, we'll shift gears and turn inside the Hollingsworth House on August 4th for tours and children story telling with author and story teller K.B. Inglee from Greenbank Mills.
We'll cap off the summer season with a special event… the 230th Anniversary of the British Invasion of Elk Landing beginning the weekend of August 17th . All the plans are not yet confirmed, but so far we'll have a militia encampment on Saturday August 18th , a visit by a Continental Army field surgeon to tend to the wounded, and the Delaware Fife and Drum Corps featuring their patriot music. On Tuesday evening, August 21st the Historic Elk Landing Foundation proudly presents Thomas McGuire, author of The Philadelphia Campaign, Volumes I and II . Mr. McGuire will discuss the British Invasion based on his research of the letters and diaries of British, Hessian, and American soldiers from 1777. It should be an enlightening discussion of local Revolutionary War history from a nationally known author.
All you fans of ghosts and goblins come to Elk Landing for our annual Ghost Stories and Legends Tours and Bonfire on Saturday September 29th . Author and Storyteller Ed Okonowicz and Historian Mike Dixon return for this popular reminder that all was not well in the spirit world of Elk Landing over the centuries.
Finally, we'll end the year with our Third Annual Old Fashioned Christmas with the Hollingsworths on Friday and Saturday December 7th and 8th . Come experience the Hollingsworth House dressed up in its beautiful 19th century holiday finery. Partake of our famous wassail too!
As you can see, it will be a busy year at the Landing. We hope you can join us and not miss a single minute of exciting, interactive, living history at Historic Elk Landing.
The Hollingsworth House is air conditioned and handicapped accessible. All programs, except for the “Ghost Stories and Legends Tours and Bonfire” and the “Old Fashioned Christmas with the Hollingsworths”, are free of charge.
All programs are subject to change without warning.
See our web site at www.elklanding.com for details about hours of operation and directions.
Historic Elk Landing Begins Search for Programming/Education Coordinator
Elk Landing… The Historic Elk Landing Foundation has started the process of recruiting and hiring a part time Programming/Education Coordinator to develop and oversee the presentation of both public and educational programming at Elk Landing.
In approving the job description, the board also created a Search Committee to advertise the position in professional journals, with area historic organizations, and institutions of higher learning to obtain and review resumes, interview potential candidates, and make a recommendation to the foundation board of directors.
Board and Search Committee member, Eric Mease said this is a significant step for Historic Elk Landing.
“For an organization that just started 7 years ago with nothing, to move to its first paid staffer is phenomenal. We have,” Mease continued, “gone from programming just 2 annual events with maybe a couple of hundred visitors participating, to at least one public event per month between April and December and over 1600 persons visiting last year, our first full year of public programming.”
Mease described the part time staffer as a degreed museum professional with experience and/or educational knowledge of museum interpretation and education. He or she will also have a thorough understanding of American history and the ability to interpret that history from our site level to the larger scale of both the region and the nation.
With the addition of the paid staff, Mease says a vital element for any living history museum will be addressed, that of education.
“We have been sponsoring educational events at Elk Landing for years,” Mease noted, “but without coordination and input from local and regional educators. An important part of this new person's job will be to network with area educators at all levels, and present educational materials geared to their needs. This too is a significant step for both Elk Landing and our children. It's one thing to present Defenders Day, for example, to the general public. But to gear it to kids in a way that will be both fun and educational is quite another. Our Programming/Education Coordinator will do just that.”
Mease said the first year of the part time position will be paid through a portion of the funds raised from the sale of the foundation's Jefferson letter last year. No public money will be used. Grant money will be sought and used to pay for the position in years going forward.
The search committee will begin its work in April and is made up of members of the Historic Elk Landing Foundation Board of Directors as well as one outside museum professional. Mease said the board hopes to have the successful candidate in place by the fall of 2007.
Historic Elk Landing is a nonprofit foundation charged with overseeing, interpreting, maintaining, and restoring 44 acres of land along the Little Elk Creek in Elkton , Maryland including two homes and outbuildings located on the grounds.
For more information contact Eric Mease at 410-620-6400 and leave a message or via e-mail at elklanding@comcast.net
last updated June 26, 2007