Want to learn more about the history of Talbot County?  Have you ever wanted to dig into your own local ancestral past?

Join us for a field trip to the Neall House, Mary Jenkins House, and the Catherine Valliant Hill Research Center in the heart of the Easton Historical District.  

The tour will begin at the Hill Research Center with their newest art exhibit “Outlaw Gunner”, a special exhibit that chronicles the history of waterfowl and the Chesapeake Bay through the eyes of Dr. Harry Walsh, gunner, surgeon, co-founder of the Waterfowl Festival, and much more.  On display are artifacts from Dr. Walsh’s personal collection on loan from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Department, artifacts from the collection of his son, Joe Walsh, and from the Waterfowl Festival’s collection.  

A docent will also introduce us to the research library, where appointments  can be booked to comb through the archives and collection vaults.  Next, we will experience the Neall House, complete with a portrait gallery of the Neall family and their 1800s antiques and furniture.  Lastly, we will take a self-guided tour of the Mary Jenkins House and two exhibits: “The Voices of the African American Experience”, which focuses on the time frame of the 1970s and earlier and gives voice to the African American experience primarily through the lens of eleven early Talbot County churches; and “On Land and Water”, which focuses on prominent 18th and 19th century Talbot County figures who made their mark on local history.

What to expect: 

We will  learn how to conduct our own research at the Hill Center; experience life in Talbot County as it was in the 1800s by exploring the furnished Neall home; gain knowledge about the life and times of the African American community through historical artifacts, voices and visions of 11 Talbot County churches; learn about how hunting for survival became a call for waterfowl preservation by exploring the latest exhibit; and immerse ourselves in the “land of pleasant living” by ending the tour with a showcase of the history of life on the water in Talbot County. 

Feedback from our last walk:

“As newcomers to Talbot County, this walk was informative and educational. I particularly liked hearing the background stories to make the history fuller and more complete. I have since gone back to the Talbot County Historical Society to peruse the online database. This is a direct result of this class.”

“The tour was nothing short of amazing. We have attended lectures hosted at the Historical Society over past years, and various photo exhibitions, as well as self-guided visits, but none compared to having the added expertise and anecdotal supplements which were so ably added by the director, Peggy Morey! “

“The multiple restored buildings were unknown to us until a walk beyond the gardens, and the private basement archives demand a much longer review at another time. Best regional tour we have joined, to date!”

“I learned so much about our country’s history and am amazed at the research available.  We need to find ways to let citizens know what a gem is here for them.”

1 Session | Friday | September 13 | 1:30 – 3pm | IN PERSON (starting at the Hill Research Center, 25 South Washington St. Easton, MD 21601) | $20

A 2nd offering is now available on September 27! Same time, same place.