Western Maryland Archeological Society

11/05/2026

Our Chapter is featured in the documentary short film "Keepers of Time", showing tomorrow at the Palace Theatre in Frostburg during the student film block of the Mountain Maryland Film Festival! Check it out!

Shout-out to Isaac Kneisley for a job well done!

In Western Maryland, an archaeological society uncovers stories that shape the region’s identity. The film introduces its members and their work, then exposes the mounting pressures endangering archaeology, showing how preserving history has become a race against time.

🎥 Keepers of Time, a documentary by Isaac Kneisley from Frostburg State University will screen on Friday, November 6 during the Student Film Block at the Palace Theatre in Frostburg, Maryland.

10/22/2026

Join us on October 23, 2026, at 7:30 PM for a Zoom meeting featuring Paul Moore from Wild Walk Bushcraft. He will delve into Stone Age technology and experimental archaeology, shedding light on ancient tools and the ingenuity of our ancestors. This session is a unique opportunity to learn about practical experimentation in archaeology. Don't miss it!

https://conta.cc/4zRj8EV

Email from Western MD Archeology Society October Meeting will be via Zoom- live from Ireland October Newsletter This month's meeting will be through Zoom (live from Ireland!), so you can join us from

09/10/2026

Join us on September 25 for Daniel Fellman's insightful presentation on "The Mid-Atlantic Chert Database." Discover how the MACD addresses critical challenges in chert identification and geological sourcing. This presentation will highlight the essential role of portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) in advancing lithic resource studies. Don't miss this opportunity to delve into cutting-edge archaeological research!

https://conta.cc/3UFn24o

09/04/2026

The Western MD chapter of the Archeology Society will host an information table as part of the Frostburg State University Appalachian Festival . Come find us on Saturday Sept. 19th on the quad. Gary and I will be there and would love for all of our chapter members to come out and help represent :)

The annual FSU Appalachian Festival offers fun for the whole family! Check out our Family Stage for musical performances and workshops, enjoy regional foods and crafts, and take in an Appalachian story!

More info at https://www.frostburg.edu/annual-events/afestival/family-stage.php

07/10/2026

Tomorrow, July 11 at 1:00 PM!

Cumberland is often celebrated for its great era of industrialization—the massive factories, breweries, railroads, booming population, and the height of the coal extraction. But before all of that, the town was built by the skilled artisans and craftspeople who worked from small home workshops.

In the early 19th century, Cumberland's economy revolved around a thriving cottage industry. Families made soap, combs, shoes, furniture, and other everyday necessities. Blacksmiths forged nails, horseshoes, tools, and hardware. Most work was organized around family businesses and apprenticeships, with skills passed from one generation to the next.

Mechanic Street was at the heart of this early community of makers and tradespeople. Join us as we explore the people, businesses, and industries that laid the foundation for the Cumberland we know today.

Meet at the c. 1845 Canada Hose Company Firehouse—also known as the History Discovery Center at Blue Spring, the Western Maryland Archeological Society Clubhouse, home of Oxbow Cultural Research, and The Ottery Group Archaeological Lab.

We hope to see you there!

And what stories we have to tell! Mark your calendars and make your reservations for the next two events in the ACHS America 250 Discovery Series! Take a free guided walking tour of Cumberland's Canada/Viaduct neighborhood with historian Suzanne Smith on Saturday, July 11th or purchase Gordon Roberts Tea tickets for a newly added living history presentation by Marion Daniels on The Adventurous Life of Annie Roberts, on Saturday, August 8th!

Make your reservations here: www.alleganycountyhistory.org

06/19/2026

The American Revolution obviously affected the lives of citizens in western Maryland, but one direct impact was the granting of land to soldiers as payment for their service. These land grants are known as Deakin's Lots, after the surveyor. How did these land grants contribute to the development of western Maryland? Did those soldiers move here and become part of our local economy and gene pool? Or did they quickly cash out, and who purchased those lots after them? Tonight's presentation on Deakin's Lots will look at the deeds from the years immediately following the land grants. Sign up via the Eventbrite link below (it's free, but seating is limited). Don't miss this lively discussion happening tonight at 7pm - I promise you'll learn something!

05/12/2026

You may have heard about the main room exhibit at the Museum for the American Revolution in Philadelphia that features the tent that George Washington used as a mobile headquarters and sleeping tent. An artifact and a feature, the tent is impressive, the silent witness to the inside thoughts and plans of the American Revolution. This Heritage Days, the tent is coming to Cumberland, along with interpreters and programming. One of your historic bucket list check boxes is being brought to you-don't miss this!

The cornerstone of the Museum’s collection is General George Washington’s Revolutionary War tent, the marquee or office and sleeping quarters that he used as the command center of the Continental Army. Created as a mobile field headquarters, the tent was likely made in Reading, Pennsylvania,...

04/24/2026

See you at the meeting tonight!
400 N. Mechanic Street, 7:30 pm

Send a message to learn more

04/10/2026

Exciting day filming with Isaac and Micheal from FSU Emerging Media Program