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Laurel Historical Society

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Laurel, MD
Laurel Historical Society

A small community museum and archives dedicated to 'Preserving Laurel's Past for the Future!'

08/25/2026

Today is the first day of school for many Laurel residents so we are taking a look back in time!

The first image is of Laurel Elementary School's Miss Lila Testerman's 5th Grade Class in 1940 outside playing on a row seesaws. In the second image, Laurel High School students in 1914/1915 can be seen working on wood projects.

We hope everyone has a great school year!

Images: Both images are part of the Laurel Historical Society Collection.

08/24/2026

Tickets for our new fundraiser Heritage on Tap: A Laurel Oktoberfest are officially on sale! This festive fall event will feature local breweries, Oktoberfest fare, German wines, a variety of Casino games, and more.

Date: Saturday, October 17 | 4 to 8 PM
Tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/heritage-on-tap-a-laurel-oktoberfest
All guests must be 21+ years of age.

Heritage on Tap is LHS's fun new fundraiser without the greater formality and higher ticket prices of our Annual Gala! Feedback from past guests and community members highlighted the need for a more casual event with lower ticket prices, and we heard you. We are planning to alternate yearly between a formal spring gala and a casual fall event.

*Each ticket includes $200 in "Fun Bucks" so all guests can participate in our casino games, from blackjack to horse racing. Additional "Fun Bucks" may be purchased prior to the event ($20 for $200 in "Fun Bucks" or $40 for $500 in "Fun Bucks").

Questions? Learn more at our website: https://www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org/heritage-on-tap.html

08/20/2026

Our Speaker Series returns next month with a special hybrid presentation by the Laurel History Boys on Laurel's Centennial Celebration, a precursor to the city's Bicentennial events.

Thursday, September 24 | 6:00 to 7:00 PM
Cost: FREE (advanced registration required)
Location: Laurel Pool Room and Zoom (hybrid event)
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/speaker-series-laurels-1970-centennial-celebration-tickets-1997019692659

During this presentation, Kevin Leonard of The Laurel History Boys will present on Laurel’s 1970 Centennial Celebration. In an extraordinary display of community involvement, Laurel’s centennial celebration in 1970 spanned eight days, was managed by a Who’s Who of the Laurel business community, staged events in every corner of the city, raised tens of thousands of dollars from local businesses who lined up to sign checks and be sponsors, and, most impressively, produced a massive stage play about Laurel’s history that included a cast of almost 400 residents.

Image: Workers building the stage for the Laurel Centennial play. Laurel Historical Society Collection.

08/18/2026

The Laurel Historical Society will be at the 2026 Laurel Book Fair presented by the Laurel History Boys at Oliver's Old Towne Tavern!

Join us on Sunday, August 23 from 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM to meet local authors, enjoy food and drinks, and celebrate local history. We hope to see you there!

08/14/2026

Thank you very much to all who attended the GSK Science in the Summer Camp with us this week, and a special thank you to for their incredible program! We had a ton of fun learning how to Be a Chemist and explore the importance of chemistry in different fields, including medicine, manufacturing, art, and environmental conservation through hands– on activities and experiments.

It has been a great summer learning with all of our campers, and we are already looking forward to next year!

Images: Instructor Mr. Fran leads campers in cosmetic and forensic chemistry activities.

08/11/2026

LHS's walking tours return this fall with our Main Street Walking Tour: Part Two!

Dates: Saturday, September 26 and October 24 | 10:00 AM
Tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/main-street-walking-tour-part-two

Join us as we explore more of Laurel’s historic district, this time with a focus on the Civil War, commercial growth, and people who inhabited Laurel. This tour will last approximately 1.5 hours and covers approximately 1 mile.

This guided walking tour will begin at Laurel’s historic Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station (now MARC) and follow down Main Street, featuring the site of a Civil War encampment, the Citizens National Bank Building, and the location of the Avondale Mill before it burned down in 1991. This tour will examine the evolution of the town as a commercial district in the 19th century through discussion of historic structures that housed businesses and families, and how fires shaped Laurel.

Image: Tom Rudkin, Eddie Remley, and Maurice and Julia Quill standing outside Laurel's B&O Station circa 1912. Laurel Historical Society Collection.

08/07/2026

This September, the Laurel Historical Society will be recognizing the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with a temporary exhibition and program.

On September 10 at 6:00 PM, LHS is hosting a free program in remembrance of 9/11 at the City of Laurel Municipal Center, featuring guest presenters Wayne Dzwonchyk and Lorraine Brooks. We are inviting residents of Laurel to join in person or virtually and share their own reflections about the event to be captured by LHS and archived for future generations.

LHS will also mount a small exhibit, “Laurel Remembers 9/11” at the Laurel Museum from September 4 to September 27, which will feature a book of remembrance signed by residents in the days after 9/11 and again on the 10th anniversary. Visitors will be invited to contribute to the book again for the 25th anniversary and add their reflections on the event looking back 25 years.

Image: Scan of the Laurel Leader on September, 13, 2001. Laurel Historical Society Collection.

08/06/2026

Join us on Thursday, August 20 from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM for a Laurel Board of Trade networking event hosted at the Laurel Museum. This event is a great opportunity to meet local businesses while enjoying refreshments and viewing our current exhibition! Networking events are open to both members and non-members and free to attend. We hope to see you there!

07/30/2026

Come join the Laurel Museum team! This position is perfect for a college student, new grad, retiree, or anyone interested in small museums. Click below for more information.

https://www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org/uploads/8/7/8/4/8784273/visitor_services_associate_2026.07.10.pdf

07/28/2026

Lastly, we are taking a look back 50 years to the United States Bicentennial celebration!

A different approach was taken to celebrate the 200-year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Instead of a large exhibition, the U.S. government decided to encourage locally sponsored events, leading to grand celebrations that took place across the country and throughout the year.

The City of Laurel participated in this impressive anniversary by hosting the largest Bicentennial celebration in Prince George’s County. Planning for the event began in September of 1973, and Laurel successfully became an official "Bi-Centennial Community" recognized by the National organization. The Bicentennial Commission - formed by Mayor Leo Wilson in August of 1974 – encouraged the formation of “Horizon Groups” that created permanent projects. These projects included the Laurel Horizon Society, now known as the Laurel Historical Society.

Laurel’s community worked tirelessly to celebrate the milestone, putting together children’s programs, patriotic concerts, open houses, balls, and more. The celebration took place over 10 days, with a July 3rd parade viewed by thousands of spectators and ending with a July 4th Festival Day.

Interested in learning more about Laurel’s Bicentennial Celebration? Stop by the Laurel Museum during our regular open hours Friday – Sunday at 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm to see our current exhibition “Beyond the 4th: Stories of Laurel’s Freedom Celebrations”!

Images: Bicentennial Exhibit at City Hall, September 1975. Laurel Historical Society, Brennan Collection.
Pallotti Day Nursery in the Bicentennial Parade, July 1976. Laurel Historical Society Collection.

Address

817 Main Street
Laurel, MD
20707

Opening Hours

Friday	12pm - 4pm
Saturday	12pm - 4pm
Sunday	12pm - 4pm

Telephone

(301) 725-7975

Website

http://www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org/, https://linktr.ee/laurelhistoricalsociety

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