Worcester County Historical Society

01/09/2026

Marty’s Playland • Ocean City, MD • Circa 1960s!

01/09/2026

Out of the Vault for a Limited Time!
Scorchy’s Corner: Wandering Our Delmarvalous Land
Wednesdays • Feb 4 – March 4 • 2 PM
Museum of Ocean City - 217 S Baltimore Ave.

Step back in time and explore Delmarva through the lens of local television history! The Museum Society of Ocean City is excited to present a limited-time screening of Scorchy’s Corner: Wandering Our Delmarvalous Land, a beloved series originally aired on WBOC-TV in the 1980s and early 1990s and preserved in our museum archives.

Get your tickets today!
https://www.ocmuseum.org/

01/09/2026

Interested in looking at old photos of Worcester County towns? Check out our Historic Slides collections on our Flickr page! This collection contains over 3000 photos of the county from 1890 to 1980. https://www.flickr.com/photos/worcestercountylibrarymaryland/albums/

01/07/2026

Yesterday I attended an LSMD 250 meeting, and it inspired today’s post as we begin thinking about how the Julia A. Purnell Museum can help celebrate Maryland’s upcoming 250th birthday.
Featured here is a copy of an original 1793 plat surveyed by William Richardson, along with his compass — the very tool used to determine the direction of lines mapped across the landscape. It’s a fascinating glimpse into how early land boundaries were recorded and understood.
This piece connects directly to Snow Hill’s own early history.
- The land on which Snow Hill sits was patented in 1676 by Colonel William Stevens.
- Just two years later, the 500‑acre tract was sold to Henry Bishop for 15,200 pounds of to***co.
- Snow Hill received its first charter on October 2, 1676 and became a port of entry in 1694.
- When Worcester County was created from the eastern half of old Somerset County in 1742, Snow Hill — centrally located on the Pocomoke River — was named the county seat.
As we look ahead to Maryland’s 250th anniversary, artifacts like this remind us how deeply our community’s story is woven into the state’s earliest chapters.

01/07/2026

We are very grateful to the Arcadia Questers and the Worcester County Historical Society for making it possible for us to acquire this remarkable early 18th‑century English mahogany sideboard. With its delicate inlaid detailing and original brass mounts, it is a stunning example of Georgian craftsmanship and a beautiful addition to Historic Rackliffe House.
Sideboards of this period were both functional and symbolic, showcasing the elegance and refinement of Georgian‑era furniture while serving as a central piece for dining and household display. Mahogany was highly prized in the 1700s for its strength, rich color, and ability to hold fine carving and inlay work — all of which are beautifully represented in this stunning piece, which remains in exceptional condition.
This piece will serve both form and function — not only enhancing the authenticity of our interior spaces, but also providing much‑needed storage for the educational materials we use during field trips and tours. It’s a perfect blend of historic elegance and modern purpose, and we are truly thankful for the support that helps us continue sharing Worcester County’s history with our community.

01/07/2026

Commander Hotel • Ocean City, Maryland • 1935!

01/07/2026

FY2026 HERITAGE FUND APPLICATION NOW OPEN!

For FY26, the Heritage Fund will have $144,000 available in funding. The maximum award amount is $10,000. The majority of the grant awards fall between $2,000 and $6,000. As this is a competitive grant program, not all grant proposals are funded, and it is not uncommon for a partial award to be made.

The Heritage Fund is open to applications from non-profit organizations and instrumentalities of state, counties, and municipalities engaged in historic preservation projects. Private property owners are not eligible for funding. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to complete their grant project within a calendar year of receiving the award. Extensions and modification requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are not automatically granted.

The wide array of eligible projects falls into three general categories: education & research; planning & feasibility; and repair & rehabilitation. Please consult the FY26 Program Guidelines for the full eligibility requirements ⬇️

https://preservationmaryland.org/our-work/mdheritagefund/

01/07/2026

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01/07/2026