Westside Historical Society Inc

08/16/2026

Join us next Wednesday, August 19th at 11am, for an engaging presentation exploring the significance of the iconic American bison and its place in North America's natural history.

We'll be joined by The Buffalo Soldier Living History Site Co., also known as The Outpost, a project led by Deborah Scott, who shares the story of her grandfather, Thomas E. Polk, a local man who became a Buffalo Soldier — and how her family is now working to preserve that legacy.

To read more about The Outpost, you can visit this website: https://www.polkoutpost.com

08/16/2026

In honor of National Book Lovers Day, check out the the MHT library's latest additions! We strive to keep our collection current on all the latest publications about Maryland history and culture, historic preservation, archaeology, and related fields. Visit our library catalog for more information: https://tinyurl.com/MHTLibraryCatalog.

The MHT Library is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, researchers should contact Lara Westwood at [email protected] or 410-697-9546.

08/08/2026

Did you ever wonder why…

08/07/2026

We are still working hard to gather 250 oral histories from across the Lower Eastern Shore and we need your help to capture the shore's history for future generations!

It's easy to take part in Voices 250 and preserve your own history, your family history, and share with the shore what you love about the place you call home. All you have to do is...

*Find us at an event on the lower shore (listed below)

*Share and record your oral history with us. It can be short and sweet or more in depth, whichever is most comfortable for you!

*Pick your prize!

If you can't make it out to the events we attend, you can also schedule an interview and come to one of our partners' sites to sit down and have your story recorded! Go to beachesbayswaterways.org or bit.ly/Voices250 to learn more about this preservation project and to sign up to share your story.

08/02/2026

WAY BACK MACHINE
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge opened 74 years ago this week, on July 30, 1952.

Seventy-four years ago today, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge opened, linking Annapolis and Kent Island, Md. The celebratory motorcade that traversed the bridge that day took forever to make the crossing--the photo here shows how folks in that parade reacted during the first-ever bridge traffic jam.

Have you heard of H.L. Mencken? The famously sharp-tongued columnist for the Sun newspapers was known far and wide as “The Sage of Baltimore,” But the prediction he made about the bridge wasn’t sage at all:

“There is not the slightest reason to believe that any such structure could ever earn enough to pay the interest and amortization. … There is simply not traffic enough between the Eastern and Western Shores, and there is no evidence that there will ever be enough hereafter.”

I came across this photo on the Pinterest page of Washingtonian magazine, where it is credited to the collection of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.

That bit with the Mencken quote is a little sample of the bigger piece in my second collection of “Eastern Shore Road Trips” about how the bridge came into being. Info on the book:
https://amzn.to/3R79qxp

08/02/2026

Want to hear how this came about and the history behind it? Listen to this brief segment on WHCP. Thanks to Val Cavaleri WHCP - Cambridge Community Radio I Love Dorchester Heritage & TourismShip's Company ChanteymenDorchester County Historical SocietyShip's Company, Inc.Vienna, Maryland HandsellOld Trinity Church - Dorchester ParishSOUTH DORCHESTER MEMORIES Music on the Nanticoke Free Summer Concert Series

https://www.whcp.org/show/shore-stories/2026-07-27/battle-of-vienna

06/28/2026

We are thrilled our Barren Creek Church will be once again holding Sunday services!

🎉 NEW LOCATION • NEW FORMAT • 3 WAYS TO ENGAGE! 🎉

Starting July 5, Grace Mardela will begin meeting at our new location at Barren Creek! Along with a new space comes a new Sunday morning format designed to help everyone engage in ways that fit their season of life.

The goal isn't to create multiple churches or multiple services, but one church family with multiple ways to connect, worship, and grow together.

👨‍👩‍👧 **Family Gathering (9:30–10:30)**
The Family Gathering is designed to help disciple families through Bible teaching, activities, and discussion. Families then join the entire church for worship and fellowship before choosing whether to stay for the community message or head home if needed.

**Includes:**
✅ Family-focused teaching & activities
✅ Worship with the entire church
✅ Community & fellowship time

🎶🤝📖 **Community Gathering (9:50–11:00)**
The Community Gathering begins with worship alongside the entire church family, followed by fellowship and a traditional message. This gathering is designed for those who want a more traditional Sunday morning experience while still connecting with the whole church family.

**Includes:**
✅ Worship with the entire church
✅ Community & fellowship time
✅ Traditional message

🙌 **Together Gathering (9:30–11:00)**
Want the full experience? The Together Gathering includes everything we offer on Sunday mornings—family discipleship, shared worship, community, and biblical teaching—all as one church family.

**Includes:**
✅ Family-focused teaching & activities
✅ Worship with the entire church
✅ Community & fellowship time
✅ Traditional message

Different teaching. Shared worship. One church.

We can't wait to welcome you to our new home at Barren Creek and experience this new season together!