Cox’s Point Boat Races
During the 1970s, Cox’s Point on the Back River served as the thrilling backdrop for the annual Governor’s Cup Regatta, ...
It’s Baseball Season!
Batter Up! Batter up! It’s springtime in Essex, and the spirit of Opening Day is in the air once again ...
Essex Celebrates 100 Years – 2009 East County Times Special Issue
In 2009, the East County Times published a special commemorative issue filled with incredible historical photos from the archives of ...
The Essex Candle Company
Did you know that for nearly 40 years, a booming candle factory operated right in the heart of Essex? From ...
Pospisil Family History and Photos
Picnic beach. The Pospisils purchased four waterfront lots on Bay Drive in Bowleys Quarters in 1923, clearing trees and opening ...
Pottery Farm
Sue Creek's famous Pottery Farm By Jackie Nickel (2019) Perhaps the most famous resident of the Back River Neck Peninsula ...
Baumgartner Collection Book #45: Fire Department
Baumgartner Collection Book #45: Fire Department Download PDF View on archive.org ...
Mae Beck: Matriarch of Back River Neck Peninsula Looks Back on 100 Years
This two-part feature chronicles Mae’s journey from a childhood on the White House Farm in the early 1900s to her ...
Stephen G. Brenner, original “Bozo the Clown”
June 16, 1975: Stephen G. Brenner, the original "Bozo the Clown" at Super Sunday in Essex, Maryland ...
The Treasure Lore of Hart Island
Does a fortune in gold bars and coins still lie beneath the shifting sands of the Chesapeake? Explore the 19th-century ...
1979 Flooding at Bay Drive in Bowleys Quarters
Flooding at Bay Drive on Middle River in Bowleys Quarters Baltimore, Maryland Septermber 6th, 1979-0906 WMAR-TV (Television Station: Baltimore, Md.) ...
Fire at the Essex Diner; Maryland 1980 Revitalization Project
Fire at the Essex Diner, Essex 1980 Revitalization Project Excerpted from https://archive.org/details/WMAR-RAW-001-007 News Storage: September 3-6, 1979 by WMAR-TV (Television ...
Serving Our Country
Serving Our Country features the men and women from our own backyards—streets like Marlyn Avenue, Stemmers Run, and Bowleys Quarters—who ...
Baumgartner Collection Book #8 – Essex Middle River Beauty Pageants
Get ready for a glittering look back at the historic Essex and Middle River Beauty Pageants of the 1970s and ...
Baumgartner Collection Book #153: Hart, Miller, Pooles Islands
Dive deep into the fascinating stories of Hart, Miller, and Pooles Islands—from their early days as distinct pieces of Chesapeake ...
Baumgartner Collection Book #13: Citizens of Essex
Step back in time to celebrate the extraordinary individuals who built our community from the ground up and evolved into ...
Museum Open House – Saturday, June 20th - Step back in time and explore our museum collections, featuring the grand reopening of our newly updated “Toy Shop” exhibit! It’s the perfect weekend outing for history buffs and families alike. While you’re here, visit our gift shop to pick up unique local treasures, from our newly-designed Essex/Middle River flag and custom holiday ornaments to ... Read more
America 250 Celebration – Saturday, June 27th - Join us on Saturday, June 27, as the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River proudly celebrates America 250 with a special patriotic program honoring our nation’s history—and our community’s role in it. This event, including the new flagpole installation and our featured speaker presentation, is made possible through a generous grant from the Baltimore ... Read more
2026 Museum Events Calendar - We take pride in our ongoing achievements at The Heritage Society and present to you our yearly events calendar. Our mission: To investigate, collect and preserve the history of the Essex and Middle River areas for ourselves and future generations; to support and promote programs and projects for the good of the people of these ... Read more Cox’s Point Boat Races - During the 1970s, Cox’s Point on the Back River served as the thrilling backdrop for the annual Governor’s Cup Regatta, a highly anticipated Labor Day weekend event where dozens of high-powered cigarette boats competed at full throttle for the coveted silver cup. This exciting era of local maritime history is preserved in a dedicated binder ... Read more
Remembering the May 1976 Baltimore County Sasquatch Sightings - Joshua Bell, amateur researcher and author of Mysterious Middle River, visited the museum to discuss the sudden wave of Sasquatch reports that swept through Baltimore County in May 1976. Though intense and short-lived, the sightings captured national attention and have since been chronicled across various books, magazines, and television programs. Squatchy, the official mascot of ... Read more
2026 Antiques Appraisal Day - Todd Peenstra, Owner/President of Peenstra Antique Appraisals visited the museum to offer appraisals, consultations, and advice on jewelry, silver, coins, timepieces, furniture, glass, porcelain, paintings, bronzes, toys, and more! Antiques Appraisal Day Saturday, April 25 at 1 pm The Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River hosted its first-ever Antiques Appraisal Day on Saturday, April ... Read more It’s Baseball Season! - Batter Up! Batter up! It’s springtime in Essex, and the spirit of Opening Day is in the air once again. From the championship runs of the Essex Moose to the days when Orioles stars like Brooks Robinson visited Essex, the museum’s Baumgartner Collection Book #74: Baseball captures it all. Take a look at Essex baseball ... Read more Essex Celebrates 100 Years – 2009 East County Times Special Issue - In 2009, the East County Times published a special commemorative issue filled with incredible historical photos from the archives of the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River. Want to dive deeper into our local history? Download the full Essex 100 Years Commemorative PDF. Explore vintage photos, historical timelines, and stories spanning a century of ... Read more The Essex Candle Company - Did you know that for nearly 40 years, a booming candle factory operated right in the heart of Essex? From 1931 to 1969, Frank and Hazel Spaeth ran the Essex Candle Company, supplying handmade tapers to some of the most famous department stores and hotels in Baltimore and D.C. Baumgartner Collection Book #291: Essex Candle ... Read more
50th Anniversary Gala a Success, Essex-Middle River Flag Unveiled - The Essex-Middle River flag was officially unveiled during a gala celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Heritage Society Museum. Designed by a local student, the flag symbolizes the community’s rich aviation and waterfront traditions through its colors and a white compass of unity. Local officials and Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River members gather ... Read more
Fruitland - “I drove by the Fruitland produce stand on Eastern Boulevard in Essex today and saw that they were going up for auction. I decided to turn around and take some photos of this colorful landmark.” Photographer Kevin Moore Fruitland 2025 Photo Gallery by Kevin Moore Fruitland sketch, Herb Schwartz (Maryland Sketchbook, Baltimore Sun, 1995) Fruitland ... Read more Pospisil Family History and Photos - Picnic beach. The Pospisils purchased four waterfront lots on Bay Drive in Bowleys Quarters in 1923, clearing trees and opening 200 feet of shoreline to the public as a swimming beach and picnic grounds. Mary Pospisil recalls the family closing up the nightclub late Saturday night, attending 2:30 a.m. Mass at St. Vincent’s church downtown ... Read more Pottery Farm - Sue Creek’s famous Pottery Farm By Jackie Nickel (2019) Perhaps the most famous resident of the Back River Neck Peninsula in the 1800s was Peter Hermann, a potter. An immigrant from Germany, he arrived in the United States in 1847 and became a U.S. citizen in 1851, according to research by Ballestone Preservation Society members. ... Read more Baumgartner Collection Book #45: Fire Department - Baumgartner Collection Book #45: Fire Department Download PDF View on archive.org Mae Beck: Matriarch of Back River Neck Peninsula Looks Back on 100 Years - This two-part feature chronicles Mae’s journey from a childhood on the White House Farm in the early 1900s to her husband’s national trap shooting titles, offering a rare, personal glimpse into a bygone era of Eastern Baltimore County. Mae Beck: Matriarch of Back River Neck Peninsula Looks Back on 100 Years By Jackie Nickel (Avenue ... Read more
2025 Holiday Gift Shop - Still Available! Order before they’re gone! STOCKING STUFFERS $5! Heritage Society ornaments and mini flags are just $5! Check our Facebook page for upcoming Saturday gift shop hours. Our two-sided 2025 Essex Christmas ornament features a historical sketch of the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River on one side and a whimsical portrait of ... Read more Stephen G. Brenner, original “Bozo the Clown” - June 16, 1975: Stephen G. Brenner, the original “Bozo the Clown” at Super Sunday in Essex, Maryland.