A new roof for Tudor Hall was included on the agenda of the Harford County Historic Preservation Commission at a meeting of the commission on February 4, 2009. Raymond Johnson (project manager of the Harford County Department of Public Works, Division of Construction Management) gave a presentation on the architectural plans for the roof which have been prepared by the architectural firm of Edmeades & Stromdahl of Bel Air, Maryland. At last check, work to replace the roof at Tudor Hall was expected to begin this summer. Keep an eye on the blog for updates.
Joe Pfaff (Director of the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation) has given Spirits of Tudor Hall permission create a plan for possible archeological exploration at Tudor Hall. Continuing discussions are underway with Ann Persson (president of the Archeological Society of the Northern Chesapeake), Sarah Corey (Harford County Historic Preservation Planner), Charles Hall (Maryland State Terrestrial Archeologist associated with the Maryland Historical Trust), and the Center for the Arts.
Archeological work at Tudor Hall will not begin until the summer of 2010 at the earliest. Any digging at Tudor Hall will be scientifically and professionally planned and supervised, and we will take as much time as we need to make sure we get it right before any digging is authorized by the Department of Parks and Recreation and before any digging actually begins at Tudor Hall.
Watch the blog for updates.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Update on March 11, 2009, Meeting for Tour Guides
Photo taken at Tudor Hall on March 11 prior to the meeting. Notice the daffodils at the foot of the tree. Spring is coming to Tudor Hall.
A meeting of our tour guides was held at Tudor Hall on Wednesday evening, March 11, 2009, at 7:00 PM. Seven "Spirits" who were involved in our tours last fall, Kathy Cochran of the Center for the Arts, and two new volunteers attended the meeting.
Kris Thomson has courageously agreed to serve as lead tour guide in 2009. Kris led tours at Tudor Hall during the years Howard and Dorothy Fox owned the property, and Spirits of Tudor Hall feels blessed to have Kris's wisdom and experience to guide us.
We are also very pleased to have a number of other "old timers" joining us in our current efforts, including Jill Redding, Mary Iacchei, and (most recently) Katherine Ellis. Welcome back!
The primary purpose of the March 11 meeting was to lay the groundwork for the upcoming tours of 2009 (see post above for details). Many details related to the tours were discussed and decided upon. Everyone who attended the meeting is excited about the upcoming tours of 2009.
Kathy Cochran of the Center for the Arts graciously provided coffee and lemonade as well as delicious home made, "gourmet" mini-muffins and some truly irresistible chocolate cookies purchased at Safeway. Thank you, Kathy!
Photo of family, including baby in stroller and toddler, getting some fresh air at Tudor Hall on March 11, 2009.Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Elwin Penski's Excellent Letter to the Aegis
Elwin Penski, founder of the Junius B. Booth Society, has written an excellent letter to the editor of the Aegis that was published under the title "On Harford's Ties to Lincoln" in the February 18, 2009, edition on page A10.
Mr. Penski wrote the letter in response to an article that appeared in the Aegis on February 11, 2009, entitled "Lincoln at 200: Harford's Ties and Observances" by Rachel Konopacki. The article includes quotes from an interview with Harford County Executive David R. Craig concerning Tudor Hall.
Mr. Penski points out that Lincoln apparently did not travel by train through Harford County in 1861 on his way to Washington, DC, as the Aegis article stated. In addition, Mr. Penski reminded readers that Edwin Booth, who was born and raised in Harford County, saved Robert Todd Lincoln's life. Author and historian Jason Emerson has written an article about Edwin Booth saving the life of President Lincoln's son that was published several years ago in the Civil War Times and can be read online via a link to the article on Jason Emerson's website. http://www.jasonemerson.com/jasonsarticles.html (Copy and paste the link into your browser window and hit enter.)
If you would like a copy of the article on Lincoln's ties to Harford County or Mr. Penski's letter, please contact spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com. Thank you.
Mr. Penski wrote the letter in response to an article that appeared in the Aegis on February 11, 2009, entitled "Lincoln at 200: Harford's Ties and Observances" by Rachel Konopacki. The article includes quotes from an interview with Harford County Executive David R. Craig concerning Tudor Hall.
Mr. Penski points out that Lincoln apparently did not travel by train through Harford County in 1861 on his way to Washington, DC, as the Aegis article stated. In addition, Mr. Penski reminded readers that Edwin Booth, who was born and raised in Harford County, saved Robert Todd Lincoln's life. Author and historian Jason Emerson has written an article about Edwin Booth saving the life of President Lincoln's son that was published several years ago in the Civil War Times and can be read online via a link to the article on Jason Emerson's website. http://www.jasonemerson.com/jasonsarticles.html (Copy and paste the link into your browser window and hit enter.)
If you would like a copy of the article on Lincoln's ties to Harford County or Mr. Penski's letter, please contact spirits-of-tudor-hall@msn.com. Thank you.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Mary Ann Holmes Booth, the Heart of Tudor Hall
This photo was originally posted on the blog for Valentine's Day 2009.
In 1821 Mary Ann Holmes left England in the company of a young, rising English actor named Junius Brutus Booth. They sailed to the United States by way of the Island of Madeira. After their arrival in Virginia, Booth almost immediately went on stage and thus began a wildly successful career in the New World that would last for over thirty years. Mary Ann would give birth to ten children, many of whom were born on the Booth farm in Harford County, Maryland, where Tudor Hall would be built by Junius and Mary Ann in 1851-52. The fact that Junius left behind in England his first wife, Marie Christine Adelaide Delannoy Booth, and a son named Richard Junius Booth, would cloud Junius and Mary Ann's relationship for the rest of their lives. Nevertheless, Junius and Mary Ann shared a great and romantic love that lasted until Junius's death in 1852 and beyond.
Friday, January 30, 2009
New Roof for Tudor Hall on Agenda February 4th, 2009, Meeting of the Harford County Historic Preservation Commission
On Wednesday evening, February 4th, 2009, the Harford County Historic Preservation Commission will hold its regular monthly meeting at the Hosanna School (historic African American school now a museum in Berkley, Harford County, Maryland) beginning at 6:30 PM.
During the business meeting, Raymond Johnson, Project Manager for the Division of Construction of the Harford County Department of Public Works, will give a presentation on plans nearing completion for a new roof for Tudor Hall.
A guided tour of the Hosanna School will take place after the meeting. The tour will be led by one of the school's former teachers.
The meeting is open to the public.
An update on the plans for a new roof for Tudor Hall will appear soon.
During the business meeting, Raymond Johnson, Project Manager for the Division of Construction of the Harford County Department of Public Works, will give a presentation on plans nearing completion for a new roof for Tudor Hall.
A guided tour of the Hosanna School will take place after the meeting. The tour will be led by one of the school's former teachers.
The meeting is open to the public.
An update on the plans for a new roof for Tudor Hall will appear soon.
John Wilkes Booth in Examiner January 25, 2009
An article entitled "Graves, Conspiracies, and a Mummy" by Rafael Alvarez (of The Wire fame) was published in the Baltimore Examiner on Sunday, January 25, 2009. The article included a photograph of local author Daniel Mark Epstein visiting the Booth family plot in Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore. Epstein is the author of The Lincolns, a very well researched and well written book about the relationship between Abraham and Mary Lincoln which is a pleasure to read. Epstein has a new book on Lincoln and his secretaries.
Unfortunately, the Baltimore Examiner has ceased publication since the article was published.
Unfortunately, the Baltimore Examiner has ceased publication since the article was published.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
February 9, 2009: American Experience: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln on PBS
On Monday, February 9, 2009, many PBS stations broadcast "The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln" as part of The American Experience series.
PBS says: "This ninety-minute film recounts a great American drama: two tumultuous months when the joy of peace was shattered by the heartache of Lincoln's death. At the heart of the story are two figures who define the extremes of character: Lincoln, who had the strength to transform suffering into infinite compassion, and Booth, who allowed hatred to curdle into destruction."
PBS says: "This ninety-minute film recounts a great American drama: two tumultuous months when the joy of peace was shattered by the heartache of Lincoln's death. At the heart of the story are two figures who define the extremes of character: Lincoln, who had the strength to transform suffering into infinite compassion, and Booth, who allowed hatred to curdle into destruction."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
