Restoration of the East Windows There are eight massive lancet windows which open into the historic sanctuary of the old Resurrection Reformed Church, four on each side. Dating from the renovations of 1860, these windows have survived the Civil War and a century and a half of weathering and other damage. Inspection of the windows on the east side of the building, which receives the most direct effect of the weather, revealed several loose panes and rotting of the sills and muntins. The restoration of these windows included the re-glazing of the displaced panes, the replacement of one pane which had been broken, and scraping and painting of the wooden parts of the windows. To further protect these integral parts of our historic building, an outer storm-window covering was added to each of the windows, carefully designed to align to the existing muntins in order to reduce the visual impact of the new outer windows. 
Repainting the Belfry and Pediment The last major project to be completed with our MHAA grant was the repainting of the most recognizable part of our building, the Queen-Anne styled belfry. Added to the church during renovations in 1896 and enclosing a 700-pound bell, the belfry is one of the most iconic images of Burkittsville's skyline and appears on the town seal and flag. Last painted during restoration of the church in 2000-2002, the wooden parts of the front pediment and the belfry were in need of fresh paint. This work was completed by the end of this summer following the scraping of old paint and application of a new coat.  A view showing the process of repainting. The belfry is finished but the workers had just started working on the pediment. (Taken on Sept. 15, 2015) We hope you will join us this fall and check out the finished results of over two years of work to continue the preservation of our historic home!
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 Richard Pry, one of the picnic's organizers, leads the picnic attendees in remembering those lost in the Coatsville Community over the past year. Photo by Jody Brumage This past Sunday, August 9, 2015, I had the honor of addressing the Coatsville Picnic, an annual gathering of residents and families from Burkittsville's historic African American community. This tradition has a history of its own, bringing together a diverse community to share in conversation and reflect on the significant and fascinating history of Coatsville. This past weekend marked the event's 23rd year. Coatsville grew organically as a community of freed and enslaved African Americans who, early on, were mostly associated with the Needwood Estate, the plantation of Maryland's second Governor Thomas Sim Lee. The community established by these foremothers and forefathers has continued right down to the present day. Those many generations of citizens have included many heroes who overcame tremendous odds in a segregated and discriminatory world to make real differences in the lives of their neighbors.  SMHS Historian and Curator Jody Brumage addresses the Coatsville Picnic. Photo by Carl Butler In my short talk with the group, I highlighted a few of these significant figures and their impacts on our shared history. We began in the 19th century with Francis Thomas, Maryland's 26th Governor from Petersville who worked with the convention to produce the 1864 Constitution of Maryland which, upon ratification abolished the institution of slavery in the state. Around the time that Governor Thomas made this achievement, George Albert Whalen was born in Point of Rocks. Graduating from Storer Normal School in Harpers Ferry, Whalen went on to teach in area Black schools for over 40 years and gained the support of local industrialist Outerbridge Horsey to build a schoolhouse for Coatsville in the 1890s. Another family, the Bruners, included several generations of teachers and school administrators who worked to insure that African American children in Frederick County received a solid education despite a "separate-but-equal" approach to public education. We also discussed the movement in 2002 which successfully gained state recognition of the community of Coatsville and the placement of name signs along MD-17 at each end of the village. The most important part of the afternoon for me was getting to speak to the many different people at the picnic and record their stories and memories. This is an effort that can never receive enough attention. For as much of our history is written down in documents or captured in photographs, much more is committed to memory. We owe it to our future citizens of Coatsville, Burkittsville, and all of our communities to take the time and record the history our elders have to share. Click here to read the full presentation |
AuthorJody Brumage is the Historian and Curator of South Mountain Heritage Society. Jody works with our exhibits, the interpretation of our historic site, and our programming. This blog features some of our events and news from the society as well as unique discoveries and research we come across while working in the museum. ArchivesCategories |
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3 East Main Street • P.O. Box 509 • Burkittsville, MD 21718
Dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of Burkittsville Explore the unique story of our community at the museum Open on the First Saturday of the months April - September 10:00 am - 3:00 pm |
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