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Welcome
The Historical Society of Mount Airy, MD. Inc. was established in 1998 by Travis Norwood and Mayor Jerry Johnson. Its mission is to foster interest in the town history and its various historic landmarks. Our main goals are to establish and maintain a museum for the preservation and the display of artifacts, photographs and other historic memorabilia related to the Town’s history, and to educate the public about our history. The Historical Society manages the museum, caboose, and Rails to Trails. Check our links above to explore further.
Wanted! Any information you can provide on the people, places or events in these pictures!
The Historical Society of Mount Airy, Maryland is looking for referenced, researched, verifiable documentaries, presentations, reports, etc. on the history of Mount Airy. Please submit to us for consideration as exhibits, presentations at our meetings, or articles for the newsletter. You can submit to our email address. Thank you.
Announcements & Events
2022 Summer Adventure Program has Begun!
The Carroll County Celebrating America Summer Adventure Program has begun. Kids grades 1-9 are eligible to participate from May 15th to September 15th. Kids can win prizes by earning badges through the Carroll County Library portal. Badges are earned by completing eligible tasks like, reading books, watching videos, and visiting specific places. Once you earn all 8 Badges, you have completed the program and are automatically entered into a raffle to win all prizes including the GRAND Prize. For more information on how to register and participate, please see the attached flyer.
Strawbridge Shrine Colonial Market Day - June 18, 2022
The Strawbridge Shrine in New Windsor is holding their FREE Colonial Market Day on Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 10 am - 2pm. Come visit for tours, crafts, music, and viewing of historic buildings. The Strawbridge Shrine is the home of the beginnings of the Methodist Movement in America. For more information, visit their website.
Colonial Market Fair - June 11-12, 2022
Our friends at the Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum in Catonsville will be having a free Colonial Market Fair on June 11 and 12, 2022. Come experience the 18th Century come alive with Artisans, Reenactors, Music, and Children's Activities. For more information, visit their website at https://www.colonialmarketfair.com/.
Mount Airy Pants(Sewing) Factory
Preliminary research has been done on the history of the Mount Airy Pants Factory, which was in operation off and on from 1921 to 1985, in several different locations. Please see the attached report for further information. We are seeking anyone who may have information, newspaper articles, artifacts, or stories to share as we pull this exhibit together. Please contact Doris Bujanowski at jedolidama@gmail.com if you have information.
Help Save the Flat Iron Building
The Flat Iron Building, once known as the Smith Building and the Pryor Building, has existed in its current configuration since 1903, housing a number of different businesses, including a harness shop, barbershop, drug store, music shop, as well as town hall, the local Maryland State Police office, a branch of the County Library, a military museum, and the former home to the Historical Society of Mt. Airy museum.
Unfortunately, the town is now weighing several options to tear down the building to improve “walkability” along that section of Main Street. The building is viewed by some as an impediment to pedestrian safety and stands in the way of pedestrian access to businesses located along the east side of Main Street.
But the Historical Society of Mt. Airy stands behind another effort to preserve this building, rather than tear it down. Historic restoration with available grant funding, municipal bonds, and alternative sources other than town tax dollars is the most cost-efficient option compared to all others. Since 2005, every option proposed by the town has estimated $900K-$3 million in taxpayer dollars to remedy the property, but not a single option has considered restoration through preservation grants specifically designed and set aside for historic buildings such as ours, at minimum cost to the town.
There is intrinsic and commercial value in preserving this building. For 120 years the building has stood at the heart of downtown Mt. Airy, and contributes to our town listing on the National Register of Historic Places. It is recognized as one of only four remaining buildings built immediately after the great fire of 1903, and is recognized across the state of Maryland as a landmark in our town. People come to downtown Mt. Airy because it’s appealing in many ways, and our historic architecture serves as an attractive feature and commercial draw which brings people into downtown to explore and spend money. It is time to aggressively pursue other options now. You can help by signing the petition to save the building at Ben Gue Antiques & Gifts on S. Main Street, and by directly contacting the Mayor and each of your town Council Members through the town website, by phone or email, to let them know you support the restoration and preservation of this town icon. Once gone, this important piece of Mt. Airy history will be lost forever. For more information on this iconic building, check out the attached report.
The Mount Airy Museum is open Saturdays and Sundays 12 noon until 4 p.m., and from 3-7 pm on Wednesdays when the Farmer's Market is open
Please, observe social distancing; face masks are now optional for your safety. You can contact us at historicalsocietyofmountairy@earthlink.net.
Historical Society of
Mount Airy, Maryland, Inc.
Artifact of the Month
The following artifact is from the Historical Society's collection and is featured this month.
War Ration Book One issued to John Harvey Haines
This United States of America War Ration Book One No. 280215 – 160 was issued to John Harvey Haines, Box #141, Mount Airy, Carroll County, Maryland.
War ration books were produced by the United States Office of Price Administration in 1942 after the United States entered World War II*. As the country entered the war, shortages of essential war materials including rubber, gasoline, and sugar were anticipated and rationed, but soon rationing grew to include food as well as fuel. Most commodities were removed from rationing by the end of 1945. The exception was sugar, which continued to be rationed into 1947.
Ration Book 1, including this one issued to John Harvey Haines, was issued to the public May 4 - May 7, 1942. 180,000,000 books were printed, but only 123,000,000 were issued. Initially used to ration sugar, the coupons were later designated for other products.
Ration Book One included 28 stamps. Stamps #1-4 were designated for sugar. Each of those stamps could be exchanged for 1 lb. of sugar and was given a designed two week period during which it must be used. Stamps #5-6 could be used for 2 lbs. of sugar each and were valid for a 4-week period. Stamp #7 allowed a consumer bonus of 2 lbs. of sugar for use between July 10-August 22, 1942. Stamp #13 could be used for 5 lbs. sugar for a period of 2-2/3 months expiring on August 15, 1943. Stamp #14 could be exchanged 5 lbs. of sugar over a period of 2-1/2 months from August 16 to November 1, 1943. Stamps #15-16 could be validated for 5 lbs. of sugar each, for home canning. Stamp #17 was designated for a pair of shoes. Stamp #18 could be exchanged for 1 pair of shoes between June 16 and October 31, 1943. Stamps #19-28 were designated as coffee stamps, valid for 1 lb. of coffee each for five weeks.
*2015.3.20
University of Delaware – History – WWII Ration Books https://history.udel.edu/about/history-media-center/wwii-ration-books
