founding

The Founding Of This Society

On November 17, 1952 a small group of ffarsighted citizens, sharing common civic and historic interests and a desire to preserve the history of Dorchester County, met at the Office of the State Employment Service at 101 Race Street in Cambridge, Maryland. Their collective concern was that historical research was lacking and that articles which embodied County history were disappearing through lack of a concerted effort at preservation.

With these concerns in mind, this group proposed they fform an organization whose mission would be to preserve the history of the county, to collect artifacts of historical importance and to make it all available to the public. The Dorchester County Historical Society would be the organization to accomplish their objectives.

Those present at this cornerstone meeting were: Mrs. Henry Devos, Mrs. Clarence Lewis, Mr. Earl Keen, Mrs. Olive Byrn, Mrs. Frank Navy, Mrs. F. H. Scherz, Mr. And Mrs. M. V. Brewington, Mr. Arnold Daane, Dr. Kenneth Jones, Mr. Maurice Rimpo, Miss Nellie Carroll, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Barber, Mr. And Mrs. Emmett Andrews, Miss Ruth Jones and Mr. F. Arthur Laskowski, who were elected as temporary officers.

This group, having formed the crucial core for the society, set about the daunting tasks of appointing committees, writing a constitution and by-laws, electing officers, recruiting members, fund raising, initiating activities related to the mission of the society and locating a meeting place.

It wasn't until March 5, 1953, that the society was formalized with the election of officers. The first President was Mr. Emmett Andrews; Dr. Kenneth Jones as Vice-President, and Miss Ruth Jones as Secretary.

The members of the initial cadre recognized that in order to sustain the organization and its missions, a permanent home was necessary. In May, 1953, President Emmett Andrews appointed a committee and charged them with the awesome task of finding a home to be used as a headquarters for the society. The committee, consisting of Mrs. Samuel Byrn, Mrs.
M. V Brewington and Mr. Arthur Laskowski began their search which culminated in September, 1958, when they announced to the membership that they had found, "Just the proper home site to be a permanent location for the organization." This home was LaGrange.

In November of 1958, fund raising for money to buy the property began with Mr. Theodore Barber named the Chairman of the building fund committee. The committee raised a sufficient amount for the down payment of $3,500 and the house was purchased in February, 1959.

The executive committee, encouraged by this success,
established a fund raising goal of $20,000 with $13,000 needed to complete the purchase, $5,000 for repairs and $2,000 to establish an endowment.

Senator George L. Radcliffe was named the honorary Chairman of the building fund and in March 2, 1959, he advised the membership that an as yet unnamed business executive was willing to make a large contribution if the following stipulations were met:

1. Donor shall select the name for the building and grounds;
2. The Dorchester County Historical Society shall become a branch of the Maryland Historical Society and;
3. The executive officer of the society shall effect these stipulations.
The membership, having agreed to these requirements, were elated to learn from Senator Radicliffe on Marcy 17, 1959, that Mr. Thomas Steele Nichols of New York, was the societies benefactor. For his most generous contribution, the society honored Mr. Nichols with a Testimonial Dinner on June 8,1959.

In accordance with his stipulation, Mr. Nichols selected the name for the house and grounds in honor of his grandfather, Mr. Joseph Bestpitch Meredith and Thomas M. Meredith. The Meredith House was so christened.

The Society has progressed and the members have worked diligently toward their original mission and their collective year efforts are reflected today in the newly renovated Meredith House, the refurbished Neild Museum and the Goldsborough Stable.