Sandy Spring Museum

2023 Black History Month Transcribe-a-Thon

In honor of Black History Month 2023, we are celebrating the lives of eight Black men who worked as farm laborers on land near Sandy Spring, Maryland. These pages bear witness to the integral role Black labor played in ensuring the success the farming enterprises of local white landowners. These...

Dr. Caleb Edward Iddings Diaries

Caleb Edward Iddings, (1829-1904) was a physician in Sandy Spring, Maryland. In 1849, prior to medical school, he joined the wave of young hopefuls traveling to California, seeking fortune during in the Gold Rush. Upon his return from the West, he obtained his medical training at Maryland...

Enterprise Farmers' Club Minutes

The Enterprise Farmers’ Club is an agricultural association in Sandy Spring, Maryland that has met continuously since its formation in 1865. The group meets to discuss and exchange thoughts and information related to agricultural practices and the business of farming. The meeting agendas have...

Fall Harvest Transcribe-a-thon

Hallowell Family Letters

Home Interest Society Minutes

Home Interest, which refers to itself as a “Society,” was founded in Sandy Spring, Maryland, on August 27th, 1870 and has met monthly (more or less) to the present day. Early in its existence, meetings were not held in June and July to free up members to attend to agricultural and...

Horticultural Society

The Horticultural Society is an organization in Sandy Spring, Maryland that has met continuously since February 28, 1863! Read about the decisions, members, and happenings of the Society. This collection includes both typewritten and handwritten documents. When formed, the society was seen as...

Ledgers

A collection of ledgers and account books of all type, with a table-based format for transcription.

Mutual Improvement Association Minutes

The Mutual Improvement Association is a women's organization founded in Sandy Spring, Maryland in 1857 and is among the oldest, continually meeting groups of its kind in the United States. The original group was comprised of Quakers and thus meetings are modeled, in part, on a Quaker Meeting...

Reminiscences

A collection of diaries and reminiscences from Sandy Spring community members. As you explore you'll find travel logs and ledgers, childhood memories and daily activities, some dating as early as 1823.

Summer Camp Shenanigans

A collection of writing about three local camps from the late 19th and early 20th centuries: Folly Quarter Camp, Camp Dismal, and Camp Wey-up-Hyah. Inside you will find drawings, poetry, songs, and more!

The Stabler Family

Letters, diaries, scrapbooks and more associated with the Stabler family of Sandy Spring.

The Wednesday Club Minutes

The Wednesday Club, a woman-only social club/literary society, originated in Sandy Spring, Maryland, on January 1904. The Wednesday Club is a member of the Greater Federation of Women's Clubs and has met continuously since January 1904.

Typewritten Documents for Transcribe-a-Thons

United Nations Day Transcribe-a-thon

For the October transcribe-a-thon, we are honoring United Nations Day by featuring essays and works by local historical figure Allan Farquhar (1853-1944), a prolific writer and an advocate for global peace.

[Complete!] American Friends Service Committee Letters

This is a collection of 32, mostly typewritten letters, in making arrangements for sponsorship of a German refugee family to relocate to Sandy Spring in 1938. This collection was highlighted in our Sept. 21, 2021 newsletter.

[Complete!] Crossed Letters

Crossed Letters are letters written with two separate sets of writings that cross over one another. This was often used to save on postal fees and to conserve paper as well. These letters can be aesthetically beautiful, and rather tricky to decipher, but solving them is extremely rewarding!

[Complete!] Misc. Club Minutes

IMAGE: Young boys at Harewood, undated (SSM1993.0067.0002)

[Complete!] The Neighbors Minutes

The Neighbors is a social club in Sandy Spring, Maryland that was established on May 20, 1897, and has met continuously since then. The Neighbors was organized as a protest against the extravagance seen in some of the other community social clubs. Initially, sandwiches and coffee were the...

01b- Sandy Spring Community Council

Founded on May1, 1928, the group was formed to co-ordinate community welfare activities among the various clubs in Sandy Spring, Maryland.

Edward Stabler Letters

Edward Stabler (1794-1883) was a true polymath; he was a farmer, postmaster, seal maker, and inventor. In fact, he designed the very first United States presidential seal! These letters are generally from people and organizations seeking his services.

Kummer Family Letters

Part of a collection of correspondence among 4 siblings spanning nearly 7 decades! The Kummer family was from the Moravian community in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. All siblings were teachers. Sister Sophia married Edward Peirce from Brookeville, Maryland and sister Carrie eventually followed her to...

Frank T. Lea Letters

Frank Lea was a missionary in Angola writing to his parents at home in Sandy Spring.