Strange Stories and Curious Collections

BOO! Come along as we dig into Maryland’s spooky collections...if you dare. On this special Halloween episode, we're on-site at the Maryland Center for History and Culture to explore some of the most curious objects from its collections and uncover the stories hiding behind them.

The colony’s early promise of toleration didn’t extend equally to everyone. Catholics sought space to worship; later, the Church of England became Maryland’s official church. Jewish, Indigenous, and enslaved communities faced barriers to freedom and belonging. Dr. Anna Majewski joins us on this episode of Revolution@250 to explore the people, objects, and overlooked stories that reveal how religious liberty unfolded, and why it remains an unfinished process.

Today’s episode threads history through the needle of style as we welcome our first-ever fashion historian, Summer Anne Lee. Based in Brooklyn and teaching at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Summer joins us to talk fashion and the wardrobes of America’s commanders-in-chief with her forthcoming book, Presidential Fashion: An Illustrated History, set to be published by Yale University Press.Learn more: https://www.summerannelee.com/As referenced: The Roaring Twenties and The Swinging Sixties:https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/exhibitions/roaring-and-swinging.phpThis episode is sponsored by The Landmark Trust USA

We're joined by Bruno Carvalho, Chair of the Program of History and Literature professor at Harvard University, where he teaches courses on cities. He is the author of The Invention of the Future: A History of Cities in the Modern World on the history of urbanization—from Lisbon to New York, Paris to Rio de Janeiro, and Buenos Aires to Lagos and Porous City: A Cultural History of Rio de Janeiro.This episode is sponsored by The Landmark Trust USA

In this episode, historian and preservationist Kourtney Lowery shares her research on the lesser-known chaos and conspiracy behind the whiskey rebellion, focusing on its local impact in Maryland and the broader implications for early American history.

In this episode, we look at a creative revolution led by Jim Henson. Best known as the creator of The Muppets, Henson transformed puppetry, television, and storytelling by blending imagination, technology, and deep humanity. His creative journey began in Maryland, where his early experiences helped shape a vision that would influence generations.Our guest is Karen Falk, Archives Director and historian for The Jim Henson Company and Vice President of The Jim Henson Legacy. Since 1992, she has preserved and interpreted Henson’s life and work. Karen is the author of Imagination Illustrated: The Jim Henson Journal, a curator of major exhibitions including Jim Henson’s Fantastic World, and a key collaborator with institutions such as the Center for Puppetry Arts and the Museum of the Moving Image.

In this episode, Dr. Brian Goldstein discusses the life and work of Max Bond, a pioneering African American architect committed to social change through architecture. Discover how Bond's experiences, from Ghana to Harlem, shaped his approach to design and activism.

Explore the fascinating intersection of genetic genealogy, forensic science, and historical research with Allison Peacock of FHD Forensics. Discover how DNA analysis is uncovering stories from the past, solving mysteries, and aiding in historic preservation.Support the identification of the Camden Fourteen!

In this episode, Braden Bumpers, co-founder of McClintock Distilling in Frederick, Md., explores the revival of Maryland’s historic distilling tradition. He shares how the distillery combines historic preservation, locally grown heritage grains, sustainable agriculture, and traditional craftsmanship to create distinctive Maryland spirits. From restoring historic buildings in Frederick to working directly with local farmers and using traditional stone milling techniques, Bumpers explains how McClintock connects history, agriculture, and craftsmanship. The conversation also explores Maryland’s whiskey roots, the future of heritage grains, collaboration within the state’s distilling industry, and the growing opportunity to build a uniquely Maryland whiskey identity. *This episode is part of PreserveCast’s “Spirited History” project, supported by the Maryland Department of Commerce’s Maryland Alcohol Manufacturing Promotion Fund

We're back with a past guest Danielle Del Sol, president and CEO of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach and the former executive director of the Preservation Resource Center of New Orlean. She shares her journey to preservation leadership, contrasting preservation in New Orleans and Palm Beach, and discusses innovative projects like climate resilience and community engagement.