Inaugural Worcester County History Month Planned

Staff Writer

OCEAN CITY – Community members are invited to take part in special events, exhibits and workshops in celebration of the inaugural Worcester County History Month.

Throughout the month of October, the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum, Ocean Pines Association, Calvin B. Taylor House Museum, Germantown School Community Heritage Center and the Delmarva Discovery Museum will host various events and programs in celebration of the first-ever Worcester County History Month.

From Pocomoke to Ocean City and communities in between, Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum Curator Christine Okerblom said there will be activities in nearly every area of the county.

“Delmarva and Worcester County is steeped in history,” she said. “We have so much to celebrate, so much so that we felt we needed an entire month to do so. This offers families an opportunity to not only enjoy fall but to step back in time and give people an opportunity to learn about our heritage in a hands-on, interactive, family friendly way.”

Last year, the Life-Saving Station joined with local organizations to expand Worcester County History Week, a celebration of Worcester County’s heritage through family friendly events.

The week was so successful, Okerblom said, that organizers have decided to turn this year’s festivities into a month-long event.

“The museum started out with History Week in 2018, and last year was the first year we had other entities participate,” she explained. “October is typically the shoulder season, and for us here at the museum, we had over 1,000 people come through the doors for History Week.”

Okerblom said this year’s Worcester County History Month will feature dozens of free and low-cost events.

The Delmarva Discovery Museum, for example, will feature a “Delmarva Folklore, Myths & Legends” exhibition and other family programs, while the Germantown School will host a Tindley Gospel Sing on Oct. 15.

At the Taylor House Museum, the lawn will be open to events such as Homecoming Harvest and a Clothing & Costume Tour. And at the Life-Saving Station Museum, community members can take part in book signings, candle making and heritage programming.

“We have a locals week, so from Oct. 10-16, anyone that lives on Delmarva … they get in for free,” Okerblom said. “Throughout that specific week, we’ll have programs and events taking place. That’s a great opportunity for someone who’s never been here to try things out.”

Okerblom added that there will also be weekly programs – including History & Mystery of the American Eel, History of Our Surfmen and Station No. 4 Historic Tour – and fall-themed activities such as a paranormal investigation and a Black Cat Scavenger Hunt.

“One thing that’s not necessarily a program but great for anyone to take advantage of is our fall photo opportunity,” she added. “We set up pumpkins and mums and a full fall display in front of our shark. It makes a great spot for family photos.”

For more information on Worcester County History Month, or to view the list of scheduled events throughout October, visit ocmuseum.org/history-month.

“You can truly find something for everyone, so I would encourage everyone to look at the events and find what really interests them,” Okerblom said. “There’s so much to do.”

About The Author: Bethany Hooper

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Bethany Hooper has been with The Dispatch since 2016. She currently covers various general stories. Hooper graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 2012 and the University of Maryland in 2016, where she completed double majors in journalism and economics.