To Discover, Identify, Restore and Preserve the Heritage of Kent Island Newsletter of the Kent Island Heritage Society, Inc. Winter 2016 - 2017 Officers PRESIDENT President’s Message Jack E. Broderick As we close out our calendar year, it’s time to reflect on a very active and eventful 2016 in the Kent Island Heritage Society. VICE PRESIDENT At the top of our list of significant events was the induction of Harold Wilson our own Ms. Nancy Cook into the Maryland Senior Volunteer Hall of Fame, then her selection to receive the top State RECORDING SECRETARY “GERI” Award for her lifetime of volunteer contributions to Nancy M. Cook our community. Nancy wears many hats in Queen Anne’s County and is never shy about stepping up and getting the CORRESPONDING SECRETARY job done in her many areas of interest. What a role model … and still going strong. Carole P. Frederick Congratulations, Nancy – well deserved! During the year, through the hard work and dedicated efforts of our Board and vol- TREASURER unteer members, we accomplished many improvements to our historic sites. At the Lynne Riley-Coleman Kirwan House we replaced and rebuilt a new multi-use storage shed, which is quite useful and blends in nicely with the surrounding area. We restored and refurbished DIRECTORS the old farm tool storage shed to become a new historic display site, as an Eagle Scout Earl Chambers Project of Scout Will Moulden. And thanks to a volunteer donation from contractor Linda Collier Tom Willey, we added a newly rebuilt historic brick well next to the pump house – a John Conley handsome addition to the Kirwan back yard. Carl Gerg Jay Gibson Inside the Kirwan House we applied the generous $5,000 donation awarded by the Toni Gibson Maryland Garden Club to repair plaster molding, walls, and ceilings that had water Lynnda Kratovil damage from recent storms. We also received a thoughtful donation from the estate of Sally Lewis Anne Reifsneider which we hope to apply to further Kirwan House restoration efforts. Martha M. Lostrom In Stevensville, we completed some important wood and painting repairs to the Cray Robert Lowe House, the oldest relic among our Kent Island Historic sites. This was done under the Jamie Sasse watchful eye of the Maryland Historic Trust, which holds an easement on the prop- erty because of their large grant made during the original restoration of the house. Thanks to our VP, Frank Frohn, for tenaciously following through on the details and PAST PRESIDENTS to our contractor, Lundberg Builders, for their expert workmanship and willingness to Marian Steuart 75-77 Gordon Seward 77-79 add donated time and materials to insure that the exacting MHT standards were met. Julius Grollman 79-81 Job well done! In the Historic Stevensville Bank, which we lease from Mr. Bob Mary White 81-82 Marsteller and show as a historic site, work is progressing to incorporate a new sub- Walter T. Denny 83-84 tenant who will operate an art-oriented business and keep the building open on a reg- Eva C. White 85-86 ular basis. More on this project in a future newsletter. C. Gilbert Dunn 87-89 In a broader context, we are working at the county level in support of preservation Audrey Hawkins 90-92 of historic resources. We are supporting a proposed ordinance, the first of its kind for Charles Koegel 93-94 Queen Anne’s County, which would require documentation and protection of archae- Hugo Gemignani 95-98 Nancy M. Cook 99-08 Continued on page 2 KIHS Committees Continued from page 1 Membership Calendar John Conley, Chair ological sites and resources in the county affecting Budget 2017 Lynne Riley-Coleman major site plans, major subdivisions, and certain Jay Gibson other projects, using established standards and crite- JANUARY 18 Linda Collier ria. The measure has passed the Planning Commis- Publicity BOARD MEETING Martha Lostrom sion with significant amendments and will be Newsletter considered by the county commissioners. We will Martha Lostrom, Editor continue to follow it closely. FEBRUARY 15 Carole Frederick, Managing Editor A second effort is a new county policy to notify BOARD MEETING Library/Genealogy Frank Frohn “heritage stakeholders”of pending demolition of a Bob Lowe, Chair historic property to allow possible salvage and MARCH 15 Lynne Riley-Coleman preservation of significant artifacts or resources. The GENERAL MEETING Kirwan House Linda Collier, Curator first such effort is being applied at the historic Cray- TBA Cameron Sewell ford Property on Rt. 8, with the willing cooperation Taylor Harmon of the present owners, the Kerner family. APRIL 19 Cemeteries Steve Kougoures, Asst. Curator During the year we hosted a number of heritage BOARD MEETING Cray House events. Although our signature annual event, Kent Sally Lewis, Curator Island Day, was rained out by a historic deluge in Post Office MAY 17 Earl Chambers, Curator May, we look forward to the biggest and best KI Day BOARD MEETING John Conley, co-Chair ever in May 2017! Smoke House Building We hosted four significant quarterly events, in ad- MAY 20 and Grounds dition to having all our historic sites open with do- Train Station KENT ISLAND DAY Rudy Lukakovic, Curator cents on the first Saturdays from May through Bank November. In March we celebrated Women’s His- Marilyn Wilson, Docent JUNE 21 Lynnda Kratovil, Docent tory Month at Historic Christ Church with a remark- General Meeting - TBA Docents able presentation on Amelia Earhart by Mary Ann Sally Lewis, Coordinator Jung. In June we celebrated our maritime heritage JULY 19 Josh Bouchal Anne Marie Bouchal with a memorable evening dinner cruise on the BOARD MEETING Butch Collier Chester River aboard the River Packet. In September Linda Collier we gathered for our annual Fall Heritage Picnic at AUGUST 16 Cassy Dafin Carole Frederick Kirwan place to celebrate the island’s rural heritage. BOARD MEETING Carl Gerg In December we held our annual General Member- IF NEEDED Joanne Gerg ship meeting, with elections and swearing in of Offi- Jay Gibson Toni Gibson cers and Board Members at Fisherman’s Inn. SEPTEMBER 20 Taylor Harmon Our Officers for 2017 are President, Jack Broderick; BOARD MEETING Chris Kilian Vice President, Hal Wilson; Treasurer, Lynne Riley- Lynnda Kratovil Coleman; Corresponding Secretary, Carole Freder- Sally Lewis SEPTEMBER 24 ick; and Recording Secretary, Nancy Cook. Martha Rawle Mannix ANNUAL PICNIC Barbara Marmion Lostrom is joining the Board as a new member and Fran Peters @ KIRWAN HOUSE will also serve as our new Publicity Chair and Hanna Wall 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Marilyn Wilson newsletter publisher. We offer our sincere thanks and best wishes to Alex PROGRAMS Johnson and Marilyn Hull and to Frank and Donna OCTOBER 18 Kent Island Day BOARD MEETING Nancy Cook, Chair Frohn who are going off the Board. Their Board serv- Jack Broderick ice has been invaluable. We look forward to their Carole Frederick continuing involvement on special projects as volun- NOVEMBER 15 Toni Gibson Jamie Sasse teer members of KIHS. BOARD MEETING Picnic And thanks to all of you for your involvement Carole Frederick, Chair and support in 2016 and for your continued DECEMBER 11 Toni and Jay Gibson Linda and Butch Collier support in 2017, as we continue our mission to ANNUAL MEETING/Brunch June General Meeting discover, identify, explore, and preserve the ELECTION OF OFFICERS Jack Broderick heritage of Kent Island. Annual Election Brunch FISHERMAN’S INN 12:30 - 4:00 PM Toni Gibson Jack Broderick 2 Holiday Cheer and Greetings to All Following the Annual Heritage Society Meeting in December It was a wonderful Year of 2016 to celebrate as President Jack Broderick noted all the accomplish- ments of the Kent Island Heritage Society in opening message of this newsletter. Only the Kent Is- land Day’s demise due to the wicked rainy weather dimmed the glow of the many positive activities enjoyed throughout Kent Island. Nancy Cook, known as “The Energizer Bunny” of the Society, was honored as a state senior volunteer (see her story, next page). With a delightful and delicious brunch enjoyed, the group blended talents both for a “word game” related to holiday tunes and the exceptional local songs written by Toni Gibson. And they, in spirit, sum up our views and lives past and present in the Kent Island environs. Lots of news - Next Fall will see the 100th anniversary of the proving The Problem with Kent slow, will he ever go? And ground moving to Aberdeen - what would Kent Island have been if that Island (to be sung to the tune now you’ve missed your of “Frosty the Snowman’”) chance. Ohhhhhh Refrain had gone through, were it not for the tenacity of Sen. Kirwan. And a call Refrain: Here on Kent Island, Verse 3: Coming up Route goes out now for volunteers for the May 20, 2017 Kent Island Day or be- a near-perfect Paradise ... 8, now, you have to wait: on come a docent for the regular open houses in downtown Stevensville. We love our Bay and our is- the bridge, an accident! The land way, but the traffic – not traffic‘s stuck, and you’re so nice. out of luck. Call your boss Kent Island Heritage Song we’d hoped; Annapolis and Bowlingly were Here on Kent Island, every- to hear him vent! Ohh- By Toni Gibson (sung to tune of Jingle Bells) threatened, but we coped. ... The British all body is a friend ... There’s a hhh… Refrain: Stevensville, Buzzardsville, places went home; we said our glad goodbyes. ... smiling face, mostly every Refrain near the Bay; Chester and Dominion,too, all And over Fort McHenry’s roof, the starry place ‘cept when traffic has no Verse 4: To fix this mess in along the way.