Fall 2020 Newsletter

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THE LEDGER
The Newsletter of the Lock House Museum
C O M I N G U P
Anniversary Celebration
November 14th at 10 am. Guided
trail walk of North Park Trail.
December 12th 4-8 pm. 48th
annual Candlelight Tour of
Havre de Grace.
December 12th & 13th -
Lock House Boutique.
Saturday 9-5 & Sunday 11-3.
Baked goods and handcrafted
items.
January 9th at 10 am. 'Frost Bite'
guided trail walk of North Park
Trail.. Next walk March 13th.
April 3rd at 1 pm. Museum opens
for the 2021 season.
October 17th was one of those perfect fall days
where the light was so intense and the temperature
was perfectly seasonal. That is the kind of day we
had for our 50th anniversary celebration held on
the Lock House grounds. The view of the river was
so clear and sharp it almost didn't look real.
We were grateful to all of our friends, members,
colleagues and local politicians who came out to
commemorate this important milestone in the
history of the Lock House Museum.
Sadly, we had no original members present but
were in contact with a few such as Mrs. Johnnie
Lee Witt who along with her husband, David
(passed away in 2019), were very early organizers
of the museum. Mrs. Witt was the museum's first
curator and wrote to me some stories that I shared
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at the event which, hopefully, gave the museum some historic and personal
context.
Many thanks again to all the commendations and citations we received from
City of Havre de Grace Mayor Bill Martin, County Executive Barry Glassman,
County Council Member Curtis Beulah, State Senator Robert Casilly, the
Maryland Department of Commerce, US Senator Ben Cardin and to all of the
City and County Council members who attended and wished us well.
A special thanks to our speakers that afternoon; Richard Sherrill, local
historian and longtime museum researcher and Bob Magee, former director and
dedicated volunteer who both spoke of memories, projects and people. To
paraphrase Bob Magee -it's not the building that is the museum it is the people
that make the museum. That was only proven by the number of friends and
supporters who came out and all the good wishes we received that day!
Stay safe and well,
Joanne Healey, Director
Julie Ruhnke (L), Vicki O'Keefe, Joanne Healey, Mayor Bill Martin, Brad Fogarty, Carol
Allen, Ann Marie Serwa (R)
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Candlelight Tour 2020
The theme for this year's tour is 'The Light Still Shines' - a tribute to the dedication of
the museum's members and volunteers, without whom the Lock House Museum would
not have survived the COVID-19 challenges. Although all other 2020 fundraising events
were cancelled, we are so pleased to be able to still celebate our holiday events.
The Candlelight tour has a different look this year
to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions. Rather than
tour the interiors of the homes, the tour is an outside
event. You will be treated to a musical tour,
performed on the porches of homes both old and
new, parks and museums. At each stop, you will
enjoy entertainment performed by theater actors,
singers, and musicians in a variety of styles.
Luminaries will light the way to each of these stops.
If the tour is not enough to stimulate your holiday
spirit, the Christmas Boutique is a must stop. This
year the Boutique will only occupy the first floor of
the Museum and will comply with all requirements
regarding masks and social distancing. The Lock
House Ladies have spent the last year working on
homemade crafts and gifts that offer an artistic flair to
your holiday gift-giving. There are also centerpieces
made from fresh greens and both sweet and savory
gourment food items. We hope that you will enjoys this year's creative tour, the warmth
of the homeowners who welcome you to their porches, as well as the charm of our city.
Tickets available online on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/118739658515
or at the Havre de Grace Visitor's Center on Pennington Street.
Sincerely,
Ann Marie Serwa
Board President
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A Special Tribute to Our Lock House Ladies
The Board of Directors of the Lock House Museum are pleased to pay tribute to the
“Lock House Ladies.” From humble beginnings to the present day, these volunteers have
supported the museum each year without fail, crafting goods to sell at the Lock House
Museum’s Annual Christmas Boutique. Members bake, make “fresh greens” arrangements,
and handcraft gifts and decorations. The generosity, talent, creativity, dedication, and
energy of the Ladies have been a blessing to the museum. In keeping with this year’s
Candlelight Tour theme of “The Light Still Shines,” the Lock House Ladies continue to
support the Museum so that the light never goes out in the museum.
This year the Boutique will take on a different look due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Only
the first floor of the museum will be open, and practices will be in place to comply with mask
and social distancing requirements. Weather permitting, some of the items will be staged
outside under tents. Participants in the Candlelight Tour can bring their Tour Buttons to the
Boutique on Sunday, December 13th and receive 20% off their purchases.
Our heartfelt thanks and love go out to each of the Ladies who have donated their time,
talent, and energy since 1990 to make the annual Christmas Boutique a very special
highlight of the Candlelight Tour.
Boutique Hours
Saturday, December 12th 9-5
Sunday, December 13 11-3
Buy Your Chances Today!
Online or at the museum.
Once again, the Lock House Museum is
participating in the Holiday Tree Jubilee
held at Hutchin's Park this year.
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A n n u a l M e m b e r ' s M e e t i n g
B o a r d M e m b e r s 2 0 2 0 / 2 1
O f f i c e r s
P r e s i d e n t - A n n M a r i e S e r w a
V i c e P r e s i d e n t - J u l i e R u h n k e
Our annual meeting took place on
Wednesday, September 9th this year at the
museum followed by refreshments. The
members formalized the addition of two new
board members; Carol Allen and Richard
Stubing.
S e c r e t a r y - C a r o l A l l e n
M e m b e r s
Update: since September the board has
added two new advisors; Bob Magee and
Tom Fitzpatrick.
B r a d F o g a r t y
J i m M i l n e
B e v e r l e y M u r r a y
i c k i O ' K e e f e
V
i c h a r d S t u b i n g
R
B o a r d A d v i s o r s
o b M a g e e
B
o m F i t z p a t r i c k
T
Contact Information
Lock House Museum
PO Box 253
817 Conesteo Street
Havre de Grace, MD
21078
E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r
410-939-5780
info@thelockhousemuseum.org
www.thelockhousemuseum.org
J o a n n e H e a l e y
Museum's New Mission
This year the museum's board of directors adopted a new mission to be included in the five
year strategic plan. The new mission will help focus the energies of the museum in its
exhibits, collections, and interpretations. Our new mission statement:
"To showcase the impact of the Susquehanna & Tidewater Canal on the region by
expanding and preserving the historic collection. Creating a memorable and stimulating
experience through oral and visual demonstrations depicting life along our canal during the
19th century".
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2 ways
to become involved in the museum!
Become a Volunteer
OR,
Become a Member/Make a donation
Online www.givebox/membership
Lock House Museum
PO Box 253
Havre de Grace, MD 21078
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