Maxwell Hall and 2025 CCASM Business Meeting

CCASM held its annual meeting with a Potluck Supper on Saturday May 3 at the Pavilion in Maxwell Hall County Park (in Hughesville, but near Benedict).  As at most potlucks, there was a variety of good food. 

After we finished eating, the annual CCASM Business Meeting was held.  The Business Meeting included reports - President's Report (Carol), Vice-President's Report (Pat), Secretary's Report (copy provided by Linda), and Treasurer's Report (Elsie).   Six members were present.  There were also two guests. 

Mike Callahan

The meeting was followed by Mike Callahan talking about the history of Maxwell Hall.  CCASM members have dug STPs and units, helped with a GPR survey, and conducted some metal detecting around Maxwell Hall County Park.  But it is always good to hear more about the history and to get the perspective of those that volunteer to maintain the House and its story.  Then we walked up the hill to the House and toured it from the upstairs to the basement.   Many of us had been inside at some time, but this time we could have a more leisurely visit with lots of time to look around and also to hear about the ghosts.

Mike Callahan is the President of the Friends of Maxwell Hall.   www.friendsofmh.com/

Listening to Mike talk (in the Pavilion)

Maxwell Hall

2025 Port Tobacco Market Day

The rain held off this year and the Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco's Sixteenth Annual Market Day could be held on May 3 in Historic Port Tobacco Village.  As on all the previous Market Days CCASM had a tent at the event.  There were local craft vendors, the garden club plant sale, a white elephant sale, and tables for various nonprofits.  And what would a market day outside a courthouse be without musicians?  Everything from banjos to the youth orchestra.  

Market Day is always a great day for sharing information (both ways) about archaeology, and lots of people stopped by our tent.

CCASM put out its display highlighting some of the history of Port Tobacco including some of the results from archaeology done around 2008 in the Historic Port Tobacco Village.  A visit to the CCASM tent would not be complete without there being some activity.  This year we had the  "What is It?" activity that highlights different type of indigenous artifacts - fire-cracked rocks, cores, flakes, and indigenous earthenware ceramics.  It's always fun to use the display and the display to talk with people. 

Checking out Display
(and being asked to pose for camera)

 

 

Since the ASM Field Session will be in Charles County this year, we made sure to tell everyone about this unique opportunity.  In case people didn't know what people do a field session, we had a display showing what to expect, and a number of people scanned the QR code.

 

Public Archaeology was occurring at the same time at the Swann Site to the southwest of the Courthouse.  We directed a number of people to the site where CCASM members Denise and Elsie were assisting Esther Doyle Read, the Charles County Archaeologist.

Thanks to Evie, Peggy, and Carol for representing CCASM at this event.