Bring an item from home, and Todd Peenstra, Owner/President of Peenstra Antique Appraisals will offer appraisals, consultations, and advice on jewelry, silver, coins, timepieces, furniture, glass, porcelain, paintings, bronzes, toys, and more! Antiques Appraisal Day Saturday, April 25 at 1 pm The Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River will host its first ever Antiques … Read more
Spend an hour with amateur researcher Joshua S. Bell as he explores local mysteries, supernatural phenomena, and forgotten history in Essex, Middle River, and other local paranormal hotspots. Museum Speaker Series: Mysterious Middle River Live: 50th Anniversary of Bigfoot Sightings in Essex Saturday, May 9, 2026. Museum opens at 11 AM with talks at 12 … Read more
Come visit our newly updated gift shop! We have a beautiful selection of jewelry and unique items that Mom would truly love. While you’re here, take a moment to tour the museum and see the wonderful changes we’ve made to our local history exhibits. Join us this Saturday, April 11: Museum Opens: 11:00 AM Speaker … Read more
Come explore our museum collections and be the first to see our newly updated “Toy Shop” exhibit! After your tour, stop by the gift shop to browse our exclusive local treasures, including: 🚩 Our newly-designed Essex/Middle River flag 🎄 Beautiful Essex Christmas ornaments 📚 Fascinating local history books 🗓 Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026 🕚 … Read more
We take pride in our ongoing achievements at The Heritage Society and present to you our yearly events calendar. Our mission: To investigate, collect and preserve the history of the Essex and Middle River areas for ourselves and future generations; to support and promote programs and projects for the good of the people of these … Read more
Batter Up! Batter up! It’s springtime in Essex, and the spirit of Opening Day is in the air once again. From the championship runs of the Essex Moose to the days when Orioles stars like Brooks Robinson visited Essex, the museum’s Baumgartner Collection Book #74: Baseball captures it all. Take a look at Essex baseball … Read more
In 2009, the East County Times published a special commemorative issue filled with incredible historical photos from the archives of the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River. Want to dive deeper into our local history? Download the full Essex 100 Years Commemorative PDF. Explore vintage photos, historical timelines, and stories spanning a century of … Read more
“I drove by the Fruitland produce stand on Eastern Boulevard in Essex today and saw that they were going up for auction. I decided to turn around and take some photos of this colorful landmark.” Photographer Kevin Moore Fruitland 2025 Photo Gallery by Kevin Moore Fruitland sketch, Herb Schwartz (Maryland Sketchbook, Baltimore Sun, 1995) Fruitland … Read more
Picnic beach. The Pospisils purchased four waterfront lots on Bay Drive in Bowleys Quarters in 1923, clearing trees and opening 200 feet of shoreline to the public as a swimming beach and picnic grounds. Mary Pospisil recalls the family closing up the nightclub late Saturday night, attending 2:30 a.m. Mass at St. Vincent’s church downtown … Read more
Sue Creek’s famous Pottery Farm By Jackie Nickel (2019) Perhaps the most famous resident of the Back River Neck Peninsula in the 1800s was Peter Hermann, a potter. An immigrant from Germany, he arrived in the United States in 1847 and became a U.S. citizen in 1851, according to research by Ballestone Preservation Society members. … Read more
