Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River
2025 Calendar of Events
FEBRUARY
February Membership Meeting Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 7 p.m.
MARCH
Mysterious Middle River Live
Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 1 pm
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. Topics include hauntings, documented UFO landings, strange creatures, and unexplained coincidences. Doors open at 12:30. Visitors may tour the Museum after the presentation. Light refreshments will be served.
Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River
2024 Calendar of Events
JANUARY
No Monthly Membership Meeting.
January 15 – Annual Board Meeting.
Museum closed except for Paranormal Investigations.
FEBRUARY
February Membership Meeting Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Speaker Series: “Henrietta Lacks”
Thursday, February 15, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Servant Courtney Speed, founder of the Henrietta Lacks Legacy Group, will discuss the impact of the life of Turner Station resident Henrietta Lacks, who died of cervical cancer in 1951. Cells taken from her body without her knowledge were used to form the HeLa cell line, which has been used extensively in medical research and has played a role in the development of the polio vaccine, in vitro fertilization, cancer treatments and more. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Visitors may tour the Museum after the talk. Free and open to the public.
MARCH
March Membership Meeting Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Speaker Series: “History and Hauntings: In Conversation with The Baltimore Paranormal Society” Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 7 p.m. Members of the Baltimore Paranormal Society will discuss some of their most active investigations, including their experiences at the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River. Guests will have the opportunity to learn about the tools/equipment used during their investigations and hear about the team’s methodology when approaching haunted locations. A Q&A session will follow the talk. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Visitors may tour the Museum after the talk. Free and open to the public.
APRIL
April Membership Meeting Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 7 p.m.
First Responders’ Appreciation Day Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 12 to 2 p.m. Join us for a special First Responders’ Appreciation Day! We’ll have emergency vehicles out front for visitors to check out. (List of agencies and vehicles will be announced closer to the event.) Visitors can also tour the Museum. First Responders will be treated to lunch. Free.
MAY
May Membership Meeting Thursday, May 2, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Speaker Series: “Friends I Never Met: A History of Oaklawn Cemetery” Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 7 p.m. Kevin Garrity, Vice President of the Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society, will discuss the history of Oaklawn Cemetery and its famous residents. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Visitors may tour the Museum after the talk. Free and open to the public.
Essex Cube Celebration Date to be determined Join us as we celebrate the relocation of the Essex Cube to its permanent home in the Heritage Society Courtyard.
JUNE
June Membership Meeting Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Speaker Series: “Three Turning Points of WWII” with Dale Grimes Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 7 p.m. (Date Subject to Change) Dale Grimes will present a PowerPoint on the three turning points of WWII leading up to D-Day. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Visitors may tour the Museum after the talk. Free and open to the public.
JULY
Dundalk Independence Day Parade July 4, 2024, beginning at 8 a.m. Join our friends in Dundalk for the Dundalk Independence Day Parade!
July Membership Meeting Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Grinch-mas in July! Saturday, July 20, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Join us for a visit from our very special guest, THE GRINCH! The Grinch will be ready for photo opps, and we will have a special Grinch craft for the kids. Stop by and take a tour. FREE for all!
AUGUST
August Membership Meeting Thursday, August 1, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Closed except for Paranormal Investigations.
SEPTEMBER
September Membership Meeting Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 7 p.m.
ESSEX DAY FESTIVAL essexdayfestival.com Saturday, September 14, 2024, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The biggest one-day outdoor festival in Eastern Baltimore County! Live music, food trucks, kids’ zone, vendors, beer garden and more. Museum will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free for all.
OCTOBER
October Membership Meeting Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Speaker Series: “Rosedale History with Bob Dean” Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 7 p.m. (Schedule Subject to Change) Rosedale Historian Bob Dean will take us through the history of the nearby community of Rosedale. Free. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Visitors may tour the Museum after the talk.
Members-Only Paranormal Investigation Date TBD Members of the Baltimore Paranormal Society will lead us on an investigation of our 104-year-old building. Open to the first 15 Heritage Society members who RSVP. Free. Become a member!
NOVEMBER
November Membership Meeting Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Veterans Day Event Saturday, November 9, 2024, TBD
DECEMBER
December Membership Meeting Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Essex Community Tree Lighting Saturday, December 7, 2024 5-7 PM Join us for the most wonderful night of the year in Essex! Tree lighting, gifts for the kids, DJ, fire trucks and a visit with Santa. FREE for all.
Museum Historian Paul M. Blitz
Speaker Series: “An Evening with Historian Paul M. Blitz” Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 7 p.m. Join us for the last Speaker Series of the year with Heritage Society Historian of more than three decades, Paul M. Blitz. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Visitors may tour the Museum after the talk.
2024 Essex Community Tree & Cube Lighting
Saturday, December 7, 2024 5-7 PM
Join us for the most wonderful night of the year in Essex! Tree lighting, gifts for the kids, DJ, fire trucks and a visit with Santa and Cubey the museum mascot!
This special night will also feature the lighting of the original Essex Cube, now located in our courtyard.
The Museum will be hosting a free Christmas in July event! We’ll have our special guest Santa ready for photo opps, along with craft vendors, special activities for the kids and Museum tours! Interested vendors, please email us at essexmuseum@gmail.com. Vendor spots are $25 and you should bring your own table.
We are holding our annual Essex Tree Lighting on Saturday, December 5th, 2020 from 5 to 7 pm. Please join us for this fun family outdoor event. It’s a great way to kick off the holidays!
Special thanks to our premier “Santa” sponsors this year who have made our event possible:
CLIFF’S HI-TECH AUTO BODY SHOP INC.
County Councilman
Todd Crandell
Frostee Tree Farm
Sullivan’s Garage
Power Factor
Walmart Baltimore – Carroll Island Rd
Delegate Ric Metzgar
Thank you to all of our “Frosty” sponsors who have made our Tree Lighting possible!
Alice’s – a family restaurant
Connelly Funeral Home of Essex
East Coast Autos
Jeff’s Automotive
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Tradepoint Atlantic
Here’s a list of our “Elf” sponsors who have made our Essex Community Tree Lighting possible:
Dec. 8th, 2018: Holiday Tree Lighting and Museum Open House
For our 2019 Annual Open House and Tree Lighting we planned a fun family event with a visit from Santa courtesy of Essex Volunteer Fire Company, gifts for the kids, music by DJ Leon Moses and MC Karie May, snacks and more. Our tree has been generously donated by Paul Stiffler of Frostee Tree Farm in memory of its founders, George and Helen Winter who ran the business for more than 30 years. Special thanks to our tree lighting committee members from The CORE Group, CLIFF’S HI-TECH AUTO BODY SHOP INC., Weavers Marine Service Inc, Back River Restoration Committee, and Stiffler’s Service Center.
We are proud to host the Dosch Family exhibit as a new donation from our Essex community member, Mrs. Susan Carter. The Dosch Family lived in Essex since 1921 as part of the original Essex suburb. Mrs. Lottie Dosch lived on Taylor Ave. until her passing at age 96! These are the original wedding dresses of Lottie Dosch and her daughter-in-law Lillian that married her son.
Lottie Dosch’s son Bill Dosch served in the Navy during WWII. His Naval uniform is now on exhibit in our veterans room upstairs. Please stop by to see our beautiful new exhibit and read about their lifetime in Essex!
(left to right): Alice Hawkins (maid-of-honor), Charles F. Dosch (groom), Lottie Jenkins Dosch (bride), Thomas Carter (best man).(left to right): Sophie Thomas Brosius (Lillian’s sister), Catherine Thomas Seay (Lillian’s sister) Frieda Brawner (maid-of-honor and Lillian’s friend), Samuel Thomas (Lillian’s brother, who “gave her away”), Lillian Thomas Dosch (bride), John William Dosch (groom), Stephen Thomas (best man and Lillian’s brother), Walter Seay (Catherine’s husband), George Brosius (Sophie’s husband); Flower Girl – Charlotte Meyers (John’s cousin), Walter Meyers (John’s cousin).
Susan Dosch’s donation letter to the Heritage Museum:
My name is Susan (Dosch) Carter, and I have been an Essex resident for 65 years. My grandparents (Charles and Lottie Dosch) arrived in Essex in 1921 and lived at 307 S. Taylor Avenue. They remained in Essex until they both passed away (my grandfather at age 62, and my grandmother at age 96). Their house remained in our family for 95 years. My parents (John and Lillian Dosch) were also born and raised in Essex, and settled at 323 S. Woodward Drive.
My grandmother (Lottie Dosch) was the cashier at the Essex Theatre for many, many years until it burned down in 1968, and then went to work as the cashier at the Hiway Movies. I have my grandmother’s wedding dress (and button-up, high top shoes) and a large picture of my grandparents on their wedding day on September 26, 1917 (so her dress is almost 100 years old).
I also have my mother’s wedding gown, veil, ring-bearer’s pillow, the Bible she carried and a picture of my parents on their wedding day on October 21, 1945. My parents were both confirmed and married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Essex, and my sister, brother and I were baptized, confirmed and married there as well. I also have my mother’s fur coat (and chinchilla wrap) from the 1940’s, and pictures of her in it. I have photos of the coat as well that I can send if you like. My mother graduated from Kenwood High School in the class of 1940, and I have her class picture and the graduation program with all the names of those in the class. I also have my mom’s Kenwood high school prom gown and a picture of her in it. Both my parents worked at Martins for a while, and I have a couple of pamphlets from Martins describing their pension plan and benefits. My dad enjoyed photography, and I have his “Brownie Hawkeye” camera and another camera that belonged to him.
Remember when Essex had a large crowd for the Christmas Tree Lighting?
We are going to revive that tradition and we would like to include you in that group this year. You will be sure to enjoy the Orems United Methodist Choir, refreshment and décor. The Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River membership invites you to share the evening with us.
Santa will give each child a handmade tree ornament, and can have their picture taken outside in the sled with Santa Claus.
Join us on Saturday, December 6th beginning at 6:00 p.m.
