Maryland in Focus: Introduction

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Maryland Historical Society
Library of Maryland History
201 W. Monument Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-685-3750
Fax: 410-385-2105
E-mail: library @mdhs.org
 

Water Street, c 1875 Photographer unknown MHS Library, Special Collections Department

This was the task the Maryland Historical Society staff faced in creating this exhibit. We knew that we wanted these panels to display Maryland’s:

People—showing a range of time periods, ages, social status, and ethnic groups;
Places—showcasing the beauty and variety of “America in Miniature” over the years;
Events—documenting our state’s role in the events that shaped our nation, as well as the universal experiences of everyday life.

The wealth of material available posed the problem of what to leave out, not what to include. One image might be interesting historically, but not visually; another both beautiful and interesting—but how many photos of trains or children or bodies of water did we really need?

This exhibition is the end result. These are not necessarily the Maryland Historical Society’s forty best photographs, or forty most historically important, or forty most popular. This exhibition does include forty excellent photographs that we hope will interest, educate, and entertain you.

Photographs are the next best thing to a time machine. Look closely at them; there’s more than first meets the eye.  They bring Maryland in focus.

Start Tour Exhibit CONTENTS: Lists all the images in the Exhibit