We are very excited to be rolling out our new additions to the William Brown House to provide a more immersive visitor experience. Improved signage provides more information about the individuals who lived here, and the things that were important to them. Recently acquired objects give visitors a chance to engage with the 18th century in new ways. William Brown House (from the perspective of the South River) Even when considering the same room, the same document, the same object: they can all tell different stories if you look at them from different perspectives. This is a house full of stories. It isn't just the story of William Brown, but the story of all the people who lived, worked, and travelled through here. Each of those people experienced the house in a different way. As visitors explore some of the new objects, they will be invited to think about what those objects could mean to different people. For free, white, male paying visitors to the tavern, an English Delft earthenware bowl full of punch might have represented a chance to sit around with friends and business associates to drink and enjoy themselves. For the free white woman who likely ran the tavern (William's wife Susannah), it might represent disappointment at not having more fashionable porcelain punch bowls. For the enslaved black woman (Sall) working down in the kitchen, it would have been just another pot to scrub, one in a huge pile of other dishes to be done. Each of these people has their own story to tell. We hope to bring some new perspectives to light with our reinterpretation. The lives of the enslaved people of London Town are often neglected in favor of the lives of literate, wealthy individuals who left accounts, wills, deeds, court cases, and letters behind. In neglecting the stories of enslaved people, we are neglecting the experiences of well over half of the population around London Town at the time of the American Revolution. Further exploring what their lives and experiences were like in this building and around town has been a major focus of our work.

Meghann Mahoney, Public Programs Administrator Dr. Meghann Mahoney lives in Baltimore with her husband, Yannick, 2 ½ year old daughter, Isabelle, and her two cats, Albator and Demona. She has just celebrated her one year anniversary at Historic London Town & Gardens. She earned her Masters and PhD in Archeology from the University of Leicester in England. She has a bachelors in Anthropology and Psychology with a minor in Classical Languages from the University of Iowa. Talk about some of the jobs you’ve had that led you to working at Historic London Town & Gardens. My first “grown-up” job was at the Museum of Natural History in Iowa City. My desk was directly under a huge taxidermy walrus head that I was always afraid would fall on me! I’ve also worked at the Maryland Science Center, helping develop their educational programming. What drew you to work at London Town? The job combined two of my favorite things: history research and public programs. There are so many compelling people and stories. Plus, there is so much you can touch and connect with. Also, the gardens make it a beautiful place to work. Who is a historic figure here you find compelling? Margaret Brown, the daughter of William Brown. The more I chased her story and what events she witnessed in her lifetime, the more engaged I became. She was a teenager when the Declaration of Independence was read. She married a patriot privateer of the American Revolution and then a very famous furniture maker. Her first husband imported books- did she get to read any of them? I saw her tombstone while visiting Annapolis; it’s the only gravesite of the Brown family that we know about. I can’t help but wonder what she was like as a person. Can you talk about your upcoming presentation “Counting Bones and Making Bones Count” on Tuesday, February 28th at 10:30am? I have always loved fossils and bones. As I young girl, I spent weeks digging up a tree root convinced it was a fossil, (it was not, but that didn’t deter me). Just like history records reveal stories about people like Margaret, bones tell their own stories. Some of them tell murder mysteries, some tell more personal stories. During my PhD research on Roman Britain, some bones I unearthed turned out to be from a small breed of dog and most likely a pet. I’m looking forward to sharing these stories at the lecture. People can sign up for it online at http://www.historiclondontown.org/events. The Public Programs Department is in the middle of a major reinterpretation of the William Brown House, with new exhibit pieces. What have you learned? I have developed a whole new set of opinions. For instance, I have learned that I have several thoughts on what the back of a pewter spoon needs to look like. Who would have thought? Getting things as period correct as possible is a fun challenge for our team.

Witch Hazels are versatile plants, a must for Mid-Atlantic landscapes, offering stunning choices between native and exotic hybrids with plenty color choices. For deciduous forests, Hamamelis suites as a beautiful choice, for it has unique vase like shape, pretty fall leaf color and, interesting fall-late winter blooming flowers that might be a delight to our eyes, but a much-needed treat to the pollinators who otherwise have fewer nectar choices in late winter. Hamamelis commonly called 'Witch Hazel' is a genus belonging to Family Hamamelidaceae. The common and Latin name origin is interesting. "The great botanist Linnaeus saw leaves, flowers, and the prior year's fruit all at once on a single native witch hazel, thus choosing "hama" ("at the same time") and "melon" (apple or fruit) for its name." Source: https://www.chicagobotanic.org/.../which_witch_hazel... The common name on the other hand also has a unique story. "American witchhazel possesses some interesting lore and uses. The most interesting use as been the use of forked limbs as dowsing rods. Early European settles observed Native Americans using American witchhazel to find underground sources of water. This activity is probably where the common name witchhazel came from. 'Wicke' is the Middle English for 'lively’ and 'wych' is from the Anglo-Saxon word for 'bend.'” Source: https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/hamamelis_virginiana.shtml Blooming currently at London Town you will see bright yellow Hamamelis x intermedia varieties 'Bramsted Gold' and 'Sunburst'. Both have bright yellow frills, but sunburst has a mix of lime yellow, making it visible from quite a distance, especially in a bare deciduous woodland. Intermedia hybrids are fragrant and come in a variety. Here is a good link from American Horticulture Society for more info. on both hybrid and native species: https://ahsgardening.org/wp-content/pdfs/2012-11r.pdf "When the days grow short and little else is flowering, the strap-like petals and strong fragrance of witch-hazel flowers draw pollinators like owlet moths, and potentially gnats and late-season bees scavenging for food. At the start of the year, Ozark witch-hazel (Hamamelis vernalis, Zone 4–8) is one of the first blooms to greet pollinators." Source: https://arboretum.harvard.edu/.../shrubs-and-the.../ Native or exotic, Hamamelis has stunning choices for bare deciduous Mid-Atlantic landscapes. Once you start exploring the varieties of the native species and exotic hybrids, the question will be 'wych' hazel would you choose for your landscape? I vote for Ozark Witch Hazel, H. vernalis and H. x intermedia 'sunburst'!

Botanist Lens: Canary yellow petals of hope Hope of spring, hope of warmth, the frail little petals of yellow winter sweet and winter Jasmine flowers are all a garden needs as a reminder of spring. One is drenched in deep citrusy sweet fragrance and the other has none, but the bees don't care, they love them both. Winter sweet, Chimonanthus praecox, has delicate canary yellow, deeply scented, flowers that add much needed warmth to any garden in winter. The fragrance is deeper than a Daphne or a Lilac. They prefer full sun and a moist location. Here are some interesting facts: “In China Chimonanthus praecox is known as La Mei Hua and has been cultivated for more than 1000 years. In the 17th century it was introduced to Japan, and it is also now known as Japanese allspice, though it has no relation to culinary Jamaican allspice, Pimenta dioica. Wintersweet arrived in Britain from China in the year 1766. The genus name Chimonanthus is derived from Greek, meaning ‘winter flower,’ and the species name praecox comes from the Latin meaning early (precocious!). The flowers are used in potpourri as well as to scent linen. The essential oils are also used in cosmetics, perfumes and aromatherapy." https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/.../january-2017-plant.../... Winter Jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum, on the other hand, has no fragrance at all. It is an odd duckling in the Jasmine group. Normally Jasmine flowers are known for their deep scent, but winter Jasmine is the only one without any fragrance. However, the pollen are abundant and plentiful enough to make bees happy. The willowing arching habit of the twigs adds drama to its growth. In a rock garden, at an entrance, or next to conifers, Winter Jasmine can make a statement by itself, for it is one of the earliest yellow flower that will bloom during January and February. Its flowers are usually found on new wood that was produced in previous summers, so use caution while pruning, if at all needed. Here are some neat pictures of how much the bees appreciate these pretty canary yellow blossoms: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/bugsquad/index.cfm?tagname=Jasminum%20nudiflorum Visit London Town gardens to enjoy these pretty canary yellow blossoms as a reminder of warmth and hope for spring! -Meenal Harankhedkar, Director of Horticulture

#StaffofLondonTown #Interviews DeAndre Spriggs Maintenance Supervisor Age: 25 Lives near Chesapeake Beach How did you come to work here? My dad is a maintenance supervisor. I thought I would follow in his footsteps. London Town was somewhat close by so I applied. I am building up money by living with my parents. I am saving to go to trade school, maybe as a mechanic or working on HVAC systems. I heard you had a cool car? I drive a 2020 red Ford Mustang EcoBoost. Cars have been a love of mine since I was a kid. I helped my dad fix cars (at age 10 he started to allow me to hold the flashlight for oil changes). I like getting an engine to start. The sound of a car engine revving is the best. What is the favorite part of your job? Seeing happy faces during weddings. It is great to be part of some people’s milestone memories. Some of the kids who went on a school tour when they were students are now getting married here. It just puts a smile on my face. I also think its important for us to be able to re-live history. Immersive tours and re-enactments are just fun. What would you like guests to know? This is a beautiful place, trash belongs in a trash can not in the gardens. Also, I wish parents knew how much kids can damage our plants by running through the garden beds. Do you have any unusual hobbies? I collect colorful rocks. I once wrote “Peace and Love” on a rock while at Sandy Point Beach Park, and someone put it on Snapchat and I saw it and recognized the rock!

Dear Friend, Thank you to everyone who raised a “symbolic beer” to toast Rod Cofield, our former Executive Director, who departed after 16 years to lead the Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum. As President of the Board, I also want to thank Lauren Silberman for stepping up to serve as Acting Executive Director after serving as the Deputy Director for 7 years. Her 20+ years of museum experience ensures the seamless operation of Historic London Town & Gardens. Photo of the William Brown House by Bob Peterson I am pleased to share several new initiatives underway to improve the visitor experience. First, we’re launching an exciting reinterpretation of the William Brown House, making the experience more immersive, hands-on, and inclusive for visitors and students. Concept for The Phillips Education Pavilion Second, my thanks go to the Phillips Charitable Foundation, Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, and a private donor whose generosity is enabling construction a new pavilion for our educational programs. Currently 5,000+ students tour our site annually. Look for the pavilion to open in 2023! Azaleas at London Town Third, we’re embarking on the restoration of the Azalea Hillside. The azaleas are one of our most popular spring garden attractions. However, no matter how spectacular our gardens are, they need to be easily accessible to be enjoyed. As such, I’m happy to share that we’re taking on the complex process of designing new trails compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. As you can imagine, these initiatives require an immense amount of time from our talented staff and dedicated volunteers. They also require large capital expenses. However, we believe the effort will bring history alive for our visitors in an unprecedented way and allow everyone to access the natural beauty of our gardens. These are only some of the projects in the works following our Capital and Operations Improvement Plan: www.historiclondontown.org/2027. Will you please help us bring our beloved Historic London Town and Gardens to the next level of excellence with a tax-deductible donation? Thank you for your generosity! Warmest Wishes, Robert C. Leib President, Board of Trustees The London Town Foundation

The Board of the London Town Foundation is pleased to announce that Mickey Love will become the new Executive Director of Historic London Town and Gardens on January 23, 2023. She is an accomplished non-profit cultural arts and education administrator with 20+ years of experience. “After an extensive search, we are excited to welcome such a competent leader with established management experience, fundraising achievements, and expertise in marketing and government relations,” said Robert C. Leib, President of the Board. “I’m excited to join London Town with its rich heritage, culture, and beauty,” Love stated. “I look forward to working with the staff and board to continue their outstanding programs.” Prior to joining London Town, Love served as the Managing Director of Encore Creativity for Older Adults in Washington, DC, the nation’s largest choral arts program for seniors. Additionally, she spent 10 years as Executive Director at the Dorchester Center for the Arts, the county’s cultural arts center and council. She oversaw a nearly $2 million dollar capital campaign to renovate its historic 14,000 square-foot facility in the downtown’s Arts and Entertainment District. Under her leadership, the organization received several awards, including What’s Up? Eastern Shore Magazine’s “Best Arts Program” and “Best Gallery Recognizing National and Regional Artists.” Other career roles include serving as the Education and Cultural Enrichment Manager for the City and County of Broomfield, Colorado, Library and Cultural Affairs Division; Executive Director for the Pueblo School for Arts and Sciences; and Area Director for University of Maryland Extension. Love earned her Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Savannah College of Art and Design and received her Bachelor of Science in Business from Pennsylvania State University.

Thanks to donor support, this year we were able to uncover many Magnolias from invasive plants. We have 40+ Magnolias and they are one of our most important collections. In the 1970s, horticulturist Tony Dove established our collection, grafting magnolias, including Magnolia ‘Eric Savil’ (M. sprengeri). ​However, growth of invasive plants, like ivy and blackberry, had made it impossible to access some of the Magnolias for identification. This year, we cleared 2 acres of invasive plants, including 1/2 an acres of bamboo, which hid a unique Magnolia called Magnolia veitchii (See photo below thanks to the San Francisco Botanical Gardens). We were also able to add new species, like Magnolia ashei, endangered in some areas. London Town prioritizes biodiversity as we work to help conserve endangered botanical specimens. To further our propagation efforts, this year our staff was able to collect over 100 seeds from 2 different species and 4 separate trees. These seeds are now in cold stratification for propagation in February 2023. Some of these seeds will also be shared with the International Magnolia Society and will be available for purchase in the gardens. ​During our rescue operation, we even re-discovered a lost garden bed overlooking the South River. Named "Wild Azalea Hills," the bed was planted in late 1990’s to highlight Azaleas, Camellias, and Magnolias. We will be working on restoring it to its former glory. Azalea Glade at Historic London Town

We want to thank Mario Harley, Wild Turkey Clan, Piscataway Indian Tribe for his powerful description below used in our newest exhibit at Historic London Town: Native People of Anne Arundel County at the time of European Settlement The placement of Piscataway villages formed a distinctive landscape that embodied our vision of the proper relationships among humans, land, waters, and animals. Our preferred village locations were along the banks of major creeks that created calm waters and security. These sites provided flat land for farming, clay soil for pottery, marshes for edible plants, and forests for nut-bearing trees, building material, firewood and medicines. Many places throughout our homeland had some of these features, but where they all came together, one of our villages was located. Our Piscataway homeland is embraced by a multitude of waterways. The Chesapeake Bay and the rivers, marshes, creeks, and streams connecting these waterways served as an abundant source of food. Our Mataponi ancestors living along the Patuxent River established seasonal encampments along brackish waterways such as the South, West, and Rhode Rivers to harvest their bounty. Using the various feeder streams, they would canoe from the Patuxent watershed, cross a short land trail, and then paddle into these watersheds. These waterways provided an abundant source of fish to be harvested, preserved, and transported back to the villages to sustain their community through the winter. While at these fishing camps, our ancestors would gather oysters and crabs for the fishermen to eat upon their return. Evidence of this can be seen archaeologically at the many oyster shell middens. In addition to providing a food resource, the shells of oysters were used in the construction of pots. A Brief Description of the History and Traditional Lands of the Piscataway Our historical Piscataway territory is defined as the lands on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay from the Patapsco River watershed in the north, to the Potomac River watershed in the south, and extending west along the Potomac River watershed to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Though our historical tribal territory was extensive, our core village locations were along the tidal rivers and creeks where the climate is milder and the growing season for crops is longer. At the time of European contact, our people consisted of sixteen tribes including the Choptico, Mataponi, Nacocthtians, Patapsco, Patuxent, and Yacocomico. Throughout the early colonial period, there was much confusion among European settlers about our tribal identities. We identified ourselves by the properties of the landscape in which we were residing at a point in time. Thus, every time we executed our cyclical village migration, approximately seven years, we would self-identify based upon our new landscape, thus using a new name. Within the confines of the Maryland Colony our ancestors were known as Piscataway. However, Conoy was another name that our people were called by our northern neighbors. This name is synonymous with Piscataway. The Conoy name was later used in historical times to identify a subset of our ancestors, who departed our homelands in the early 1700s. We call ourselves Piscataway Conoy to connect our ancient history in our historical territory with those of our ancestors who emigrated north and west to avoid the European invasion. Interactions between the Piscataway and Europeans through the Colonial Period Our ancestors had an amicable relationship with the English upon their 1634 arrival into our homelands. They anticipated a mutually beneficial relationship with a new trade network. The first decade was a period in which both cultures benefited from each other’s knowledge. Our ancestors taught the colonists what crops to plant and when, as well as techniques for harvesting fish and shellfish, hunting, and trapping for furs. In exchange for our knowledge, Europeans traded clothing, wool blankets, metal cooking pots, steel axes, and other goods. By the 1650’s our people began to be displaced by European encroachment. The colonial government established reservations under the guise of providing us “protection.” Our independence, cultural norms, and freedoms came under attack by the colonists. Their aggression manifested itself in many ways: attempts to impose English law upon our ancestors; enforcing European customs of land ownership; and importing European diseases that our ancestors had no natural resistance to. The decline of the fur trade for the Maryland Colony led to a new economy based on tobacco. Our ancestors grew small amounts of tobacco which they used in ceremonies, smoked to offer prayers to the spiritual world, or used as gifts. The colonists grew large quantities of a hybrid form of tobacco for sale in wide-ranging markets. In the late 1600’s, Virginia royalists replaced the Calvert government and our relationship with the Maryland colony deteriorated. The dispossession of our ancestors’ historical waterfront villages became the focus of the colonial government. The Piscataway after the Revolutionary War The new settler plantations on our land did not erase our ancestors from the landscape. They were contracted by these plantations to provide fish, wild game, and other foods. To supplement payment, our ancestors could continue living on these sites. Thus, the traditional hunting, fishing, and gathering skills of our ancestors proved vital in supporting the tobacco-based colonial economy. This relationship lasted until the end of the American Revolution. After the war, land owned by British loyalists was seized by the new State of Maryland, subdivided and sold in revenge for supporting the British. Unfortunately, the lands our ancestors occupied were also sold off. Our ancestors left these properties and self-isolated into remote locations in Southern Maryland where they quietly blended into Catholic parishes. There, some became tenant farmers, some worked for fisheries, and others farmed in close-knit family communities, which dotted the landscape from Prince George’s County into St. Mary’s County. This pattern of keeping a low profile continued until the 1960’s Civil Rights movement which directly led to the American Indian Movement (AIM). AIM was an intertribal movement of indigenous peoples across the country. Its focus was to reinvigorate native culture, advocate for the honoring of treaties, increase native self-esteem, and promote tribal self-governance. During this period, our Piscataway elders came together and openly became visible once again within our homeland. Our youth were encouraged to publicly share our arts, dances, music, history and culture. Mario Harley Wild Turkey Clan, Piscataway Indian Tribe Mario Harley is a citizen of the Piscataway Indian Tribe, and a member of the Wild Turkey Clan. Since childhood, he has embraced and lived his culture. He is a graduate of the American University in Washington DC with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He has been an active member in perpetuating the Piscataway culture, teaching the youth, educating the public, and advocating for the lands and waterways that make up the traditional Piscataway homeland which includes most of the western shore of Maryland, northern Virginia and Washington DC. He led a team of Piscataway citizens to jointly develop the text for these displays. The tribal history that is being shared within this exhibit belongs to all the Piscataway people, not just the team that worked diligently with Mario to help create this project. We view our tribal knowledge as a gift bestowed upon us from our elders and prefer not to assume individual ownership of the rich history of our ancestors. London Town and The Piscataway In April 1700, Maryland Governor Nathaniel Blakiston convened a conference in Annapolis with the Emperors of local indigenous nations and their representatives, including Ochotomoquath of the Piscataway, Ondauxon of the Mattawoman, and a representative of the Pomonkey nation. The purpose of this conference was to discuss the 1692 treaty among the English and these nations, and its violations. The conference concluded with the last treaties ever made between the Maryland colonial government and these nations. It is likely that this peace delegation passed through London Town and took a ferry to Annapolis as, in May 1700, the Maryland Assembly paid David Macklefish of London Town "for 20 passages and Liquer [sic] for the Indians." Sources: “Indians of Southern Maryland” Seib & Roundtree, MD State Archives

Executive Director Rod Cofield pours a drink at the recently recreated bar in the William Brown House tavern. It is bittersweet that I announce the departure of Executive Director Rod Cofield, after 16 years with Historic London Town and Gardens. Rod will become the new Executive Director at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard, Maryland. His last day at London Town will be Friday, August 5th. Rod has provided a strong and steady vision for London Town. During his tenure, London Town substantially increased its attendance, bringing in 25,000 visitors annually. He's helmed critical projects, including the $500k preservation effort of the c.1760 William Brown House, a National Historic Landmark, and reconstructing the tavern's lost bar. He's also overseen the opening of the Sound & Sensory Garden, Carpenter's Shop, and the parking lot expansion. Over the next few years will be projects he kicked off: a new education pavilion, improved ADA accessibility, and an enhanced waterfront. We're grateful for his dedicated service, which has also improved the site’s financial sustainability while growing the staff and increasing programming. The board is already working on hiring his successor. More information will be announced soon. Rod has agreed to assist with the transition however needed. While we'll miss Rod, we're excited for his new role at Jefferson-Patterson Park and Museum. Please join me in donating a symbolic beer to celebrate Rod and wish him all the best! Best, Bob Leib Board Chair London Town Foundation Buy a Beer for Rod! For the past 16 years, Rod Cofield has shared the stories of London Town's historic tavern, the c.1760 William Brown House. He oversaw the reconstruction of the tavern's lost bar. Please join us in donating a symbolic beer for Rod to toast his many accomplishments and wish him the best along his way. Our symbolic beer menu starts at $16 to celebrate each year he worked here, although you can always surprise him with more than one beer or a nicer drink! Your donations will go to the newly established Rod Cofield Fund. These donations will be used for priority projects and London Town's long-term sustainability. All donations for symbolic beers are 100% tax deductible.

Hi everyone! I'm Nate, and I'm almost 6 years old. Nate on the steps in front the c.1760 William Brown House. Back in 2019, I reviewed London Town when I was 2.5 years old, so I figured it was time for an update. My mom and I spent the afternoon at the museum recently. I started in the Discover London Town exhibit in the Visitor Center. I loved exploring the interactive maps, learning to play Mancala, and drawing. However, my favorite thing to do was to build with bricks. Fortunately, these bricks are a lot lighter than the ones the William Brown House is made from! Then we went to explore the reconstructed colonial buildings like the Tenement. Inside, Diana showed us how they cooked food during the colonial period. There was a real fire, and it smelled amazing! I really love playing games, so I was happy to find Backgammon and Shut the Box inside the William Brown House. (I decided to make up my own rules to play) Shut the Box was so much fun that I actually got a small version from the gift shop to take home. After playing so much in the historic area, we headed over to the Sound and Sensory Garden. Can you spot me running over there? I could have played on the musical instruments for hours. Look, more games! Yes! I played my mom in Tic-Tac-Toe using painted oyster shells. We had such a great time at London Town! We come here often (and if you think you might, don't forget to get a membership. My mom said we can use our membership card not only at London Town but to visit at lots of other gardens and museums across the entire country - Wow!) In the end, we spent over two hours at London Town. We could have spent more, but the site was closing to get ready for a wedding. If you want to visit London Town with your parents or grandparents too, take them to learn more here!