Historical Society of Carroll County
Baltimore Sun article for December 24, 2000
25 Years Ago
Wreaths, bells, balls and greenery deck the town and make winning doorways in the Annual Christmas Doorway Contest sponsored by the Mt. Airy Garden Club and Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Mary Boone’s door in Merridale Gardens won first place on the south side of town with its blue bells on a red background. Mrs. Walter Brown on Bennett Branch Road won second prize and Mrs. Harry Nikirk of Hickory Hills won third. There were so many good north side doors that two honorable mentions were made – to Raymond Molesworth on Sunset Avenue and Bill Duvall on Park Avenue. Community Reporter, December 26, 1975.
50 Years Ago
Community Xmas Treat Friday Afternoon – All plans are completed for the community Christmas Treat to be held on Friday afternoon, December 22nd. The parade will form at Belle Grove Square and will begin promptly at 1:00 o’clock p.m. The route of march will be from Green and Bond streets to the Playground via Anchor street. Main street and Longwell Avenue. The Westminster Municipal Band will head the parade and Captain John Magin will be the Marshal. Floats in the parade will be sponsored by the Soroptimist Club, Venture Club, Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, American Legion, Girl Scouts and Brownies, and Stewart N. Dutterer, florist. All children are asked to march in the parade. Democratic Advocate, December 22, 1950.
75 Years Ago
Christmas Mail Records Broken — 70,000 Pieces Were Handled Daily for the Past Several Days – Postmaster Harry M. Kimmey reports the heaviest mail going through the Westminster Postoffice on record. More than 70,000 pieces per day have gone through the office during the past few days, including 17,000 pieces of mail going through the canceling machine. The receipts of the office are considerably ahead of last year. The Westminster office, in addition to the Postmaster and Assistant, carries a force of five regular clerks, three city letter carriers and is supported by twelve rural carriers and three stations, together with three men handling the parcel post packages. It is very doubtful if there is another office the size of Westminster and with the same force of men that has handled more mail than has this office. Democratic Advocate, December 25, 1925.
100 Years Ago
The present generation is not familiar with newspaper carrier’s addresses, but forty to a hundred years ago the boys who delivered papers in towns, where they were published, issued and gave to the patrons in such towns, for a consideration, on each New Year’s day, a poetical address, usually of considerable length and expressing some local interests. To Mr. John J. Reese, of this city, the Sentinel is indebted for a copy of the address issued by its carriers in 1835, sixty-six years ago. The name of the paper was then the “Carrolltonian,” and it was published by the late Col. John K. Longwell. Among the themes of the address, which was well written and displayed very considerable literary ability, the demand for the erection of the new county was quite prominent. American Sentinel, December 27, 1900.