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The Historical Society of Carroll County’s East Main Street Campus in Westminster comprises of three historic structures, dating back to the early 1800s. The Kimmey House, built around 1800, serves as the Society’s administrative headquarters and currently houses the Society’s Research Library in the Shriver-Weybright Auditorium. Plans are underway to move the Research Library and administrative offices to HSCC’s adjacent historic building known as Cockey’s or Cockey’s Tavern. The Shriver-Weybright Auditorium will then be utilized for exhibits, lectures, and receptions. The Society is aiming to complete this move by 2026. Our third historic building known as the Sherman-Fisher-Shellman House dates back to 1807. HSCC was founded in 1939 to save the Sherman-Fisher-Shellman House from demolition. The “Shellman House”, for short, functions as a historic house museum and offers a glimpse into the life of Jacob Sherman and other occupants in the home. HSCC is currently expanding its interpretation of the Shellman House into the second floor with the development of a new bedroom dedicated to the life and history of Mary Shellman, opening in the spring of 2025. Surrounding these historic structures is the Shipley Memorial Garden, where visitors can stroll through a recreated 19th-century kitchen garden and pleasure garden.
Kimmey House
Kimmey currently houses the Society’s research library and administrative offices. The original portion of the building was constructed around 1800.
Check out more Kimmey images and history on our Collections Hub and Digital Library, Documenting HSCC History 1939-Present
Sherman-Fisher-Shellman House
The Sheman-Fisher-Shellman House was built in 1806 and serves as a house museum, interpreting the lives of the many people who lived and worked in the home. Tours of the house are free and no appointment is needed.
Check out more Shellman images and history on our Collections Hub and Digital Library, Documenting HSCC History 1939-Present
Cockey’s
Many local residents remember Cockey’s Tavern as their favorite restaurant to visit and share stories with dear friends. After the closing of Cockey’s Tavern, the Society acquired the building in 2000 and completed major renovations on the structure. HSCC plans to move the Society’s research library into Cockey’s by 2026.
Check out more Cockey’s images and history on our Collections Hub and Digital Library, Documenting HSCC History 1939-Present
Shipley Memorial Gardens
The gardens behind the Sherman-Fisher-Shellman House were made possible through the generosity of the Paul Shipley family in memory of Miss Lillian Shipley, our first resident curator.
Visit in the spring and into the summer and you can see the kitchen garden beside the back porch. We’ve put in some of the more interesting and unusual plants that may have been grown in the period 1800-1850 and used for food or medicinal and domestic-industrial purposes. The larger portion of the garden, “the Pleasure Garden,” is planted with a wide variety of plants, shrubs, and trees that would have been available during the same early 19th century period.