W. Edward Orser papers – Special Collections

Overview

Title:	W. Edward Orser papers
Call Number:	Coll196
Creator:	Orser W. Edward
Dates:	1988
Size:	53 posters (4 linear feet)
Abstract:	Includes 53 local history posters about the Catonsville, Oella, Ellicott City, and Frederick Road communities. A subset of the posters were used as an exhibit, produced in partnership with Dr. Ed Orser, UMBC professor of history Dr. Joseph Arnold, and the Catonsville Room at the Baltimore County Publc Library’s Catonsville branch. This exhibit preceeded Orser and Arnold’s book, “Catonsville, 1880 to 1940 : from village to suburb” (1989).
Language:	English
Citation:	W. Edward Orser papers, University Archives, Collection 196, Special Collections, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Baltimore, MD).

Administrative/Biographical Note

W. Edward (Ed) Orser is Professor Emeritus of American Studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and the author of “The Gwynns Falls : Baltimore Greenway to the Chesapeake Bay” (2008), “Blockbusting in Baltimore : the Edmondson Village story” (1994), and with Joseph Arnold, “Catonsville, 1880 to 1940 : from village to suburb” (1989).

Scope & Content

Arranged in boxes and flat files by assigned number.

Provenance Information

Accession MSS 2010-07 sent by Dr. Orser; this accession was transferred to the university publications and to Collection 55, UMBC Oral History collection. UARC 2015-19 was sent from the American Studies office; the posters had been on display in the American Studies conference room. Collection may expand.

Collection unprocessed. Each poster has been assigned a number.

Access & Use

No restrictions.

Reproductions allowed for research purposes. UMBC is the copyright owner; permission to reproduce is required.

Subject Headings

Catonsville (Md.) History
Ellicott City (Md.) History
Cable cars (Streetcars) Maryland

Series Description & Container List

Expand all | Collapse all

UARC 2015-19

Title	Date	Box	Folder	Info
Poster: UARC 2015-19-01 The Summer Home Era, 1880-1900 The Village Center Takes Shape				View
Pictures of three structures- the Wilson and Poehlman Lumber Yard, Library Hall, and the Catonsville Short Line Railway Depot from the 1880s.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-02 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 Schooling in the New Century				View
Related pictures of Catonsville High School (circa 1910) including a program for the dedication of the new school, faculty, maps, the school’s literary journal, and photos of graduating seniors. Also information on the contention over Catonsville’s black children attending white schools.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-03 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 The 1910 Census: Race, School, and Homeownership				View
Graphs of Catonsville’s 1910 census indicating the percentage of Catonsville’s black population, percentage of homeownership of blacks vs whites, and the number of children attending school. Photographs show various children/ school children.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-04 All the Kids				View
Photographs and quotes from various Catonsville school children and teachers. Schools included Westchester Elementary, Dorsey School, and Ellicott City School.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-05 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 The 1910 Census: Place of Origin				View
Graphs of 1910 U.S. Census indicating the birthplace of whites and blacks majority in Maryland), the age of individuals who had been born in Germany (majority were over 30), and occupation based on ethnic background. Also includes photographs of immigrant families.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-06 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 A Page from the 1910 Manuscript Census				View
Copy of a manuscript census page for the first precinct of the first District of Baltimore County and a copy of the total population figures for Baltimore County by district (first district included is Catonsville).
Poster: UARC 2015-19-07 The Early Village, 1810-1880 “A Delightful Suburban Retreat”				View
Map plan of Catonsville (1877) and Baltimore Sun article on suburban Catonsville.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-08 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 Catonsville Fire Insurance Maps, 1930				View
Various Fire Insurance maps showing the growth of population in the 1930s, new bungalows, shops, new residential development, and the center of Catonsville’s black community.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-09 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 A Winter’s Lane Family: The Coes				View
Photographs of Coe family and map of the black community in which they lived.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-10 The Summer Home Era, 1880-1900 Estates and Summer Homes				View
Photographs and articles from the Argus relating to the opening of estates and summer homes in Catonsville. Includes Belle Grove and Summit.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-11 Photograph of County Corner Store				View
Photo shows the store front of the County Corner Store with two older men, two children, and one adult female.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-12 Photograph of pond				View
Photo shows pond and ceiling of bridge.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-13 When Water Goes				View
Photographs and quotes of flood and hurricane damage from Hurricane Agnes (1972), the flood of 1952, and Hurricane Eloise (1975)
Poster: UARC 2015-19-14 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 Holmehurst				View
Related materials on the Mohler brothers building the Holmehurst development. Includes photographs of houses on Holmehurst Avenue, blueprints for a house, a map showing lots for the Holmehurst development, an advertisement for Mohler brothers’ holmehurst homes in Catonsville, and a ledger book of Mohler Brothers, Inc. showing construction expenses for a Holmehurst Avenue house in 1938.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-15 Photograph of child on rock				View
Foreground of photo shows a young boy sitting on a rock. Another child is sitting on the rock behind him and to the right are community buildings.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-16 Photograph of house				View
Photo shows a house with various trees surrounding it and two dogs running in the yard.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-17 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 The 1910 Census: Work				View
Photograph and signature of census enumerator John Peregoy. Graphs and ledger concerning the occupation of men/women and white/black Catonsville.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-18 Shops- A Bit of Everything				View
Photographs and quotes related to community shops around Catonsville. Stores mentioned include Caplan’s Department Store, Yates Store, Norton’s Pharmacy, Paul’s market, and J. W. Treuth.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-19 The Auto Era, 1920-1940				View
Photograph and text detailing population boom and bust during 1920s-1930s. Description of streetcar lines, the Depression, and new home construction (moving towards suburban trend).
Poster: UARC 2015-19-20 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920: Mapping the 1910 Population				View
Map and text detailing the population distribution of Catonsville in 1910. Includes information on occupational distribution and ethnic concentration.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-21 The Summer Home Era, 1880-1900 Plan of Catonsville, Bromley Atlas 1898				View
Aside from the title and one caption (for a map) the poster is blank.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-22 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 Mohler Brothers, Inc.: Catonsville Builders, 1920-1940				View
Related photographs, text, and maps on the Mohler Brothers developers, local businessmen who lived in the Catonsville community. Brothers Donald and Emile Mohler first developed the Summit, then Holmehurst, then Somerset.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-23 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 Streetcar Housing Developments, 1900-1918				View
Photographs, advertisements, and details of development homes. Texts inform on various independent builders including Frederick Maisel Jr. and John Gerwig.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-24 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920				View
Text information on new structures in Catonsville (like the first National Bank of Catonsville and Catonsville High School), permanent housing, political challenges, reconsideration of women’s traditional roles, and tense gender and race relations.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-25 Maps Tell a Story				View
Information on maps and their importance and information on housing. Includes images from 1896 Bromley Atlas.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-26 The Summer Home Era, 1880-1900 Social Life in the ‘80s and ‘90s				View
Various pictures of women- playing croquet, tennis players- and photos of the Catonsville Country club, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church sunday school class, and the Catonsville school 6th and 7th grade classes.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-27 The Summer Home Era, 1880-1900 Catonsville in the 1880 Manuscript Census				View
Graphs of 1880 US Census concerning race, place of birth, and occupation (white vs black).
Poster: UARC 2015-19-28 Outhouses- That’s Oella!				View
Related photographs and quotes on Oella outhouses, plumbing, and water pumps.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-29 Plan of Catonsville Map				View
Large outline of a Catonsville map. Large photograph of house attached to back of poster.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-30 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 Catonsville Fire Insurance maps, 1925				View
Various Fire Insurance Company maps showing the growth of Catonsville in the 1920s. Photos show new development buildings and the new Catonsville High School.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-31 1920 Ellicott City and Oella Census				View
Graphs and photographs showing statistics from the two communities: Ellicott City and Oella. Data on percentage of homeowners vs rented, country of origin, and race.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-32 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 A Frederick Road Family: The Harmons				View
Photographs of Harmon family, focusing on John B. Harmon Jr. showing him as a child, showing his parents John B. Harmon Sr. and Mary Agnes Harmon, graduating from Mt. St. Joseph’s College, and marrying Ann Loretta Burch. The family became entrepreneurs first as dry goods merchants then as florists.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-33 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 Life in Boom Times and hard Times				View
Photographs of various individuals. Includes members of the Ladies’ Aid Society, a children’s party, the crescent elks Baseball Team, advertisement for a “talking motion picture,” and “Gossip Bench.”
Poster: UARC 2015-19-34 “Roll Out the Barrel”				View
Photographs and quotes of Dickey Textile Band, The Daniels Band, Dickey Field Day, and Fireman’s Carnival.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-35 Main Street, Ellicott City				View
Photographs and quotes of Ellicott City. Includes St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Howard County Medical Society, Ellicott City’s Police Station, a trolley accident, and filming for a Hollywood movie.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-36 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 Sanborn Fire Insurance Atlas of Catonsville, 1910				View
Two maps of Catonsville.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-37 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 Social Life in the 1900s and the 1910s				View
Photographs of Catonsville Baseball Club, the Pot and Kettle Club, the Old Fellows Hall, and two advertisements from the Argus.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-38 Plan of Catonsville Map
Poster: UARC 2015-19-39 Catonsville: Created By Many Generations				View
Text describing The Frederick Turnpike (Frederick Road), residential and commercial developments, churches, the loss of great mansions, and the commercial center. Introduction poster.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-40 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 A Winter’s Lane Family: The Coes				View
Related photographs, marriage certificate, contracts, and manuscript census of the Coe family. Emphasis on Livous A. Coe and Annie Boston Coe, a gardener and laundress.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-41 Oella- Everybody Knew Everybody				View
Photographs and quotes on neighbor relations in Oella. Shows Oella Methodist Church, Mount Gilboa A.M.E. Church, the Dickey Mill, and Oella homes.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-42 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 Catonsville’s Churches				View
Photographs of Catonsville Methodist Episcopal Church, St. Mark’s Roman Catholic Church, and Grace African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-43 Streetcar Suburb 1900-1920 The Frederick Road Commercial Center, 1910-1916				View
Photographs of Frederick Road. Photograph of street car.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-44 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 Summit Park				View
Related materials on Summit Park, developed by Mohler brothers, including a blueprint, advertising pamphlet, photograph of a home, and a map of lots in Summit Park.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-45 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 The Village Center, 1920-1940				View
Photographs of village center buildings including the Alpha Theater, the Standard Oil Station, the Catonsville Fire House, and a Frederick Road service station.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-46 Work in the Mill				View
Quotes and one remaining photograph describing Dickey Mill, Daniels Mill, and mill workers.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-47 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 Sanborn Fire Insurance Atlas of Catonsville, 1910				View
Two maps of Catonsville.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-48 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 Business Life on Frederick Road				View
Photographs of various businesses on Frederick Road including the Heidelbach Grocery store and a tailoring shop (“Sam the Tailor”).
Poster: UARC 2015-19-49 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 Somerset Group Homes				View
Related materials on Somerset Group homes including blueprints, advertisements, and photographs. The home were built by the Mohler brothers under the name Edmondson Avenue Homes, Inc.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-50 Business Life Along Frederick				View
Photographs and related materials on businesses along Frederick Road including the Catonsville Sport Shop, the John Heidelbach Company, and the Adamanter Brick Company. Includes information on the NRA.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-51 Catonsville, 1880-1940: From Village to Suburb				View
Poster describes UMBC’s Catonsville History Project, listing the project directors (Joseph Arnold and Edward Orser) and others who helped to compile the exhibit information.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-52 The Auto Era, 1920-1940 School Life, 1920-1940				View
Photographs and related materials on various schools/ school children including Mt. De Sales Academy and Catonsville High School. Includes articles and photos from school publications including The June Bug, the Catonsville High School yearbook, and Argus.
Poster: UARC 2015-19-53 Streetcar Suburb, 1900-1920 Sanborn Fire Insurance Atlas of Catonsville, 1910				View
Two maps of Catonsville showing homes, businesses, churches, and streets.