USCT Exhibit: With Valor and Honor
2025-08-28 10:00 - 15:00, 2025-08-29 10:00 - 15:00, 2025-08-30 10:00 - 15:00, 2025-09-03 10:00 - 15:00, 2025-09-04 10:00 - 15:00, 2025-09-05 10:00 - 15:00, 2025-09-06 10:00 - 15:00, 2025-09-10 10:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) and 12 more dates
“With Valor and Honor:
Talbot County’s United States Colored Troops During the Civil War”
The exhibit With Valor and Honor tells the powerful story of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) from Talbot County, Maryland, who served in the Civil War following the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863. This historic order allowed both free and enslaved Black men to join the Union Army and Navy. Enslaved men were manumitted by their owners for a $300 federal fee to serve as USCT soldiers.
Of the 180,000 Black men who served, 8,718 were from Maryland—and over 600 were from Talbot County alone. Their enlistment was significantly influenced by Frederick Douglass, a fugitive slave from Talbot County, who successfully advocated for Black participation in the war. These men fought with extraordinary courage, often engaging in battles against Confederate forces that included former enslavers. Their service was not only a fight for the Union but also a battle for freedom—for themselves and future generations. Following the war, many of these veterans helped shape a new future by acquiring land, establishing Black communities, churches, and schools. Some had previously lived in Talbot County’s historic free Black neighborhood, “The Hill,” and had glimpses of freedom before the war. The most celebrated post-war community was Unionville, founded by 18 USCT veterans from Talbot County, symbolizing their commitment to securing civil rights and equality.

With Valor and Honor shines light on their sacrifices and contributions, bringing long-overdue recognition to the local men whose courage and perseverance helped reshape American history.

The exhibit and the broader project were made possible through collaboration with a wide range of community members and organizations, including the descendants of Talbot’s USCT veterans and the historic African American village of Unionville, one of many towns founded by formerly enslaved soldiers. Veteran support organizations such as American Legion Post 77, and the 3rd Regiment USCT Re-enactors of Philadelphia also played key roles in its development. We want to thank VFW Post 5118, Maryland 250 Commission and Delmarva Power Exelon for their critical financial support. The Historical Society also expresses deep gratitude to Dr. Clara Small, one of Maryland’s foremost scholars on African American history, for her guidance and insight.

“With Valor and Honor” is now open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 10am-3pm. The museum is located at 25 S. Washington Street, Easton, Maryland. All are invited to visit and learn more about this proud, powerful and often overlooked chapter of American history. Please call 410-822-0773 for additional information.

A Date With History: Shoulder Arms! Marching from Wye House to Freedom
2025-09-12 13:00 - 14:00
Shoulder Arms! Marching from Wye House to Freedom
Friday, September 12, 2025 @ 1:00pm
Union Army Col. William Birney recruited Charles Kellum Jr. for enlistment in the United States Colored Troops, 19th Regiment, Co. C, on December 17, 1863 in Talbot County, Maryland. Charles, 25, is described as a 5 ft. 6 ¼ inches tall Mulatto with brown eyes and black hair. Born in Talbot, his occupation is farmer. What the military record doesn’t reveal is he was enslaved by Col. Edward Lloyd VII, “Master of Wye House.” Charles Kellum is Robin Michel Caudell’s paternal great-great-grandfather, and she unpacks their family history in “Shoulder Arms! Marching from Wye House to Freedom.”
Born and raised on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Robin Michel Caudell, holds a BS in Journalism, from the University of Maryland at College Park, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. She was educated in Caroline County Schools and is a graduate of Colonel Richardson High School Class of 1977. An award-winning Staff Writer at the Plattsburgh Press-Republican and a U.S. Air Force Veteran, she is the 2023 Veterans Writing Award Winner for Black Heel Strings: A Choptank Memoir, which will be published by Syracuse University Press in Spring 2026. She received the 2022 Women of Distinction Military Service Award from NY State Assemblyman D. Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay). Robin is the director/executive producer/screenwriter for “Witness Tree at Union Road,” a speculative documentary in pre-production about a Dutch-American family and its evolution from enslaver, abolitionist, to Union Army soldier KIA in the Civil War. She is a Founding Board Trustee of the North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association and an alum of Cave Canem, Gotham Writers Workshop, Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, and Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference.
This is presented by the Talbot Historical Society in partnership with the Talbot County Free Library and will take place at the library located at 100 W. Dover St., Easton, MD 21601.
The lecture will be presented on September 12th, 2025 at 1pm and is free to the public, but reservations are requested.
If you have any questions or would like to make a reservation:
410-822-0773 or email kaylaw@talbothistory.org
Talbot Historical Society office/research/exhibit hours are:
Wednesday through Saturday 10am-3pm

Historic Walking Tours
2025-09-13 11:00 - 13:00
Historic Walking Tours
Saturday September 13th, 2025
11am and 12pm at 25 S. Washington St.
Join us for an hour-long historic walking tour of beautiful downtown Easton. Do you recognize any of these buildings? How many times have fires spread throughout downtown Easton in the past? These questions and many more will be answered through wonderfully enriching stories about Easton’s past.
First tour: Starts at 11am
Second tour: Starts at 12pm
FREE TO THE PUBLIC
The tour guide will take you to various buildings within the historic district of downtown and explain the importance of the buildings in Easton’s history.
ALL TOURS MEET AT
25 S. Washington Street
Easton, MD 21601.
(the Lawrence Denton Extended Museum and Catherine Valliant Hill Research Center)
There are 10 spots available.

Please contact us for reservations
or if you have any questions:
410-822-0773 or email kaylaw@talbothistory.org
Talbot Historical Society office/research/exhibit hours are:
Wednesday through Saturday 10am-3pm

USCT Exhibit: With Valor and Honor
2025-10-02 10:00 - 15:00
“With Valor and Honor:
Talbot County’s United States Colored Troops During the Civil War”
The exhibit With Valor and Honor tells the powerful story of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) from Talbot County, Maryland, who served in the Civil War following the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863. This historic order allowed both free and enslaved Black men to join the Union Army and Navy. Enslaved men were manumitted by their owners for a $300 federal fee to serve as USCT soldiers.
Of the 180,000 Black men who served, 8,718 were from Maryland—and over 600 were from Talbot County alone. Their enlistment was significantly influenced by Frederick Douglass, a fugitive slave from Talbot County, who successfully advocated for Black participation in the war.
These men fought with extraordinary courage, often engaging in battles against Confederate forces that included former enslavers. Their service was not only a fight for the Union but also a battle for freedom—for themselves and future generations.
Following the war, many of these veterans helped shape a new future by acquiring land, establish Black communities, churches, and schools. Some had previously lived in Talbot County’s historic free Black neighborhood, “The Hill,” and had glimpses of freedom before the war. The most celebrated post-war community was Unionville, founded by 18 USCT veterans from Talbot County, symbolizing their commitment to securing civil rights and equality.
With Valor and Honor shines light on their sacrifices and contributions, bringing long-overdue recognition to the local men whose courage and perseverance helped reshape American history.
The exhibit and the broader project were made possible through collaboration with a wide range of community members and organizations, including the descendants of Talbot’s USCT veterans and the historic African American village of Unionville, one of many towns founded by formerly enslaved soldiers. Veteran support organizations such as American Legion Post 77, and the 3rd Regiment USCT Re-enactors of Philadelphia also played key roles in its development. We want to thank VFW Post 5118, Maryland 250 Commission, Maryland Heritage Area Authority, William Roberts Family Foundation and Delmarva Power Exelon for their critical financial support. The Historical Society also expresses deep gratitude to Dr. Clara Small, one of Maryland’s foremost scholars on African American history, for her guidance and insight.
“With Valor and Honor” is now open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 10am-3pm. The museum is located at 25 S. Washington Street, Easton, Maryland. All are invited to visit and learn more about this proud, powerful and often overlooked chapter of American history. Please call 410-822-0773 for additional information.

For More information on the “With Valor and Honor” exhibit, click here.

Historic Walking Tours
2025-10-18 11:00 - 13:00
Historic Walking Tours
Saturday October 18th, 2025
11am and 12pm at 25 S. Washington St.
Join us for an hour-long historic walking tour of beautiful downtown Easton. Do you recognize any of these buildings? How many times have fires spread throughout downtown Easton in the past? These questions and many more will be answered through wonderfully enriching stories about Easton’s past.
First tour: Starts at 11am
Second tour: Starts at 12pm
FREE TO THE PUBLIC
The tour guide will take you to various buildings within the historic district of downtown and explain the importance of the buildings in Easton’s history.
ALL TOURS MEET AT
25 S. Washington Street
Easton, MD 21601.
(the Lawrence Denton Extended Museum and Catherine Valliant Hill Research Center)
There are 10 spots available.
Please contact us for reservations
or if you have any questions:
410-822-0773 or email kaylaw@talbothistory.org
Talbot Historical Society office/research/exhibit hours are:
Wednesday through Saturday 10am-3pm

The Day Freedom Came: A Living History of Nathaniel Hopkins - in Trappe
2025-11-01 14:00 - 15:00
Uncle Nace: The Day Freedom Came
A Living History of Nathaniel Hopkins
November 1st 2:00 PM – Scotts United Methodist Church in Trappe
November 3rd 5:30 PM – Oxford Community Center
Born enslaved, Nathaniel “Uncle Nace” Hopkins carried the scars of bondage but refused to let them define him. During the Civil War, Uncle Nace enlisted with the United States Colored Troops, fighting for a freedom he had yet to taste fully for himself. Sent home sick and weary, he returned to Trappe determined to build a new life as a free man not just for himself, but for his entire community. Uncle Nace set to work building free black schools, a church, roads and establishing communities here in Talbot County and is responsible for the creation of Maryland’s first Emancipation Day Celebration in 1867 – one of our nation’s earliest and the longest-running celebrations of its kind.
As the first parades marched through dusty streets of Trappe, Uncle Nace became more than a soldier—he became a leader, teacher, and living reminder that freedom must be celebrated, protected, and passed on.
Through Uncle Nace’s eyes, the Talbot Historical Society and the descendants of Nathaniel “Uncle Nace” Hopkins, in conjunction with professional actor Darius Wallace, will bring Nathaniel “Uncle Nace” Hopkins to life to portray his journeys from the fields of slavery to the drums of war, to his triumphant creation of Maryland’s first Emancipation Day Celebration in 1867 – which continues to this day.
Saturday November 1st, Trappe’s “Nace’s Day” Schedule of Events:
10:00 am – Service at Scotts United Methodist (UM) Church – 3748 Main Street, Trappe
– Nathaniel “Uncle Nace” Hopkins Gravesite Visit, Prayer and Benediction
11:30 am – Library Dedication at Nathaniel “Uncle Nace” Hopkins Park
12:00 pm – Food, Vendors and Activities at Scotts UM Church Grounds
1:00 pm – Parade – Main Street, Trappe
2:00 pm – Theatrical Performance: “Uncle Nace: The Day Freedom Came”- Scotts UM Church
Monday November 3rd – Theatrical Performance – Oxford
5:30 pm – “Uncle Nace: The Day Freedom Came” – The Oxford Community
Center, 200 Oxford Rd, Oxford Maryland – Please RSVP at www.oxfordcc.org
Thank you to these generous Sponsors

The Day Freedom Came: A Living History of Nathaniel Hopkins - in Oxford
2025-11-03 17:30 - 18:30

Historic Walking Tours
2025-11-08 11:00 - 13:00
These are the last walking tours for this year. We will begin walking tours again in the spring of 2026.
Historic Walking Tours
Saturday November 8th, 2025
11am and 12pm at 25 S. Washington St.
Join us for an hour-long historic walking tour of beautiful downtown Easton. Do you recognize any of these buildings? How many times have fires spread throughout downtown Easton in the past? These questions and many more will be answered through wonderfully enriching stories about Easton’s past.
First tour: Starts at 11am
Second tour: Starts at 12pm
FREE TO THE PUBLIC
The tour guide will take you to various buildings within the historic district of downtown and explain the importance of the buildings in Easton’s history.
ALL TOURS MEET AT
25 S. Washington Street
Easton, MD 21601.
(the Lawrence Denton Extended Museum and Catherine Valliant Hill Research Center)
There are 10 spots available.
Please contact us for reservations
or if you have any questions:
410-822-0773 or email kaylaw@talbothistory.org
Talbot Historical Society office/research/exhibit hours are:
Wednesday through Saturday 10am-3pm

A Date With History: Doc, I Need a Drink! with Ronald Lesher
2025-11-18 13:00 - 14:00
“Doc, I Need a Drink”
with Ronald Lesher, Ed.D.
Tuesday, November 18 at 1:00pm at the Talbot County Free Library
National Prohibition began in mid-January, 1920 and lasted until the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment on December 5, 1933. During that period of time one could obtain a prescription from a physician for medicinal alcohol. It was also a period when there were many bootleggers and moonshiners supplying illegal intoxicating beverages to the public.
We will explore some of the artifacts of the Prohibition Era: prescriptions and bottle seals that were used to regulate medicinal alcohol and counterfeits of the same to evade the legal requirements imposed by the federal government. The presentation will conclude with a prescription filled for spiritus frumenty (whiskey) in the 1920’s at the Jackson Pharmacy on Tilghman Island.
Ron Lesher has been a lifelong collector and researcher of tax stamps, especially for distilled spirits beginning in the 1790’s and the receipts for the internal revenue tax on distilled spirits that brought on the Whiskey Rebellion.
This is presented by the Talbot Historical Society in partnership with the Talbot County Free Library and will take place at the library located at 100 W. Dover St., Easton, MD 21601.
The lecture will be presented on November 18, 2025 at 1:00pm at the Talbot County Free Library. The lecture is free to the public, but reservations are requested. If you have any questions or would like to make a reservation: 410-822-0773 or email kaylaw@talbothistory.org
Talbot Historical Society office/research/exhibit hours are: Wednesday through Saturday 10am-3pm

A Date With History: When Claiborne Bridged the Chesapeake with Marty Bollinger
2026-01-20 13:00 - 14:00
“When Claiborne Bridged the Chesapeake”
with Marty Bollinger
Tuesday, January 20 at 1:00pm at the Talbot County Free Library

This is the story of Claiborne’s long-lost role over four decades as the major transportation hub across the Chesapeake, connecting Western and Eastern Shores, initially via steamer and railroad, and later by car ferry. Marty’s research provides a window into the broader history of the Maryland region during

periods of tumult and change, from the Civil War to the Cold War. It illuminates the impact of the era of steam, the influence of railroads, the power of monopolies, the impact of politics, and the consequences of technical disruptions — all on how people and products were conveyed across the Chesapeake Bay. The broader story,

told through the experiences of the small village of Claiborne, encompasses failure alongside perseverance and success. The legacy of those days remains visible today, and Claiborne itself bears witness to it. Marty Bollinger is a retired management consultant working in aerospace, defense and maritime industries. He has written extensively on the naval and maritime history over the past two decades. “When Claiborne Bridged the Chesapeake: The Rise and of the Ferry Era” (2025 by Maryland Center for History and Culture) is his fourth book in this field. He serves on the board of directors of the Talbot Historical Society and is a Trustee of the Naval Institute Foundation. He lives in Claiborne.
This is presented by the Talbot Historical Society in partnership

with the Talbot County Free Library and will take place at the

library located at 100 W. Dover St., Easton, MD 21601.

The lecture will be presented on January 20, 2026 at 1:00pm at the Talbot County Free Library.
The lecture is free to the public, but reservations are requested.

If you have any questions or would like to make a reservation:

Leave a message at 410-822-0773 or email kaylaw@talbothistory.org

Talbot Historical Society office/research/exhibit hours are:

Wednesday through Saturday 10am-3pm

A Date With History: When Claiborne Bridged the Chesapeake with Marty Bollinger
2026-01-20 13:00 - 14:00
“When Claiborne Bridged the Chesapeake” with Marty Bollinger
Wednesday, May 20 at 1:00pm at the Talbot County Free Library
Back by popular demand.
This lecture is the same as the one presented in January.
This is the story of Claiborne’s long-lost role over four decades as the major transportation hub across the Chesapeake, connecting Western and Eastern Shores, initially via steamer and railroad, and later by car ferry. Marty’s research provides a window into the broader history of the Maryland region during periods of tumult and change, from the Civil War to the Cold War. It illuminates the impact of the era of steam, the influence of railroads, the power of monopolies, the impact of politics, and the consequences of technical disruptions — all on how people and products were conveyed across the Chesapeake Bay. The broader story, told through the experiences of the small village of Claiborne, encompasses failure alongside perseverance and success. The legacy of those days remains visible today, and Claiborne itself bears witness to it.
Marty Bollinger is a retired management consultant working in aerospace, defense and maritime industries. He has written extensively on the naval and maritime history over the past two decades. When Claiborne Bridged the Chesapeake: The Rise and of the Ferry Era (2025 by Maryland Center for History and Culture) is his fourth book in this field. He serves on the board of directors of the Talbot Historical Society and is a Trustee of the Naval Institute Foundation. He lives in Claiborne.
This is presented by the Talbot Historical Society in partnership with the Talbot County Free Library and will take place at the library located at 100 W. Dover St., Easton, MD 21601. The lecture will be presented on May 20, 2026 at 1:00pm at the Talbot County Free Library
The lecture is free to the public. Please plan to arrive early, as seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Talbot Historical Society office/research/exhibit hours are:
Wednesday through Saturday 10am-3pm
