Did you take my "Frederick History 101" course? If so, you will be primed and ready to experience the prequel as two separate (but related) fall lecture course offerings will explore Frederick's Prehistory from geologic events billions of years ago to the first inhabitants of our mountain valleys. If you didn't take "Frederick History 101" this is a great way to learn about our area in chronological order.
"Prehistoric Frederick"
(Starts Monday, Oct. 2)
Based on my 1999 video documentary entitled “Monocacy: The pre-history of Frederick County, Maryland,” this course will take students on a 1.2 billion year- journey to better understand and appreciate the cataclysmic events that shaped our present day landscape. The course will also explore the earliest lifeforms from marine organisms, dinosaurs to native-aboriginal man. Bite-sized portions of geology, meta-geography, biology, archeology, and anthropology will be introduced within a multi-media presentation of video excerpts, powerpoint-lecture and touch object “show and tell.”
This course will include 3 classes on consecutive Monday evenings from 6-8pm and will be held at the historic Key Chapel on the grounds of Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick. (Register below)
"Prehistoric Frederick"
(Starts Monday, Oct. 2)
Based on my 1999 video documentary entitled “Monocacy: The pre-history of Frederick County, Maryland,” this course will take students on a 1.2 billion year- journey to better understand and appreciate the cataclysmic events that shaped our present day landscape. The course will also explore the earliest lifeforms from marine organisms, dinosaurs to native-aboriginal man. Bite-sized portions of geology, meta-geography, biology, archeology, and anthropology will be introduced within a multi-media presentation of video excerpts, powerpoint-lecture and touch object “show and tell.”
This course will include 3 classes on consecutive Monday evenings from 6-8pm and will be held at the historic Key Chapel on the grounds of Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick. (Register below)
"Indian Tribes, Explorers & Fur Traders in the Monocacy Valley"
(Starts Monday, Nov. 6)
Based on the 2000 video documentary entitled “Sugarloaf: The Quest for Riches and Redemption in the Monocacy Valley” this course is a historical journey into the wild environs of today’s Frederick County as it existed between three and four centuries ago. This encompasses the European Contact and early colonial period (1600s and early 1700s), and nicely bridges the pre-history of the region to the point of the 1634 founding of Maryland and European habitation over the next century. The course will explore the early American Indian tribes and European explorers and traders that once traversed the area that would eventually see the establishment of Frederick Town in 1745 and Frederick County in 1748. This course will be taught through a variety of film-video excerpts, Power Point-lecture and sharing of artifacts.
The course will include 3 classes on consecutive Monday evenings from 6-8pm and will be held at the historic Key Chapel on the grounds of Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick. (Register Below)
(Starts Monday, Nov. 6)
Based on the 2000 video documentary entitled “Sugarloaf: The Quest for Riches and Redemption in the Monocacy Valley” this course is a historical journey into the wild environs of today’s Frederick County as it existed between three and four centuries ago. This encompasses the European Contact and early colonial period (1600s and early 1700s), and nicely bridges the pre-history of the region to the point of the 1634 founding of Maryland and European habitation over the next century. The course will explore the early American Indian tribes and European explorers and traders that once traversed the area that would eventually see the establishment of Frederick Town in 1745 and Frederick County in 1748. This course will be taught through a variety of film-video excerpts, Power Point-lecture and sharing of artifacts.
The course will include 3 classes on consecutive Monday evenings from 6-8pm and will be held at the historic Key Chapel on the grounds of Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick. (Register Below)
The "Unsettling" Candlelight Walking Tour in Mount Olivet (Late October Dates TBA)
This is not a ghost tour, although we will talk of at least one, but the name says it all, as the stories told are guaranteed to leave you with an uncomfortable and unsettled feeling as you will feel empathy for the decedent's graves visited on the tour. Many of those included have been featured in my ongoing "Stories in Stone" blog series found on FaceBook and MountOlivetHistory.com. Seriously though, there's nothing quite like being in the cemetery at night, with the gates closed and locked behind you!
Scheduled for 2 hours, the tour route will be about 1.5 miles in length, mostly on macadam roadways with occasional walking on grass to access gravesites. Participants should be 16 years of age or over as much of the subject matter is intended for more mature audiences. Restrooms will be available at the tour's intermission period midway through the walk. Dress appropriately including proper footwear, and feel free to bring a drink and a flashlight or your own lantern. Rain or Shine (unless extreme weather conditions in which contingency plans will be made). Parking info will be given later. (Register below)
Back to the Future
There are plans to present "Frederick History 201" an upper level course which will allow further inspection and dialogue regarding the people, places and events that helped form the Frederick, Maryland we know today. This will allow varying voices from the Frederick Town documentary and special guests to help give commentary and analysis on the news and newsmakers of "Frederick Past." This will likely occur in late spring/early summer 2024.
As stated earlier, the context for much of the material found in the "Frederick History 101" series comes from my Frederick Town history documentary and 34 years-plus of work in public history with Frederick Cablevision's Cable 10 Television channel, the Tourism Council of Frederick County, and Mount Olivet where I currently serve as cemetery historian. Thirty years ago, I began work on what would culminate in a 10-hour-long video documentary chronicling the story of the founding of our town (and county) in advance of Frederick's 250th anniversary celebration in September of 1995.
I hope to continue offering sessions of the introductory "Frederick History 101" lecture course, with a Zoom online version likely coming in January 2024 which will allow folks living out of the Frederick area to attend, as well as those with mobility issues, etc. Plans are being made to offer future courses on a variety of other topics centering on Frederick's rich history from African-American history, Frederick and the Civil War, Frederick and the Wild West, Frederick and the Revolutionary War, Thurmont, Maryland, and other topics
As I've said many times, I'm so grateful that I've had the unique opportunity to immerse myself in Frederick, Maryland history. I've made documentaries, presented hundreds of lectures and programs, built interpretive history exhibits, organized special commemorative events, and conducted walking and motor coach tours and other field trips. All the while, I continue to research, write and publish articles and blogs on Frederick people, places and events through my work with Mount Olivet Cemetery and the "Stories in Stone" blog. You can even find my early blog (History Shark Blog) on this very site.
This is not a ghost tour, although we will talk of at least one, but the name says it all, as the stories told are guaranteed to leave you with an uncomfortable and unsettled feeling as you will feel empathy for the decedent's graves visited on the tour. Many of those included have been featured in my ongoing "Stories in Stone" blog series found on FaceBook and MountOlivetHistory.com. Seriously though, there's nothing quite like being in the cemetery at night, with the gates closed and locked behind you!
Scheduled for 2 hours, the tour route will be about 1.5 miles in length, mostly on macadam roadways with occasional walking on grass to access gravesites. Participants should be 16 years of age or over as much of the subject matter is intended for more mature audiences. Restrooms will be available at the tour's intermission period midway through the walk. Dress appropriately including proper footwear, and feel free to bring a drink and a flashlight or your own lantern. Rain or Shine (unless extreme weather conditions in which contingency plans will be made). Parking info will be given later. (Register below)
Back to the Future
There are plans to present "Frederick History 201" an upper level course which will allow further inspection and dialogue regarding the people, places and events that helped form the Frederick, Maryland we know today. This will allow varying voices from the Frederick Town documentary and special guests to help give commentary and analysis on the news and newsmakers of "Frederick Past." This will likely occur in late spring/early summer 2024.
As stated earlier, the context for much of the material found in the "Frederick History 101" series comes from my Frederick Town history documentary and 34 years-plus of work in public history with Frederick Cablevision's Cable 10 Television channel, the Tourism Council of Frederick County, and Mount Olivet where I currently serve as cemetery historian. Thirty years ago, I began work on what would culminate in a 10-hour-long video documentary chronicling the story of the founding of our town (and county) in advance of Frederick's 250th anniversary celebration in September of 1995.
I hope to continue offering sessions of the introductory "Frederick History 101" lecture course, with a Zoom online version likely coming in January 2024 which will allow folks living out of the Frederick area to attend, as well as those with mobility issues, etc. Plans are being made to offer future courses on a variety of other topics centering on Frederick's rich history from African-American history, Frederick and the Civil War, Frederick and the Wild West, Frederick and the Revolutionary War, Thurmont, Maryland, and other topics
As I've said many times, I'm so grateful that I've had the unique opportunity to immerse myself in Frederick, Maryland history. I've made documentaries, presented hundreds of lectures and programs, built interpretive history exhibits, organized special commemorative events, and conducted walking and motor coach tours and other field trips. All the while, I continue to research, write and publish articles and blogs on Frederick people, places and events through my work with Mount Olivet Cemetery and the "Stories in Stone" blog. You can even find my early blog (History Shark Blog) on this very site.
Orbs giving Chris the "once over"
History Shark Productions presents:
|
Course Registration
Walking Tours (Classes) will be capped at 35 students/participants.
Click the button below for access to our secure registration and payment site at CourseStorm.com. The "Unsettling" Candlelight Walking Tour in Mount Olivet Cost: $15 Dates: Thursday, Oct. 26 (6-8pm) Saturday, Oct. 28 (7-9pm) Tuesday, Oct. 31 (Halloween) (7-9pm) 
|
