Howard County has created a temporary History and Historic Sites Advisory Workgroup to guide county officials on the preservation and prioritization of the county’s historic sites.
The advisory group will “make recommendations regarding the county’s acquisition, programming, partnership, research and prioritization goals for the county’s history and historic sites.” Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks will oversee the workgroup.
The 15-member committee must deliver a written report on the county’s historic sites by July 31, 2026. County Executive Calvin Ball signed the executive order on Tuesday.
“As we get ready to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, we must reflect on our county’s history and its historical sites, and the vital role our past plays in ensuring we are and continue to move forward as an inclusive, mindful, and enlightening community,” he said.
The advisory workgroup is made up of experts, public volunteers and county professionals. Department of Recreation & Parks Acting Historical and Cultural Resources Manager Keenan Holmes will chair the group.
Voting members will represent seven of the county’s historical sites:
- The Elkridge Heritage Society
- Savage Historical Society
- Howard County Historical Society
- HoCo Roots Revisited, Inc.
- Patapsco Heritage Greenway
- Columbia Maryland Archives
- Preservation Howard County
In addition to collaborating with various county departments, Ball appointed eight additional voting members to represent the public:
- Donna Bullatowicz
- Mary Catherine Cochran
- Wayne Davis
- Allen Greene
- Greg Lepore
- William E. “Ed” Lilley
- Jess McPherson
- Tyrone Tyler
“Through this workgroup, we aim to partner with our local partners and county agencies to create a coordinated and informed approach to preserving and telling the story of Howard County,” Ball said.
The committee will terminate on August 30, 2026.
Earlier this year, Howard County introduced a new county flag design. Ball said its current one didn’t represent the county’s history. The task force presented three finalists, leading to controversy around the county. The final design, created by Esen Paradiso, was adopted in May.
In July, Elkridge Heritage Society President Craig Pool wrote a letter to residents asking the community to support a new historical museum in one of Howard County’s oldest areas.
“Today I sit here with only 6 of us board members trying to help save our Elkridge history, saving the Brumbaugh house, and hoping what we are currently building helps bring back a sense of that community we so currently miss,” the letter read, in part. “Our dream of building a museum of Elkridge History and making ourselves a viable organization is coming to fruition but we need help from our Elkridge community.”
For more information on the new History and Historic Sites Advisory Workgroup, contact chair Keenan Holmes at kholmes@howardcountymd.gov.
