Photo By Ensign Chazz Kibler | Maryland Military Department’s Alexandra Reed, archivist trainee, left, Richard...... read more read more
REISTERSTOWN, Md.—Members of the Maryland Military Department’s Maryland Museum of Military History facilitated the curation of items given by an anonymous donor to be displayed at the Montrose Mansion at Camp Fretterd Military Reservation in Reisterstown, Maryland, on June 6, 2025. Over 40 items varying in historical value were curated, ranging from furniture, dinnerware and cutlery, art, music sheets, and more.
“This donation of the items, many with ties to prominent Maryland families, was made with the aim of promoting Maryland's unique cultural heritage and in honor of the current amazing leadership of the Maryland National Guard and its forces that continue the mission of securing and defending American freedoms,” said the anonymous donor.
CFMR is home to several Maryland National Guard units, and the MMD maintains its grounds and facilities. One of them is the Montrose Mansion, a 19th-century structure acquired by the state of Maryland in the 1920s for use as a juvenile educational institution. Now, the mansion serves as a location for hosting events.
“Being true antiques and period antiques, much closer to what would have originally furnished the mansion, lends prestige to the whole organization,” said MMD’s Barbara Taylor, museum director, Maryland Museum of Military History. “Everyone thinks of the military as military uniforms, guns, and military protocol, but there's a softer side to the military. They care about their history. And this donation shows the MDNG actually cares about art and Maryland history.”
Antiques were not the only thing the anonymous donor provided to the Montrose Mansion; they also supplied their interior design input for the items.
“It was a very different collection to handle only because it requires decorating a house with items, which is completely different from decorating a museum,” said MMD’s Alexandra Reed, archivist trainee, Maryland Museum of Military History. “Thankfully, the donor had an idea of where to set things, which was very nice.”
To assist even further, the donor also assessed the artifacts.
“The artifacts were incredibly well researched and turned over to us by the donor,” said MMD’s Richard Morain, a museum volunteer with the Maryland Museum of Military History. “They let us know the provenance of exactly what it is we were dealing with, as well as the time period that it came from. And in some cases, they provided links to why pieces would be a good fit for the Montrose Mansion.”
In reflecting on the importance of community support for local history, Taylor emphasized the crucial role that public generosity plays in preserving our heritage.
“Museums and even the Maryland National Guard at large, in regard to the mansion, cannot exist without the generosity of the general public, especially those who see a need and fill it,” said Taylor. “We are really indebted to those who are generous and care enough about their city, county, or state's history to make sure that it is preserved.”
| Date Taken: | 06.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.03.2025 14:12 |
| Story ID: | 512341 |
| Location: | REISTERSTOWN, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 11 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Montrose Mansion Receives an Anonymous Donation, by ENS Chazz Kibler, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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