Upcoming Events
Thankful Food Drive & Tour the House Days – Saturday November 14, and Saturday November 28, 2020
Share your blessings and drop off some canned goods or non-perishables to help our community in need. We are partnering with a local church to help with their annual Thanksgiving basket food give away. If you prefer to make a financial donation towards the purchase of fresh foods for the baskets, those will be accepted as well and given in full to the Food Pantry.
Then, step back in time to enjoy the house and property with a focus on the farming history of our area. Masks required and social distancing will be observed. Small fee for entry.
Early Christmas Flea Market and Craft Fair – November 7 from 8 am to 3 pm. Held on the grounds of the Benson-Hammond House. Get an early start on your holiday shopping! If you’re interested in being a vendor, see the space application on our Events page.
Virtual Holiday Open House – December 5 from 11 am to 3 pm. The house will be decorated for the holidays and we’ll be streaming live talks about the history of the holiday and how the Benson and Hammond families celebrated in the 1800’s. More details to come!
We’re Open for Visitors!
We’re happy to announce that The Kuethe Library, Benson-Hammond House and the Shop at Jones Station are now open See below for details and restrictions.
Kuethe Library – Open Thursday-Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. Masks are required unless social distancing can be maintained. For your safety, we provide hand sanitizers and are wiping down work surfaces and computers at the beginning of each work day.
If you’re donating books, please leave them at the back steps and call to let us know they are there.
Benson-Hammond House – The House will be open on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month through November. Please wear masks and maintain social distancing.
We’re planning a “Virtual Open House” for December 5. Stay tuned for more details.
The Shop at Jones Station – The shop will be open every Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm. Please wear your mask and come shop all our new wares!
Celebrating Our Rich History
For over 50 years the Ann Arrundell County Historical Society has continued to pursue its mission of collecting, preserving and sharing the rich history of this area. Its collections of books, photographs, documents, and artifacts, now numbering in the thousands, attract scores of visitors each year and fulfill the vision of the founders: to encourage and inspire present and future generations to preserve and share our County’s heritage.
The society is custodian of the historic Benson-Hammond House, built in circa 1820, which is on the National Registry of Historic Places and last standing farmhouse on the large tract of land that became BWI airport. The rooms of the house display antique artifacts of farm life, furniture, textiles, and more. Find out more about visiting the Benson-Hammond House.
And no, the spelling our society is not in error. In the year 1650, the Maryland Colony named its third county after the wife of Lord Baltimore. The colony’s records of that time show the name as Ann Arrundell. Over time, the name of the county evolved to Anne Arundel county. Find out more about Lady Ann.
