In the month ahead, we are remembering the bustling days of years past in and around Baltimore. Please join us on Nov. 23 as we slip over the county line with a walking tour in our northern neighbor, Towson. If you are feeling festive, on Nov. 17 Baltimore historian Wayne Schaumburg will the second talk in our fall series at the Garrett Jacobs Mansion on Christmas in Charm City. Finally, if you have not yet joined us, head over to Lexington Market on Nov. 9 for a tour of the market and underground catacombs.

On Saturday, November 23, Towson’s own history buff, Ms. Brenda Carl, will take us back through the town’s wonderful history and notable characters, including Divine of John Waters fame. See how places like Prospect Hill Cemetery, Loch Raven Reservoir, and East Towson, founded by African Americans formerly enslaved at Hampton Mansion, helped make Towson into the vibrant college town it is today.

On Sunday, November 17, join Baltimore historian and educator Wayne R. Schaumburg for a talk on “Christmas In Old Baltimore.” Mr. Schaumburg will focus on some of Baltimore’s great holiday customs from the 1940s to the 1960s, including downtown shopping, visiting Santa, the Toytown Parade, firehouse train gardens, and even our favorite holiday topic to quibble over: aluminum trees.

Finally, on Saturday, November 9, catch our next Lexington Market tour to see behind-the-scenes at what Ralph Waldo Emerson dubbed “the gastronomic capital of the world.” We will also explore the catacombs under the marketplace. Rediscovered in 1951, the origins of these tunnels and vaults are mysterious…perfect for the post-Halloween enthusiasts.

We hope to see you at some or all of the above events and tours. It’s going to be a great month of heritage and history!