Baltimore Heritage

Originally called Laurel Factory, the town of Laurel today started as a 19th century milltown with ties to Baltimore along the B&O railroad line. Situated halfway between Baltimore and DC on the Patuxent River, it started as a small grist mill in 1811 and by 1840 had evolved into a cotton mill employing more than 700 workers. Join us and our guide Ann Bennett, Executive Director of the Laurel Historical Society, as we soak in the natural setting of historic Laurel while learning about its bustling past!

Thomas Rhodes sold his first pound of coffee at the Baltimore Farmers’ Market in November 2005 using a newly acquired one-pound coffee roaster. In doing so, Mr. Rhodes’ new business, Zeke’s Coffee, joined a long line of coffee connoisseurs in Baltimore that includes Alex. Brown and Sons, the nation’s first investment bank, which imported so much coffee that it become the firm’s main source of revenue by the late 19th century. Join us for an espresso-ily energizing tour of Zeke’s Coffee as we talk about Baltimore’s history of coffee and learn about the art of coffee roasting.