Sotterley's BEST Awards!

Sotterley Plantation Receives Three Awards
from Maryland Life Magazine

In a recent 2012 Free State’s Finest poll taken by readers of Maryland Life Magazine, Sotterley Plantation was awarded BEST Historic Attraction, BEST Place for Family Fun, and BEST Place to get married in the Southern Maryland region!

“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition from Maryland Life Magazine,” stated Nancy Easterling, Sotterley’s Executive Director. “What is even more exciting is that these awards actually came from Maryland Life readers and the general public, who felt that Sotterley was special enough to vote for. There are so many facets to Sotterley and so many ways in which we strive to connect with the public. We are thrilled that they feel we have been a special part of their lives, and this award is particularly heartwarming after the difficulties we have faced due to Hurricane Irene. Sotterley will continue to work hard to live up to these accolades in 2012!”

Maryland Life celebrates life and living across all of Maryland and is dedicated to highlighting our state’s culture, history, people, homes, and more.

Photo Credits:

1703 Plantation House: Sara Fisher

Wedding: Brandon Malone
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In Honor of Women's History Month

2nd Saturday Series - “Women of Sotterley”

In honor of Women’s History Month, Sotterley Plantation is pleased to offer the third of four presentations of the 2nd Saturday Series entitled, “Women of Sotterley.” These specialty tours will run on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

Discover the women of Sotterley. Whether it was the mistress of the house, the farm manager’s wife, the heiress, or the enslaved servants, the women of Sotterley were fascinating people who lived extraordinary lives. Hear their stories in this presentation that is a testament to strength, courage and endurance.

Advance reservations only. $15 per person. Limited to 20 people per session. Ages 13 and up. Walking required. Purchase tickets online: http://www.sotterley.org/ or here.

Continuing to Make Good Things Happen

A most grateful THANKS to the following for their generous donations:

Mrs. Louise K. Snell
Mrs. Jeanne Davis
Maryland Land Title Association
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald F. Birch
Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Aldridge
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Cole
Mrs. Garnett W. Bow
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Y. Clagett
Mr. and Mrs. Jay Duke
Mr. Carl Fleischhauer
Ms. Dolores McDonald
Mr. and Mrs. Norman McGuire
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Smolinski
Ms. Jacqueline G. Bond
Mrs. Joan Burroughs
Cedar Point Federal Credit Union
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Guy
Guy Distributing
Mrs. Mary P. Kukla
Ms. Christine Neurauter
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer F. Wolfrey
Mr. and Mrs. Paul L. Berry
Mr. and Mrs. Francis R. Bodine
Capt. and Mrs. Martin Deppe
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel A. Donohue
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Goldsmith
Hon. and Mrs. Marvin S. Kaminetz
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis A. Shoemaker
Mr. Jack G. Upton
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wilson
Mr. & Mrs. William T. Armstrong
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ernest Bell, II
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Bowes
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas D. Briscoe
Mrs. Pamela Freeman
Ms. Frances L. Kilcullen
Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Kohn
Ms. Juanita Marsh
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Nelson
Mrs. Betty B. Peterkin
Ms. Laura E. Verge
Ms. Katie Watts
Mrs. Annette H. Wilfong
Ms. Christine R. Wray
Mr. and Mrs. Ford L. Dean
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond S. Bednarcik, Jr.
Mr. CSC Applied Technologies
Mrs. Janice Ewell
Ms. Bonnie Green
Ms. Jacquelyn V. Meiser
Ms. Anne Rullman
Capt. and Mrs. Richard V. Wilson, Jr.
Mrs. Catherine Parlett
Dr. Daniel Alexander
Mr. Albert H. Hamilton
Mr. and Mrs. R. Kendall Nottingham
Askey, Askey & Associates, CPA
Mr. and Mrs. Alan D. Brown
Mr. Jeffrey Clark
Ms. Christa Conant
Mr. and Mrs. Whit Field
Mr. and Mrs. James Hooper
Mr. and Mrs. Elliot Kocen
Mr. and Mrs. Leander McCormick-Goodhart
Mr. and Mrs. John Mitchell
Ms. Sarah Scheible
Dr. and Mrs. Mark Adelman
Mr. and Mrs. Alan P. Keeny, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert I. Randall
Ms. Margot Cook
Mrs. Lucile E. Doyle
Mr. Charles Grace
Mr. David A. Ryan
Mr. and Mrs. Francis M. Greenwell
Dr. and Mrs. Eugene Guazzo
Dr. Julia A. King
Mr. and Mrs. John Bone
Mr. Bruce Dailey
Admiral and Mrs. Paul W. Dillingham, Jr.
Ms. Jocelyn Secker-Walker
Dr. and Mrs. Donald McNellis
St. Mary's College History Club
Dr. and Mrs. L. Tomlin Stevens
Mr. and Mrs. David W. Allen
Mrs. Adriana Gillaspy
Ms. Mary Heibel
Inger, McCabe, Elliott IME-LTD.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Morrissette
Ms. Linda Stedman Montague
Wolf Maryles & Associates LLC
Mrs. Verlinda Keith
Mr. Gary Thomas Scott
Chesapeake Garden Club
Drs. Thomas and Suzanne Fitzpatrick
In Stitches Needlework, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Steven J. Dunlap
Mr. and Mrs. Davide C. Marney
Mr. Ed McManus
Mr. Gary James Meekins
Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Satterly
St. Mary's College History Club
Ms. Barbara H. Stanton
Mr. Jack Wiley
Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. Barnes
Mr. Joseph Bozick
Community Bank of Tri-County
Dr. and Mrs. John W. Roache
Mr. Simon Eristoff
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Dawley
Mr. and Mrs. Truman T. Semans
Ms. Cynthia Hamilton
Mr. and Mrs. Larry R. Loudermilk
Ms. Martha Ann McIntyre
Mr. Harry Tollerton
Ms. Sally Fiske
Mr. John Hetrick
Ms. Janice Briscoe
Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Black, III
Ms. Laurie Ford
Ms. Georgeann F. W. Hayes
Ms. Barbara Naef
Mr. and Mrs. J. Richard Thomas, Sr.
Ms. Sally McGrath
Mr. and Mrs. James Raggets
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Dose'
Hon. and Mrs. Peter Messitte
Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Middleton
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Smolinski
Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Taylor
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Trentman
Mr. and Mrs. J. Blacklock Wills
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stein
Ms. Patricia Hughes
L. Millette
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen M. Elchenko
Elon University, Class of 2008
The Nancy Ruyle Dodge Charitable Trust
Mrs. Janet B. Rowland
Ms. Mary Anne Bowman
Mr. John F. Carter, II
The Ganlee Fund
Mr. Donald Halloway
Ms. Laura Hammett
Ms. Elizabeth Hannold
Mr. Brian Hardman
Mr. Aaron Heinsman
Mr. and Mrs. James H. Howard
Ms. Deborah Kipple
Mr. Howard Lennox
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Matchett
Ms. Pamela McIntyre
Ms. Donna Schneider
Ms. Lindsey Seaton
Ms. Brittany Spalding
Ms. Samantha Watters
Mrs. Helen Crettier Wilkes
Mr. Richard Wood
Dr. Gita S. van Heerden
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Houston
Mr. Bill Schmalgemeyer
Ms. Tara Wagner
Mr. and Mrs. John J. McAllister, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Turner, III
Ms. Doreen Gantz
Marion & William O.E. Sterling Fund
Mr. Dale Jones
Ms. Denise Watson
Mr. and Mrs. Harry E Storck
Ms. Merideth Taylor
W. M. Davis, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. John Parker
Ms. Eleanor F. Slater
Dyson Building Center
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Segar, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Stiles
Mr. and Mrs. Hugh T. Cassidy
Mr. Thomas K. Crickmer
Mr. and Mrs. William C. Moody
Mr. and Mrs. Steve and Beverly Wilson
Mr. and Mrs. David Butler
Ms. Florence Lanham
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tinari
Mr. Bruce Weden
Mr. Melrose Woodward
Mr. and Mrs. Gerard G. Gleckel
Ms. Jeanette Kaufman
Ms. Erin Knight
Ms. Barbara Mason
Mr. Robert Struth
Ms. Jessica Wells
Ms. Leigh Wolf
Ms. Lois M. Plunkert
Ms. Judith Clark
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Tiralla
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Brock
Mr. John H. Briscoe, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. George Cohen
Ms. Carol Galaty
Ms. Lynne Goldstein
RADM Donald Boecker
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Citro
Ms. Sally Costa
St. Mary's County Garden Club
Daughters of the American Revolution Major Wm Thomas Chapter

Mr. William J. Rutter
Mr. and Mrs. George Mallinckrodt
T. Rowe Price Program for Charitable Giving
Ms. Alma Hays
Mr. and Mrs. John F. Gardiner, Jr.
Mrs. Rebecca MacDonald
Ms. Joan L. Bowling
Ms. Eileen Emmet
Calvert Garden Club
Ms. Margaret T. Slingluff
Buckler Electric, LLC
Wildes-Spirit Design & Printing

Thank You, Austin ... and Farewell!

by Jeanne Pirtle, Education Director

Austin Kibler served as an intern here at Sotterley from June to December of 2011. A SMCM student majoring in political science and history, Austin was recommended by Professor Ken Cohen who also served as his faculty advisor. Our staff at Sotterley wears many hats and our resources are often stretched to the limit. We always welcome our college interns to do critical and much needed work in many areas of museum operation.

After the incorporation of the new house tour last May, “Discovering Sotterley,” that required a literal raid on available collections vital to the tour, it was a perfect time for an intern to work with reorganizing, re-cataloguing, and researching our collections pieces. Working with members of the collection committee and Education Director, Jeanne Pirtle, Austin helped to update the inventory and re-package pieces for better conservation. He also researched pieces that are displayed in the Plantation House tour. This research will help interpreters answer visitor questions and give their presentations more depth. Knowing more about when a piece came into the collection, how it was obtained, who obtained it, dating the piece and other such details not only adds interest, but it will help us when assessing and applying for any conservation grants and planning for the future. Going beyond what was required, Austin took ownership of his work. He also helped to select and display pieces for new exhibits in our visitor’s center.

Austin also learned the new tour and worked as an interpreter during the fall months. After his internship was officially over, Austin continued to work on a volunteer basis to help us get ready for the first 2nd Saturday Series, “Backstairs/Upstairs” in January. The program was a huge success, and Austin was a major contributor. Austin is an example for others for his work ethic. He worked and collaborated with many different people with ease, both staff and volunteers. Austin has learned a great deal and has found that he desires an education and career in the museum field. He will be an asset to any organization. It was a pleasure working with him.

Good luck in all of your future endeavors Austin!

LEGENDS and LORE with a whole new twist!

Friday, March 16, 2012
Two tours: 6:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.

There is nothing like a good yarn, and Sotterley, with three centuries of people living on this site, has many exciting and entertaining stories that have been passed on over the years. Ghosts? Well of course! "Way back when" stories and recent experiences from those close to Sotterley will be shared. Storytelling at its finest, this presentation will bring out the storyteller in you! Some outdoor walking required for this tour.

Order tickets online - click here.

T-Shirt Design CONTEST!

BIG CONTEST! Let the competition begin!

This October marks our 10th Riverside WineFest at Sotterley!!! And because this is a BIG deal, we are accepting design submissions from the talented wonders out there!

1. Each participant may enter the maximum of three designs.

2. The winner will receive two tickets to this year's Riverside WineFest at Sotterley - good for either day of the event - October 6th or 7th, 2012. (A valid ID with proof of legal drinking age required at the gate.)

3. Email submissions to marketing@sotterley.org no later than June 1, 2012. Late entries will not be considered - sorry.

Questions? Please email marketing@sotterley.org.

Ready? Set? CREATE & SUBMIT!

Black History Month Event - "To Live Enslaved"

2nd Saturday Series - “To Live Enslaved”
at Sotterley Plantation

In honor of Black History Month, Sotterley Plantation is pleased to offer the second of four presentations of the 2nd Saturday Series entitled, “To Live Enslaved.” These specialty tours will run on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

Slavery was a part of Sotterley’s history from the turn of the 18th century and lasted for over 160 years. It was during this era that the Plantation was the site of one of the largest communities of enslaved African-Americans in the Southern Maryland region. Hear the voices and visit the places where African Americans lived and labored. Hear the stories of their resistance and their quest for freedom and learn how research helps us to uncover these important stories.

Advance reservations only. $15 per person. Limited to 20 people per session. Ages 13 and up. Outdoor walking required. Purchase tickets online (Snow date: 2/25/12)