Sandy Spring Museum was founded as a local history museum, preserving the history of the surrounding area of

Sandy Spring, MD Sandy Spring is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. Geography Sandy Spring's boundaries are roughly defined as Brooke Road and Dr. Bird Road to the north and west, Ednor Road to the south, and New Hamps ...

. Today, by supporting community-driven cultural arts and educational programs, they gather community to build a sense of place and belonging.

History

An insurance salesman and auctioneer named Delmas Wood started the Sandy Spring Museum in 1981 because he thought Sandy Spring's history was gradually being lost as older residents died. Wood wanted a place to preserve antique furniture, farm equipment, photographs, paintings, and documents of the Sandy Spring area. Florence Virginia Barrett Lehman also helped found the museum. The museum was originally located in the basement of a Sandy Spring National Bank branch in

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. In October 1986, it moved to Tall Timbers, a brick four-story

Colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 a ...

house that had been the home of Gladys Brooke Tumbleson, who had died earlier that year. Tumbleson descended from the Brooke family, for which nearby

Brookeville Brookeville is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, located north of Washington, D.C., and north of Olney. Brookeville was settled by Quakers late in the 18th century and was formally incorporated as a town in 1808. Historica ...

was named. Tumbleson sold the building to the museum for less than market value.

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founded the Sandy Spring Museum Garden Club, a group of volunteers who tend to the museum's courtyard garden, in 1992. Helen Bentley, the widow of baseball star Jack Bentley, donated of land on Bentley Road in Sandy Spring to the museum in 1994. The Bentleys' ancestors had lived in Sandy Spring since the late 18th century. Almost the entire cost of the new location was contributed by local donors. The building was designed by local architects Miche Booz and Thomas Bucci. They based the design local 18th century barns and houses in order to make sure it would blend in with the area. The arched walkway was originally planned from the road to the entrance, but it was shortened to save costs. The architects gave a distinctive feel to each room of the building, and Booz called the central courtyard the "best room in the museum". The museum's new building on Bentley Road opened in 1997, providing more room for the museum's exhibits.

Maryland Historical Trust The Maryland Historical Trust is an agency of Maryland Department of Planning and serves as the Maryland State Historic Preservation Office. The agency serves to assist in research, conservation, and education, of Maryland's historical and cultura ...

awarded the Educational Excellence Award to Sandy Spring Museum for its interactive exhibit and web site in 2001. In 2007, a addition opened, providing a research library and a collections storage facility for the museum.

Exhibits

Sandy Spring Museum's exhibits include a replica of a 19th-century classroom, a replica of a blacksmith's shop, a replica of a general store, and a tractor made from a

Model T Ford The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relati ...

. The museum has archived more than 15,000 artifacts and photographs from the area around Sandy Spring. Some of its collection dates back to 1650. There are temporary exhibitions that rotate quarterly which often focus on art and history or art and current events. The artists featured are frequently but not exclusively local. A windowed gallery displays art by the faculty of

Montgomery College Montgomery College (MC) is a public community college in Montgomery County, Maryland. Founded officially in 1946 as Montgomery Junior College, its name comes from the county in which it is located. The earliest start date that can be contribute ...

. Two new exhibits were designed by locals in 2014. One of the exhibits is about veterans transitioning from life in a combat zone to life as a civilian. Another exhibit recreated an existing exhibit about community gathering spaces.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sandy Spring Museum 1981 establishments in Maryland 501(c)(3) organizations History museums in Maryland Museums established in 1981 Museums in Montgomery County, Maryland Non-profit organizations based in Maryland