Shawn Gladden, the executive director of the Howard County Historical Society, sent me an interesting email relating to the topic of bootlegging in the county.
When the topic is bootlegging, illegal moonshine stills and Prohibition, Howard County doesn't usually figure in on the discussion. However, the Highland area had a history of illegal stills, bootleggers and moonshine during this time in our history.
For example, the building at the crossroads of Routes 216 and 108 that houses Serendipity was, at one time, a blacksmith shop. During Prohibition, a still belonging to one of the local moonshiners broke down. He drove down to the smithy and asked him if he could repair it. The smithy said he could. That's when things took an interesting turn.
The bootlegger had the smithy climb into the trunk of his car for the ride to his still because the bootlegger didn't want the location of his still known to anyone outside his small circle of "entrepreneurs." Not much is remembered about the incident other than the still was repaired but it does show the presence of bootleggers in our area.
Shawn would like to invite the public to the society's whiskey tasting event known as "Bootlegger's Paradise II". On May 23 from 7 to 9 p.m., folks will visit a 1920's-style speakeasy where "The Will Fischer Orchestra" jazz band will provide the entertainment while they sip on samples of five premium whiskeys, light fare and other refreshments.
Shawn suggests that you "dust off that flapper costume, practice your Charleston and join the Howard County Historical Society and Whiskey America as we once again step back to the 1920's."
Tickets are $60 per person. For more information, call 410-480-3250 or send an email to info@hchsmd.org. The museum is at 8328 Court Ave. off Main Street in Ellicott City.
This past weekend, the SWAT team of the Knights of Columbus of St. Francis Catholic Church in Fulton were out in force picking up roadside litter on a one-mile stretch of Route 216. Their "patrol area" started at Murphy Road and continued east to the third traffic circle at the Route 29 overpass.
Ten knights plus a spouse gathered behind the Fulton MacDonald's and fanned out on their respective treks. After about an hour and a half, they completed their walk, collecting 15 large orange trash bags of roadside litter.