Jim McCarron has a vision of turning an old clapboard building in Taneytown's downtown into a showcase of the city's 241-year history.
"For years, I've been a proponent of an idea to start some kind of museum that would reflect the city's rich heritage and history," said Mr. McCarron, a three-term city councilman.
And while for many of those years Mr. McCarron was stumped when it came to housing such a museum, a now-vacant pharmacy across the street from City Hall -- which the city acquired last year -- almost begs to be used.
"The structure itself needs a lot of work, but the location is great," Mr. McCarron said.
He brought up the idea of a city museum during a council meeting last month, and the city's residents have been asked for their opinions in Taneytown's monthly newsletter.
More than a half-dozen residents will meet with Mr. McCarron Feb. 28 to talk about ways to jump-start the museum project.
When Mr. McCarron talks about a museum, he describes his city's long history and its contributions to life in Carroll, Maryland and the United States. "We are the oldest town in the county, and we've got a lot of almost frontier-type history that needs to be told."
Taneytown was founded in 1754. Before that, its early residents were Native Americans who hunted otter, wolves, deer and wildcats in the surrounding countryside.
The city was named for Ralph Taney, a St. Mary's County man who never lived in the city but played a big role in designing it.
Local historians note George Washington did indeed sleep in Taneytown -- he is said to have visited a city tavern in 1791. Robert E. Lee passed through town on his 1863 trek toward Gettysburg. And Francis Scott Key, who wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner," was born five miles west of town.
Mr. McCarron predicted that the step from thinking about a museum to actually seeing one open is a big one. The City Council would have to approve money for the project.
Then there's the cost of renovating the pharmacy building, which Taneytown Bank and Trust Co. donated to the town late last year. Most estimates peg renovation costs of the two-story building at nearly $90,000. Questions of staffing levels, admission costs and other particulars also are going to be hard to answer, Mr. McCarron said.
Residents interested in learning more about the Taneytown museum proposal can attend the organizational meeting at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 in City Hall. For more information, call 751-1100.