Annual Heritage Events
Patapsco Heritage Greenway offers a variety of free public events that explore the heritage and history of the Patapsco Valley Heritage Area (PVHA). These events include talks and lectures on a variety of topics, including local history, archaeology, preservation efforts, and stories of the people and places in the PVHA. Check out our full event calendar to learn more about upcoming events!
Patapsco Days
Patapsco Days is an annual program of events in March that explores the stories and histories of the Patapsco Valley. Browse topics and recordings of upcoming and past events below.
2026: Celebrating 250 Years of History
Significance of Place: The Historic Ellicott City Jail
with Guest Speaker Laura Houston from Preservation Maryland
WATCH RECORDING
The Landscape of Musical Heritage in Catonsville
with Guest Speaker Stephen McKenna from Preservation Howard County
RECORDING COMING SOON
2024: National Themes & Local Stories
Civilian Conservation Corps History in Patapsco Valley State Park
with Guest Speaker Jamie Petrucci, PVSP Park Ranger
WATCH RECORDING
History and Outcomes of the Bloede Dam Removal
with Guest Speaker Jessie Thomas-Blate, American Rivers
WATCH RECORDING
St. Mary’s Cemetery: Why Community Participation and Collaboration Matters
with Guest Speaker Kelly Palich, Archaeologist
WATCH RECORDING
2022: Pioneering Along the Patapsco
Adaptive Programs in the Patapsco Valley State Park
with Guest Speakers Dave Ferraro and Bruce Clopein, Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park
WATCH RECORDING
Preserving the Past: Why Archaeology Matters in the PVHA
with Guest Speaker Kelly Palich, Archaeologist
WATCH RECORDING
2025: Action and Advocacy
“Held the Bridge to the Last”: The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and the Battle of the Monocacy
with Guest Speaker Matthew Borders, NPS Park Ranger
WATCH RECORDING
Reconstructing the Lives of Free Women on the Frontier
with Guest Speaker Nicholas Anderson from Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum
WATCH RECORDING
E Pluribus Unum – “Out of many, one.”
with Guest Speaker Willie Flowers, Howard County NAACP Chapter President
WATCH RECORDING
2023: Patapsco Stories
Documenting Early Life and Early Archaeology along the Patapsco River
with Guest Speaker Dr. Katherine Sterner from the Natural History Society of Maryland
WATCH RECORDING
Triumph Over Opposition: The Historic Resilience of African Americans in Howard County
with Guest Speaker Marcus “Sankofa” Nicks
WATCH RECORDING
Exploring the Patapsco
with Guest Speaker Ned Tillman
WATCH RECORDING
Charles L. Wagandt II Memorial Lecture
The Charles L. Wagandt II Memorial Lecture is an annual event to honor the life and memory of Charles L. Wagandt II, founder of Patapsco Heritage Greenway and a dedicated advocate for the history and preservation of the Patapsco Valley. Explore and watch recordings of past lecture topics below.
2025
Exploring the History of the Elkridge Furnace Inn
Guest Speakers: Robert Bailey (MD DNR), Zachary Singer (MHT), and Laura Houston (Preservation Maryland)
2023
A History of High Waters: Living Through Disaster in the Floodplains of the Early Patapsco River Valley
Guest Speaker: Sophie Hess
2024
Trails and Connectivity
Guest Speakers: Dave Ferraro (Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park) and Robert Bailey (MD’s Dept. of Natural Resources Historian and Historic Planner)
2022
Pioneering Innovations in the Patapsco Valley
Guest Speaker: Henry K. Sharp
