The Deep Creek Lake Lions Club is seeking public input on two new historical interpretive panels to be added to the Meshach Browning History Center at the McHenry Community Park. These panels were developed in order to more fully tell the story of women during the settlement era of what would become Garrett County. This effort was kicked off with the commissioning of a new piece of art with a depiction of Meshach’s wife Mary created by local artist Annie Simcoe. At the unveiling of the artwork on July 18th, the Club formed a committee to develop complementary signage and over the next few months, the committee developed two new interpretive panels.
The first panel focuses on Meshach Browning’s first wife Mary and the second panel on the life of women in general during this time period. Both of the panels have a quotation from Browning’s book, accompanying explanatory text, several images, and references to other places within the County to further the historical experience. The drafts of the signs can be found at meshach.org/trailhead with separate webpages for “Mary (McMullen) Browning” and “A Woman’s Life” containing snapshots of the proposed panels and text versions for easier reading.
The Club is also seeking participation in other enhancements of the Meshach Browning History Center. The Club plans to develop similar interpretive material regarding the indigenous peoples in this area and would like to use a community-based process to develop this content. In addition, the Club has acquired the logs of an early 1800s local log cabin, which it intends to rebuild at the History Center. Any interested persons are encouraged to contact the club to provide input and/or help with the projects.
For more information on the Club, visit https://deepcreeklions.org/. To provide comments on the signs, obtain more information on this project or become a member, or express interest in future projects, email DCLLIONS@gmail.com or call 323 325-5466.
