On July 18th at 6:00 PM at the McHenry Community Park at 1249 Bumble Bee Road, the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club will officially unveil “Mary’s Glades” the newest piece in the art installation of the Meshach Browning History Center located at the park. All are welcome.
The Lions commissioned this artwork as part of their effort to tell the often-neglected stories of women on the frontier. Mary, the wife of famed frontier hunter Meshach Browning, though little mentioned in Meshach’s memoir, was often alone, growing food and maintaining the household while her husband was away on his famed hunting expeditions. Her strength and struggles must have been as great as Meshach’s but the reader of Browning’s 1859 memoir is left to infer or take her role for granted.
The club is intent on adding content to the park that tells the story of women who were often overlooked during this period. This piece was commissioned by the club and created by local artist Annie Simcoe. Annie is a local mixed-media paper artist that handcrafts all of her papers from plants that she grows or gathers. For this project, Annie created her interpretation of Mary’s life in the glades, capturing her quiet strength, appreciation for the natural beauty of the area, and the isolation that must have been part of her everyday life.
The piece was funded in part by a grant from the Garrett County Arts Council. The overall project is funded in part by the Maryland Heritage Authority and the Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area. After the formal unveiling, the club will hold the first meeting of the Development Committee to guide the creation of new content for the site’s history center. All are welcome to attend and encouraged to join and engage in the committee on the 18th and thereafter.
For more information on the Meshach Browning History Center visit meshach.org. For more information on the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club or its community service programs, or the next meeting location please go to https://deepcreeklions.org/ or call Mike Tumbarello, director of the marketing committee at 410.707.7725 or tumbarellomike@gmail.com.
