Brunswick Heritage Museum facts for kids
Museum logo
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| Former name | Brunswick Railroad Museum |
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| Established | c. 1966, 1974 |
| Location | 40 West Potomac Street, Brunswick, Maryland 21716, USA |
| Type | Railroad and history |
| Key holdings | Model railroad |
| Owner | Brunswick Potomac Foundation |
| Public transit access | Brunswick (MARC station) |
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Red Men's Lodge
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The building with pharmacy, c. 1978
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| Built | 1904 |
| Built by | Harry B. Funk |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial |
| Part of | Brunswick Historic District (ID79001128) |
| Added to NRHP | August 29, 1979. |
The Brunswick Heritage Museum is a cool place to learn about railroads and the history of Brunswick, Maryland. It's a museum that shows how important trains were to the town. You can explore the past and see amazing model trains!
Contents
What is the Brunswick Heritage Museum?
The Brunswick Heritage Museum is a special museum in Brunswick, Maryland. It teaches visitors all about the history of railroads and the town itself. It's a great spot to discover how trains shaped the area.
How the Museum Started
The museum began around 1966 with a group called the Brunswick Potomac Foundation. This group first focused on fun local events. One big event was "Railroad Days," a street festival held every October.
In 1974, the group bought a building to open a museum. It was first called the Brunswick Railroad Museum. Back then, it only focused on trains.
Expanding the Museum's Focus
In 2013, the museum changed its name to the Brunswick Heritage Museum. This change meant it would now also share the history of Brunswick. Brunswick was a "company town" built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. This means the railroad company played a huge role in creating and running the town.
The Museum Building
The museum is located in an old building that used to be a meeting place. It was once home to a group called the Improved Order of Red Men. This group had traditions inspired by Native American cultures.
History of the Building
The building, sometimes called a "wigwam," was built in 1904. The Delaware Tribe No. 43, a local chapter of the Red Men, used it until 1936.
Another group, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, bought the building in 1936. They removed a statue of a Native American from the entrance. Today, you can find that statue on the second floor of the museum.
Why This Location?
The museum chose this building because it's super close to train tracks. It's less than a block from the Brunswick Line MARC Train commuter line. It's also near four tracks used by CSX Transportation freight trains. This makes it a perfect spot for a railroad museum!
Building Style and Features
The museum building was built in 1904. It shows an "early commercial" architectural style. It's a three-story brick building.
- Front Design: The front has five tall, narrow arches. These arches hold the windows for the second and third floors.
- Brickwork: The bricks are laid in a special pattern called "Flemish bond." Some bricks have a shiny, glazed finish.
- Roofline: The very top of the building has a decorative edge called a "cornice." It has small block-like shapes called "dentils" and brackets called "modillions." There are also flat, column-like shapes called "pilasters" above.
What Can You See at the Museum?
The Brunswick Heritage Museum has different exhibits on each floor. There's something for everyone!
First Floor Fun
The first floor has a special area for younger kids. Here, they can play and even dress up! It's a great way for little ones to enjoy the museum.
Second Floor History
The second floor takes you back in time. It focuses on what life was like in Brunswick during different periods. You can also learn about the C&O Canal, which was very important for transportation.
Third Floor Model Trains
The third floor is home to an amazing HO scale model railroad. This model shows the B&O Railroad's Metropolitan line. It stretches from Washington, DC all the way to Brunswick, Maryland. The model shows what the line looked like in the late 1950s.
It also includes the huge Brunswick "classification yards." These yards were finished in 1907. They were about 5 miles (8 km) long! At the time, they were the biggest and most modern yards in the country for a single railroad company.
Brunswick Visitor Center
Did you know the Brunswick Visitor Center is also in the museum? It's on the first floor. The National Park Service runs this center. It's part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. So, you can get information about the canal right here!
Images for kids
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The building with pharmacy, c. 1978
