It is a pleasure to join all of you in this historic Courtroom as we begin our celebration of the 350th Anniversary of Baltimore County. Before we begin, I would like to take a moment to thank David Rhen and the Towson High School String Quartet for providing us with such wonderful music for today’s ceremony. I thank the Fort McHenry Color Guard and our re-enactors for lending today’s ceremony with the proper sense of historical perspective. I also thank Bakery Express for making the outstanding cake for today’s celebration. Finally, I want to thank Dr. Glenn Johnston and the Historical Society of Baltimore County for their invaluable assistance in giving our County the kind of celebration that befits our 350th Anniversary.
Three hundred and fifty years ago, Maryland’s earliest colonists left their first settlements in southern Maryland to explore the northern reaches of the Chesapeake Bay. Eventually, they came ashore on the beautiful coast of a place that we now know as Baltimore County. The Baltimore County of the 1600s would be unrecognizable to us today. A vast, largely unexplored wilderness, its only inhabitants were the Susquehanna, who used it only as a seasonal hunting ground. At its inception, Baltimore County was larger than it is today. It encompassed present day Baltimore City, Cecil and Harford Counties as well as parts of Carroll, Anne Arundel, Howard and Kent Counties. In fact, in those days, most of Baltimore County’s population was concentrated in what we know today as Harford and Cecil Counties. This rugged terrain would challenge its first settlers as they struggled to survive and build a lasting community for their families. As Albert Einstein observed centuries later, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” So it was, that in this new and unsettled land, those men and women looked beyond the many obstacles before them and saw unlimited potential. Much has changed in Baltimore County since those early settlers disembarked on our shores, but what has not changed is that Baltimore County continues to be a place of boundless opportunity. For three and a half centuries, generations of men and women have realized their potential here in Baltimore County. It was in Oella that Benjamin Banneker overcame obstacles of racism and slavery to revolutionize the fields of astronomy and meteorology. It was in what we now know as Dundalk that thousands of brave citizen soldiers defended their liberty on the fields of North Point. It was in Sparrow’s Point, that the workers of our steel mills fueled the expansion of a newly industrialized America at the turn of the 20th century. It was in Middle River that the workers of the Glenn L. Martin Aviation Plant built an arsenal of democracy that would stem the tide of Nazi Germany’s aggression. And it was right here in Towson, that a young boy from Rodger’s Forge began his journey to become the greatest athlete in Olympic history. The struggles, triumphs, and experiences of the people of Baltimore County across the ages have defined the values that have made our communities and our County great. Neighbors caring about neighbors, understanding that our communities are only as strong as the least of us, and knowing that we are all part of something much greater than ourselves. These are the values that the people of Baltimore County have passed down to their children since those first settlers arrived in seventeenth century. These are the values that inspire our children to raise their own families in the communities where they themselves grew up. These are the values that so many of us who are lifelong residents of Baltimore County share and treasure. And these are the values that serve as the foundation of our communities, from Arbutus to Towson to Middle River and everywhere in between. It is no small accomplishment for a community to prosper for 350 years, and all of us who care about the future of Baltimore County can learn valuable lessons from our proud past. That is why Baltimore County will be giving this important anniversary the celebration it deserves throughout 2009. Every month, we will celebrate a different aspect of what makes our County communities so special. Our first event will be in February when we join together with the Friends of Benjamin Banneker to celebrate African American Firsts throughout our County history. In order to ensure that everyone knows where and when to be a part of this and all of our other celebrations, Baltimore County has created a new 350th Anniversary Web Site. Located at www.bc350.org, this web site contains up to date information about the many special events commemorating our county’s history throughout the year. Details for February’s event are already available on the web site. I encourage everyone to visit this web site regularly for updates on this event and all the celebrations of Baltimore County’s 350th birthday. We know throughout our history, that is has been the people of Baltimore County that have made our communities great. That is why we are asking the people of Baltimore County to visit the 350th Anniversary web site to submit their own experiences and memories so that these “historical treasures” can be preserved and shared with everyone. Alongside a series of fascinating articles on our County’s history, these stories will help our web site chronicle Baltimore County’s rich historical heritage. I want to commend Bryan Dunn and Jay Doyle for their tireless efforts in creating this outstanding web site. I would also like to thank Bryan Dunn for his excellent work in creating our official 350th Anniversary logo, which will be used throughout 2009 in all of our celebrations. Baltimore County understands the importance of preserving our history for future generations. That is why in partnership with the Historical Society of Baltimore County, we commissioned UMBC Professor Barry Lanman to write Baltimore County: Celebrating a Legacy 1659 – 2009. Gathering information from historical records and everyday men and women who call Baltimore County home, Dr. Lanman and his research teams at UMBC and the historical society have compiled an outstanding history all of our community can be proud of. This book will be available in every Baltimore County neighborhood downtown later this year, with all proceeds going to the Historical Society of Baltimore County. We have come a long way since those first settlers arrived in Baltimore County. After three and a half centuries, what was once unexplored swampland is now one of the most vibrant communities in America. Baltimore County is remarkable, and as we celebrate our history throughout 2009, I know that we will all gain an understanding of just how extraordinary we truly are. | 
Courthouse 