La Plata historic commission recommends Maryland 250 participation, proposes 1926 tornado exhibit
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Summary
The commission proposed that La Plata participate in the statewide Maryland 250 commemoration with locally focused programming — notably a remembrance exhibit for the town’s 1926 tornado, walking tours, banners and children’s activities — and asked staff to coordinate with county efforts and the town events coordinator.
La Plata’s Historic Preservation Commission proposed a slate of local programs for the state’s Maryland 250 observance and recommended that town staff explore implementation options and coordination with Charles County and other local partners. At the Aug. 1 workshop commissioners prioritized an exhibit memorializing the 1926 La Plata tornado, a walking-tour map tied to the plaque program, a “passport” activity for children, patriotic banners recognizing locally connected Revolutionary‑era veterans, and other one-off events such as an antiques‑appraisal day. Commissioners described the train-station museum exhibits and available archival photos as immediate “low-hanging fruit” that could be repackaged into a town-hall exhibit. Staff said the Maryland 250 items should be presented to the town council as part of the HPC work plan; staff and the events coordinator can investigate feasibility, potential redundancies with county programming, and any available external grants. Commissioners emphasized they would provide program ideas and advisory support but do not expect the HPC to carry out event production without staff resources and council approval. The commission discussed a possible subcommittee or two-person steering committee for major projects — for example, a tornado remembrance subcommittee — that could meet with staff without triggering open‑meetings restrictions. Staff advised that specific programming and any use of municipal assets require council endorsement and budget allocation before larger implementation steps occur. No formal commitment was made at the workshop; staff will follow up with the events coordinator and return with a feasibility assessment and recommended next steps to present to the council.