Gatehouse curator reports rising visits, new exhibits and completed porch repairs; archaeology finds date nearby stone house to 1830s

Adrian Smith, curator of the Gatehouse museum, told the Sykesville Mayor and Town Council on Feb. 24 that museum visitation rose about 26% year‑over‑year in 2024 and that the site will open for the 2025 season on the Friday following the meeting. Smith outlined program results, upcoming events, recent repairs and the museum’s involvement in a county archaeological dig that produced dateable artifacts.

Smith said the Gatehouse will be open Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays 12‑5 p.m., with no admission charge. On attendance trends she told the council that roughly half of visitors come from the Sykesville‑Eldersburg area, with the remainder from other parts of Carroll County and nearby counties. The curator described a 26% increase in overall visitors in 2024 compared with the most recent baseline.

The Gatehouse’s 2024 program highlights included an Archaeology Fest held at South Branch Park in partnership with Howard County archaeologist Kelly Palick, a homeschool touch‑artifact program, and a Civics Day that will be repeated on the town’s investiture day this year. Smith said county archaeologist Palick’s interim findings show flood‑line layers and structural features; among artifacts recovered was a jar fragment with a date that Smith said pushes the referenced stone house’s origin back toward the 1830s. Palick’s written report was expected later in the spring.

Smith described repairs completed over the winter to the Gatehouse front porch: crews addressed water retention and rot at the column bases, rebuilt footings and restored historically accurate decking and column bases so the porch matches its historical profile. The curator said almost every exhibit in the museum was reworked over the winter to increase tactile interaction and shorten exhibit text.

Smith reviewed specific 2024 operational metrics included in the council packet: the Gatehouse was open about 16 days in 2024; membership revenue was recorded at roughly $475 and visitor donations totaled about $1,656 (figures as reported by the curator). The Gatehouse also received a grant of approximately $1,200 from a group affiliated with the National Christmas Tree Railroad program to restore and repaint the Pullman car roof.

Looking ahead, Smith listed 2025 plans and events: participation in National History Day at Winters Mill High School; Civics Day on May 19 with market‑area tours highlighting the Pullman car and historically Black neighborhoods; a “Christmas in July” month‑long effort to boost off‑season attendance; Fall Fest (the museum’s highest attendance day) and a second Remembrance Day ceremony, with a proposed Nov. 11 observance in town for 2026’s events tied to Maryland Defender’s Day on Sept. 12, 2026. Smith said she will attend a Maryland 250 planning meeting the following week and will circulate the confirmed date to council members.

Council members asked about fundraising and payment options. Smith said the Gatehouse can accept donations through the town and its website, and staff have discussed contactless card donations (a “dip jar”) and revisiting credit‑card acceptance via town systems; she noted that direct apps such as Venmo would require checks on rules for government account acceptance. The curator said the museum’s most reliable direct attendance comes from programs: homeschool events and hands‑on activities produce the largest attendance spikes.

Ending

Smith closed by thanking volunteers and staff and asking council members to visit. She said the Gatehouse will continue to update exhibit materials online and to work with local partners — including the Historical Society of Carroll County and the Downtown Sykesville Connection — on research, outreach and upcoming commemorations.