Curators with the Maryland Military Department’s Maryland Museum of Military History processed items donated by an anonymous source to be exhibited at the Montrose Mansion on Camp Fretterd Military Reservation in Reisterstown, Maryland on June 6, 2025. More than 40 objects of varying historical significance were curated, including furniture, china and silverware, paintings, music sheets and more.

“This collection of items, many of which have a connection to Maryland’s storied families, was donated to help advance the Maryland Military Department’s mission of celebrating Maryland’s rich history and in honor of our incredible leadership of today and the Maryland National Guard and its service members who continue to stand watch, ready to protect and defend our freedoms,” said the anonymous donor.

CFMR hosts several Maryland National Guard units, and the MMD is tasked with upkeeping its grounds and facilities. One of those facilities is the Montrose Mansion, a 19th century mansion purchased by the state of Maryland in the 1920s to be used as a juvenile educational facility. Today, the mansion is used to host events.

“The items are true antiques, period antiques closer to the originals that would have actually been in the mansion, which lends a prestige to the whole operation,” said MMD’s Barbara Taylor, museum director, Maryland Museum of Military History. “Everyone thinks of the military as military uniforms, guns, and military protocol, but it has a softer side. They care about their history. And the fact that this was donated to the MDNG shows that they actually care about art and history of Maryland.”

Donating antiques wasn’t the only thing the anonymous source had to offer the Montrose Mansion; they also provided their own interior design skills to help display the items.

“It was a very different collection to handle only because it requires the additional need of decorating a house with pieces, which is completely different than decorating a museum,” said MMD’s Alexandra Reed, archivist trainee, Maryland Museum of Military History. “Thankfully, the donor had an idea of where to put certain things, which was very nice.”

To go even further, the donor even appraised the artifacts.

“The artifacts were incredibly well researched and delivered to us by the donor,” said MMD’s Richard Morain, museum volunteer, Maryland Museum of Military History. “They gave us an understanding of the provenance of exactly what it is we are working with, as well as the time period that it is from. And in some cases, they even gave us links to why certain pieces would be a good fit for the Montrose Mansion.”

Reflecting on the impact of community support in local history, Taylor highlighted the importance of public generosity in preserving our heritage.

“Museums and even the Maryland National Guard at large, in the case of the mansion, cannot exist without the generosity of the general public, especially those who recognize a need and address it,” said Taylor. “We are really indebted to those that are generous and care enough about their city, county, or state’s history to make sure that it is maintained.”