Vegetable Dish, Washington County

From the USS Maryland Silver Service

Maker: Samuel Kirk & Sons (1815-1979)
Object: Vegetable Dish (with Lid), Washington County
Date: 1906
Medium: Sterling Silver
Dimensions: Overall height, 8 5/8"; Overall width, 12 7/8"; Overall depth, 6”
Accession number: MSA SC 1545-0937-2

Talbot and Washington Counties are represented by covered vegetable dishes that depict historic events and sites from each county. Washington County was created from Frederick County in 1776, and was named for George Washington (1732-1799). It was the first Maryland county formed after the Declaration of Independence. The scenes on this piece showcase the westward expansion of Maryland.

The Great Seal and the Cruiser are each surrounded by sprays of chestnut, pine and oak leaves, and inverted cornucopias form the handles of the dish. The upper portion of the dish is decorated by four scenes of 18th century landmarks in Washington County. A festoon of tobacco leaves separate each scene, while oyster shells form the border of the bowl. The engraved scenes on the top are separated by sprays of mulberry, and an eagle with upraised wings sits atop the lid.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was built between 1828-50 and stretches for 184.5 miles from Washington D.C. to Cumberland, MD. It operated from 1828-1924 and cost $11,071,176 to construct. Its main purposes were to haul coal, lumber, and coal from Western Maryland to Washington D.C.

Today, the canal is used as a recreational trail managed by the National Park Service.

James Rumsey was born in Cecil County in 1743, and he is credited with creating the first steamboat in the world. Rumsey demonstrated an early model of his steamship to George Washington in 1784 and by 1787, he launched a successful test of “The Flying Boat” (depicted on the vegetable dish) on the Potomac River in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. General Horatio Gates was one of the notable passengers on this historic trip.

Fort Frederick was built in 1756 to protect Maryland’s western frontier during the French and Indian War. The fort was named in honor of Frederick Calvert, Sixth Lord Baltimore by Governor Horatio Sharpe. During the American Revolutionary War, it served as a prison for British Soldiers. In the Civil War, the fort was occupied by Union troops to guard the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.

The state of Maryland acquired the property in 1922, making it the first state park. Today, visitors can see the fort's stone wall and two barracks which have been restored to their 1758 appearance.

Known as Wilson's Bridge, this five arch stone bridge was constructed by Silas Harry in 1819 at a cost of $12,000. It was not only one of the longest (210 feet) and earliest stone bridges in Maryland, it was also the first stone bridge in Washington County. It provided a smooth road surface for the National Road, improving travel and transport from the eastern part of the state to the western part. The bridge was used until 1972, when it was damaged by Hurricane Agnes.

Wilson's Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and restored in 1984. Today it is open to visitors who wish to walk across it.

Moses Chapline (c.1717-1762) was a prominent figure in the development of Western Maryland. During the French and Indian War, he was commissioned as a captain and was one of the first commanders of Fort Frederick.

His log cabin depicted on the lid for the vegetable dish was a frequent resting place for Generals Washington, Bradock, Gates and Royal Governor Horatio Sharpe when they were traveling in the western part of the state.

A stagecoach was a covered coach that was typically drawn by four horses and would provide public transportation along a route. The stagecoach would travel between 10-20 miles before it would stop at a “stage” so the driver could exchange the tired horses.

The use of stagecoaches was very popular along the National Road in Maryland, and they could be seen running all day and into the early evening.

Hagerstown is the county seat of Washington County. This scene depicts the Hagerstown Bank that was erected in 1814. During the Civil War, Confederate troops occupied Hagerstown in July of 1864 and demanded a ransom of $20,000 or it would burn the city. The president of the Hagerstown Bank and a few other citizens paid the ransom and the city was spared.

This modest, one-story brick church was 35 feet wide by 40 feet long and was built on the Mumma farm for the Dunkard Brethren of Sharpsburg. This church played a critical role during the Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862, and was badly damaged from bullet and artillery fire. The damage that the church sustained during the battle is depicted on the vegetable dish.

During the battle, the church was used to treat wounded Confederate troops and was later used as a hospital to treat both wounded Union and Confederate troops. President Lincoln is said to have visited the church a few weeks after that battle and greeted troops from both sides.

The Church was restored for the 100th anniversary of the battle in 1962 on the original foundation. It is part of the Antietam National Battlefield, managed by the National Park Service.

A large number of the Lutheran faith moved to the Leitersburg District in Washington County in the late 18th century. In 1790, a small tract of land named “Martin's Good Hope” was patented to Martin Jacobs. The church land was deeded by Martin Jacobs to Christian Lantz “for the use of the German Lutheran congregations and their successors,” November 18, 1799, at the nominal consideration of five shillings”.

The cornerstone of the church depicted on the vegetable dish was laid on September 10, 1841. In 1854, the church was enlarged by an addition about 16 feet in length and extensive repairs were again made in 1881.

The scene on the cover of the vegetable dish for Washington County shows the Potomac River at Harper’s Ferry with a wrought iron bridge in the foreground that connected Maryland and West Virginia. This iron bridge was constructed in 1850 and was one of the first iron bridges built in the country. The construction of the bridge was considered an engineering marvel for its time and stood until 1924.

© Copyright  August 07, 2024  Maryland State Archives