LEONARDTOWN, Md. — The St. Mary’s County Library celebrated 75 years of service to the community Saturday with its Diamond Jubilee at the Leonardtown Library.
The event brought together families, patrons and staff for an afternoon of crafts, games and history displays recognizing the library’s legacy of learning and imagination. Guests were invited to vote for their favorite books from a staff-picked display of books from each of the past seven decades, explore the maker space and participate in family activities.
The St. Mary’s County Library marked its 75th anniversary in October with celebrations at all three branches, each event highlighting the library’s long-standing role in community learning and connection.
The Charlotte Hall Library hosted an afternoon of family games, a diamond scavenger hunt and a photo booth during the “Read, Play, Celebrate” Jubilee. The Lexington Park Library hosted LexiCon Origins, a special edition of its annual comic and pop culture convention.
The Diamond Jubilee at the Leonardtown Library was the final event recognizing the community impact of the public library system. Library staff said the anniversary marked not only a milestone for the Leonardtown branch but also the growth of public access to knowledge in St. Mary’s County.
Over 75 years, the St. Mary’s County Library has grown from a small reading room in Tudor Hall to a modern, countywide system that serves thousands of residents through its Leonardtown, Lexington Park and Charlotte Hall branches. Once centered on printed books and quiet study, the library has evolved into a dynamic community hub offering digital resources, computer access, maker spaces and early literacy programs. It now provides Wi-Fi, streaming media and a mobile library that reaches rural neighborhoods and events across the county.
Reflecting on the library’s growth, Michael Blackwell, director of the St. Mary’s County Library, said the library’s evolution mirrors the changing needs of the community while staying true to its mission of access and learning.
“Well, back in the early to mid-1990s this little thing called the World Wide Web came along,” Blackwell said. “Everybody said we no longer need libraries. Well, we’re busier than ever. What’s happened is we have just changed to continue delivering our traditional services of providing information and providing books and updated them to the times.”
Blackwell said the library continues to have a deep impact on the St. Mary’s County community by providing access, connection and opportunity for everyone.
“You can come to the library and talk to someone with an advanced degree,” Blackwell said, while emphasizing the library’s role in providing information to the public. “You can come to the library, you’re always welcome, we’re open to all, and we’re that third space where people can meet different people in the community.”
For Leonardtown Library’s adult services librarian Breanna Thorne, celebrating the library represents both personal and professional milestones.
“I got my first library card at the Leonardtown Library when I was five,” Thorne said. “So, when I started to work here, it was a nice full-circle moment.”
Thorne said the library’s role in the community has expanded far beyond lending books.
“The biggest thing I always tell people with public libraries is we are one of the few places in most communities where you can come and exist purely for free,” Thorne said. “You don’t have to buy anything, you can use the internet, you can go to the bathroom, get water, have air conditioning, have heat, and that’s so important, especially with how things are right now. No matter what you’re going through, we have something for you.”
The library’s mission continues to grow through partnerships and outreach programs like the mobile library, which delivers books and technology to St. Mary’s County residents who cannot easily visit a branch.
In addition to its educational and cultural programs, the St. Mary’s County Library also serves as a vital public resource during emergencies.
“We are a cooling center and heating center,” Blackwell said. “If your power’s out on a hundred-degree day, we’ll be here, and it is air-conditioned. If it ever came down to it where there was sustained cold weather for days and days, we would leave the meeting rooms open overnight and have emergency staff there.”
From The First Public Library To A Community Gallery
Before the St. Mary’s County Library system expanded to multiple branches, its story began in the historic Tudor Hall mansion in downtown Leonardtown. The early brick estate, dating back to the late 1700s, became the county’s first public library in 1949 after local philanthropist Mary Patterson Davidson purchased and restored the property. She dedicated the building as the St. Mary’s County Memorial Public Library in honor of residents who lost their lives in World War I and World War II.
“The original library was in Tudor Hall, which is where our headquarters are now,” said Peter LaPorte, St. Mary’s County Historical Society executive director. “She [Davidson] bought Tudor Hall in 1949 and proceeded to hire a woman architect, Gertrude Sawyer, who was out of Washington, and she transformed the building into a library. The building was acquired from the Key family, which had owned it for about 150 years.”
The library in Tudor Hall was the first public library in St. Mary’s County. The St. Mary’s County Library continues to preserve local history while serving as a space where the community can learn, create and connect. Through programs, archives and art displays, the library highlights the people and stories that shaped St. Mary’s County and ensures that its heritage remains accessible to future generations.
The Leonardtown Library features a recently donated maritime painting that connects local history to art and storytelling. The oil painting, titled “Salisbury”, was created in 1915 by Danish-American artist Antonio Jacobsen and depicts the four-masted schooner captained by Leonardtown native Howard Webster Foxwell. The permanently displayed art was donated by Skip and Lynn Lewis. The artwork hung above their family mantel for generations and now serves as a lasting tribute to the county’s seafaring heritage.
Lynn Lewis said the decision to donate the painting “Salisbury” to the Leonardtown Library came from a desire to return a piece of her husband’s family history to the community where it began.
“My husband wanted this to come back to some place in St. Mary’s County because of his grandfather being from here,” Lewis said. “He just felt like this was the proper place for it to be housed.”
The St. Mary’s County Library System
Library Hours
Monday–Thursday: 9 a.m.–8 p.m.
Friday–Saturday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday: 1–5 p.m. (Lexington Park Library only)
Leonardtown Library Drive-Thru Window Hours
Monday–Thursday: 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
Friday–Saturday: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Locations
- Charlotte Hall Library: 37600 New Market Road, Charlotte Hall, MD 20622
- Leonardtown Library: 23630 Hayden Farm Lane, Leonardtown, MD 20650
- Lexington Park Library: 21677 FDR Blvd., Lexington Park, MD 20653
Got a tip or photo? Text us at 888-871-NEWS (6397) or email news@thebaynet.com.
Join The BayNet Membership for exclusive perks and zero ads.
Don’t miss a story—sign up for our newsletter!
