Month: April 2021

We the People. Virtual Exhibit.

Spires of Frederick

Frederick County has always been a crossroads.
It’s allure to residents and visitors today is not much different from what captivated the Indigenous Peoples or the settlers from around the world who came here over the last 275 years. People have benefited from a scenic environment, ample natural resources, fertile lands, and the production of necessary goods and amenities.

A continual mosaic of people has created and re-created this unique and special place. Frederick County’s story goes on with authors that include new residents who arrive from neighboring counties, states, and countries from around the globe.

We the People virtual exhibit highlights the impact and influence of the experiences of early inhabitants and settlers to Frederick and how the stories that modern immigrants have today aren’t all that different.

Modern Immigrants Banner

President Truman in Frederick

President Truman with Coke machine

Former President, Harry Truman visited the city of Frederick on June 21, 1953, in his Chrysler Sedan, alongside his wife in the passenger seat. They made a stop at Carroll Kehne’s Gulf Station on 400 West Patrick Street, where Truman found ten reporters and photographers from D.C. waiting for him.

Truman and his wife drank Cokes and ice water while his car was being serviced at the station, for about thirty minutes. Kehne was surprised when reporters came into his station, who were asking if they could call Margaret Truman to see when her father would arrive.

In shock, Kehne mentions that when Truman’s Chrysler Imperial arrived in the parking lot that it was “beautiful.” After Truman had his Coke and his car filled with gas, Kehne would not let him pay the fee, saying, “I just wanted to be able to say that I treated President Harry S. Truman to a tank of gasoline.” He said they talked about everything, as Kehne put it, “He was the kind of guy who could talk to you about anything, fixing cars or changing oil, or politics.”

The “famous” Coca-Cola bottle is currently on display at the Museum of Frederick County History.