06/07/2026
Did you know? 112 years ago👇
In 1914, Westminster showed its civic pride by hosting “Home-Coming Week” in conjunction with the state firemen’s convention. Homes and businesses were encouraged to decorated their buildings. From June 8 – June 12, there was a busy schedule of events including: several parades (automobiles, businesses/trades; “Grand Parade of Firemen”), band concerts, trade displays by local businesses, firemen’s competitions, and a carnival. The Times newspaper predicted that Westminster would have “a gala occasion that will go down in memory as the real red letter days of all its history.”
The building in this image is the Wantz building at 21-27 East Main Street. Charles Valentine Wantz built the two eastern sections in 1882 to house his cigar manufacturing and sales business. He added the two western sections in 1890. Over the years, the building housed a number of businesses including the Chesapeake and Potomac telephone exchange, Sharrer Brothers tailors, and Sharrer and Gorsuch, purveyors of men’s clothing. The city council chambers were on the second floor until they moved across the street to the new firehouse. [Image courtesy of the Historical Society of Carroll County]
To learn more about Home-Coming Week, read the full Times coverage at The Times - 05-29-1914 (https://cctimes.carr.org/documents/TW_05291914.pdf) and The Times - 06-12-1914 (https://cctimes.carr.org/documents/TW_06121914.pdf).
