Our Work
The Laurel History Boys are storytellers, foremost. We share relatable pieces of our hometown's history—stories about people, places, and events that shaped Laurel, Maryland for better or worse.
We produce books and presentations that focus on niche areas of Laurel's past, and we publish Voices of Laurel, a free quarterly community newspaper that includes a diverse range of contributors.
Learn more about some of our projects and initiatives below.
PRESENTATIONS
Our list of presentations—and the community organizations that have enjoyed them—grows all the time. Contact us today and schedule a free presentation.
Click the tiles below for more
information on each presentation.
Ann Arrundell County Historical Society
Antonio Gatto Lodge of the Sons of Italy
City of Laurel
Fort Meade 100 Years Documentary Premiere
Friends of Montpelier
Howard County Historical Society
Laurel-Beltsville Senior Center
Laurel Branch Library
Laurel High School Career Day
Laurel High School Spartan Historical Society
Laurel Historical Society
Laurel Police Department
Maryland City Library
Savage Historical Society
Victoria Falls Senior Community
Woman’s Club of Laurel
PUBLICATIONS
Voices of Laurel Newspaper
A quarterly newspaper that includes contributions from the diverse Laurel community—a journalistic collective focusing on our hometown. Available for free both in print and here online.
BOOKS
Laurel at 150
Produced to honor the City of Laurel's 150th anniversary in 2020, this 220-page hardcover book features a decade-by-decade visual journey through the highs and lows of our hometown's history. Copies are available in our shop for $40 with free shipping.
BOOKS
Postmark Laurel
A 280-page collection of historic picture postcards from Laurel, ranging from the early 1900s to the 1990s.
Now on sale in our shop for $20 with free shipping.
BOOKS
Capital Centre | A Retrospective
A 280-page hardcover visual history of the legendary Capital Centre arena to honor its 50th anniversary. It includes a wealth of photography, artifacts, anecdotes, and ephemera related to the Capital Centre—much of which has likely never been seen before.
The book is a visual scrapbook (relying more on images than lengthy narrative text) focusing on four aspects:
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the venue itself
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the concert experience
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sporting events (Washington Bullets, Washington Capitals, pro wrestling, boxing, etc.)
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and other attractions (circuses, equestrian events, monster trucks, etc.)
The book also includes a 60-page chronological appendix listing every event ever held at the Capital Centre!
Written and produced by Richard Friend, Kevin Leonard, and Jeff Krulik. Forewords by Jim and Robert Pollin.
BOOKS
COMING SOON
Shop Laurel:
The Retail History of Laurel, Maryland
The follow-up to Richard Friend's Lost Laurel, this book covers an even broader spectrum of Laurel's retail history.
BOOKS
COMING SOON
Brass Buttons & Gun Leather:
A History of the Laurel Police Department
Sgt. Rick McGill originally published his book—the first and only history of the Laurel Police Department—in 2001. Kevin Leonard joins with McGill to produce this updated edition, including historic sidebar features.
BOOKS
COMING SOON
Merriweather Post Pavilion:
The First 50 Years
Written by Kevin Leonard and designed by Richard Friend, this ambitious volume documents the history of Merriweather Post Pavilion from its 1967 opening through its first half century.
COLLECTIONS
The Elementary School
Photo Project
An online collection of local elementary school class photos, covering a growing number of years and institutions. For many of us, yearbooks didn't become available until middle or high school—so these class photos from our earlier years take on a new historical importance. If you have photos you can share, please contact us.
VIDEOS
An Informal Evening with
the Mayors of Laurel
In 2015, we organized a lively and unprecedented roundtable discussion with the living mayors of Laurel: Craig Moe, Mike Leszcz, Joe Robison, Dani Duniho, and Robert DiPietro. You can watch the full event on our Videos page.
COMMUNITY
City Council Voters' Guide
As a special supplement to the Fall 2021 issue of Voices of Laurel, we created a nonpartisan City Council Voters' Guide—something that the Laurel Leader no longer produced. Voices of Laurel provided even more election coverage in our Fall 2023 issue, and was the only publication to interview each of the candidates for Mayor and City Council.
EVENTS
Laurel History Trivia Night
Our trivia night events are free, fun, and educational. We provide everything you'll need to play—all you have to bring is your thinking cap and a healthy appetite to support the wonderful staff of Oliver's Old Towne Tavern. Sign up below to be notified of our next upcoming event!