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
Women’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
COMING SOON
Capital Centre | A Retrospective
This announcement of our newest book project at 8:05 AM on December 15, 2022 came on the 20th anniversary (to the minute!) of the Capital Centre's demolition. Capital Centre | A Retrospective will honor the beloved venue's legacy through photos, stories, artifacts, and ephemera. Along with Heavy Metal Parking Lot producer Jeff Krulik, we’re already deep into the project, which we plan to have printed and available in time for another important anniversary—the 50th anniversary of the Capital Centre’s grand opening, next December 2nd! We’re working with the Pollin family and the University of Maryland University Libraries to make this happen, but we’re also looking to YOU. Please comb through your photo albums, ticket stub collections, attics, and basements to find anything and everything related to the Capital Centre. We’ll help you scan and/or photograph any items you may have that could potentially be included in the book. We look forward to sharing more details and progress in the new year, but for now, start revisiting your Capital Centre memories and let us know what you find!
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, covering the eventful next two decades.
COLLABORATION
History Contributors
We're collaborating with local collectors, families, and organizations to share their vintage Laurel photographs and artifacts online. From ordinary residents to legendary developers, it's quite a collection!
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
Lost Laurel Video Series
Richard Friend produced a series of Lost Laurel videos for Laurel TV, covering topics such as the history of Main Street and Laurel Shopping Center.
COLLECTIONS
Matchbooks: You Are Here
Over 80 vintage matchbooks photographed in front of the actual sites they came from in Laurel.
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 produces. We had the candidates answer a series of questions, then printed their responses verbatim.
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!