File:Diamond Jubilee activities 1965 - The Blade-Times.jpg

Summary

Front page of the "The Blade-Times Newspaper." The dedication of the Bell Memorial at the YMCA" Reference from The Blade-Times, Volume 50, Number 40.

During "The Diamond Jubilee activities... Brunswickian Mr. William (Bill) Johnson returns to dedicate the B&O Monument". Looking over the monument following the ceremonies are (from left to right) Congressman Charles (Mac) Mathias), Mayor James E. Cummings, Mr. William (Bill) Johnson (Regional Mgr. of the B&O Railroad) and John Sell (Yard Master in the Car Yard)

Photo courtesy of Reuben Moss

Smoketown History (Brunswick, Md.) A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary and somtimes for the 75th depending on the organization. The Brunswick Diamond Jubilee was the forerunner of railroad days.

Reuben Moss commented, "The Diamond Jubilee was the 75th anniversary in Brunswick's case, pointing to the 1890 incorporation of the city under the name Brunswick. It was a week long festival running from August 28 to September 6 in 1965 that celebrated the hospitality, culture, and history of the Brunswick area with exhibits, dances, contests, activities, and all sorts of goings on."

"In 1967, two years later, the event had stirred up so much public interest in local history that the Brunswick Tourism and Recreation Inc. was founded to hold an event identical to the Jubilee every single year including full history exhibits in the Kaplon building. The event was named the Brunswick Potomac Festival, and the organization was very soon renamed to the Brunswick Potomac Foundation, Inc. The very same organization that was to found and continues to operate the Brunswick [Railroad] Museum (where the exhibits moved to when the museum opened)."

"The August-September festival payed for the opening of the museum, and lasted many years, but when the City began holding Railroad Days the events were quickly merged into the one October weekend we know today."