Odenton Heritage Society May Open House

On Sunday, May 7, the Odenton Heritage Society will open a special display, “Famous Farewells: VIP Funeral Trains through Odenton.”  Funeral trains for American dignitaries were not new in the 20th century, but the Pennsylvania Railroad (today’s Amtrak and MARC Penn Line) made this form of remembrance an institution.  Along the tracks, ordinary citizens paid their respects to Presidents William McKinley, Warren Harding, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, General Douglas MacArthur, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy as the trains rolled by.  The openness, public access, and outpouring of grief made the long-distance funeral procession a fitting farewell as memorable and democratic as the public figures’ long careers.  The display commemorates each event in cherished photographs and objects.  Hours on May 7 are from 1 pm to 4 pm, and admission is free.  The OHS Museum, which presents the role of railroads in the growth of Odenton, is located at 1367 Odenton Road.