James Castle, Director of the Brunswick Heritage Museum, Honored with Statewide Volunteer Award

Brunswick, MD, September 17, 2020 --(PR.com)-- Preservation Maryland’s Best of Maryland awards celebrate the best of the Old Line State’s people, places and preservation projects. This year, the statewide organization is pleased to recognize the work of James R. Castle, volunteer director of the Brunswick Heritage Museum with the 2020 Best of Maryland Harrison Volunteer Award.

A native of Brunswick, Maryland in Frederick County, James Castle is a model citizen, dedicated volunteer, skilled historian, and stalwart preservationist. In 2015, James Castle became President of the Brunswick Potomac Foundation - almost 20 years from the day he first started to volunteer for the organization. In his tenure, Castle has led a note-worthy fundraising effort, supported the creation of a protective conservation district, guided the relocation of the historic WB Railroad Tower, and reinvigorated the organization’s online presence with an engaging video series called Brunswick History 101.

Preservation Maryland Executive Director Nicholas Redding remarked, “History is a critical guide in uncertain times. During the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, small local museums like the Brunswick Heritage Museum have stepped up to provide historical context for today’s struggles and are authentic backdrops to explore and discuss these issues.”

Before COVID-19, James often led downtown tours dressed as “Brakeman Jim” for visitors to Brunswick from school-age students to seniors. He is the author of History in Our Attics: Photos and Documents of Brunswick, MD, in its third edition and A Christmas Trip to Brunswick (2016) that tells the story of a family that travels to Brunswick during the Christmas season of 1955.