The Historical Society of Cecil County is moving forward with the refurbishment of the Sheriff John F. DeWitt Military Museum.

John F. DeWitt, the only Sheriff in the history of Cecil County to be elected for four consecutive terms, started collecting military memorabilia when he was eleven. His dream was to open a military museum when he retired. Three months after his retirement, while finalizing those plans, Sheriff DeWitt died suddenly on April 24, 1991. A group of his friends fulfilled his dream and opened the Museum on May 7, 1992 at the Historical Society of Cecil County. This museum is in memory of Sheriff DeWitt and is dedicated to Cecil County veterans of all wars.

This refurbishment is to enhance the quality of the displays and better preserve the artifacts within the collection and to highlight the personal stories of the Cecil County men and women that have served our country and their role in our country’s military history. The Society is also endeavoring to create an educational tool and a more interactive experience for patrons with children specifically in mind. We will be installing electronics that will present 3D images of the artifacts, video to explain the United States military history and audio to narrate personal stories from Cecil County residents. Artifacts will be identified using signage and signage rails will be used to give an overview of that period in time. The total project cost is approximately $112,000 which will include new paint, carpeting, display cabinets, lighting and technology. The Society will be applying for grant funding, but this project will not be possible without community and member support.

In 1992 the Colonel John H. Magruder Memorial Award was presented to the DeWitt Museum in recognition of the Museum’s display of military memorabilia representing veterans of Cecil County and its emphasis on Marine Corps artifacts that cover history from the Civil War through Operation Desert Storm as judged by the Marine Corps Historical Foundation. This award winning museum is a Cecil County treasure that needs our attention. We would appreciate any financial assistance you can give us allowing us to realize our goal of making the DeWitt museum an engaging and interactive history of Cecil County’s military.

Checks should be made payable to the Historical Society of Cecil County, 135 E. Main St., Elkton, MD 21921. Please indicate on your check that this is designated for the DeWitt Museum Renovation.