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The Mid-Shore Community Foundation (MSCF) was the recent recipient of a wonderful piece of history. Through the generosity of Larry Hitchens, an antique enthusiast, the MSCF now has an original letter of Thomas J. Bullitt’s from 1812.
Mr. Bullitt was a very successful local lawyer/businessman in Easton in the early 1800’s. He built his prestigious home on Dover Street in 1801. Currently his house, located at the corner of Dover and Washington Streets, is the home of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation.
The letter describes a transfer of funds between the Union Bank in Baltimore and the Easton branch of the Farmers’ Bank (which became Easton National Bank and is now Bank of America) of which Mr. Bullitt was an original investor. The letter’s date is January 18, 1812.
“It’s a wonderful piece of history and predates two other Bullitt documents that the MSCF owns,” says Charlie Capute, chairman of the Foundation. “These documents bring to life the history of our 200+ year old building.”
The 1812 letter surfaced in an antique store in upstate New York after an estate sale. The store’s owner just happened to be acquainted with Easton resident, Larry Hitchens, who he immediately contacted because of the ‘Easton, Maryland’ postmark. Mr. Hitchens recognized the Bullitt name and brought the letter back to its point of origin.
“Its amazing that the letter is back in the building where it was written nearly 200 years ago,” said Hitchens. “When I first saw the letter I knew I wanted to bring it back to Easton.”
The Mid-Shore Community Foundation is the proud owner of the Bullitt House. The home’s longevity is a fitting match to the mission of the Foundation. As the Bullitt House is considered one of the finest remaining examples of early 19th century Federal architecture in the State of Maryland, so too does the Foundation want to be remembered.
The mission of the Foundation is to connect private resources with public needs in order to expand human services and enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot Counties. The Foundation provides a vehicle for donors to establish philanthropic funds without incurring the costs of starting private foundations.
It is the Foundation’s aim to promote and facilitate philanthropy by using the assets of the five-county Mid-Shore region cost-effectively for maximum impact for perpetuity. In FY 2006 the charitable funds invested with the Mid-Shore Community Foundation generated over $688,000 in grants for the community.
The Foundation also helps non-profit organizations establish endowment funds. These endowment funds strengthen the non-profits by helping them develop long term financial independence.
As the Mid-Shore Community Foundation continues to grow the positive impact it has in the Mid-Shore community will build a legacy of its own, to be remembered by generations to come, just like Thomas J. Bullitt and his beautiful home on Dover Street.
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