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Page 44 December 2015 The Catoctin Banner Newspaper www.TheCatoctinBanner.com Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com
R eminiscing...
The History of Orchards in Thurmont with Elmer “Lee” Black
Deb Spalding
Interview date September 14, 2015:
Lee and his wife, Frances, came up to Thurmont The two brothers, Harry and
from North Carolina to make his funeral Lee, now owned orchards. Harry
arrangements. He had purchased grave sites at Eyler’s said to Lee, “You take care of the
Valley Chapel years before. He seemed excited that picking, and I’ll take care of the
this would be a beautiful place to be put to rest. Lee’s selling.” Lee reminisced, “We added
grandson is a mortician in Westminster. Lee said he sat pick-your-own black raspberries that
down with him and went over the whole process and he (Harry) raised and strawberries
costs. He said, “It’s all planned out. I want a natural that we raised. There were a lot of
stone out of the mountain. I found one where I used problems along the way, I’m sure he
to live. John Kinnaird will engrave it.” disagreed with me and I disagreed
with him, but we never had an
Elmer “Lee” Black, 92, passed away on argument.”
November 9, 2015, in Burlington, North Carolina, Pictured left to right are Pat Black, Frances and Elmer “Lee” Black, and A regional University Of
following a brief illness. Bobby Black. Maryland Extension man named
Charlie Dunbar told Harry to build
Elmer “Lee” Black was born mother had to scrub him down in Still smiling, he added, “I’ve had a retail market and to pack baskets
January 31, 1923, near Thurmont. vinegar and tomato juice to get the interesting things happen to me.” with “good fruit!” Most fruit stands
He was the son of the late Willis G. smell off of him! Wanting to spend more time or “hucksters” at the time would
and Maude Baker Black. He had a When Lee was a kid in the 1920s outdoors, Lee and Frances bought place seconds (bruised or spotty fruit)
brother, Harry, and a sister, Betty. Due and 1930s, there were two places to Hooker Lewis’ Strawberry Field in the bottom of a basket and top it
to the untimely death of their father get fruit around Thurmont. The first in 1950 and started Blacks Hilltop off with good fruit! Lee and Harry
when Harry was 16, Lee was 14, and was a big orchard owned by Hooker Orchard. Hooker Lewis had several used good fruit throughout and that
Betty was 12, they all learned to work Lewis on the hill behind where Cozy little orchards around Thurmont. Lee is how it made both of their farms
hard to help their mother during the stood and before the highway went said, “During World War II and right successful businesses.
1930s when times were tough. through. That land is now developed. after - nearly everyone who had an Lee said there wasn’t any place
Many days were spent picking About the same time, Johnny apple tree could make money from that sold good peaches and apples
green beans at the Zentz Farm (now Kelbaugh had an orchard where it. But after the war, you had to be between Thurmont and Washington,
Rodman and Bobby Myers farm). Gateway Candyland is now. Harry good at making an orchard to stay in D.C. So, when they first opened,
Lee and Harry built a small chicken Zentz was known for making cider at business.” they had more business than they
coop to raise and sell chickens and the time. Lee said that before he was Lewis’ Orchard, Pryor’s Orchard, could handle. People canned at the
eggs. They took care of several bee born, most farmers and homesteaders and the original Kelbaugh Orchard time and would load up bushels
hives to get honey for themselves and had a small orchard of their own. were the main orchards in the area. at a time. The biggest apple
sold or bartered it. They cut, split, After graduating from Thurmont Over the years, different people growers were in Adams County,
and sold cords of wood during the High School in 1940, Lee enlisted in bought parts of Kelbaugh’s Orchard. Pennsylvania, but, Lee said, “That
winter months for some income. the Army Air Corps. While serving Russel Flanagan, who had been fruit was all bruised up — the
The boys would trap and skin with Headquarters Squadron 21st a mason, quit and went into the workers didn’t care.”
small wildlife to get money for the Air Service Group, he served as a orchard business. Right after the war, Business was up and down
pelts. When trapping skunks, you had photographer. During WWII, he was Hooker Lewis’ son-in-law opened an because of the economy and the
to keep the skunk’s feet off the ground sent to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, orchard that is now Pryor’s Orchard. weather. Lee said that at one point
or it could spray. Lee remembered one and was stationed in Australia Galen Pryor of today’s Pryor’s the orchard business was so bad that
time, when he was getting a skunk out and then New Guinea. He took Orchard is a great-grandson. they started to raise broiler chickens.
of a trap, he held it by its tail while thousands of photographs from the Lee enjoyed the independence of Blacks Hilltop Orchard was, and
working the trap, but accidently got ground and air for Public Relations owning an orchard. All of his and Catoctin Mountain Orchard still is,
its back feet back on the ground and, and History Reports in locations Frances’ six children - two girls and known as “conservation showcase”
got sprayed! When he got home his from New Guinea to Tokyo. four boys - worked the orchard by orchards. Harry’s family and Lee and
Discharged in 1945 after earning picking and thinning fruit. Frances’ family worked closely with
the rank of Staff Sargent, Lee then Ira Kelbaugh, son of Kelbaugh the State of Maryland to implement
started a photography business in Orchard’s originator, Johnny smart ideas. In doing so, things
Thurmont and Emmitsburg. Kelbaugh, originally planted the changed with orchard procedures
Lee met his wife Frances, at orchard along Kelbaugh Road. Lee’s and standards.
the Monterey Tea House on New brother, Harry, worked for Ira during They started to grow smaller
Year’s Eve. She was born and raised the war. When Ira semi-retired, he trees to save on costs of picking and
in Baltimore City. She said, “My told Harry he would sell him the spraying; while they always used
prudish and strict mother left me orchard. For years, Harry took care pesticides of some sort, the pesticides
with my promiscuous aunt and she of the orchard for half the profit and became more effective and made
took me along to a drinking place.” eventually bought it. better; over time, the types of fruit
Frances was 16 at the time, Lee was This purchase included the road- were made stronger and more vibrant
10 years her senior. Within three side market that was very small at in color. Lee did some budding on
months, they were engaged and the time. Lee said, “When Kelbaugh trees, but didn’t do any genetics like
married. The year was 1949. first started, he didn’t sell fruit along the Catoctin Mountain Orchard
With a chuckle and glance at the road. It wasn’t until the highway Black family (Harry’s son Bobby’s
his wife, Lee said, “We’ve been came through that the market (a family, Harry’s daughter, Pat) does
together ‘off and on’ for 67 years.” smaller version of today’s Catoctin today...
This comment earned him a thump Mountain Orchard Market) was
on the shoulder from his ‘Fannie’. built around 1948.” —Read Part II in January issue.
R eminiscing...
The History of Orchards in Thurmont with Elmer “Lee” Black
Deb Spalding
Interview date September 14, 2015:
Lee and his wife, Frances, came up to Thurmont The two brothers, Harry and
from North Carolina to make his funeral Lee, now owned orchards. Harry
arrangements. He had purchased grave sites at Eyler’s said to Lee, “You take care of the
Valley Chapel years before. He seemed excited that picking, and I’ll take care of the
this would be a beautiful place to be put to rest. Lee’s selling.” Lee reminisced, “We added
grandson is a mortician in Westminster. Lee said he sat pick-your-own black raspberries that
down with him and went over the whole process and he (Harry) raised and strawberries
costs. He said, “It’s all planned out. I want a natural that we raised. There were a lot of
stone out of the mountain. I found one where I used problems along the way, I’m sure he
to live. John Kinnaird will engrave it.” disagreed with me and I disagreed
with him, but we never had an
Elmer “Lee” Black, 92, passed away on argument.”
November 9, 2015, in Burlington, North Carolina, Pictured left to right are Pat Black, Frances and Elmer “Lee” Black, and A regional University Of
following a brief illness. Bobby Black. Maryland Extension man named
Charlie Dunbar told Harry to build
Elmer “Lee” Black was born mother had to scrub him down in Still smiling, he added, “I’ve had a retail market and to pack baskets
January 31, 1923, near Thurmont. vinegar and tomato juice to get the interesting things happen to me.” with “good fruit!” Most fruit stands
He was the son of the late Willis G. smell off of him! Wanting to spend more time or “hucksters” at the time would
and Maude Baker Black. He had a When Lee was a kid in the 1920s outdoors, Lee and Frances bought place seconds (bruised or spotty fruit)
brother, Harry, and a sister, Betty. Due and 1930s, there were two places to Hooker Lewis’ Strawberry Field in the bottom of a basket and top it
to the untimely death of their father get fruit around Thurmont. The first in 1950 and started Blacks Hilltop off with good fruit! Lee and Harry
when Harry was 16, Lee was 14, and was a big orchard owned by Hooker Orchard. Hooker Lewis had several used good fruit throughout and that
Betty was 12, they all learned to work Lewis on the hill behind where Cozy little orchards around Thurmont. Lee is how it made both of their farms
hard to help their mother during the stood and before the highway went said, “During World War II and right successful businesses.
1930s when times were tough. through. That land is now developed. after - nearly everyone who had an Lee said there wasn’t any place
Many days were spent picking About the same time, Johnny apple tree could make money from that sold good peaches and apples
green beans at the Zentz Farm (now Kelbaugh had an orchard where it. But after the war, you had to be between Thurmont and Washington,
Rodman and Bobby Myers farm). Gateway Candyland is now. Harry good at making an orchard to stay in D.C. So, when they first opened,
Lee and Harry built a small chicken Zentz was known for making cider at business.” they had more business than they
coop to raise and sell chickens and the time. Lee said that before he was Lewis’ Orchard, Pryor’s Orchard, could handle. People canned at the
eggs. They took care of several bee born, most farmers and homesteaders and the original Kelbaugh Orchard time and would load up bushels
hives to get honey for themselves and had a small orchard of their own. were the main orchards in the area. at a time. The biggest apple
sold or bartered it. They cut, split, After graduating from Thurmont Over the years, different people growers were in Adams County,
and sold cords of wood during the High School in 1940, Lee enlisted in bought parts of Kelbaugh’s Orchard. Pennsylvania, but, Lee said, “That
winter months for some income. the Army Air Corps. While serving Russel Flanagan, who had been fruit was all bruised up — the
The boys would trap and skin with Headquarters Squadron 21st a mason, quit and went into the workers didn’t care.”
small wildlife to get money for the Air Service Group, he served as a orchard business. Right after the war, Business was up and down
pelts. When trapping skunks, you had photographer. During WWII, he was Hooker Lewis’ son-in-law opened an because of the economy and the
to keep the skunk’s feet off the ground sent to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, orchard that is now Pryor’s Orchard. weather. Lee said that at one point
or it could spray. Lee remembered one and was stationed in Australia Galen Pryor of today’s Pryor’s the orchard business was so bad that
time, when he was getting a skunk out and then New Guinea. He took Orchard is a great-grandson. they started to raise broiler chickens.
of a trap, he held it by its tail while thousands of photographs from the Lee enjoyed the independence of Blacks Hilltop Orchard was, and
working the trap, but accidently got ground and air for Public Relations owning an orchard. All of his and Catoctin Mountain Orchard still is,
its back feet back on the ground and, and History Reports in locations Frances’ six children - two girls and known as “conservation showcase”
got sprayed! When he got home his from New Guinea to Tokyo. four boys - worked the orchard by orchards. Harry’s family and Lee and
Discharged in 1945 after earning picking and thinning fruit. Frances’ family worked closely with
the rank of Staff Sargent, Lee then Ira Kelbaugh, son of Kelbaugh the State of Maryland to implement
started a photography business in Orchard’s originator, Johnny smart ideas. In doing so, things
Thurmont and Emmitsburg. Kelbaugh, originally planted the changed with orchard procedures
Lee met his wife Frances, at orchard along Kelbaugh Road. Lee’s and standards.
the Monterey Tea House on New brother, Harry, worked for Ira during They started to grow smaller
Year’s Eve. She was born and raised the war. When Ira semi-retired, he trees to save on costs of picking and
in Baltimore City. She said, “My told Harry he would sell him the spraying; while they always used
prudish and strict mother left me orchard. For years, Harry took care pesticides of some sort, the pesticides
with my promiscuous aunt and she of the orchard for half the profit and became more effective and made
took me along to a drinking place.” eventually bought it. better; over time, the types of fruit
Frances was 16 at the time, Lee was This purchase included the road- were made stronger and more vibrant
10 years her senior. Within three side market that was very small at in color. Lee did some budding on
months, they were engaged and the time. Lee said, “When Kelbaugh trees, but didn’t do any genetics like
married. The year was 1949. first started, he didn’t sell fruit along the Catoctin Mountain Orchard
With a chuckle and glance at the road. It wasn’t until the highway Black family (Harry’s son Bobby’s
his wife, Lee said, “We’ve been came through that the market (a family, Harry’s daughter, Pat) does
together ‘off and on’ for 67 years.” smaller version of today’s Catoctin today...
This comment earned him a thump Mountain Orchard Market) was
on the shoulder from his ‘Fannie’. built around 1948.” —Read Part II in January issue.
