Town to Host First-Ever Moll Dyer Day

The St. Mary’s County Historical Society and others will hold the first Moll Dyer Day on February 26. The legend of Moll Dyer and the alleged curse she placed on local residents has persisted for centuries.

Many know the legend of Moll Dyer, but it’s not as widely known that Dyer was a real woman who lived just south of what is now Leonardtown in the late 1600s.

She is believed to have been a healer who often aided the community. However, when an epidemic of influenza arose during winter 1697, the town inhabitants looked to lay blame and named her as its cause. Accused of witchcraft, Dyer was set upon by a mob fearful of the sickness.

When they set fire to her small cabin, Dyer escaped into the surrounding woods on a bitterly cold night in February 1698. Her body was found days later by a young boy looking for lost livestock. She was found with one hand frozen to a large rock and the other outstretched to the sky. Legend has it that Moll put a curse on the land and on the rock.

It’s rumored that anyone who touches the rock may become dizzy or even fall ill.

Prior to a dedication ceremony last year, the rock was moved from the Old Jail where it sat for almost 50 years to Tudor Hall, the home of the St. Mary’s County Historical Society, where the organization oversees the preservation of this important piece of Southern Maryland history.

The society has helped build a platform and protective covering to shelter the rock from the elements. Since its move, the rock has seen a steady flow of visitors who often leave trinkets and small gifts for Moll.

Peter LaPorte, executive director for St. Mary’s County Historical Society, notes the significance of the event and why Moll’s legend continues to resonate with us to this day.

“The Moll Dyer legend provides continued fascination within the county and beyond. The events leading up to Moll Dyer’s demise holds a deeper message – one that is relevant to today. Moll Dyer did not cause the plague,” LaPorte says. “But as she lived afar and alone, behaved differently, she became the subject of hateful rumors and bullying. Moll Dyer didn’t die from the plague in February 1698. Sadly, she died from irrational fear because she was different and vulnerable.”

The enduring message from Moll Dyer’s legend is one of acceptance through understanding and simply to be kind to those who are different. For this reason, “Be Kind” has been chosen as the theme of this year’s festivities.

Planned activities for the Moll Dyer Day celebration on Saturday, February 26, 2022, hosted by the St. Mary’s County Historical Society, the commissioners of Leonardtown, Visit St. Mary’s, the St. Mary’s County Museum Division, and the Leonardtown Business Association, include an opening ceremony at the site of the Moll Dyer Rock at Tudor Hall, a scavenger hunt for the entire family, paranormal investigations, a ghost walk, and special offers and activities provided by local Leonardtown businesses.

To learn more about the event, click here.

Schedule

Friday, February 25, 2022, 6 pm — A “kick-off” talk will be held at The REX Restaurant (22695 Washington St, Leonardtown, MD 20650) titled: Indentured Women in the 17th Century: Putting Moll Dyer in Perspective. Guest speaker, Jessica McInerney, is an adjunct Professor at Salisbury University on the Eastern Shore.

Saturday, February 26, 2022

11 am Opening Ceremony at Moll Dyer Rock at Tudor Hall Manor (41680 Tudor Place, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650) 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Old Jail Museum open with Moll Dyer items featured in the gift shop. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tastings and Tours featuring Moll Dyer Whiskey, hourly at Tobacco Barn Distillery (Advance tickets required) noon – 4 pm. Themed Scavenger Hunt at Shepherd’s Old Field Market. 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Moll Dyer and the Spirits of St. Mary’s featuring Medium Debbie Oz at Tobacco Barn Distillery (Advance tickets required)

6 – 8 pm and 8:30 – 10:30 pm Paranormal Investigation and Tour starting at Town Hall at: 22670 Washington St., Leonardtown, MD 20650 (Advance tickets required)

Throughout the Day: Find special cocktails, menu items and activities at these participating establishments: Above Par Golf & Entertainment, Antoinette’s Garden Gourmet Coffee and Wine Café, Fenwick Street Books, Port of Leonardtown Winery, Shepherd’s Old Field Market, Social Coffeehouse & Cocktail Bar, SPICE Studio, St. Mary’s County Arts Council Gallery & Gift Shop, Sweetbay Restaurant & Bar, The Front Porch, The Olde Town Pub, The Rex Restaurant & Bar, The Slice House, and Ye Olde Towne Café.

The St. Mary’s County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving stories about the people, events, and places in St. Mary’s County. The group curates a repository of a unique collection of Maryland memorabilia and museum pieces displayed on the first floor of Tudor Hall and in the Old Jail Museum at 41625 Courthouse Drive in historic Leonardtown. The 18th-century Tudor Hall also serves as headquarters of the society and houses the Historical Society’s Research Center.

To find more posts by the St. Mary’s Historical Society, visit this Leader member page.