LEONARDTOWN, Md. — A piece of Leonardtown’s history was unveiled on Nov. 21, 2024 at a reception held at Tudor Hall, as the St. Mary’s County Historical Society welcomed a 123-year-old piano from the historic St. Mary’s Hotel into its collection.
The piano, a Sohmer Parlor Grand built in 1901, originally graced the lobby of the St. Mary’s Hotel, a town landmark constructed in 1907 by William Bernard Duke at the corner of Washington Street and Park Avenue. It was brought to the hotel in 1942 by Adelaide Lynch Abell when she and her husband, Benjamin Kennedy Abell, Sr., took up residence there.
Remarkably, the piano survived the June 8, 1956, fire that destroyed the hotel. Before the building was demolished, the piano was relocated to the home of Benjamin Kennedy Abell, Jr., on Washington Street, where it remained for decades. Following Abell’s death in 2022 at the age of 93, his family sought to ensure the piano stayed in Leonardtown.
In September 2024, the Abell family donated the piano to the St. Mary’s County Historical Society. At the reception, Jenny McCabe, the youngest of Abell’s children, expressed her family’s gratitude. “Our family is delighted that the piano will stay here in Leonardtown,” McCabe said. “It is a reminder of our family’s history and of Leonardtown’s past. Our dad would be thrilled and humbled that Leonardtown and the Historical Society treasures this part of the town’s history as much as he did.”
The piano was recently cleaned and tuned, funded by a grant from the Leonardtown Arts & Entertainment Council. Piano technician Steve Winger remarked on the instrument’s exceptional condition. “The 123-year-old piano was in surprisingly good condition given the challenges it faced,” Winger said. “Its cabinet, strings, and action were all in good order.”
Admiral Tim Heely, USN (Ret.), President of the Historical Society, expressed gratitude for the donation. “We are very grateful to the Abell family for allowing us to preserve such an important piece of local history. We also appreciate the support we received from the Leonardtown Arts & Entertainment Council to help us make this possible.”
Leonardtown Mayor Dan Burris emphasized the piano’s significance to the town. “This piano is more than just an instrument—it is a symbol of Leonardtown’s love of both art and history,” Burris said. “We’re happy it will remain in our town and proud to be part of its preservation.”
The unveiling event featured a performance by Elynne Brice Davis on piano, accompanied by Lois Stephenson on violin, showcasing the piano’s rich tones. Attendees also viewed a video on the history of the St. Mary’s Hotel, created by the late Dickie Duke, which played continuously in Tudor Hall’s Board Room.
For more information on the piano and the St. Mary’s Hotel, visit the St. Mary’s County Historical Society’s website at www.stmaryshistory.org.
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