Douglas Garns Bast is a local legend. Born to a locally significant family, Doug has lived in Boonsboro all his life and has been collecting and documenting its history since he was a boy. He is an expert on the history of Boonsboro, as well as many other topics such as the Civil War. His museum, the Boonesborough Museum of History, founded in 1974, is quirky and interesting and absolutely chocked full of historical artifacts that only scratch the surface of his collections. An effort is currently underway to preserve these artifacts for generations to come.
Both sides of Doug’s family originated from Germany and came to the United States around the 1760s; his mother’s side settling in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area and his father’s ancestors farming in Frederick County, Maryland.
In 1888, William F. Bast, Doug’s great grandfather, apprenticed with John Christian Brining at his cabinet maker shop. Around the turn of the century, William bought the business. After his death, William’s sons, John and Gerald (Doug’s father), continued the combined operation, offering both furniture and funeral services.
During the 1960’s, the two businesses were separated. Gerald and Doug took over the furniture store while John and his son John Jr. (also known as Bud) continued operating the funeral home. Bast Furniture operated on Main Street for 174 years before closing in 2011, likely the longest operating furniture store in Maryland.
We interviewed Doug at the museum at 113 N. Main Street in Boonsboro. Suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, Doug struggles physically and also sometimes to recall details. We began to record some of his thoughts and memories and hope to do more in time. Along for the interview was George Messner, President of the Boonsboro Historical Society, who is heard on the clip about the Civil War indicating the overlooked importance of Boonsboro in the war.
**Update – Doug Bast passed away on March 4, 2021 at the age of 83.
Audio Clips
Pick audio clips of Doug’s memories regarding the family business, local history and the Civil War below OR just continue listening as each clip will play one after another.
Be sure to turn up the volume on your speakers/computer.
Doug Bast – Funeral Hearse
Doug Bast as a child at Christmas
Doug Bast in historical attire of a mortician
Doug Bast in his museum
Items saved from Cabinet Funeral business
Doug looking at the first item in his collection – brown bottle
Billy Bast, age 21, Died Oct 10, 1918
Louise and Madeleine (Bast family?)
July 4, 1919
John Bast Jr on far right
Gwendolyn Bast, age 14
Doug Bast as a boy in white shorts
Hubert and Sue Bast (Doug Bast’s uncle and grandmother),
Doug’s Mother, Melinda Lucretia Garns Bast
Doug Bast and John Bast Jr.
Doug Bast as a child
Doug Bast and friend, dressed in military costume
Doug Bast riding a bike
Doug Bast riding a bike
Doug Bast and mother Lucretia on horseback
Doug Bast’s cousin Barbara Bast Miller
Doug Bast driving horse-drawn buggy with family on N. Main St.
Doug and Gerald Bast
Lecretia Gail (Garns) Bast
Doug Bast’s mother
Gerald, Doug and Lecretia (Garns) Bast
Doug Bast at Christmas
Doug Bast – Bast Funeral Home called out to scene of fatal car accident
Birthday Party of Doug Bast (in middle)
Doug’s 3rd birthday in 1940. Guests from left to right – Buddy Smith, Lloyd Sterner, Barbara Zimmerman (Glausier), one of the Gantz girls, Lum, Doug, not sure of next two, Barbara Miller, Dennis Sterner. Party was held at Doug’s house at 114 N. Main Street which is directly across the street from museum.
Mark Bikle (nephew of John Bast Jr) and Doug Bast
Mark Bikle (nephew of John Bast Jr) and Doug Bast in the Boonsborough Museum of History.
