Darce Easton, born April 30, 1930, moved with her family at the age of 6 to live at the Washington Monument State Park in Boonsboro. Her father, Robert Palmer, had been named the first superintendent of the park and job meant moving to live in the ranger’s house on park property.
There she lived with her parents and brother until she married and moved to Rohrersville, MD. She has some wonderful stories of her time there, helping her dad, being in a presidential motorcade and general antics as she grew up in the shadow of the country’s first monument in honor of President George Washington.
Take a listen to Darce in November of 2017 as she talks about her memories growing up at the Washington Monument as part of the Boonsboro Historical Society’s Pass It On program.
Audio Clips
Pick audio clips of Darce’s memories below OR just continue listening as each clip will play one after another.
Turn the volume all the way up, please.
Related Photos
Ranger house at the park
Appalachian Trail marker at the park
appointment of Robert Palmer
Antietam Battlefield Commemoration program
Antietam Battlefield Commemoration program – front
75th Anniversary of the Battle Of Antietam
Jefferson Republican article on the monument
Monument Souvneir artwork
Monument Souvneir with postcard
The Robert Palmer (park superintendant) family
Jefferson Republican article
Washington Monument State Park
Robert Palmer, first superintendent of the Washington Monument State Park
Darce Easton as a little girl
Darce (Palmer) Easton
Darce (Palmer) Easton at Washington Monument State Park
Clearing for Washington Monument
Clearing for Washington Monument
Washington Monument postcard #2 from Darce
Washington Monument
Washington Monument
Washington Monument
Washington Monument with observation tower
Washington Monument with observation tower
Washington Monument
Washington Monument
Feed Bag Dress Material
Feed Bag Dress material that Darce coveted as a child.
Washington Monument
Washington Monument
Clearing of the Washington Monument during rebuild in 1836
Washington Monument article – First State Park Named to National Register
Washington Monument
News article – Plans for Exercises at Washington Monument
Newspaper Article – War Relics at Washington Monument
