Annual pop-up event contributes to historic home’s preservation

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – The Sarah Martin Done house in Princess Anne stands tall to this day, thanks to the Somerset County Historical Society’s annual pop-up antique sale.

President of the organization, Richard Ziolkowski, said the sale helps generate a lot of the funds needed to preserve the home.

“We’re always looking for ways to try and fund that, and this has been a really good one for us,” Ziolkowski said.

From new roofing to fire and water damage fixes, the home has seen its fair share of repairs.

Main street Princess Anne manager, Carrie Samis, said it’s all worth it, because this home in particular plays a great part in the look and the feel of Princess Anne.

“Our main street district, and part of Princess Anne, is part of a national historic district,” Samis said. “There are over 270 historic structures in the town that contribute to the aesthetic of the town.”

With the pop-up event drawing in hundreds of antique fanatics each year, Samis said each person may come to get their hands on a vintage lamp or framed photo, but they’ll leave with more knowledge on the historic town.

“It gives people a great opportunity to go in and just take a look at the historic character of the home, and to see not just the repairs that need to be made, but the repairs that have already been made as a result of some of the continuous fundraising efforts,” Samis said.