CAMBRIDGE, Md. - Those in Cambridge were encouraged to pick out a brick from the old Dorchester General Hospital.
A small pile of bricks held thousands of memories. Today, those in Cambridge came one by one to pick one out as a memento.
A month ago, the old Dorchester General Hospital was demolished. In it's place will be a place for things like restaurants, shopping, and a park for biking trails for the community to enjoy. People today shared their memories and what made them come to the pile.
Mike Spear who's lived in Cambridge his whole life said he was born in the hospital. Dalton Edshead picked out two bricks. He said his mother worked as a nurse there.
Mary Panyon worked as a nurse there for 17 years. She said she wondered what part of the hospital her brick came from. "I have no idea. But, I do wonder which bricks did I end up with and if those bricks could talk, I'm sure they would tell quite a story," says Panyon.
Executive Director of the Cambridge Waterfront District Inc. Matt Leonard said this was something that needed to be done for the community. "One thing that really pleases me is what I've seen from people who are taking a brick. They're coming and getting one or two. They're not taking 10 or 20 and building a patio. They're actually doing it for the reasons they said, a sentimental attachment to the old hospital," says Leonard. "There was so much connection and affection for the old hospital that a lot of people in the community starting contacting the Cambridge Waterfront community asking 'can we have a souvenir brick'"?
Diane McCarthy is not from Cambridge. But, collecting a brick today meant a lot to her. "I know how people feel about it. Even though I'm not an eastern shore person, the brick means a lot to me too," says McCarthy.
When asked what they will do with the brick, most people said they would place it somewhere safe or with a plaque in their home.
The bricks hold a sentimental value for those to cherish for years.