Published: October 01, 2008 11:15 pm      

Garrett historian named county’s ‘Most Beautiful’

Broadwater selected from 11 nominees

OAKLAND — Garrett County has named its Most Beautiful Person for 2008, recognizing Maxine Beachy Broadwater, a woman who has worked to preserve the history of the county and the photography of her uncle Leo Beachy.

“It’s worth being nominated,” Broadwater said. “I certainly don’t think I’m worthy of this ... I’m very proud of my county and want to keep doing good things for it.”

However, there were people in the community who obviously thought otherwise as she was nominated by both Dana Shimrock, librarian at Garrett College, and the Garrett County Historical Society for her work in the county.

Broadwater worked for the county library for a number of years and after retirement volunteered with the historical society. According to her letter of recommendation, she managed to save her uncle’s glass slides and get 30 copies of his photos of Garrett County that now tour the state and the area.

They were also the subject of a PBS documentary, “OnQ: Leo Beachy’s Legacy,” which recently won the 2008 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award for Historic/Cultural Feature.

Shimrock said that in speaking to the people from Pittsburgh-based WQED, they told her they felt they won the Emmy because of the information that Broadwater provided and her presence in the documentary.

George Edwards, who presented Broadwater with a citation from the state Senate during the weekly county commission meeting, said that her family was also the reason that Grantsville has its community park, as they donated the land for it.

As winner of the award, Broadwater will ride in the Autumn Glory Parade, and she joked with the county commissioners about seeing if she could ride with Deborah Phelps, the parade grand marshal.

Though the state has stopped funding this award of recognition throughout Maryland for those who do volunteer work to better their community, Ernie Gregg, county commissioner, explained that the county decided to continue the award.

This year there were 11 nominations for the award, with Ed King, the Rev. Gail Hixon, Beverly Beard, Jason Snyder, Pastor Art Evans, Don Sincell, Jennifer Paugh, Bernadine Friend, Dana McCauley, and Susan and Larry Glotfelty.

“There is only one winner, formally,” Gregg said, “but you are all winners for all you do for Garrett County, and it makes it a better place, and that’s why we live here.”

Sarah Moses can be reached at Contact Sarah Moses at smoses@times-news.com.