Resident Writes First-Ever History Book of Arnold

Before the year is over, Arnold will get its first history book.

Alberta Stornetta, a longtime resident of Broadneck, has been diligently gathering pieces of history together for seven years in order to formulate the first definitive book on Arnold.

“This is going to be the year of the book,” Stornetta said. “We plan to put Arnold on the map.”

The tentative title of the book is Arnold, Maryland: The Little Post Office that Grew. However, Stornetta has said the title may change to encompass all of Broadneck, depending on how much material she can assemble.

Stornetta began work on the book seven years ago after being asked by Asbury Church to put together its history.

“One of our parishioners told people I was an expert on Arnold history. But the only thing I knew about Arnold history at that point was that Thomas Arnold was buried in the church cemetery,” she said. “Now it’s seven years later, and I’ve learned a lot since then.”

Stornetta's search for historical documents on Arnold began at the . She asked for information on Arnold and was told there wasn’t any.

“They told me nobody had ever done anything on it. So, I knew where I had to start,” Stornetta said.

Over the past few years, Stornetta has written five articles for the Anne Arundel County Historical Society, and are available on the ’s website at www.preservearnold.org/#history.

The book will be published by Bay Media in Severna Park, and she plans to have it ready for sale by Christmas of this year.

Though she’s set a deadline, Stornetta said she’s still hoping to get some more input from the community.

“We have to keep reminding people that history doesn’t have to be ancient. Yesterday was history. We want to get as much input from the people of Arnold as we can,” she said.

She’s looking for photos, memories, and stories people may have of their lives in Arnold. She and her team are establishing a website where these stories can be shared.

Editor's note: This article has been updated from a previous version to clarify where Alberta Stornetta started her research and when she started writing articles.