Thursday at 11 a.m. Ceremonial Courtroom No. 5, 400 Washington Avenue Towson, Maryland 21204. Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith, joined by Council Chair Joseph Bartenfelder, officially kicked off the 350th anniversary of Baltimore County in the Historic Courtroom Five in Towson. In commemoration of the 350 year milestone, Baltimore County has planned a series of celebratory events throughout 2009. For the event in February, Smith will join others in celebrating the legacy of Benjamin Banneker and other African American pioneers on Saturday, February 14 at 1 p.m. The event, coordinated by the Office of Community Conservation and titled "African American Firsts," will be held at Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum, 300 Oella Avenue in Catonsville. A special web site has been created that includes information on the upcoming events. The web site will be updated regularly. At the kick-off celebration, Smith also announced that a book, Baltimore County: Celebrating a Legacy 1659-2009, will be published this spring. Baltimore County and the Baltimore County Historical Society commissioned author Dr. Barry Lanman for the project. While the exact legal origin is not known, Baltimore County has long recognized 1659 as the official year of its founding. It was in 1659 that the first reference to the County was recorded. | 
