John M. Essex devoted his entire life to the exploration of the historical structures of Prince George’s County. It was in the last twenty years or so that he began to share with and in the process educate his fellow residence on the history of these fascinating places. While John was concerned about the physical preservation of these sites, he recognized that the dissemination of their history and legacy was paramount.

In his honor, the John M. Essex Memorial Fund has been created to provide financial assistance to scholars, authors, graduate students and doctoral candidates wishing to research the architectural heritage of Prince Georges County, Maryland. This fund will assist these researchers in the creation of educational outreach including but not limited to lectures, papers, podcasts, and videos.