It's no coincidence that remarkable things happen in Hagerstown and Washington County, Maryland. Civil War sites attract history buffs from across the nation. Washington County has scores of national, state, and local parks. The county is famous for hiking, biking, whitewater-rafting, and a lot more.

Washington County, Maryland was the FIRST county in the United States to be named in honor of George Washington, and is only 75-minutes from Baltimore or Washington, DC. With great golf, upscale and outlet shopping, restaurants, museums, theater and superb hotel and meeting facilities, the Western Maryland community has become a must-see.

Guaranteed to supply a memorable visit, the county has five national parks, including Antietam National Battlefield, the C&O Canal National Historical Park, and the Appalachian Trail. Washington County is rich in history and heritage, recreation and relaxation. Also, eight state parks include Fort Frederick, Washington Monument, Greenbrier, and Gathland.

There are tremendous shopping choices in Hagerstown-Washington County. In fact, Hagerstown is ranked first in the State of Maryland (and 17th in the nation) in the Retail Opportunities Index (retail square footage per capita). With Prime Outlets-Hagerstown attracting millions of shoppers - antique malls, specialty shops and unique downtown stores are also flourishing.

2009 marks the 150th anniversary of John Brown's famous raid on Harpers Ferry. Brown lived in Washington County and planned the raid, during the months leading up to the infamous raid. Historians say John Brown's Raid was the spark that started the Civil War. John Brown spent several months at the Kennedy Farm, which today is a national historic landmark and is completely restored and furnished. Brown's "Provisional Army of the United States" used the farm during the summer of 1859 as a staging area for raid on Harpers Ferry. The Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is also partly located in Washington County.

There are more than 30 museums in Washington County, including the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, the Discovery Station Science Center, the Pry House Field Hospital Museum, and the Christian Heritage Museum. The Miller House is headquarters to the Washington County Historical Society which has the historic Beaver Creek one-room schoolhouse looking just as it did in the 1800's. The Jonathan Hager House showcases the first home built in what was known as Maryland Western Frontier. Jonathan Hager built the house in 1739, and today the museum houses an incredible collection of artifacts from the 1700's. The Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum celebrates the railroading history of Hagerstown. Also, the collection of the Hagerstown Aviation Museum is second to none in Maryland.

Hagerstown and Washington County are home to festivals, including the well-known Western Maryland Blues Fest. Also, Augustoberfest celebrates the city's rich German heritage. Community festivals, including the annual Peach Festival, celebrate the county's rich agricultural heritage.

The largest, oldest, and most prestigious athletic event of its kind is run every November - it's the Annual JFK 50-Mile, which is an ultramarathon which starts in Boonsboro, climbs South Mountain, runs the Appalachian Trail to the Potomac, and then traverses the C&O Canal to Williamsport. More than 1,000 competitors finished the race last year, including the youngest woman to ever complete the JFK, a 13-year old high school cross country runner! Every branch of the military sends teams, all competing for the coveted Kennedy Cup.

Hagerstown is home to the annual Alsatia Club Mummers Parade, known far and wide as the largest night-time Halloween parade east of the Rockies. More than 50,000 people annually pack Hagerstown's streets to watch more than 200 units and 10,000 parade participants strut their stuff.

The Salute to Independence at Antietam with the Maryland Symphony is a well-attended concert and fireworks, and is called "Maryland's Most Patriotic Event." Also, the annual Memorial Illumination at Antietam has been named a Top-100 event in North America.

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	The Battlefield photo is at Antietam National Battlefield (the Dunker Church was a focal point for the battle, and the and cannons mark artillery positions).
	The Washington County Fine Arts Museum is in Hagerstown's City Park. The WCMFA is a beautiful centerpiece of the park, and houses an incredible collection including works by Remington, Rockwell, Picasso, and more.
	The cannon firing was taking at Fort Frederick, the largest stone fort the British ever built in the colonies, and the fort was known as the "Gibraltar on the Potomac." Fort Frederick became Maryland's first state park, and today is lovingly restored to the way it was in 1756 during the French and Indian War. The fort saw action in four wars, including during the Civil War.
	Prime Outlets-Hagerstown is one of the most visited shopping destinations in the Mid-Atlantic, and attracts millions of people to Hagerstown.
	The Maryland Theatre was built in 1915, and is the home of the world-renowned Maryland Symphony Orchestra, led by its first female maestra, Elizabeth Schulze.

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Visit Hagerstown-Washington County, and make some Maryland Memories!

Call : 301-791-3246 or 888-257-2600 Go to www.marylandmemories.com for more information.

 

 

 

 

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