Back in October, we told you about the Fairchild National Sports Car Races that took place at the airport in 1955. If you weren’t around in ’55 — or you were, and you’d like to relive those glory days — we’re going to give you the chance this fall. Make plans now to join the Washington County Historical Society and Hagerstown Aviation Museum on Oct. 23 for a special event that will commemorate the Fairchild National Sports Car Races. In addition to a vintage car show featuring several vehicles that participated in the races, the event will include lectures, guided tours of the Fairchild Aircraft flight test hangars and factory building, and a commemorative start-stop on the historic runway. To quickly recap the event we’re celebrating, the Fairchild National was the 12th race in the 1955 SCCA National Sports Car Championship season, taking place at what was then the Hagerstown Municipal Airport on Oct. 16, 1955. It was the first event of its kind to take place in Hagerstown, and was made possible by members of the Fairchild Aircraft Employee Recreation Association. Seven individual races were run on a makeshift, 2.4 mile closed circuit track built on the airport runway. Although it wasn’t […]

In honor of Black History Month, this article will focus on Hagerstown’s historic Jonathan Street Neighborhood, specifically with regards to its formation and notable historic sites. Described by author Lynn Bowman as “a story of America in miniature,” Hagerstown’s Jonathan Street Neighborhood is a historic African-American community. Although Jonathan Street existed prior to 1865, scholars agree that the Jonathan Street Neighborhood was formed after the Civil War, when African Americans were bound by segregation laws that restricted their movement and opportunities. In an effort to overcome these stringent laws, African-Americans created their own community along Jonathan Street. It was here that many historic African American owned businesses such as the Harmon Hotel thrived. The Jonathan Street Neighborhood houses many historic sites including the home sites of the Moxley brother’s and Jacob Wheaton, the first Black man to vote in the state of Maryland. An important site was the Harmon Hotel. Built at the turn of the twentieth century and situated at 226 N. Jonathan Street, the Harmon Hotel was owned by well-known African-Americanentrepreneur Walter Harmon. During the segregation era, the Harmon Hotel was the only place for visiting African-Americans to stay in Hagerstown. It was at the Harmon Hotel that […]