September 14 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Did you know? Much of Downtown Hagerstown’s urban “look” dates from its late 19th and early 20th century glory days as a railroad hub.
Join us on September 14 and learn about the fascinating architecture behind the buildings you pass daily as Dr. Paula Reed, an architectural historian, guides us on a walk back in time.
During this tour, you will travel to the square and along the first blocks of Potomac and Washington Streets and learn about the many architectural styles and periods of Downtown Hagerstown.
The tour will begin at 2:00 PM, and we will gather in front of the Miller House Museum. Be sure to dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes and clothing. We will be walking about two miles.
Tickets are very limited, with only 25 available; we hope to see you there!
$25 – $35
July 23, 2024
Did you know? Much of Downtown Hagerstown’s urban “look” dates from its late 19th and early 20th century glory days as a railroad hub. Join us on September 14 and learn about the fascinating architecture behind the buildings you pass daily as Dr. Paula Reed, an architectural historian, guides us on a walk back in time. During this tour, you will travel to the square and along the first blocks of Potomac and Washington Streets and learn about the many architectural styles and periods of Downtown Hagerstown. The tour will begin at 2:00 PM, and we will gather in front of the Miller House Museum. Be sure to dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes and clothing. We will be walking about two miles. Tickets are very limited, with only 25 available; we hope to see you there!
July 14, 2024
By Zach Brooks and Abigail Koontz There’s a new exhibit at the Miller House Museum in downtown Hagerstown that recalls one of the most dramatic incidents in the city’s history. As if July were not hot enough, in the summer of 1864, the fourth summer of the Civil War, Confederate Brig. Gen. John McCausland rode into town and demanded $20,000 and 1,500 sets of clothing for his cavalrymen. And if Hagerstown’s residents did not meet the demand within four hours, he promised to burn the whole town down. By the afternoon of July 6, McCausland — who was part of a Confederate contingent led by Lt. Gen. Jubal Early and bent on taking the war straight to Washington — had taken control of Hagerstown. Mayor John Cook, a merchant, had fled north. McCausland convened with Councilman Matthew S. Barber, who also was treasurer of the Hagerstown Bank, and bank teller John H. Kausler at Byer’s Drug Store in Public Square; and then again, joined by Hagerstown Bank president and former Congressman James Dixon Roman, at the Washington County Courthouse. They reached an agreement to raise the $20,000, though there was a dispute over the provision of 1,500 suits of clothes. Eventually, McCausland […]
May 28, 2024
Explore Washington County’s Potomac River history on Saturday, July 27, as the Washington County Historical Society travels back in time to visit sites connected to this unique part of our county’s landscape and heritage. WCHS’s Executive Director Andy Stout, together with WCHS staff and board members, will guide our group for the day as we meet up with others along the way. We’ll start our trip at the JC Penney parking lot located on the East side of the Valley Mall in Hagerstown, MD. The group will depart from this location by bus at 9:00 AM. Guests should plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to departure. After a brief bus ride, we’ll arrive at our first stop of the day at Cushwa Basin C&O Canal Park. Here we’ll visit the Visitors Center and meet up with NPS staff for a brief introduction to a few of the many features found around this portion of the C&O Canal. We’ll take a short walk around the area to visit the Conococheague Aqueduct, Bollman Bridge, Lockhouse 44 and other sites. Next, we’ll head across Williamsport to visit the collections and exhibits of the Williamsport Museum at Springfield Farm where we’ll also have lunch. […]
May 28, 2024
To commemorate the 160th Anniversary of the Ransom of Hagerstown, the WCHS will be offering a walking tour of Downtown Hagerstown as part of our our June 29, 2024, Public History Day. Stephen Bockmiller, author of Follow the Money: The 1864 Confederate Ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland, will lead guests through the streets of downtown Hagerstown, recounting historical events as they took place on July 6, 1864, when Brigadier General John McCausland and 1,500 Confederate soldiers entered Hagerstown and held the town ransom. The walking tour will cover a little under a mile of walking distance, roughly 7 blocks of downtown Hagerstown around Public Square, lasting 50 to 60 minutes.
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