Hagerstown, Maryland
In 1739, a German immigrant named Jonathan Hager purchased land in the Great Appalachian Valley between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. He called this new holding Hager's Fancy. Four years later, he officially founded the town of Elizabethtown to honor his wife, Elizabeth Kershner. The community grew slowly until 1813 when the City Council changed the name to Hager's-Town. The Maryland State Legislature officially endorsed the change the following year. This renaming marked the transition from a private land grant to an established county seat for Washington County. Jonathan Hager earned the title Father of Washington County through these efforts. His original purchase laid the foundation for what would become a major transit hub.
Hagerstown served as a primary staging area during four major Civil War campaigns due to its strategic location at the border between North and South. In 1862, General James Longstreet's command occupied the town while en route to the Battle of South Mountain and Antietam. Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. Jubal Early invaded the city on Wednesday, the 6th of July 1864. Brig. Gen. John McCausland led 1,500 cavalry into Hagerstown that day. The Confederates levied a ransom of $20,000 and demanded large amounts of clothing. This demand was retribution for U.S. destruction of farms and cattle in the Shenandoah Valley. Neighboring Chambersburg, Pennsylvania faced a similar situation but failed to pay a much larger ransom of $500,000. Roughly 60% of Confederate dead remained unidentified after the war. In 1877, approximately 2,800 Confederate dead from the battles on South Mountain were re-interred in Washington Confederate Cemetery within Rose Hill Cemetery.
Distinct stone ridges run from northeast to southwest through the center of Hagerstown. These ridges consist of upper Stonehenge Limestone which is easily quarried and dressed onsite. Many older buildings were constructed from this specific stone material. The limestone whitens in weathering while the edgewise conglomerate and wavy laminae become distinctly visible. This unique appearance defines the architecture of St. John's Episcopal Church. Natural landscape around the city consists of low rolling hills with elevations between 400 feet and 900 feet above sea level. Major waterways include Hamilton Run and Antietam Creek as tributaries of the Potomac River. The community lies south of the Mason-Dixon line and north of the Potomac River. It sits within proximity of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia. Rich fertile land supports dairy farming, cornfields, and fruit orchards typical of Mid-Atlantic agriculture.
Hagerstown once depended heavily on railroad transportation and manufacturing for its economy. Notable industries included aircraft, trucks, automobiles, textiles, and furniture production. Kreider-Reisner formed in 1923 merged into Fairchild Aircraft in 1929. They manufactured components of military and civilian aircraft at Hagerstown until 1984. The former aircraft factory now manufactures ammunition for rifles and pistols. Hitachi Rail began construction of a $70 million factory in Hagerstown to bring manufacturing back. Today the city has a diversified stable business environment with modern service companies. During the COVID-19 pandemic e-commerce brands searched for new places to do business. High property prices near Interstate 95 pushed businesses toward Interstate 81. Numerous warehouses have been built in Hagerstown and surrounding areas because it intersects Interstate 81 and Interstate 70. The city remains a chief commercial and industrial hub for a tri-state area including Western Maryland and portions of South Central Pennsylvania.
The population reached 43,527 at the 2020 census making Hagerstown Maryland's sixth-most populous incorporated city. Greater Hagerstown was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in Maryland as of 2009. The metropolitan area population in 2020 stood at 293,844. Between 2000 and 2008 the growth rate hit +18.4% which ranked 48th highest among metropolitan areas nationwide. This growth is mostly due to influx of people from Washington D.C. and Baltimore. In 2000 the racial makeup was 85.95% White and 10.15% Black. By 2010 these figures shifted to 75.8% White and 15.5% African American. The median age in the city was 34.5 years according to recent data. About 26.8% of the population lived in poverty between 2011 and 2015. Florence Murdock served as the city's first female councilperson after being appointed in 1985. Alesia Parson became the first person of color elected to serve on city council in 2005.
Antietam National Battlefield located nearby in Sharpsburg marks the site of the bloodiest single day in American history. Fort Frederick State Park features a restored fort used during the French and Indian War west of the city. Hagerstown hosts several popular annual events including the Quad State Beer Fest. The Interstate BBQ Festival draws thousands of spectators as a huge regional event. The Western Maryland Blues Fest showcases blues artists from around the country every May or June. Augustoberfest celebrates Hagerstown's German heritage each year. The Alsatia Mummers Parade runs annually during the Halloween season since 1921. Fairgrounds Park is the city's largest active recreation park featuring soccer fields and walking trails. The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts resides within Hagerstown City Park alongside the Mansion House Art Gallery. Discovery Station downtown offers hands-on science exhibits including the Hagerstown Aviation Museum.
From 1915 to 1929, Hagerstown's Class D minor league team played at Willow Lane Park under names like Blues and Terriers. Municipal Stadium was constructed in 1930 for the Hubs who played their final season there before the Blue Ridge League folded. Professional baseball returned in 1941 when the Detroit Tigers moved their minor league affiliate to town. The Hagerstown Owls competed in the Class B Interstate League until renamed the Braves in 1950. The Hagerstown Packets became a minor league affiliate of the Washington Senators in 1954. The Piedmont League ceased operations in 1955 leaving Hagerstown without a team until 1981. The Hagerstown Suns played from 1981 to 2020 initially as an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They later affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants before folding in 2021. A new team called the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars opened play on the 25th of April 2024 at Meritus Park. To the west lies Hagerstown Speedway a nationally known dirt-track racing venue.
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Common questions
When was Hagerstown Maryland founded and by whom?
Jonathan Hager officially founded the town of Elizabethtown in 1743 after purchasing land in 1739. The community changed its name to Hager's-Town in 1813 and received official endorsement from the Maryland State Legislature in 1814.
What happened during the Confederate invasion of Hagerstown on July 6 1864?
Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. Jubal Early invaded the city on Wednesday the 6th of July 1864. Brig. Gen. John McCausland led 1,500 cavalry into Hagerstown that day to levy a ransom of $20,000 and demand large amounts of clothing as retribution for U.S. destruction of farms and cattle in the Shenandoah Valley.
How did the limestone geology influence Hagerstown architecture?
Distinct stone ridges run from northeast to southwest through the center of Hagerstown consisting of upper Stonehenge Limestone which is easily quarried and dressed onsite. Many older buildings were constructed from this specific stone material creating a unique appearance where the limestone whitens in weathering while edgewise conglomerate and wavy laminae become distinctly visible.
When was the new Hagerstown Flying Boxcars baseball team established?
A new team called the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars opened play on the 25th of April 2024 at Meritus Park. This team replaced the previous Hagerstown Suns franchise which folded in 2021 after affiliating with the Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants.
What are the population statistics for Hagerstown Maryland in 2020?
The population reached 43,527 at the 2020 census making Hagerstown Maryland's sixth-most populous incorporated city. The metropolitan area population in 2020 stood at 293,844 with Greater Hagerstown being the fastest-growing metropolitan area in Maryland as of 2009.