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History
Hagerstown, Crossroads of the Civil War
Founder of Hagerstown
Founded in 1762 by Jonathan Hager (1714–1775), Hagerstown was originally considered part of Frederick County. That is until Hager — known as the “Father of Washington County” — laid the groundwork for the town’s separation from Frederick and the subsequent creation of Hagerstown as County Seat of Washington County.
Hager immigrated to America from Westphalia, Germany, and arrived in Philadelphia in 1727. At this time, Charles Calvert was the proprietor of the colony and, unlike other landowners, was offering large amounts of territory for a very small sum of money. Hager took the offer and in 1739 purchased 200 acres of land in Frederick County along the Monacacy River. Originally named Elizabethtown — in honor of his wife, Elizabeth Kershner — the name was later changed to Hager’s Choice ( or Hager’s Fancy) and eventually became known as Hagerstown.
The Growth of Hagerstown
As colonists continued moving to America, Maryland grew, and Hagerstown came to serve the surrounding rich agricultural community as a milling, trading and governmental center. The road from Baltimore to Frederick was heavily traveled and soon extended over South Mountain at Turner’s Gap, and down into Boonsboro. This stretch of highway was later known as the National Road. Extending from Baltimore to Cumberland in Maryland, it was the busiest road in America for years. The National Road brought a great deal of business to Washington County, as travelers stopped along their journey.
In early 19th-century America, trade became vital between people on the East Coast and western farmlands. Goods were being carried from the Chesapeake Bay to the people across the Appalachian Mountains into the Ohio Valley. The idea for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal grew out of this popular route. The canal was started in 1828 at Georgetown and was finished 25 years later, extending 83 miles through Washington County and continuing further west to Cumberland.
However, it was the railroad that reached Cumberland before the canal. The Western Maryland Railroad was built from Baltimore to Cumberland, following the Potomac River on the Maryland side. The B&O Railroad built a branch rail line to Hagerstown and other railroads came into Hagerstown from the north and south — the Penn Central and the Norfolk and Western.
Wartime Hagerstown
In 1861 the Civil War broke out, dividing North and South. Hagerstown was at the crossroads of the war, as the valley provided a natural corridor for refugee and troop movements between Virginia and Pennsylvania. Sitting just north of the Potomac River, Hagerstown was a favorite staging area for military leaders traversing the region.
Maryland remained a border state during the conflict, with citizens in support of both sides. The Mason-Dixon Line was established approximately six miles north of the city and the Potomac River and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal are located six miles to the south. Troops occupied Washington County for four of the five years of the war.
Washington County and Hagerstown continued to play a vital role in American history. In 1918, during World War I, the United States opened the Clear Spring Proving Ground in Washington County, where weapons were tested before they were sent overseas to be used in battle. Later, during World War II, the county again played its part when Camp Ritchie, a National Guard base in the northeastern corner of the county was used, and the Fairchild-Hiller Corporation airplane factory opened in Hagerstown. Fairchild-Hiller made three models of fighter planes used to train pilots for combat and a small passenger plane used to carry Army staffers.
Today’s Hagerstown
Hagerstown has managed to maintain many of its historic buildings and influences of the Industrial Revolution on small town America, while continuing to evolve into a modern city with so much to offer. Today, people from around the nation not only visit Hagerstown, but they’ve decided to call the wonderful location home.
Recognized by Southern Business & Development magazine as one of the “Top 25 Great Locations” in the 17 southern U.S. states and by Money magazines “Cities to Watch — Up and Coming,” Hagerstown’s history and future make it a desirable location for many.
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