You're invited to take a journey through the Maryland's Heart of the Civil War.
The Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area (HCWHA) is an area rich in history, covering portions of Carroll, Frederick and Washington Counties. It is located just below the Mason-Dixon Line, generally viewed as the dividing line between North and South, and above the Potomac River. With one foot in the north, and one foot in the south, the story of the Civil War can be told nowhere better than in this part of Maryland.
No state experienced the Civil War quite like Maryland. Residents of this border state contributed significant resources to both sides of the war effort. Although large portions of the state’s economy relied upon slavery, Maryland lawmakers did not vote to secede from the Union at the outset of the war—though many did not have the opportunity to vote, as they were detained by the federal government because of suspected Confederate sympathies.
Between 1861 and 1865, the Civil War impacted nearly every Maryland resident. Some families faced financial ruin after troops ravaged their land. Thousands of fathers, sons and brothers became casualties of war. For enslaved Marylanders, the conflict ultimately brought about freedom as the new state constitution of November 1864 abolished the practice.
Marylanders witnessed three major military movements during the Civil War: the Maryland (also known as Antietam) Campaign in the fall of 1862, the Gettysburg Campaign in the summer of 1863, and the march to Washington led by Jubal Early in the summer of 1864. Geocachers can visit significant sites from each of these three operations on the Heart of the Civil War GeoTrail.
The mission of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area is to promote the stewardship of our historic, cultural, and natural Civil War resources; encourage superior visitor experiences; and stimulate tourism, economic prosperity, and educational development, thereby improving the quality of life in our community for the benefit of both residents and visitors.
The Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Geotrail launched October 1st, 2016 with 15 geocaches within Maryland's Carroll, Frederick, and Washington Counties. A trackable geocoin will be awarded to the first 200 geocachers, (while supplies last), who find the locations of at least 13 HCWHA caches. To be eligible for the coin, geocachers must download a passport from the Heart of the Civil War website, and record the code word from at least 13 HCWHA geocaches. Geocachers may have their passports validated in person at the Newcomer House at Antietam National Battlefield or at the Visitor Centers in Westminster, Frederick, or Hagerstown. Please refer to the passport for Visitor Center hours and complete validation instructions.
Please note following change. A free prize will still be given to a geocacher who goes to at least 13 HCWHA geocaches and records the code in each of the geocaches on their passport. In addition, geocachers may purchase a trackable Geocoin for $10 at one of the following locations: Frederick Visitor Center, Hagerstown-Washington County Visitor Welcome Center, or Antietam Museum Store. Each of these locations will verify passports by mail and send a coin for a modest handling fee. Call for more information.
Participating in the HCWHA geotrail is fun and we hope that many people join in. However, it is not a requirement for logging your find on this cache once you find the container.
This site has played a major role in the history of Westminster for nearly 175 years. The home of some of the city’s most influential leaders, Emerald Hill also served as Westminster’s City Hall from 1942 until 2014.
Gettysburg native Colonel John K. Longwell (1810-1896) moved to Westminster—then part of Frederick County—in 1833, when he established the newspaper The Carrolltonian. His publication merged with the American Sentinel in 1851. Longwell pushed for the creation of Carroll County from sections of Baltimore and Frederick counties, and for designating Westminster as the county seat. His influence in the community continued after the county’s creation in 1837. Longwell served as a county commissioner, state senator, a charter member of the Western Maryland Railroad, director of the Westminster Bank, and the president of the Baltimore and Reisterstown Turnpike. He also played a role in founding several educational endeavors in Westminster and was a charter trustee of Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), the first coeducational college south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Longwell selected a seven-acre tract overlooking the city on which to build the fine structure standing today, Emerald Hill. The 1842 mansion marries the style of a Pennsylvania farmhouse with heavy Georgian influences. The home’s most noteworthy features are the marble mantels thought to be the work of internationally known sculptor William Henry Rinehart (1825-1874). During Longwell’s residence the grounds also included a barn, horse stall, and sheds. His family occupied the property until 1907, when Longwell’s daughter Sallie passed away and a parcel of land known as “Longwell’s Addition” was annexed to the City of Westminster. Real estate entrepreneur George W. Albaugh and his family occupied the mansion between 1908 and 1933. The City acquired the property in 1939 and it opened as City Hall during World War II.
The house at Emerald Hill underwent a substantial restoration in 2014 in honor of the city’s 250th anniversary. In 2016, two organizations became new stewards of the iconic building. The Historical Society of Carroll County uses the grounds for programs and events, such as the Corbit’s Charge reenactment in June. Emerald Hill also offers HSCC space (in addition to the Sherman-Fisher-Shellman House on Main Street) to exhibit more of the estimated 40,000 artifacts and documents in their collections. Carroll County Tourism opened a new Visitor Center at Emerald Hill in September 2016.
Thanks to the following members of the Maryland Geocaching Society in placing the hides for this Geotrail: deepdish23, GeoAPPs, lpyankeefan, Phos4s, and ZombieHNTR.