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.
The Pine Grove Chapel, which sits along Main Street in the historic district of Mount Airy, served as a military headquarters for a Union regiment during the Civil War.
Settled in the 1830s, the town of Mount Airy—which straddles the border between Carroll and Frederick Counties—grew rapidly when the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad extended its line here in 1839. The community known as Parr’s Ridge centered around the railroad station. The town’s name is rumored to have been inspired by a railroad brakeman who complained of the freezing air blowing across the ridge. The National Road, the first major improved highway built by the U.S. government, also spurred development in and around the town.
The railroad became a very valuable asset during the Civil War, as a means for transporting both troops and supplies to battlefields in the South. While tasked with guarding the B&O line, men from Company K of the 14th New Jersey Regiment made their headquarters in the 1846 Pine Grove Chapel. Originally known as Ridge Presbyterian, the church represents a vernacular Greek Revival style and is made of fieldstone. It had also served as a school for the town’s children until this time. The pews became barracks for the men and the grounds accommodated a mess tent. Visitors today can see the original floorboards and pews.
Mount Airy townspeople witnessed some troop movements during the Gettysburg Campaign in 1863. On June 29—as Corbit’s Charge was taking place in downtown Westminster—cavalrymen from General David McMurtie Gregg’s division rode through town in pursuit of Confederates under General J.E.B. Stuart. General John Sedgwick’s VI Corps also marched through Mount Airy that day en route to form the Pipe Creek Line near Manchester.
To learn more, visit the Historical Society of Mount Airy Museum in the Old Town Office Building, open Saturday afternoons, April-November.
Thanks to the following members of the Maryland Geocaching Society in placing the hides for this Geotrail: deepdish23, GeoAPPs, lpyankeefan, Phos4s, and ZombieHNTR.