HCWHA US 250th GeoTour
Trolley Museum
Party like it’s 1776 with the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area’s 250th GeoTour! Designed for beginner and veteran geocachers, participants will travel through time, solving puzzles and following clues to learn more about mid-Maryland’s rich history. In honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States, our 250th GeoTour will take you throughout Carroll, Frederick, and Washington Counties to sites of historical significance, including battlefields, houses of worship, museums, parks, and more!
Our tour is an opportunity to learn more about the people, places, and events that laid the foundation for our country. While supplies last, those who collect 15 or more will earn this Geotour’s limited edition geocoin commemorating the 250th. Happy hunting!
Photo from Town of Boonsboro
The Boonsboro Trolley Station Museum is located in the original trolley station building. The Hagerstown and Frederick Railway shaped communities, employed thousands, and improved life in every community it served.
From 1902 to 1938, electric trolleys connected over two dozen communities in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Farmers, merchants, and students relied on the nearly 90 miles of track. The main electric trolley line ended in 1938, but the electric railway continued to serve Washington County until 1947, and Frederick County until 1954.
The trolley’s last trip ran on February 20, 1954 from Frederick to Thurmont and back. Aboard the train were members of the Potomac Edison Company, including Director Asa Watkins, who said of the last trolley ride: “There’s a certain amount of nostalgia connected with it, it’s inevitable. It’s a mark of progress.”
The Hagerstown and Frederick Railway Historical Society, Inc. operates the last remaining trolley station in Washington County, teaching visitors about the history of trolleys and trolley networks in Washington and Frederick Counties. The Trolley Museum explores the impact of the trolley industry on the surrounding areas, focusing on the last interurban car in Maryland.
“Boonsboro Trolley Museum.” Town of Boonsboro, Maryland. https://www.town.boonsboro.md.us/index.asp?SEC=F11C1D3E-700C-463F-9942-F26F26C7E9B2.
The Hagerstown & Frederick Railway Historical Society, Inc. https://hfrhs.org/
“Last Trolley Interviews.” The Hagerstown & Frederick Railway Historical Society, Inc. https://hfrhs.org/trolley-station/last-trolley/.
“Trolley Station Museum.” National Road Heritage Foundation. https://nationalrdfoundation.org/trolley-station-museum/
The Boonsboro Trolley Museum is open April to October on Saturday 10am – 4pm and Sunday 1pm – 4pm through the summer.
Winter Hours are from 10am – 3pm every Saturday.
Thanks to the following members of the Maryland Geocaching Society in placing the hides for this GeoTour: deepdish23, hunterKat, GR8Caches, Snurt, Phos4s, JediTrashPanda and AL's Guide.