HCWHA US 250th GeoTour
Carroll County Farm 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!
Courtesy of Carroll County Office of Tourism
In 1966, the Carroll County Farm Museum opened its doors to educate the public about Carroll County’s agricultural history. The museum contains one of the last-known wormseed oil distilleries in the United States, which is featured in an exhibit that reflects on the county’s history as the number one global producer of wormseed oil.
Wormseed plants were used by Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas to stave off illness. Wormseed plants prevent parasites like hookworm, ringworm, and tapeworm. Mostly used by veterinarians to treat livestock, doctors also prescribed the oil for humans.
From the 1840 to the 1960s, wormseed was one of the most planted crops in Carroll County. Seeds had to be planted, cultivated, and harvested by hand before being processed. Nicknames for wormseed, including “stinking goosefoot” and “stinking motherwort,” seem more than appropriate, as workers complained that they would be unable to wear their work clothes for six months after processing due to the bad smell.
Wormseed oil was integral to Carroll County’s economy until the 1960s, when synthetic drugs, which were cheaper and had a more consistent quality, made the oil irrelevant. While the wormseed oil industry has largely disappeared, the distillery at the Carroll County Farm Museum offers a glimpse into the product that facilitated Carroll County's agricultural fame during the mid 19th and 20th centuries.
Doub, Nichole. “Maryland’s Oil Fields.” Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory. (July 2014). https://jefpat.maryland.gov/Pages/mac-lab/curators-choice/2014-curators-choice/2014-07-marylands-oil-fields.aspx.
Jones, Devry Becker. “Wormseed Oil Distillation.” Historical Marker Database. (2021). https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=188468.
Jones, Devry Becker. “Wormseed Oil History.” Historical Marker Database. (2021). https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=188467.
Sandoval, Timothy. “Farm Museum Aims to Erect Wormseed Oil Exhibit." Carroll County Times. (Feb. 2014). https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/farm-museum-aims-to-erect-wormseed-oil-exhibit/.
“Wormseed.” Carroll County Farm Museum. https://carrollcountyfarmmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Collection-Corner-Wormseed.pdf.
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.
Farm Museum Hours:
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: Noon to 4 p.m.
The geocache is able to be accessed without having to enter the part of the museum to pay. Please do not attempt this cache at night.