Few places offer a deeper connection to America’s past than Frederick County, Maryland. Located just an hour from Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, this region sits at the crossroads of Civil War history, with easy access to some of the most pivotal sites of the conflict.
Whether you’re tracing the movements of soldiers at Antietam National Battlefield, exploring the dramatic landscape of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, or standing where President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, Frederick County is the perfect basecamp for a history-filled journey.
Driving across the landscape of Frederick County, you’ll be traveling in the footsteps of Civil War soldiers. The network of roads that carry traffic through the region shadow the same roads that hundreds of thousands of soldiers marched on their way to Antietam and Gettysburg during the conflict. Numerous Civil War Trails sites dot the landscape, connecting visitors to the stories of the past that linger at dozens of locations across Frederick County.
A journey through this history will undoubtedly take you to a historic downtown at the very center of the crossroads. Downtown Frederick played a key role during the Civil War, serving as a strategic hub for both Union and Confederate armies.
Nowhere is this more evident than at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, where science and history collide to tell the story of battlefield medicine. Discover stories of life-saving amputations and the origins of modern emergency care; this museum sheds light on how medical innovations emerged from the chaos of war. For an even deeper dive, take a guided Civil War hospitals walking tour, where you’ll visit historic churches and buildings that became makeshift hospitals for thousands of wounded soldiers and earned Frederick the nickname of “One Vast Hospital” in 1862.
Just minutes from downtown, Monocacy National Battlefield offers a different perspective on the war. Known as the “Battle that Saved Washington,” the July 1864 Battle of Monocacy saw Union forces desperately fighting to hold back Confederate troops advancing on the nation’s capital.
This national park preserves more than just a battlefield – the preserved farmsteads tell the story of those who lived on and worked the land, while also highlighting the contributions of the United States Colored Troops, who fought for their freedom and the future of the Union. Hundreds of African American soldiers joined the Union war effort on the land preserved by the park.
Frederick County’s historic sites and museums offer an immersive experience where history can be felt and better understood. Whether you’re walking in the footsteps of soldiers, exploring historic landscapes, or uncovering untold stories, this is a place where the past lingers and its modern legacy remain. Plan your visit and discover the crossroads of history.
For more information, head to https://www.visitfrederick.org/.
Written by Jake Wynn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager, Visit Frederick – Maryland.
Photo courtesy of Visit Frederick.
