Creagerstown, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Creagerstown, Maryland
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St. John's Church in Creagerstown
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 Creagerstown, Maryland
Location in Maryland
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| Country | United States |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Frederick |
| First Settled | 1750 |
| Founded by | Creager Family |
| Elevation | 410 ft (120 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 590041 |
Creagerstown is a small, special community in Frederick County, Maryland, USA. It's called an "unincorporated community," which means it's a group of homes and businesses that aren't officially a city or town with its own local government. People who live there sometimes joke that it's "4 miles from everywhere"! This is because it's about 4 miles away from nearby places like Thurmont, Woodsboro, Rocky Ridge, and Lewistown.
The community has about 40 buildings. These include three churches and a small school building. Many of the buildings are quite old and have a lot of history. You can even find the remains of older buildings there.
Creagerstown is also home to Creagerstown Park, a place for fun and relaxation, and Creagerstown Cemetery. Maryland Route 550 goes right through Creagerstown. This road is known as Creagerstown Road as it heads towards Loys Station.
Contents
History of Creagerstown
How Creagerstown Started
Creagerstown first grew up around an important crossroads. This was a place where different roads met. One of these was a major Native American trail called the Monocacy Road. This trail connected the area to Pennsylvania and Virginia. Creagerstown was also where the Monocacy Road met another important road. This second road ran between Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
The very first people to settle in this area were German immigrants. They arrived in the early 1700s. Then, sometime between 1760 and 1770, a man named John Creager planned out the community. It was named Creagerstown after his family. Eventually, Creagerstown became more important than a nearby settlement called Monocacy.
Creagerstown's Growth Over Time
Creagerstown grew steadily for many years. In 1775, the first house in Creagerstown was built by Isaac Kolb. A tannery, which is a place that makes leather, opened in 1785. It operated until 1810. Around the same time, a German brewery opened in Creagerstown.
In 1866, a church from Monocacy was moved and rebuilt in Creagerstown. It became known as Union Bethel Church. By 1858, Creagerstown had a doctor's office, two stores, a hotel, a church, a parsonage (a home for a minister), and a school. By 1873, it had grown even more. There was a blacksmith shop, a wagon shop, and another church. By 1910, about 200 people lived in Creagerstown. At one point, there was even a tavern on every corner in the town square!
The Great Fire of 1914
On June 2, 1914, a big fire started around 10 in the morning. It began at the Monocacy Valley Creamery. The fire accidentally started when a spark from a fire set by a man in the creamery landed on the roof. Strong winds helped the flames spread quickly. The fire crossed the road and jumped between buildings.
Creagerstown did not have its own fire department to put out the blaze. About 30 buildings were destroyed. This caused a lot of damage, costing between $60,000 and $70,000 at the time. The town hall burned down. All the hotels owned by the Valentine family were also destroyed, though the Valley Hotel was later rebuilt.
Between 1920 and 1930, many houses in the community were rebuilt. However, new roads and highways were built in Frederick County. These included the Frederick and Emmitsburg railroads. Because of these changes, Creagerstown never fully recovered its earlier growth.
Historical Buildings in Creagerstown
Most of the buildings in Creagerstown were built between the early 1800s and early 1900s. They are made from materials like logs, bricks, or stone. Many of the houses also have smaller farm buildings in their backyards. Most of the shops and businesses are located in the center of the community.
There are several important historical buildings in Creagerstown:
- Strawberry Hill is a large farmhouse built in the Georgian style. It's located on Creagerstown Road, a little outside the main community. In 1976, Strawberry Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places in the United States that are important for their history.
- Pennterra is another historic building in the Creagerstown area. It was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, along with Strawberry Hill.
- St. John's Church was built in 1908. It's located on Blacks Mill Road. This church was built to replace an older St. John's Lutheran Church from the 1850s.
- A small schoolhouse built in 1855 is still standing in the community.
- The Union Bethel Church, a one-story stone church built in 1866, is also still there.
