Johnsville, Maryland facts for kids

MD 75 through Johnsville

Johnsville is a small community in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. It is called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own local government. Instead, it is part of the larger county. You can find Johnsville about halfway between Libertytown and Union Bridge. It sits right along Maryland Route 75, also known as Green Valley Road. The historic Kitterman-Buckey Farm in Johnsville was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

History of Johnsville

The 1832 meeting house of the Beaver Dam German Baptist Congregation (Church of the Brethren) near Johnsville, Maryland

The 1842 Johnsville Methodist Protestant (United Methodist) Church in Johnsville, Maryland

Johnsville was first settled by people from England and Germany in the 1740s. Families like the Birelys and Ilers were among the first to live here.

In the 1770s, a group called the German Baptists (also known as "Dunkers") started the Beaver Dam Church. This church was about two miles northeast of where Johnsville is today. It was the second oldest Church of the Brethren group in Frederick County.

Growth of the Community

In the early 1800s, Johnsville began to grow. It became an important stop for travelers on the main road from southern Pennsylvania to Frederick. The town was located almost exactly halfway between Union Bridge and Libertytown.

In 1854, the Maryland government created a new election district with Johnsville at its center. This showed how important the community had become.

A map from 1858, drawn by Isaac Bond, shows what Johnsville was like back then. It had a hotel, a shop for fixing wheels, a blacksmith's shop, two stores, a post office, and a school. There was also a doctor and two churches.

Historic Buildings in Johnsville

Today, Johnsville still looks much like a rural community from the past. Its historic buildings show how important it was for travelers. They could get services while moving between bigger towns.

Some of these historic buildings include:

• The Methodist Protestant Church: Built in 1842, it is now the Johnsville United Methodist Church. It has beautiful brickwork from a later update.
• The Johnsville Schoolhouse: This building was built in 1903.
• The former Methodist Episcopal Church: This church was built in 1851 and has a Gothic Revival style.
• The Grove Store: A large building from 1875, it combined a store and homes. It was built in the Italianate style.
• The Wolf House: This house was built around 1840 in the Greek Revival style. It later had an Italianate-style porch added.
• The Dr. Sidewell House: This building is made of stone and brick. It shows two different times of building, around 1810 and 1840.

Nearby, the Beaver Dam Church of the Brethren still uses two old buildings. One is a meetinghouse from 1832, and the other is a brick meetinghouse from 1882.

Geography of Johnsville

Johnsville is located in the eastern part of Frederick County. It is along Maryland Route 75, also called Green Valley Road. If you go east on this road, it's about 9 miles (14 km) to New Windsor. If you go south, it's about 19 miles (31 km) to Hyattstown.