Park Hall, Washington County, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Park Hall, Maryland
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 Park Hall, Washington County, Maryland
Location in Maryland
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| Country | United States |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Washington |
| Elevation | 718 ft (219 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 240 & 301 |
| GNIS feature ID | 590969 |
Park Hall is a quiet, rural area in Washington County, Maryland, USA. It is known as an unincorporated community. This means it's not a city or town with its own local government. You can find Park Hall about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southeast of a place called Keedysville.
A Glimpse into Park Hall's Past
How Park Hall Got Its Name
Park Hall is a name given to a quiet, undeveloped area in Maryland. It's located on the western side of South Mountain. The name "Park Hall" goes all the way back to 1731.
It was chosen by a man named William Parks. He was an investor, not someone who planned to live there. Mr. Parks received the very first "land tract" in this region. A land tract is a large piece of land officially given by the government. This land was granted by the colonial government of Maryland.
Early Trails and Important Routes
The land given to William Parks was huge, about 1,550 acres. It stretched along the lower part of the mountain. This area was important because it had an early trail. This trail was a path used to travel into the region.
The trail went through a place called Crampton's Gap. It was a "packhorse trail" until the 1770s, meaning horses carried goods along it. This path connected to the Monocacy River and the area near what is now Washington D.C. People knew this trail by different names, like Israel Friend's Road.
Later, the main road shifted. It moved through Fox's Gap and then to Turner's Gap by 1758. All three of these mountain routes stayed important. This was especially true during the American Civil War. Battles were fought in September 1862 to control these key mountain passes.
