This marker near the Potomac River and the line between Maryland and West Virginia points out the…read morehistory of a local who grew up here and the house that provided some history in the Civil War. The marker reads, "Ferry Hill Place. Built in 1812. The boyhood home of Colonel Henry Kyd Douglas, a member of Stonewall Jackson's staff. September 18, 1862, federal troops occupied these premises and confined the Douglas family, June 18, 1863. Headquarters of Confederate Major General Edward Johnson, en route to Pennsylvania." The house itself is not open to the public though the grounds are. It is managed by the National Park Service. "Ferry Hill Place has stood for two centuries above the Potomac River and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, participating in and watching history pass by. In the 18th and early 19th century German settlers migrated from Pennsylvania south into Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, where they then farmed the rich soil. These settlers crossed the Potomac using Packhorse Ford and later Blackford's Ferry below Ferry Hill. Come the 1830s the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal crossed this north/south route, tapping the river waters to provide a controlled water transportation route into western Maryland." [Review 15603 overall - 648 in Maryland - 1107 of 2021.]

On March 8, 2016 I went to the Wilson Bridge. I had to make the first Yelp review for this because…read moreit was not in their records. It's a pretty view and a cool stone bridge. It is called the Link between East and West. It was built in 1819 and was first stone bridge in Washington County. Erected by Silas Harry making a major improvement to the road system between Baltimore and Cumberland. It helped have a smooth surface from eastern seaboard to western wilderness. It carried traffic until seriously damaged by store flooding in 1972. Now you can just walk on it. It was placed on the National Historic Register 1982. I am giving it 5 stars because it had information there and it was a nice bridge to walk on to take in the view.

The Veterans War Memorial is made of mostly granite and stands in Widmeyer Park in Hancock. The…read moremonument is etched with the names of about 900 Hancock veterans who served in the military from the Civil War through the Persian Gulf War. It is an impressive marker, standing at the top of a short flight of stairs and with an eagle at the top. The names are grouped by conflict including one for the Civil War. The statue of mother and child pointing to a name on the wall is particularly poignant. [Review 15563 overall - 625 in Maryland - 1067 of 2021.]

The Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland is where the Battle of Antietam took place on…read moreSeptember 17, 1862. This is considered to be the bloodiest single day in American history with over 23,000 casualties. The site includes lots of landmarks and monuments. Today, it is preserved as a peaceful park where visitors can learn about the battle by walking or driving around the sites. It had a pivotal role in leading to the Emancipation Proclamation. We took the driving tour which had numerous sites where you could see monuments and buildings that describe key parts of the battle. More than one person had suggested that we should go and see the cemetery. I will tell you I am very glad that we did. It was hard for us to find as I missed a turn on the driving tour of the battlefields. It is relatively easy to find as it is on the south side of Main street just on the east side of the city of Sharpsburg. It is located on the south side of the majority of the antietam battlefield sites and memorials. There is parking right along the street and entrance is right off the street. There is a church with restrooms right inside the gate. The restrooms were open but the church was not when we visited. It is not very large for the amount of civil war soldiers that died during the battle. You can walk it fairly quickly but I would suggest taking a little time here to honor the fallen. I particularly liked the sayings that equal a poem when put together. It's mostly well kept with the grounds well maintained except for a pavilion that looked a little overgrown. There is a walkway that circles a statue called the Private Soldier Monument. This is a large granite statue of a Union infantryman facing north toward the battlefields. Overall, I found the visit a very moving place for the fact that a lot of those buried are unknown soldiers and I definitely recommend it for anyone visiting the area to learn about the battle and the civil war history.

Tony and I were in the Clear Spring, MD area driving to Fort Frederick State Park and saw sign for…read moreC&O Four Locks for Canal 49. It's a dead end road. There is a small narrow dark tunnel to the entrance. There area is lovely. There are a couple of empty houses are out there. A nice park area to walk around, hike, ride bikes or stroll around. There is a boat landing there also for the Potomac River.

North of Berkeley Springs but before the Maryland border, this marker on the west side of the…read morehighway points out some of the earliest colonial history of this area. The marker reads, "Lovers' Leap. Beautiful panorama of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. It overlooks the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal which was started by George Washington and associates in order to improve communication with the West." Unfortunately, there does not appear to be any long term parking here and the brush towards the Potomac River appears to be private property. [Review 15548 overall, 1052 of 2021, number 46 in West Virginia.]

This roadside marker on US-11 (Winchester Avenue) stands in front of the John Evans property and…read morecommemorates an event from the Colonial era when this part of West Virginia was still known as Virginia. The 400 acre property was purchased by Evans (a Welsh Baptist) from William Penn who had originally purchased the land from Lenni Lenapes in 1683. The marker reads, "Fort Evans, built here, 1755, was attacked by Indians, 1756. The men were absent but Polly Evans, whose husband, John, had built the fort, led the women in its defense. The Big Spring here was noted camping ground of both armies, 1861-1865." There is little information online about the attack though an extensive history of the property, its defense from a proposed mill and damage from arson are on https://friendsofpawccp-org.doodlekit.com/home/john-evans-house. [Review 15120 overall, 622 of 2021, number 39 in West Virginia.]

I'm hoping that the folks down at Yelp don't decide to merge this with the State Park. The Memorial…read moreArch is its own thing and should remain separate as you can visit the memorial and not visit the park and vice-versa. The arch is 50 feet talll and was built and dedicated in 1896 and is claimed to be the only monument in the world dedicated to journalists killed in combat. As described by the man who built it, "In appearance the monument is quite odd. It is fifty feet high and forty feet broad. Above a Moorish arch sixteen feet high built of Hummelstown purple stone are super-imposed three Roman arches. These are flanked on one side with a square crenellated tower, producing a bizarre and picturesque effect. Niches in different places shelter the carving of two horses' heads, and symbolic terra cotta statuettes of Mercury, Electricity and Poetry." Unchanged for over a century, the arch had four names added in 2003: David Bloom, Michael Kelly, Elizabeth Neuffer, and Daniel Pearl. Hopefully, you recognize the names. On the face: SPEED - HEED Sept. 14 - 62 - 96 To the Army Correspondents and Artists 1861-65 Whose toils cheered the fireside Educated provinces of rustics into a bright nation of readers and gave incentive to narrate distant wars and explore dark lands. On the north side: O wondrous youth Through this grand ruth Runs my boy's life, its thread The General's fame, the battle's name The rolls of maimed and dead I bear with my thrilled soul astir And lonely thoughts and fears And am but history's courier To bind the conquering years A battle's ray, through ages gray To light to deeds sublime And flash the lustre of my day Down all the aisles of time War Correspondent Ballad - 1865 [Round number review 15600 overall - 645 in Maryland - 1104 of 2021.]

An absolute beautiful monument that sits right on the Appalachian Trail. There is a beautiful…read morepavilion, parking, bathrooms, water, and even campsites 1/2 Mike away along the AT. Gathland State Park is accessible from RT 67 and also RT 17 ( Burkittsville), and is of great historical significance during the Civil War as it was a gap in the ride held by the Confederates to delay the Union advance prior to the battle of Antietam. Beautiful area and a definite place to check out for history buffs or just a wonderful, quiet picnic, or a day hike. It is very clean and well shaded.