Hagerstown, Maryland

Hagerstown (/ˈhɡərztn/; HAY-gərz-town[6]) is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Maryland, United States.[7] The population was 43,527 at the 2020 census. Hagerstown ranks as Maryland's sixth-largest incorporated city and is the largest city in the Maryland Panhandle.[8]

Hagerstown, Maryland
Downtown Hagerstown looking west on Franklin Street in 2023
Downtown Hagerstown looking west on Franklin Street in 2023
Official seal of Hagerstown, Maryland
Nicknames: 
Hub City, Maryland's Gateway to the West,[1] H-Town, (formerly) Home of the Flying Boxcar
Motto(s): 
A Great Place to Live, Work, and Visit
Location in Maryland and in Washington County
Location in Maryland and in Washington County
Hagerstown is located in Maryland
Hagerstown
Hagerstown
Location within Maryland
Hagerstown is located in the United States
Hagerstown
Hagerstown
Hagerstown (the United States)
Coordinates: 39°38′34″N 77°43′12″W
CountryUnited States
StateMaryland
CountyWashington
Founded1762
Incorporated1813
Founded byJonathan Hager
Named forJonathan Hager
Government
  TypeMayor–council
  MayorTekesha Martinez
  City council
Council members
  State SenatorPaul D. Corderman (R)
  State DelegateBrooke Grossman (D)
  U.S. CongressDavid Trone (D)
Area
  City12.56 sq mi (32.54 km2)
  Land12.55 sq mi (32.51 km2)
  Water0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
  Urban
120.77 sq mi (312.8 km2)
  Metro
1,019 sq mi (2,637 km2)
Elevation
538 ft (164 m)
Population
  City43,527
  Estimate 
(2021)
43,487
  Density3,467.18/sq mi (1,338.71/km2)
  Urban197,557 (US: 194th)
  Urban density1,635.8/sq mi (631.6/km2)
  Metro293,844 (US: 167th)
DemonymHagerstonian
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
21740–21749
Area code(s)301, 240
FIPS code24-36075
GNIS feature ID0598385
Websitewww.hagerstownmd.org

Hagerstown anchors the Hagerstown metropolitan area extending into West Virginia. It lies just northwest of the Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area in the heart of the Great Appalachian Valley. The population of the metropolitan area in 2020 was 293,844.[5] Greater Hagerstown was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the state of Maryland and among the fastest growing in the United States, as of 2009.[9]

Hagerstown has a distinct topography, formed by stone ridges running from northeast to southwest through the center of town. Geography accordingly bounds its neighborhoods. These ridges consist of upper Stonehenge Limestone. Many of the older buildings were built from this stone, which is easily quarried and dressed onsite. It whitens in weathering and the edgewise conglomerate and wavy laminae become distinctly visible, giving an appearance unique to the Cumberland Valley as seen in the architecture of St. John's Episcopal Church.[10]

Despite its semi-rural Western Maryland setting, Hagerstown is a center of transit and commerce. Interstates 81 and 70, CSX, Norfolk Southern, and the Winchester and Western railroads, as well as Hagerstown Regional Airport form an extensive transportation network for the city. Hagerstown is also the chief commercial and industrial hub for a greater Tri-State Area that includes much of Western Maryland as well as significant portions of South Central Pennsylvania and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Hagerstown has often been referred to as, and is nicknamed, the Hub City.[1]

History

Founding

The Hager House and Museum in Hagerstown City Park was once home to the city's founder, Jonathan Hager.

In 1739, Jonathan Hager, a German immigrant from Pennsylvania and a volunteer Captain of Scouts, purchased 200 acres (81 ha) of land in the Great Appalachian Valley between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains in Maryland and called it Hager's Fancy. In 1762, Hager officially founded the town of Elizabethtown which he named after his wife, Elizabeth Kershner. Fourteen years later, Jonathan Hager became known as the "Father of Washington County" after his efforts helped Hagerstown become the county seat of newly created Washington County, which Hager also helped create from neighboring Frederick County. The City Council changed the community's name to Hager's-Town in 1813 because the name had gained popular usage, and in the following year, the Maryland State Legislature officially endorsed the changing of the town's name.[1][11]

In 1794, government forces arrested 150 citizens during a draft riot which was staged by protesters in response to the Whiskey Rebellion.[12]

American Civil War

Burnside's Bridge, a site of heavy combat in the Battle of Antietam, which occurred south of Hagerstown.

Hagerstown's strategic location at the border between the North and the South made the city a primary staging area and supply center for four major campaigns during the Civil War. In 1861, General Robert Patterson's troops used Hagerstown as a base to attack Virginia troops in the Shenandoah Valley. In the Maryland Campaign of 1862, General James Longstreet's command occupied the town while en route to the Battle of South Mountain and Antietam. In 1863, the city was the site of several military incursions and engagements as Gen. Robert E. Lee's army invaded and retreated in the Gettysburg Campaign. In 1864, Hagerstown was invaded by the Confederate army under Lt. Gen. Jubal Early. On Wednesday, July 6, Early sent 1,500 cavalry, commanded by Brig. Gen. John McCausland, into Hagerstown. The Confederates levied a ransom of $20,000 and a large amount of clothing,[13] in retribution for U.S. destruction of farms, feed and cattle in the Shenandoah Valley. This is in contrast to neighboring Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, which McCausland razed on July 30 when the borough failed to supply the requested ransom of $500,000 in U.S. currency, or $100,000 in gold.

Following the war, in 1872 Maryland and Virginia cooperated to re-inter Confederate dead from their impromptu graves to cemeteries in Hagerstown, Frederick and Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Roughly 60% however, remained unidentified. In 1877, 15 years after the Battle of Antietam, also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg, approximately 2,800 Confederate dead from that battle and also from the battles on South Mountain were re-interred in Washington Confederate Cemetery, within Rose Hill Cemetery in Hagerstown.[14][15]

Railroads

Hagerstown Public Square circa 1900

Hagerstown's nickname of the "Hub City" originated from the large number of railroads (and roads) that served the city. Hagerstown was the center of the Western Maryland Railway and an important city on the Pennsylvania, Norfolk and Western, Baltimore and Ohio, and Hagerstown and Frederick Railroads. Currently, the city is a vital location on CSX, Norfolk Southern, and the Winchester and Western Railroads.

Hagerstown was formerly served by the Hagerstown & Frederick Railway, an interurban trolley system, from 1896 to 1947.

Little Heiskell

The weathervane known as "Little Heiskell", a symbol of the city of Hagerstown, Maryland.

One of the most recognizable symbols of Hagerstown is the weathervane known as "Little Heiskell". Named after the German tinsmith Benjamin Heiskell who crafted it in 1769 in the form of a Hessian soldier,[1] it stood atop the Market House first and City Hall second for a combined 166 years. It was moved from the Market House to City Hall in 1824.

During the Civil War era, the weathervane gained its characteristic bullet hole from a Confederate sharpshooter, who won a bet after shooting it from a full city block away. In 1935, the original was retired to the Museum of the Washington County Historical Society, later to be moved to its present display in the Jonathan Hager House. An exact replica has replaced it atop City Hall.

The weathervane has been depicted in the city's annual Mummers Day Parade by Charles Harry Rittenhouse, Sr. sporting the necessary accoutrements of a German mercenary soldier. Little Heiskell was at one time the mascot of North Hagerstown High School.

Aviation heritage

Hagerstown's first aircraft production came in World War I with the Maryland Pressed Steel Company building the Bellanca CD biplane in hopes of securing government contracts. From 1931 to 1984, Fairchild Aircraft was based in Hagerstown and was by far the area's most prominent employer. The importance of the company to the city and the country as a whole earned Hagerstown its former nickname "Home of the Flying Boxcar," after the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar.

Fairchild moved to Hagerstown from Farmingdale, New York, in 1931 after Sherman Fairchild purchased a majority stock interest in Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Company of Hagerstown in 1929. Among Fairchild's products during World War II were PT-19/PT-23/PT-26 (Cornell) and AT-21 trainers, C-82 "Packet" cargo planes and missiles. At its height in World War II, Fairchild employed directly and indirectly up to 80% of Hagerstown's workforce or roughly 10,000 people.

In the postwar era, Fairchild continued to produce aircraft in Hagerstown such as C-123 Provider, Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227, FH-1100, C-26 Metroliner, UC-26 Metroliner, Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, and the Fairchild T-46 jet trainer.

All production ceased in Hagerstown in 1984 and the company moved elsewhere. Presently, the company is based in San Antonio, Texas, and after a series of mergers and acquisitions, is known as M7 Aerospace.

The Hagerstown Aviation Museum shows many of these original aircraft. Among the ones on display are: 1939 F24/UC-61C, 1945 C-82A, 1943 PT-19A, and the 1953 C-119.[16] The museum is located near Hagerstown Regional Airport in the airport's former terminal. Hagerstown is also the birthplace of Salisbury, Maryland-based Piedmont Airlines which started out as Henson Aviation. It was founded by Richard A. Henson in 1931. Today, Hagerstown Regional Airport-Richard A. Henson Field is named as such in honor of the airlines' founder. Today, only small to medium-sized aviation companies remain in the area, e.g., Sierra Nevada Corporation, a defense electronics engineering and manufacturing contractor.

Geography

Location and topography

Hagerstown is located at 39°38′34″N 77°43′12″W (39.642771, −77.719954).[17] It is situated south of the Mason–Dixon line and north of the Potomac River and between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains in a part of the Great Appalachian Valley known regionally as Cumberland Valley and locally as Hagerstown Valley. The community also lies within proximity of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia. Hagerstown, by driving distance, is approximately 70 miles (110 km) northwest of Washington, D.C., 72 miles (116 km) west-northwest of Baltimore and 74 miles (119 km) southwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.80 square miles (30.56 km2), of which 11.79 square miles (30.54 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[18] Major waterways within Hagerstown include Hamilton Run and Antietam Creek that are tributaries of the Potomac River. Natural landscape around Hagerstown consists of low, rolling hills with elevations of 500 feet (150 m) to 800 feet (240 m) above sea level and rich, fertile land that is well-suited and utilized for dairy farming, cornfields, and fruit orchards typical of Mid-Atlantic agriculture.

Climate

Hagerstown is situated in the transition between the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa) and the humid continental climate zone (Köppen Dfa), with hot, humid summers and cool to moderately cold winters. Normal monthly mean temperatures range from 32.9 °F (0.5 °C) in January to 77.6 °F (25.3 °C) in July, while record temperatures range from −27 °F (−33 °C) on January 13, 1912, up to 107 °F (42 °C) on July 23, 1999.[19] Precipitation is moderate, averaging 39.29 in (998 mm) annually, and is somewhat evenly distributed throughout the year, with a slight winter minimum and a maximum in May and June.[19]

Climate data for Hagerstown, Maryland (Washington County Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1899–present[20]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 78
(26)
82
(28)
88
(31)
94
(34)
96
(36)
102
(39)
107
(42)
104
(40)
101
(38)
95
(35)
83
(28)
75
(24)
107
(42)
Average high °F (°C) 40.5
(4.7)
43.6
(6.4)
52.8
(11.6)
64.9
(18.3)
74.4
(23.6)
82.6
(28.1)
87.3
(30.7)
84.9
(29.4)
77.8
(25.4)
66.0
(18.9)
54.4
(12.4)
44.0
(6.7)
64.4
(18.0)
Daily mean °F (°C) 32.9
(0.5)
35.5
(1.9)
43.4
(6.3)
54.6
(12.6)
64.4
(18.0)
73.1
(22.8)
77.6
(25.3)
75.3
(24.1)
68.4
(20.2)
56.7
(13.7)
45.9
(7.7)
36.9
(2.7)
55.4
(13.0)
Average low °F (°C) 25.3
(−3.7)
27.3
(−2.6)
34.0
(1.1)
44.3
(6.8)
54.5
(12.5)
63.7
(17.6)
67.9
(19.9)
65.7
(18.7)
58.9
(14.9)
47.4
(8.6)
37.4
(3.0)
29.8
(−1.2)
46.3
(7.9)
Record low °F (°C) −27
(−33)
−20
(−29)
−7
(−22)
9
(−13)
23
(−5)
30
(−1)
42
(6)
39
(4)
25
(−4)
18
(−8)
−4
(−20)
−13
(−25)
−27
(−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.46
(62)
1.97
(50)
3.04
(77)
3.33
(85)
3.55
(90)
3.36
(85)
2.94
(75)
2.90
(74)
3.83
(97)
2.76
(70)
2.63
(67)
2.83
(72)
35.60
(904)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 5.9
(15)
5.5
(14)
6.7
(17)
trace 0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
1.4
(3.6)
2.4
(6.1)
21.9
(56)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 10.0 8.9 10.3 11.7 14.0 11.8 11.4 10.0 9.5 9.2 8.4 9.2 124.4
Average snowy days (≥ 0.01 in) 5.6 5.1 4.6 trace 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.9 12.9 32.1
Source: NOAA[19][21]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18202,670
18303,37126.3%
18403,6257.5%
18503,8797.0%
18604,1326.5%
18705,77939.9%
18806,62714.7%
189010,11852.7%
190013,59134.3%
191016,50721.5%
192028,06470.0%
193030,8519.9%
194032,4915.3%
195036,26011.6%
196036,6601.1%
197035,862−2.2%
198034,132−4.8%
199035,4453.8%
200036,6873.5%
201039,6628.1%
202043,5279.7%
2022 (est.)43,701[22]0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census
2018 Estimate[23]

2010 census

As of the census[24] of 2010, there were 39,662 people, 16,449 households, and 9,436 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,364.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,298.8/km2). There were 18,682 housing units at an average density of 1,584.6 per square mile (611.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.8% White, 15.5% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.1% from other races, and 5.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.6% of the population.

There were 16,449 households, of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.6% were married couples living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.04.

The median age in the city was 34.5 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.6% were from 25 to 44; 24% were from 45 to 64; and 12.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female. Between 2011 and 2015, 26.8% of the population lived in poverty.[25]

2000 census

As of the U.S. census[26] of 2000, there were 36,687 people, 15,849 households, and 9,081 families residing in the city. Updated July 1, 2008, census estimates reflect Hagerstown having 39,728 people, an increase of 8.3% from the year 2000.

According to Census 2000 figures, the population density was 3,441.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,328.8/km2). There were 17,089 housing units at an average density of 1,603.1 per square mile (619.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 85.95% White, 10.15% Black, 1.77% Hispanic or Latino, 0.25% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.83% from other races, and 1.83% from two or more races. There were 17,154 males and 19,533 females residing in the city.[27]

There were 15,849 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males.[28]

The median income for a household in the city was $30,796, and the median income for a family was $38,149. Males had a median income of $31,200 versus $22,549 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,153. About 15.1% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.0% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.[29]

Metropolitan area

Hagerstown–Martinsburg, MD–WV MSA consists of three counties:

The primary cities are Hagerstown and Martinsburg, West Virginia. The metropolitan area's population in 2000 was 222,771. The 2008 estimate is 263,753, making Greater Hagerstown the 169th largest metropolitan area in the United States. The growth rate from 2000 to 2008 is +18.4%, the 48th highest among metropolitan areas in the entire country and the highest in Maryland (and in West Virginia).[9] The growth is mostly due to the influx of people from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, MD.

Economy

Once primarily an industrial community, Hagerstown's economy depended heavily on railroad transportation and manufacturing, notably of aircraft, trucks, automobiles, textiles, and furniture.[1] Today, the city has a diversified, stable business environment with modern service companies in various fields as well as continued strength in manufacturing and transportation in railroads and highways. Surrounding Hagerstown, there has been and continues to be a strong agricultural presence while tourism, especially with respect to the retail sector, also provides support to the local economy.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce brands began searching for new places to do business. Due to high property prices near Interstate-95 businesses looked to develop along Interstate-81. The Hagerstown-Washington County area is attractive since it intersects Interstate-81 and Interstate-70, because of this, numerous warehouses have been built in Hagerstown and the surrounding area.[30]

Manufacturing, which was never entirely removed from the Hagerstown economy, returned to Hagerstown when Hitachi Rail began construction of a $70 million factory in Hagerstown.[31]

Healthcare

  • Meritus Medical Center (a part of Meritus Health), acute care inpatient and outpatient facility.
  • Western Maryland Hospital Center, chronic-care state-run health center.
  • Brook Lane Psychiatric Center, private mental health facility.

Shopping

Hagerstown has 2 major shopping malls:

Culture

Historical sites

Hagerstown's location at the center of the Western Maryland region makes it an ideal starting point for touring, especially with respect to the Civil War. Antietam National Battlefield, the site of the bloodiest single day in American history, is located in nearby Sharpsburg. South Mountain State Battlefield is also located in Washington County in Boonsboro. Gettysburg, Monocacy, and Harpers Ferry battlefields are all located within a 30-minute drive of Hagerstown.

Fort Frederick State Park, which features a restored fort used in the French and Indian War, is west of the city in nearby Big Pool, Maryland.

Washington Monument State Park, near Boonsboro, pays tribute to the country's first president, George Washington. It is the oldest structure to honor the 'father of our country.'

Hagerstown is also home to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Headquarters.

The city and surrounding vicinity also has a number of sites and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They include the Antietam Furnace Complex Archeological Site, Antietam Hall, Brightwood, Colonial Theatre, Ditto Knolls, Dorsey-Palmer House, Elliot-Bester House, Jacob M. Funk Farm, Garden Hill, Good-Hartle Farm, Hager House, Hagerstown Armory, Hagerstown Charity School, Hagerstown City Park Historic District, Hagerstown Commercial Core Historic District, Hagerstown Historic District, Houses At 16-22 East Lee Street, Lantz-Zeigler House, Lehman's Mill Historic District, Long Meadows, Maryland Theatre, Henry McCauley Farm, Oak Hill Historic District, Old Forge Farm, Old Washington County Library, Paradise Manor, Potomac-Broadway Historic District, Price-Miller House, Rockland Farm, Rockledge, Rohrer House, South Prospect Street Historic District, Trovinger Mill, Valentia, Washington County Courthouse, Western Maryland Railway Station, Western Maryland Railway Steam Locomotive No. 202, and Wilson's Bridge.[32][33]

Parks and museums

Within the city, there are numerous parks including Hagerstown City Park, which is home to the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Mansion House Art Gallery, Western Maryland 202 Locomotive Display and Museum, and the Hager House and Museum (once home of Jonathan Hager, founder of Hagerstown).[1] Outside of the Park, Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum showcases exhibits of Hagerstown's early railroad history. Discovery Station, located downtown, is a hands-on science and technology museum featuring exhibits in numerous galleries and display areas, including the Hagerstown Aviation Museum. Fairgrounds Park is the city's largest active recreation park. It features a baseball field, a BMX track, exercise equipment, an in-line hockey rink, a skatepark, soccer fields, softball fields, and walking trails.[34]

Theater and arts

Hagerstown is home to the Maryland Theatre,[1] a symphony house that plays host to the Maryland Symphony Orchestra and the annual Miss Maryland USA Beauty Pageants. The city also has the Washington County Playhouse, which does dinner theater performances. The Barbara Ingram School for the Arts is a magnet school for gifted art students, located in downtown Hagerstown's arts and entertainment district on South Potomac Street.

Festivals and events

Downtown Hagerstown recently has enjoyed a resurgence[1] and now hosts several popular annual events. The Quad State Beer Fest is a craft beer and music festival that features regional breweries, rock music and entertainment held at various times throughout the year. The Interstate BBQ Festival is a Kansas City Barque Society sanctioned competition which hosts dozens of professional and backyard teams and draws thousands of spectators as a huge regional event. The city draws thousands every year around May–June to the Western Maryland Blues Fest, which showcases blues artists from around the country. The Augustoberfest celebrates Hagerstown's German heritage.[35] The Alsatia Mummers Parade is an annual parade during the Halloween season. It is run by Alsatia Club Inc. and was first run in 1921.

Fairgrounds Park hosts various events throughout the year like the annual Hagerstown Hispanic Festival held in mid-September and the cities annual July 4 firework show.[34][36][37]

Blue Ridge League (1915–1929)

From 1915 to 1929, Hagerstown's Class D minor league team played in the Blue Ridge League at Willow Lane Park, now the site of Bester Elementary School, under several names: Blues (1915), Terriers (1916–18, 1922–23), Champs (1920–21), and Hubs (1924–1930). In 1930, Municipal Stadium was constructed and the Hubs played their final season there. In 1931, prior to the next season beginning, the Blue Ridge League folded due to financial losses and the Hagerstown Hubs moved to Parkersburg, West Virginia.[38][39]

Various Negro Leagues (1935–1955)

From 1935 to 1955, various barnstorming Negro League teams played in Hagerstown on at least seven occasions; however, there is no complete history of Black baseball in Hagerstown as local news rarely covered it.[40]

Interstate League and Piedmont League (1941–1955)

In 1941, professional baseball returned to Hagerstown when the Detroit Tigers moved their minor league affiliate there. The Hagerstown Owls competed in the Class B Interstate League. In 1950, the Owls were renamed the Hagerstown Braves as they became a minor league affiliate of the Boston Braves. In 1953, the Braves joined the Class B Piedmont League. In 1954, the Braves were renamed the Hagerstown Packets and became a minor league affiliate of the Washington Senators. The Piedmont League ceased operations in 1955 and Hagerstown was left without a team until 1981.[41][38]

Hagerstown Suns (1981–2020)

From 1981 to 2020, the Hagerstown Suns played in Municipal Stadium and were initially the Class A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The Suns became the Double-A affiliate of the Orioles in 1989. They were affiliated with the Orioles until 1992 when the Suns moved to Bowie, Maryland and became the Bowie Baysox. Shortly after the Suns departure in 1992, the Myrtle Beach Hurricanes relocated to Hagerstown, became the Hagerstown Suns, and became the Class A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They would remain Class A for the remainder of their existence. In 2001, they affiliated with the San Francisco Giants. They affiliated with the New York Mets in 2005, and then with the Washington Nationals in 2007.[38] The Suns folded in 2021 when Minor League Baseball was restructured and reduced to 120 teams.[42] Municipal Stadium was demolished in 2022 to make way for an indoor turf complex.[43][44]

Hagerstown Flying Boxcars (beginning in 2024)

On September 1, 2021, the Atlantic League announced approval for a new baseball team in Hagerstown. The team will play in the new Hagerstown Multi-Use Sports and Event Facility. The team was initially set to begin play in 2023, but delays in stadium construction pushed the inaugural season to 2024.[45][46] Groundbreaking was held in October 2022 for the new stadium.[47][48] On July 20, 2023, the team name was announced as the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars after fan submissions and voting. The other options for voting were Haymakers, Battling Swans, Diezel Dogs, and Tin Lizards.[49]

Other professional sports

To the west of the city lies Hagerstown Speedway, a nationally known dirt-track racing venue. Another professional racing track, Mason-Dixon Dragway, is located just southeast of Hagerstown.

Government

Hagerstown City Hall

Mayor

The current city executive or Mayor of Hagerstown is Tekesha Martinez. She has served as the city's first black mayor since February 2023. Martinez was unanimously selected by the city council to become mayor after Emily Keller resigned to take a position in Governor Wes Moore's cabinet.[50] The mayor is a nonpartisan position.

Past Mayors:

City Council

The nonpartisan representative body of Hagerstown is known as the City Council. Its current members are Kristin Aleshire, Tiara Burnett, Shelley McIntire, and Matthew Schindler.[52][53]

Florence Murdock served as the city's first female councilperson after being appointed in 1985. There have been two times since then where a majority of the council's five seats have been held by women; when there were three councilwomen during a period from 2005 to 2009, and from 2020 to 2023, where three councilwomen were inaugurated in November 2020.[54] The council became three men and two women in March 2023 when Matthew Schindler was selected to fill the vacant council seat after Tekesha Martinez was selected to become mayor to fill the seat left by Emily Keller.[55]

In 2005, Alesia Parson was elected as the first person of color to serve on city council. Since then, Tiara Burnett and Tekesha Martinez have been elected in 2020 as the second and third black city councilmembers. Councilwomen Burnett and Martinez were the first black councilmembers to serve concurrently.[54]

Other representation

Paul D. Corderman (R) serves the Hagerstown area in the Maryland Senate while Brooke Grossman (D) represents Hagerstown in the Maryland House of Delegates. David Trone (D) serves Maryland's 6th congressional district which includes Hagerstown.

Education

Initially Hagerstown had one high school known as Hagerstown High School located on Potomac Avenue between the years of 1927 and 1958. It later became North Potomac Middle School after North Hagerstown High School was built on Pennsylvania Avenue and opened in 1958. South Hagerstown High School had already been built and was opened in 1956.

High schools

Colleges and Universities

Former Colleges and Universities

Media

Radio

Hagerstown shares a radio market, the 166th largest in the United States, with Chambersburg and Waynesboro, Pennsylvania.[56] The following box contains all of the radio stations in the area:

Television

Hagerstown is the base for three television stations and shares a Designated Market Area, the sixth largest in the United States, with Washington, D.C.[57]

Infrastructure

Looking north along I-81 from MD 58 in Hagerstown

Highways

Mass transportation

A street corner on Broadway near downtown Hagerstown.

Notable people

  • See People from Hagerstown.

Sister cities and municipal partnerships

References

  1. McAllister, Elizabeth. "Hagerstown, Maryland". Maryland Online Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on January 13, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2008.
  2. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  3. "QuickFacts: Hagerstown city, Maryland". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  4. "List of 2020 Census Urban Areas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  5. "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  6. "the definition of hagerstown". Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  7. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  8. "Maryland Population". State of Maryland. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  9. Table 7. Cumulative Estimates of Population Change for Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Rankings: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 Archived June 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Census Bureau 2009. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
  10. Ray Smith Bass, State of Maryland Geological Survey, Cambrian and Ordovician Deposits of Maryland (1919) at 99.
  11. Laws Made and Passed by the General Assembly of the State of Maryland, at a Session Begun and Held at the City of Annapolis, on Monday, the Sixth Day of December, Eighteen Hundred and Thirteen, and Ending Monday, the Thirty First Day of January, in the Year of Our Lord, Eighteen Hundred and Fourteen. Annapolis: Printed By Jehu Chandler. 1814. pp. 108–113. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  12. "How Whiskey Almost Started a War". Emmitsburg.net. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  13. "Hagerstown Herald and Torch Light". Western Maryland Historical Library. July 20, 1864. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  14. The Crossroads of the Civil War - Hagerstown Archived November 1, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Hagerstown-Washington County Convention & Visitor's Bureau, Civil War, Retrieved 2007.
  15. Washington Confederate Cemetery, Hagerstown, Maryland, Western Maryland Historical Library, Retrieved 2014.
  16. Fairchild Aircraft, Retrieved 2007.
  17. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  18. "US Gazetteer files 2013". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 2, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  19. "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  20. Records were kept at the "Hagerstown 1E" COOP station from January 1, 1899, until October 2, 1998, and at Washington County Airport since October 3, 1998.
  21. "Station: Hagerstown Washington CO AP, MD". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  22. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Hagerstown city, Maryland". www.census.gov. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  23. "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  24. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  25. US Census Bureau, Quick Figures, 2016 Retrieved September 22, 2017
  26. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  27. "DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000
    Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data
    Geographic Area: Hagerstown city, Maryland"
    . Census 2000 Gateway. Retrieved January 6, 2008.
  28. "QT-P1. Age Groups and Sex: 2000
    Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data
    Geographic Area: Hagerstown city, Maryland"
    . Census 2000 Gateway. Retrieved January 6, 2008.
  29. "DP-3. Profile of Selected Economic Characteristics: 2000
    Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 4 (SF 4) - Sample Data
    Geographic Area: Hagerstown city, Maryland"
    . Census 2000 Gateway. Retrieved January 6, 2008.
  30. Baker, Tamela (September 11, 2023). "Have you noticed all the new development in Washington County? There's a reason for it". The Herald-Mail. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  31. Sales, Skyler (March 1, 2023). "Hitachi Rail Factory 'on track' in Hagerstown". DC News Now | Washington, DC. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  32. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  33. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". National Park Service. October 22, 2010. Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 10/12/10 through 10/15/10
  34. "Fairgrounds Park | Hagerstown, MD - Official Website". www.hagerstownmd.org. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  35. "Augustoberfest". City of Hagerstown, MD. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  36. Kaitlin McCarthy, "First Ever Hispanic Festival Takes Off In Washington County" Archived March 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Your4State.com, Published Sunday September 16, 2007, Retrieved November 2007.
  37. Joshua Bowman, "Festival's growth reflects increase in local Hispanic population", The Herald-Mail, published September 20, 2008, retrieved September 21, 2008.
  38. "Hagerstown Suns History". MiLB.com. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  39. "Willow Lane Park Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  40. "For Black community, ties to city's baseball traditions are complicated". Capital News Service. July 6, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  41. Peters, Brett (April 15, 2021). "Washington County Baseball – Washington County Historical Society". Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  42. "MLB realigns its minor leagues following contraction to 120 teams". silive. Associated Press. February 13, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  43. "Despite attempts to slow process, demolition of Municipal Stadium could begin in 10 days". The Herald-Mail. Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  44. "Hagerstown's new indoor sports facility could be open by late 2023, planners say". The Herald-Mail. Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  45. "Atlantic League approves new baseball team for Hagerstown". The Herald-Mail. Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  46. Reichard, Kevin (September 1, 2021). "Hagerstown formally approved for 2023 Atlantic League debut". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  47. Reichard, Kevin (October 18, 2022). "Work begins on new downtown Hagerstown ballpark". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  48. Weingarten, Dwight A. (October 19, 2022). "Play ball? Not yet, but ceremony held for new baseball stadium". The Herald-Mail. Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  49. McMillion, Dave (July 20, 2023). "Hagerstown Flying Boxcars to be the name of new Atlantic League baseball team". The Herald-Mail. Hagerstown, Maryland: Herald-Mail Media. Archived from the original on July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  50. "'It's surreal': Hagerstown celebrated Tekesha Martinez as its first black mayor". The Herald-Mail. Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
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  52. "Meet the City Council - Hagerstown, MD - Official Website". Hagerstownmd.org. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  53. "St. Maria Goretti High School faces uncertain future after difficult decision by archdiocese". Catholic Review. September 21, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  54. "New Hagerstown administration includes firsts for city". Heraldmailmedia.com. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  55. "Photos: Schindler sworn in as new Hagerstown City councilman". www.heraldmailmedia.com. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  56. Market Ranks and Schedules 151-200, Arbitron, Fall 2007, Retrieved March 22, 2008.
  57. Local Television Market Universe Estimates, Nielsen, September 27, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2008.
  58. Sarah Hopkins, Allegiant Air Takeoff To Orlando A Success Archived December 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Your4State.com, Published Friday November 14, 2008, Retrieved Saturday November 15, 2008.
  59. Jeannie Flitner, New Service to Baltimore Takes off From Hagerstown Archived March 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Your4State.com, Published Tuesday March 24, 2009, Retrieved Tuesday March 24, 2009.
  60. Baker, Tamela (February 8, 2023). "Interested in train service to Washington? Take this survey". The Herald-Mail. Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  61. "Sister Cities". Hagerstown, MD - Official Website.
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