visit hagerstown maryland

Things to Do in Hagerstown, MD - Hagerstown Attractions

Things to do in hagerstown, tours in and around hagerstown.

Murder Mystery Detective Experience in Hagerstown MD

2-Hour Gettysburg Battlefield Guided History Bus Tour with a National Park Guide

Echoes of War All Ages Ghost Tour

Gettysburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Antietam National Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Tour

Gettysburg: Ghost Hunt Tour with Ghost Hunting Equipment

Blood on the Battlefield Ages 16+

Civil War Ghosts of Gettysburg Tour by US Ghost Adventures

Spirits of Jennie Wade Ghost Night Tour in Gettysburg

Ghost Tour: History and Haunts - Family Friendly - Best in Gettysburg

Top attractions in hagerstown.

Other Top Attractions around Hagerstown

What travelers are saying

Your browser is outdated! Upgrade to a different browser or install Google Chrome Frame to experience this site.

Explore. Experience. Enjoy!

Founded in 1792 by Jonathan Hager, an entrepreneur and politician, Hagerstown grew quickly and became the city center for all kinds of transportation from covered wagon to Native American trade routes to nearby river navigation to a growing railroad industry.

Earning the nickname “Hub City”, Hagerstown today is bustling with the best of history, culture, specialty shops and dining. Hagerstown was Maryland’s first designated Arts & Entertainment District and offers a variety of performances and exhibits from the Maryland Symphony Orchestra , The Maryland Theater , the Washington County Fine Art’s Museum .

Whether you’re in the mood for casual or fine dining, local restaurants offer tastes for every palette. You’ll find cuisine from around the world that includes Hagerstown’s German heritage as well as Mexico, Panama, Italy and Thailand. Experience and enjoy local favorites like the “Lettuce-less Salad” and “The Burkinator”.

With 19 city parks, the C&O Canal Towpath, the Historic National Road and downtown events like Music On The Square and Augustoberfest , there is always something to do in Hagerstown’s Main Street.

Home » Travel Guides » United States » Maryland (MD) » 15 Best Things to Do in Hagerstown (MD)

15 Best Things to Do in Hagerstown (MD)

In the Great Appalachian Valley, with mountains on the horizon, Hagerstown is a city that has long been affected by its geography.

The nickname Hub City, goes back to the 19th century when no fewer than five railroads converged in Hagerstown.

Earlier, the city was in the crosshairs of the Civil War, at the boundary between North and South, and witnessed numerous engagements. None was bloodier than the infamous Battle of Antietam in 1862, fought just ten miles to the south.

Modern Hagerstown is blessed with an effervescent cultural scene, underpinned by the Maryland Theatre downtown, and the exceptional Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in picture-perfect City Park.

1. Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (WCMFA)

Fronting City Park’s Lower Lake is a national standard art museum, with a tremendous collection of 18th, 19th and early 20th-century American painting.

The bulk of this inventory was donated to the city by William Henry Singer, Jr. (1868-1943) and his wife Anna Brugh Singer (1873-1962).

A few of the many celebrated artists represented in the collection are Thomas Sully, Benjamin West, Rembrandt Peale, Childe Hassam and several noted landscape painters from the Hudson River School, like George Inness.

Exhibits drawn from that catalog are also enriched with Old Masters, 19th-century European art (Courbet, Rodin and more), oriental art and a wealth of American decorative and folk art.

The WCMFA stages world-class traveling exhibitions, and has a percolating schedule of classes, lectures, music recitals, film screenings and events for children.

2. Hagerstown City Park

The park surrounding Washington County Museum of Fine Arts is on the National Register of Historic Places and touted as one of the country’s most beautiful urban parks.

One key feature is Lower Lake, framed by the museum, and created by draining a swamp in the park in the early 1920s.

The lake is flocked by ducks, geese and swans, and sets the scene for Hagerstown’s spellbinding Christmas light show.

There are several smaller visitor attractions to check out, like the Hager House (more later), and the City Park Train Hub, paying tribute to the city’s important railroad history.

Many of the exhibits at this museum, such as the 1875 Velocipede and 1885 pump car, are sourced from the Western Maryland Railroad Company.

A headline is the marvelous, 77-foot Steam Engine 202, built in 1912 and in service until 1953. Also noteworthy is Mansion House, a Georgian-style residence from 1846, now home to the Valley Art Association (VAA), with members’ work on show at the gallery here.

3. Maryland Theatre

One of the state’s top performing arts venues is the pillar of Hagerstown’s Arts and Entertainment District.

The Maryland Theatre was built in 1915, and one of the architects was Thomas W. Lamb (1871-1942), who worked on the third Madison Square Garden.

The building was badly damaged by fire in 1974, but the historic 1,293-seat auditorium, complete with its Wurlitzer organ, survived intact and the theatre reopened after thorough reconstruction in 1978.

There are some 250 performances each year at this venue, with musicals, plays, dance, live music, comedy and concerts by the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, which is headquartered at the theatre.

4. Antietam National Battlefield

The bloodiest day in American history took place about ten miles south of Hagerstown at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862.

The battle resulted in 22,717 dead, wounded or missing. Despite the extraordinary toll (12,410 Union casualties), this hard-fought victory helped turn the war in the Union Army’s favor, and gave Abraham Lincoln the basis to announce his Emancipation Proclamation.

The Antietam National Battlefield is on more than 3,200 acres, and you can visit the key sites where these 12 hours of brutal combat played out.

The 800-yard sunken road, Bloody Lane witnessed unimaginable carnage in the morning, with some 5,600 casualties, and you can walk along this route, between the two positions.

Later there was a grim tug-of-war for Burnside’s Bridge (1836) on Antietam Creek, taken by Ambrose Burnside after several hours, under fire from Confederate sharpshooters who held the high ground on the opposite bank.

5. Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Regional Park

Downtown Hagerstown is little more than ten minutes from the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, which hugged the bank of the Potomac River for more than 180 miles.

Replacing the earlier Potomac Canal, this waterway was built between 1828 and 1850 and was a mammoth project, involving no fewer than 74 locks, 11 aqueducts, 240 culverts and the Paw Paw Tunnel, more than 3,000 feet long.

The waterway and towpath have been preserved as a national regional park, showcasing those 74 locks, the broad waters of the Potomac and riveting history on this once crucial artery for coal, lumber, grains and livestock.

Some interesting sights close to Hagerstown are Williamsport’s Conococheague Aqueduct (1835) and the Cushwa Basin, where there’s a visitor center in a restored 19th-century warehouse.

6. Discovery Station at Hagerstown

An historic bank building downtown has been transformed into a hands-on museum with exhibits founded in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) principles.

Across two floors, the Discovery Station is always adding new experiences, all designed to foster curiosity for exploration, discovery and ongoing investigation.

A few of the exhibits when we made this list were Little Sprouts Grocery, Exploration Rainforest, Dinosaurs, Space and Beyond, Discovery Town, Robotics & Coding, Sustainability and the Imagination Station, a cozy reading area.

Discovery Station has a schedule of programs, with hands-on animal encounters, science experiments and story times.

7. Jonathan Hager House Museum

At the north end of City Park you can step back to Hagerstown’s mid-18th century origins at the preserved house built by the city’s founder.

The German immigrant, Jonathan Hager (1714-1775), constructed this Colonial-style house around 1740 on the site of two springs.

The two-story building, composed of flagstone, is open to the public, April through December and is an anchor for a series of events throughout the year, including City Park Fall Fest.

On a visit you’ll pick up lots of interesting titbits, such as how the two springs helped cool this dwelling in summer, while the unusual central chimney provided extra insulation in winter.

The house also had a key defensive purpose, testified by the basement walls, which are 17 inches thick and feature an embrasure similar to a Medieval arrow loop.

8. Pennsylvania Dutch Market of Hagerstown

Western Maryland is one of three areas in the state with significant Amish and Mennonite populations.

These communities are renowned for their prowess in furniture making, baking, home cooking, handicrafts and more.

To save you the trouble of tracking down Amish and Mennonite businesses, you can simply head for the homey Pennsylvania Dutch Market, which opened in 2007 and has a wealth of mainly Amish-owned merchant shops.

You can come for high-quality handmade products, an in-house bakery, a full-service restaurant, enticing deli food and a huge range of produce, meats and poultry.

9. Price-Miller House

Just along from the Discovery Station on Washington St is a preserved Federal-style townhouse, built in the mid-1820s.

The first owner was William Price, a renowned attorney, who used the building for his law practice and family home, and later became the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland.

The Price-Miller House is maintained as a museum by the Washington County Historical Society, and there’s much to see inside.

You can tour several elegant rooms with authentic mid-19th century furnishings, while there are documents and artifacts to peruse relating to the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, the Civil War and the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in the 1820s.

Also noteworthy is the house’s splendid collection of historic clocks made in the Hagerstown area.

10. Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum

For more insight into Hagerstown’s Hub City heyday, you can visit the site of an immense roundhouse built in 1939. This had 25 stalls, and was part of a larger complex serving as the largest railroad maintenance facility in Western Maryland.

The roundhouse was pulled down in 1999, but there’s a museum in one of the preserved buildings by the CSX Railroad.

An aladdin’s cave for railroad enthusiasts, this has historic rolling stock, tons of artifacts and massive, ever-growing model train displays, including an accurate representation of the roundhouse.

The museum is run by volunteers with in-depth knowledge of Hagerstown’s railroad history, and you can also step outside to view the working CSX facility.

11. Fairgrounds Park

The largest space in Hagerstown if you want to be active is the site of the old Great Hagerstown Fair.

This event ran from 1856 to 1980, moving to Fairgrounds Park in 1880. The old grandstand is still intact, and there’s a marker and interpretive board recalling the event’s golden days.

Fairgrounds Park remains full of life, as the setting for many community events including the 4th of July Fireworks Celebration, the Harvest Hoedown in October and regular yard sales in the stables by the grandstand.

For recreation you’ll find amenities for soccer, baseball, softball, volleyball, basketball/inline hockey, BMX and ice skating, along with a dog park, walking trails and outdoor exercise equipment.

12. Hagerstown Premium Outlets

Something that brings a lot of visitors to Hagerstown is this outlet mall just off I-70 in the south of the city.

Owned by Simon Property Group, the mall opened in 1998 and caters to a large region, comprising portions of Pennsylvania, Maryland and even Washington, D.C..

For a small cross section of the many brands found here, you’ve got Adidas, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein, Gap, Guess, Levi’s, LOFT, Nautica, Polo Ralph Lauren, The North Face and Under Armour.

Unusual for an outlet mall, this spot also has a food court, with a Hibachi Xpress, Dairy Queen and China Max, in addition to a branch of LongHorn Steakhouse by the parking lot.

13. Hagerstown Cultural Trail

Two of Hagerstown’s prime destinations, the downtown Arts & Entertainment District and Hagerstown City Park, are linked by a specially planned trail, intended as a destination in its own right.

Recently expanded, this half-mile walkway combines small visitor attractions, engaging sculpture, murals, landscaped public spaces, a whimsical children’s play area and interesting historical snippets, all encouraging you to make your way through the city on foot.

Families will love The Fantastical Garden play area, designed by artist Alsion Sigethy. You can download a map for the trail, giving you background on each stop.

14. Pangborn Park

The Hamilton Run trail connects Fairgrounds Park with another public green space, a few hundred feet to the northeast.

A worthwhile detour, Pangborn Park stands out for its pond, fed by Hamilton Run, and attracting plentiful geese and ducks.

There’s also a collection of recreation amenities at the park, including tennis courts, a baseball/softball field, a sand volleyball court, a playground by the pond and a lawn bowling facility.

Rows of mature trees offer shade along the trails, and while there’s a charming formal garden area centered on an ornate fountain in the northeast corner.

15. Black Rock Golf Course

On the city’s southeastern outskirts, Black Rock Golf Course has earned plenty of acclaim since it opened in 1989, and was named as the best municipal course in Maryland by Golf Digest in 2010.

Even experienced golfers will need to bring their A game to these 18 holes, which play long and are bordered by mature woods and difficult rough.

Black Rock has consistent, bent grass greens, and the back nine is unforgettable for its magnificent views of the Appalachian Mountains.

Complementary facilities include a pro shop, oversized putting green and a driving range complete with sand trap and chipping green.

15 Best Things to Do in Hagerstown (MD):

• Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (WCMFA)
• Hagerstown City Park
• Maryland Theatre
• Antietam National Battlefield
• Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Regional Park
• Discovery Station at Hagerstown
• Jonathan Hager House Museum
• Pennsylvania Dutch Market of Hagerstown
• Price-Miller House
• Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum
• Fairgrounds Park
• Hagerstown Premium Outlets
• Hagerstown Cultural Trail
• Pangborn Park
• Black Rock Golf Course

• 301-791-3246

• Trip Starters

Whether you’re spending just a day or planning an extended vacation, Washington County has so much to offer. We are a destination filled with everything from urban amenities to abundant outdoor recreation. Mix and match these ideas, based on your preferences!

Get ideas from the selected trips below, or build you own trip using our  Trip Builder Tool

Civil War and Historical Sites Just outside of Sharpsburg lies our most famous attraction, Antietam National Battlefield . Visitors can learn about this battle how it led President Lincoln to issue the Preliminary Emancipation. Be sure to visit the Newcomer House Exhibit Center . Also, a stop at the Pry House Field Hospital Museum with displays that relate to the care of the wounded and the implementation of triage for the first time by Clara Barton. A visit to the brand new  Sharpsburg Museum of History. The Washington Monument , located in Washington Monument State Park is said to be the nation’s earliest monument to George Washington. The National War Correspondent’s Memorial Arch in Gathland State Park was built to honor war correspondents of the Civil War. Along the way, visit Crystal Grottoes Caverns , Maryland’s only “show cave.”

Fort Frederick and Hancock A short drive along I-70 West will take you to Fort Frederick , a fort of defense for the French and Indian War. The fort’s stone wall and two barracks have been restored to their 1758 appearance. Park lands adjoin the Potomac River and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Events that take place there include encampments and canon demonstrations. Drive a little further west to  Hancock, MD - recently named Maryland's Trail Town - and enjoy the fresh baked pies and local fruits/veggies from the Blue Goose Market & Bakery , or enjoy lunch for you and Fido at the dog-friendly  Buddy Lou’s Eats & Antiques . Other local favorites are  Weaver’s Restaurant & Bakery  and the  Park-n-Dine - all located along the  C&O Canal and nearby Western Maryland Rail Trail .

Fort Ritchie, Pen Mar Park and High Rock Overlook One of the most scenic drives is along Route 64 North to Cascade MD.  Hidden just a mile from the Appalachian Trail, lies  Fort Ritchie . Undergoing a revival from a closed military  base, it is a blast into Washington County’s military past and home of the now nationally famous Ritchie Boys of World War II. The new  Ritchie History Museum is scehduled to open in Summer of 2022. Enjoy the grounds and lakes from dawn til dusk and explore the ever growing amenities such as the Greenhouse Cafe, Mountain Top Ice Cream Shop, Lakeside Hall, and many community events! Nearby  Pen Mar Park offers a panoramic view of the Cumberland Valley along the Mason Dixon Line. Once an amusement park in the early 1900s, today it hosts dances, concerts and other entertainment. To reach the highest point of elevation in the County, continue on to High Rock Overlook . Many of the county’s orchards dot the roads where locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables can be purchased, and pick-your-own experiences make a delightful activity for families.  Red Heifer Winery and  Misty Meadows Farm Creamery are must-do stops during your jaunt in the northern end of the county.

Antiques and Boutiques Just off of US 40 East, and along the National Road, lies Funkstown, MD. The  Hudson House Galleries are in the quaint downtown. Seasoned collectors and home designers have been known to visit here in search of the perfect piece. Continuing on US 40 East are Beaver Creek Antique Market and  Antique Crossroads where you find many dealers offering antiques and collectibles at great prices

Historic Boonsboro Boonsboro is the home of Nora Roberts, famous NY Times Best Selling Author. Stop at her bookstore, Turn the Page , and purchase autographed copies of her books. Next door is Gifts Inn Boonsboro , with treasures made all by local artisans. Delicious dining is just a few paces away at  Dan’s Restaurant & Tap Room . Also within a short stroll is the Boonsboro Trolley Museum and the Boonsborough Museum of History . Just up the road is Big Cork Vineyard . Enjoy the tasting room.

City Park – A Cultural Center The  Washington County Museum of Fine Arts is the mainstay of this beautiful park. Works by Picasso, Norman Rockwell and Rodin are part of the permanent collection. The Jonathan Hager House , home of Hagerstown’s founder, can be toured. The home is maintained with authentic pieces of the 1740’s frontier era. Enjoy band concerts in the Band Shell and on the lake, the Mansion House Art Gallery , and climb aboard the Train 202 Engine at the Train Museum.

Hagerstown’s Arts & Entertainment District Anchored by the Maryland Theatre , the A&E District in downtown Hagerstown is home to several arts organizations, including the Maryland Symphony Orchestra , and is dotted with special galleries, such as the Washington County Arts Council. Dining is exceptional and widely acclaimed in this area. Authentic Bavarian cuisine at Schmankerl Stube , pub food at Bulls & Bears , an outstanding menu at 28 South , are among the menu options for dinner before taking in a show at the Maryland Theatre! Dine and see a show at the Washington County Playhouse and Dinner Theater . 

Wilson’s Historic Village Start the day in Clear Spring, MD at historical Wilson’s Historic Village . Also along the National Pike, sits this historic landmark that includes an old country store, a blacksmith’s shop, post office, and a one-room school. 

VIRTUAL VISITOR CENTER

• Getting Around
• Three Scenic Byways
• Take the Scenic Route on the Historic National Road
• Park Safety and Etiquette
• Free & Inexpensive
• Download Brochures
• Downtown Hagerstown
• Hagerstown Metro Area Map
• Washington County
• Hancock Businesses Along the C&O Canal
• Request a Visitors Guide
• Fly Hagerstown Regional Airport
• 2024-2025 Online Visitors Guide
• Service Guide
• Visitor Center
• Newcomer House

• 301-791-3246

• Civil War & Historic Sites

Steeped in history, many consider their visits to our Civil War sites their personal "meccas" of places to see. Founded in 1776, we go back to the French & Indian War and to the early life of our nation. Antietam is considered to be one of the most pivotal battles of the Civil War; it lead President Lincoln to issue the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.  The entire Maryland Campaign can be toured with in minutes from Hagerstown, including the Battle of South Mountain and Monocacy Battlefield.  Monuments and memorials to those who gave their lives for their country are abundant, and not to be missed. Our place in the national history of transportation is evident when visiting. Prior to railroading, the C&O Canal was the means of transporting goods across the state and region. Today, visitors can bike, hike, and even canoe on portions of it.  Known as the "Hub City" our railroad history is well documented and can be viewed at several sites across in Hagerstown. Come for the History...Stay for the Fun!!!

Antietam National Battlefield

Antietam National Cemetery Museum

Battle of Falling Waters 1863 Foundation

Beaver Creek School Museum

Boonsboro Trolley Museum

Boonsborough Museum of History

Bowman House

City Park Train Hub

Conococheague Institute Museum and Library

Dahlgren Chapel

Fort Frederick State Park

Gathland State Park Museum

Hagerstown Aviation Museum

Hancock Town Museum

Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area

Historic Fort Ritchie

John Brown Raid Headquarters

Jonathan Hager House Museum

Miller House Museum

National Museum of Civil War Medicine

Newcomer House & Visitor Center

Plumb Grove Mansion

Pry House Field Hospital Museum

Rose Hill Cemetery of Hagerstown

Smithsburg Town Museum

South Mountain State Battlefield

South Mountain State Park

St. Mark's Episcopal Church

Tolson's Chapel

Washington County Assoc. of Museums & Historical Sites

Washington County Historical Society

Washington County Rural Heritage Museum

Washington Monument State Park

Williamsport Town Museum and Springfield Barn

Wilson Store

THINGS TO DO

• Antietam Creek Water Trail
• Museums, Arts & Culture
• Sporting Events
• Sights to See
• Agritourism
• Bird Watching and Bird Trails
• Iconic Scenic Overlooks
• Geo Caching
• Hunting and Fishing
• Parks, Trails and Waterways
• Eat & Drink
• Baseball is Back in Hagerstown!
• Pottery Trail
• Stone Arch Bridges
• Apparel & More
• Art Galleries
• Bicycle Shops
• Book Stores
• Farmer's Markets & Orchards
• Specialty Shops
• Local Cyber Shopping
• Cycling Around
• Guided Tours
• Our Quaint and Historic Towns
• Hip & Historic Byways
• Veteran's Memorial Trail
• Grapes & Grains Craft Beverages
• South Mountain Corridor
• Calendar of Events

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

TravelAwaits

Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

How To Spend A Perfect Weekend In Hagerstown, Maryland

Gary Riegel / Shutterstock

• Destinations
• Types of Travel
• United States
• Weekend Getaway

In the heart of the Appalachian Valley, nestled between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains, the Maryland town of Hagerstown lies about 90 minutes northwest of Baltimore. From the first covered wagons heading west to the first whistle of a train, Hagerstown has long been a bustling crossroads city, welcoming travelers as they crisscrossed the nation.

Once the dividing line between the North and the South, this town of about 40,000 residents beckons Civil War history buffs. But the pastoral setting is also a delicious destination for foodies seeking farm-to-table, cow-to-cone, and tree-to-jug dining experiences. It’s also a great getaway for anyone who wants to escape the crowded cities along Maryland’s east coast, from Washington, D.C. , to Baltimore .

Pro Tip: If you’re visiting Hagerstown on a road trip from Washington, D.C., be sure to check out these other stops along the way .

Things To Do In Hagerstown

Travel back in time to a bustling transportation hub.

After the first spike pierced the ground near Baltimore Harbor, the railroad slowly expanded across the nation. About 75 miles northwest of Baltimore, multiple railways created spokes connected to the hub of Hagerstown, earning it the nickname Hub City. See steam engines and railcars from yesteryear at the City Park Train Hub , and explore Hagerstown’s role in the railroad’s heyday at the Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum . If you are a model train enthusiast, be sure to visit The Train Room , one of the largest train stores in the area.

Not to be left behind as Americans migrated from trains to airplanes, Hub City manufactured aircraft at the Kreider-Reisner Factory. Initially, they produced hobby and commercial models like the Challenger (a sporty biplane) and the F-91 Amphibian (an eight-passenger flying boat with its engine mounted on the roof). As World War II ignited in Europe, the factory landed several defense contracts and produced military planes. Learn more about Hagerstown’s place in aviation history and see several beautifully maintained planes, like the Flying Boxcar, at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum .

Gregory Johnston / Shutterstock

Immerse Yourself In History

About 15 miles south of Hagerstown, the bloodiest battle in American history took place on the Antietam National Battlefield . In Hagerstown, several historic sites help visitors understand what it was like to live on the line that divided the North and the South in the mid-1800s.

Although slavery was permitted in Maryland, the state never seceded with the other Southern states. During the Civil War, the Old Line State was a house divided — with slave owners in the southern and eastern regions aligning with the Confederacy and residents in the north and west supporting emancipation. While most Civil War history sites focus on white soldiers battling to the death to protect their way of life, fewer tell the story from the perspective of people of color.

Start your in-person history lesson with a visit to the Doleman Black Heritage Museum . In the heart of downtown Hagerstown, it displays thousands of artifacts depicting the contributions of black Americans in the area over hundreds of years.

Along Jonathan Street, the tall, red-brick building housing the Asbury United Methodist Church stands out. Behind its brightly painted red door, the town’s first black congregation was established two generations before slavery was abolished. In its early days, a team of white trustees oversaw nearly all activities at the church. But at the end of the Civil War, they transferred the church’s deed and its operations to a board of black men who worked hard to educate its members and support a community learning to live free.

About a block north on Jonathan Street, a historical marker indicates where the Harmon Hotel once stood. Owned and operated by Walter Harmon, a black businessman, this hotel welcomed black travelers when segregation laws were in effect. One of the hotel’s most notable guests was 19-year-old Willie Mays, who made history when he donned a Trenton Giants jersey and was the first black American to enter Hagerstown’s Municipal Stadium as a baseball player.

You can obtain a complete list of Hagerstown’s historical markers here .

Alejandro Guzmani / Shutterstock

Admire The Architecture And Art

George Washington, the father of our country, lived in a mansion known as Mount Vernon . And 90 miles away in Hagerstown, the father of Washington County, Jonathan Hager, made his home in a modest German-style farmhouse now known as the Hager House . The gray limestone house with white trim, black shutters, and a large centrally located chimney is built atop a natural spring on the northern edge of Hagerstown City Park. Older than the United States, the home has been beautifully restored and is furnished with 18th-century pieces.

Just south of the Hager House, you’ll discover a butter-colored, Georgian-style mansion with a beautiful wrap-around porch. This former home is now the Mansion House Art Center , and on display inside are the works of more than 20 talented regional artists.

Visit The Local Wineries

A short drive from Hagerstown, you’ll find two local wineries. In the neighboring town of Funkstown, Blue Mountain Wine Crafters offers a make-your-own wine experience that lets you blend pure juice, ferment it into alcohol, and bottle your masterpiece under the guidance of an experienced vintner. Or, if you’d rather leave the winemaking to the pros, you can enjoy a wine tasting or simply sip a refreshing wine slushie.

Just east of Hagerstown, the Red Heifer Winery in Smithsburg is another great stop offering a wide selection of white, red, and dessert wines that range from dry to sweet.

Pro Tip: Avoid any faux pas by reading these wine tasting etiquette tips before you go.

Savor The Local Flavors

Food lovers will find plenty of locally sourced options in and around Hagerstown. In the heart of downtown, Maryland’s oldest continuously operated farmers market is held every Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Or visit the Pennsylvania Dutch Market to pick up crispy fried chicken, freshly baked pastries, and other goodies for a picnic.

In nearby Smithsburg, top off your farm-to-table meal with a scoop of cow-to-cone ice cream at the Misty Meadow Farm Creamery . Choose from approximately 20 year-round flavors that range from chocolate and vanilla to black walnut and Dizzy Cow. Or, try one of their seasonal flavors like apple strudel, pumpkin pie, or eggnog.

Also in Smithsburg, Ivy Hill Farm sells delicious fruit that will make any picnic basket jealous. Throughout the season, you’ll find sweet cherries, juicy peaches, and crisp apples for sale along with farm-fresh produce. In the fall, watch for freshly pressed apple cider.

Enjoy The Great Outdoors

While there are many challenging hiking trails in the mountain ranges flanking Hagerstown, don’t miss the Hagerstown Cultural Trail within the city limits. Connecting the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown City Park with the downtown area, this mile-long, paved trail unites natural green spaces and inspiring art in a unique way.

About 2 miles east of downtown, Kiwanis Park hugs a bend in Antietam Creek. Launch a canoe or kayak into the still water, and float beneath the old-growth trees lining both banks. Or enjoy a picnic at the gazebo, where monarch butterflies feast on milkweed at the nearby waystation and paddle-powered boats quietly glide by.

Best Restaurants In Hagerstown

Schmankerl stube.

In this town founded by a German immigrant, Schmankerl Stube is a can’t-miss restaurant. This cozy Bavarian establishment serves authentic pan-fried schnitzel, buttery spaetzle, and steins of beer. Top off your meal with a slice of warm apple strudel or rich Black Forest cherry cake.

With an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients, 28 South offers a contemporary American menu with soups and salads, pizzas and paninis, and hearty entrees. Although Hagerstown is not on the coast, it’s still in Maryland, so try the blue crab wonton appetizer, crab cake entree, or Chesapeake burger.

If you are traveling with a food allergy or dietary restriction, you’ll be pleased to know that 28 South has a dedicated menu for guests following gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets.

The Broad Axe

For pub food prepared well, visit The Broad Axe . Each of the filling appetizers and hearty sandwiches pairs well with the beers on tap, regional ciders, and cocktails.

This family-owned-and-operated Italian restaurant is loved by locals for its delicious pizza, daily specials, and sincere hospitality. After generous portions of pizza, pasta, or the daily special, guests are treated to complimentary sugar-dusted fried dough for dessert, so be sure to save room (or ask for it to go).

Best Hotels In Hagerstown

From budget lodging to full-service accommodations, you’re sure to discover the perfect place to stay in Hagerstown. Along Interstates 70 and 81, you’ll find a wide range of hotels, including the Hampton Inn , Homewood Suites , and Springhill Suites . Each of these Hagerstown hotels is clean, comfortable, convenient, safe, and quiet.

Whether you visit Hagerstown for its rich history, delicious food, historic architecture, or relaxing green spaces, you’re sure to have a fantastic weekend in this quaint Maryland town near the Pennsylvania border.

Bitten by the travel bug as a preschooler when her family moved abroad for the first time, Sage Scott is addicted to travel. From her nomadic upbringing in a military family to her personal and professional travels as an adult, Sage has visited all 50 states, lived abroad twice, and explored nearly 30 other countries.

Now settled in America’s Heartland, Sage writes with a midlife traveler’s perspective from Kansas City — the Midwestern cowtown affectionately called the Paris of the Plains and the undisputed Barbecue Capital of the World — and is always in search of new experiences whether in her hometown or halfway around the world.

• Destinations

25 Best Things to Do in Hagerstown, Maryland

Last Updated By VI on May 27, 2024

Hagerstown City Park

Chesapeake and ohio canal national historical park, washington county museum of fine arts, hagerstown premium outlets.

• Complete List & Map

501 Virginia Ave, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-739-8577

205 W Potomac St, Williamsport, MD 21795

401 Museum Dr, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-739-5727

495 Premium Outlet Blvd, Hagerstown, MD 21740

The Maryland Theatre, Hagerstown, Maryland

21 S Potomac St, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-790-2000

Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum

296 S. Burhans Boulevard, Hagerstown, MD 21741, Phone: 301-739-4665

Jonathan Hager House, Hagerstown, Maryland

110 Key St, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-739-8393

Miller House Museum

135 W Washington St, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-797-8782

Valley Mall

17301 Valley Mall Rd, Hagerstown, MD 21740

Discovery Station At Hagerstown Inc.

101 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-790-0076

Fairgrounds Park, Hagerstown, MD

351 N Cleveland Ave, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-739-8577 ext. 169

Just Lookin' Gallery, Hagerstown, MD

40 Summit Ave, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-714-2278

Mansion House Art Gallery, Valley Art Association

500 Highland Way, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-797-2867

Turner's Skate Palace, Hagerstown, MD

17333 Virginia Ave, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 240-527-8411

Things to Do in Hagerstown, Maryland: Rik's Cafe

1065 Maryland Avenue, Hagerstown, Maryland, 21740, Phone: 301-302-7541

Schmankerl Stube Bavarian Restaurant

58 South Potomac Street, Hagerstown, Maryland, 21740, Phone: 301-797-3354

Nick's Airport Inn, Hagerstown, MD

14548 Pennsylvania Ave, Hagerstown, MD 21742, Phone: 301-733-8560

Bulls and Bears

38 S Potomac St #1, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-791-0370

Pretzel and Pizza Creations, Hagerstown, Maryland

20 W Washington St, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-733-7795

Heavy Metal Playground, Hagerstown, Maryland

14515 Pennsylvania Avenue, Hagerstown, MD 21742, Phone: 240-415-8088

Hagerstown Aviation Museum

18450 Showalter Road, Building 9, Hagerstown, Maryland 21742, Phone: 301-733-8717

Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater and Children’s Theater

44 North Potomac Street, Rear Hagerstown, Maryland 21740, Phone: 301-739-7469

Hagerstown Culture Trail

160 Hoot Street, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740, Phone: 301-739-8577

Schula’s Grill and Crab House, Hagerstown, Maryland

11205 John F. Kennedy Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21742, Phone: 301-714-1397

• 1. Hagerstown City Park
• 2. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
• 3. Washington County Museum of Fine Arts
• 4. Hagerstown Premium Outlets
• 5. The Maryland Theatre, Hagerstown, Maryland
• 6. Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum
• 7. Jonathan Hager House, Hagerstown, Maryland
• 8. Miller House Museum
• 9. Valley Mall
• 10. Discovery Station At Hagerstown Inc.
• 11. Fairgrounds Park, Hagerstown, MD
• 12. Just Lookin' Gallery, Hagerstown, MD
• 13. Mansion House Art Gallery, Valley Art Association
• 14. Turner's Skate Palace, Hagerstown, MD
• 15. Things to Do in Hagerstown, Maryland: Rik's Cafe
• 16. Schmankerl Stube Bavarian Restaurant
• 17. Nick's Airport Inn, Hagerstown, MD
• 18. Bulls and Bears
• 19. Pretzel and Pizza Creations, Hagerstown, Maryland
• 20. Heavy Metal Playground, Hagerstown, Maryland
• 21. Hagerstown Aviation Museum
• 22. Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater and Children’s Theater
• 23. Hagerstown Culture Trail
• 24. Schula’s Grill and Crab House, Hagerstown, Maryland

More Getaways in Maryland:

Resources: Discover Maryland , State Parks , C&O Canal

More Features

20 Best Beaches in Maryland

11 Best Things to Do in Columbia, Maryland

11 Best Things to Do in Chesapeake Beach, MD

• --> Conclusion

• About Us/Contact Us
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service

Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Call Today (301) 739-5727 • Get Directions Open Tuesday through Friday: 10am - 5pm Saturday: 10am - 4pm | Sunday: 1pm - 5pm Closed Monday | Holiday Hours | Free Admission & Parking

401 Museum Dr. Hagerstown, MD 21740

301-739-5727, [email protected], free admission & parking.

Museum Hours

Tue-Fri, 10 AM – 5 PM; Sat, 10 AM – 4PM; Sun, 1 – 5 PM

The WCMFA is closed on Mondays, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving day & day after, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Located in historic City Park, adjacent to the Hager House Museum, Hagerstown Railroad Museum, and Valley Arts Mansion House, this is the place to be for learning and culture for all ages and groups.

Geocaching 

We would love to host your group. We offer free docent-led tours on specific dates as well as private tours for larger groups. We have hosted senior groups, adult-care groups, schools, preschoolers, and many more. For more information, go to  Museum Tours . Everyone loves our scavenger hunt!

Field Trips & Group Visits

There are 2 Geo Trails- Click here for more information!

http://www.visithagerstown.com/things-to-do/recreation/geocaching

The Museum serves as a centerpiece in beautiful City Park in Hagerstown, Maryland. It is located just over an hour from Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland.

News & Updates

Museum accepting bids for insurance.

INVITATION TO BID The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts is inviting you to bid for the Fine Arts/Fine Arts Transit/Comprehensive/General Liability Insurance Package/Workman’s Comp/...

Posted on April 23, 2024

Museum welcomes intern Katelyn Bard from Hagerstown Community College

Washington County Museum of Fine Arts announces its newest intern, Katelyn Bard from Hagerstown Community College. Bard, 20, of Clear Spring, Pennsylvania, is a visual...

Posted on April 10, 2024

Museum will be closed March 29 for holiday; open Easter weekend

Washington County Museum of Fine Arts will be closed Good Friday, March 29. The museum will be open during regular hours for Eastern weekend, Saturday,...

Posted on March 14, 2024

Washington County Museum of Fine Arts Hosts Invite Congress to Visit Their Museum

HAGERSTOWN, Maryland – To connect members of Congress with their state museums, the American Alliance of Museums encourages its members every August to Invite Congress...

Posted on September 14, 2023

• Donate Today!
• Special Events

Cumberland Valley Artists

Upcoming events, the third annual washington county juneteenth author showcase, art social hour, search our site.

• Collections
• Exhibitions
• Join & Support

Washington County Museum of Fine Arts 401 Museum Drive Hagerstown, MD 21740

• Website Design by HighRock

Top Things to Do in Hagerstown, MD

Places to visit in hagerstown, tours in and around hagerstown.

Murder Mystery Detective Experience in Hagerstown MD

2-Hour Gettysburg Battlefield Guided History Bus Tour with a National Park Guide

Echoes of War All Ages Ghost Tour

Gettysburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Antietam National Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Tour

Gettysburg: Ghost Hunt Tour with Ghost Hunting Equipment

Blood on the Battlefield Ages 16+

Civil War Ghosts of Gettysburg Tour by US Ghost Adventures

Spirits of Jennie Wade Ghost Night Tour in Gettysburg

Ghost Tour: History and Haunts - Family Friendly - Best in Gettysburg

Top attractions in hagerstown.

Other Top Attractions around Hagerstown

What travellers are saying

Visit Hagerstown

• Where To Go
• Interactive Map
• Printable Map (PDF)
• Trail Towns
• Sites & Amenities
• Points of Interest
• Refreshments
• Campgrounds
• Information

Visit lovely Hagerstown, Maryland, gem of Washington County and home to the exceptional Museum of Fine Arts and Cultural Trail, worth exploring during a day trip while you’re traveling to or from the C&O Canal Towpath. Along the towpath itself in Washington County are three classic canal towns – Hancock, Sharpsburg, and Williamsport – for dining, shopping, history, and small-town charm. Explore the variety of museums and cultural offerings there. Here near Hagerstown, your travels along the C&O Canal Towapth can include a relaxing overnight stay in a fully-appointed lockhouse, comfortable hotel, or a delightful bed and breakfast. Nearby, the smooth Western Maryland Rail Trail parallels the C&O Canal Towpath between Hancock and Fort Frederick State Park and makes bicycling a little easier. Sharpsburg is home to the Antietam National Battlefield, site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, and now a quiet place to tour and reflect. Or check out Cushwa Basin, the “capital of the canal,” in Williamsport; located at the towpath’s geographic center, Cushwa Basin is rewatered and you can experience the canal’s bygone era with ranger-led boat rides over a restored authentic aqueduct.

THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Hagerstown

Things to do in hagerstown, tours in and around hagerstown.

Murder Mystery Detective Experience in Hagerstown MD

2-Hour Gettysburg Battlefield Guided History Bus Tour with a National Park Guide

Echoes of War All Ages Ghost Tour

Gettysburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Antietam National Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Tour

Gettysburg: Ghost Hunt Tour with Ghost Hunting Equipment

Blood on the Battlefield Ages 16+

Civil War Ghosts of Gettysburg Tour by US Ghost Adventures

Spirits of Jennie Wade Ghost Night Tour in Gettysburg

Ghost Tour: History and Haunts - Family Friendly - Best in Gettysburg

Top attractions in hagerstown.

Other Top Attractions around Hagerstown

What travellers are saying

Why at least five of the last six US presidents have come to one Western Maryland airport

Two days before he was to deliver the State of the Union address in Washington D.C., during an election year — a year in which he said “our very democracy” is “at risk” — an American president made an unplanned stop outside a rather unexpected locale: Hagerstown, Maryland.

The airport for the city of less than 50,000 people, located about 20 miles north of the site of the Civil War’s bloodiest battle at Antietam, has been visited more times this year by President Joe Biden than the one for Baltimore, the state’s largest city that he toured by air in April . He’s been to the Hagerstown Regional Airport, according to his official schedule , twice this year, in both January and March.

The impromptu stop in March prior to his annual address to the nation, as recorded on a March 5 pool report by the press, represents a third 2024 visit to the Western Maryland locale, which he came to more publicly in late 2022 for a speech about the nation’s economy at the Volvo factory.

The trips to the regional airport for Hagerstown, a city founded in 1762 before the birth of the Republic , are less unexpected to a student of history : At least five of the last six presidents have landed at the airport located just south of the Pennsylvania border, near the Mason-Dixon line .

The reason why is simple, explains Carolyn Motz, a former airport director, who started as security and operations manager in the late 1980s: “We’re the closest airport to Camp David.”

More: Biden makes pitstop in Hagerstown on way to Camp David

President Nixon flew into Hagerstown in 1972, according to his schedule

John Seburn, president of the Hagerstown Aviation Museum, whose mission is to preserve Hagerstown’s aviation history that goes back over a century , has seen “quite a few” of those presidential visits to Hagerstown over the years, and confirms Motz’ assessment of the flights.

“The museum overlooks the back of the terminal where Air Force One taxis in,” he said. “Camp David is just on the mountain east of the airport.”

The president’s country residence , used since the days of Franklin Delano Roosevelt as a retreat as well as a location to host foreign leaders (and named after Dwight Eisenhower’s grandson), is in the woods of Catoctin Mountain Park in Frederick County, the next Maryland jurisdiction over from the Hagerstown airport.

Cynthia Shank, a Hagerstown resident of more than 30 years, said she’s never had any inconvenience from the heads of state headed to her hometown, even when she’s gone in the direction of the camp, which is a largely secluded site about 20 miles from Hagerstown.

“I travel over to Thurmont (a town near the Camp David site) regularly, and the Frederick paper will publish : This road is going to be closed,” said Shank, in an interview, “and you know the president’s coming to Camp David. You just rearrange your schedule a little bit.”

More: Where is Camp David? As Biden returns, a peek at the storied presidential location

Asked about the earliest president to fly into the Hagerstown airport, Motz said she recalls hearing about President Richard Nixon flying to the site. A document at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, which includes a “daily diary” or schedule, shows Nixon flew from the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton, Pennsylvania Airport into Hagerstown, Maryland on Sept. 9, 1972, just a few months after the Watergate burglary that ultimately brought down his presidency.

Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton also used the airport

The first commander-in-chief that Motz recalls seeing herself is President George H.W. Bush, a former pilot himself who flew 58 combat missions during World War II before leading the nation as head of state from 1989 to 1993.

“The first airplane that I ever parked had Barbara Bush on it,” said Motz, referring to the then-first lady. Sitting for an interview on May 30 in a lounge for pilots near the airport at the Rider Jet Center, Motz recalls the staff that took care of the landing for the nation’s leader and his wife.

“We had enough staff to operate the airport smoothly,” she said, “There was no fluff.”

The lack of fluff was not just with the staff; it was with the site. During President Bill Clinton’s first 100 days in office, he took a C-20 plane out of Hagerstown, according to the transcript of a press briefing with Dee Dee Myers, press secretary during the first two years of Clinton’s term.

The C-20 that flew Clinton from Hagerstown early on in his presidency was only about 83 feet in length, according to United States Air Force records. By comparison, the Boeing 747-200B currently in use for the president is almost three times that length, at about 231 feet.

The C-32 is a more “common” aircraft at Hagerstown Regional Airport, said Neil Doran, airport director, in an email. The C-32 , a specially configured version of the Boeing 757-200 used primary by the vice president and by the first lady, is about twice the C-20 ’s length, at 155 feet.

During the interview at the airport site, Motz gave a possible explanation for the smaller plane used in Hagerstown during Clinton’s first term. The runway at the Hagerstown airport was not extended to 7,000 feet until the early 2000s, she said. (Clinton finished his second term in 2001.)

More: War, speeches, golf and a car wreck: Presidential presences in Washington County

President George W. Bush came to the airport days after 9/11, Motz says

Motz’ most memorable moment with a president or first lady came not in her first foray into parking, but with the son of Barbara Bush, the first lady who was on that first plane that she had parked about a decade prior.

President George W. Bush,like his parents before him, came to the Hagerstown airport while residing in the White House. Bush, the commander-in-chief during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, came to town just days after the Twin Towers came down, Motz said.

“Most of us were pretty sure after 9/11 that they might not possibly ever use a smaller airport or (a) nonmilitary airport,” Motz recalled. “To my great surprise, (President George W. Bush) came in the Friday after 9/11.”

She described an emotional scene with the president at the Hagerstown airport, a mere three days after the attack.

“Lot of tears that day, including some of us on the staff,” she said.

More: Hagerstown remembers 9/11

First Ladies Bush, Clinton and Obama all have visited the airport

In interviews, both Motz and Phil Ridenour, who took over as airport director upon Motz’s retirement in 2011, recall both presidents and first ladies flying into the airport site, which is scheduled to accommodate a total of about 300 inbound and outbound flights this year .

In addition to Barbara Bush, Motz recalls First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in Hagerstown from her tenure as director, while Ridenour recalls First Lady Michelle Obama arriving during his time.

Neither recalled President Barack Obama at the airport, but the site did come into play during the Obama presidency in a different way. On a Fourth of July weekend during his first term, then-President Obama was spending time with his family at Camp David when a two-seat plane flew from Salisbury, Maryland on the state’s Eastern Shore into the restricted airspace near the site.

“Authorities tried to contact the plane via radio, but there was no response,” according to an Associated Press article written at the time in 2011.

An F-15 fighter met the plane about six miles from Camp David and escorted it to a landing in Hagerstown, according to the reporting. The article quotes a Secret Service spokesperson who said the two-seat plane’s pilot was interviewed and authorities determined it was an accident.

(A similar encroachment and escort occurred four years earlier during the administration of President George W. Bush when four antique planes headed to a benefit for the Hagerstown Aviation Museum were flown out of the Camp David airspace by F-16s, according to a 2007 article from Baltimore Sun reporters.)

More: Hagerstown Aviation Museum has its own home

Biden came to Hagerstown before State of the Union address this year

When the president and the plane do arrive in town, the visit is often ephemeral.

“It’s more of a passing through,” says Seburn, the museum president, who in addition to his front-row seat has a longer view of the city’s aviation history, including the days of the Fairchild plant that produced planes for decades .

A photographer for the Herald-Mail snapped a photo of a brief Biden stop in in Hagerstown last year — with the current Oval Office occupant climbing aboard the presidential helicopter, Marine One. That same photographer captured then-President Donald Trump waving from the top of the stairs before boarding the presidential plane, Air Force One, in Hagerstown during the previous president’s first year in office in 2017 .

The biggest wave (and the most enduring) can come sometimes not from the motion of a president’s hand or from the whirring of the blades during the switch from helicopter to plane, but from the news made while speaking on the airport grounds, preserved for history along with the images taken (with a Hagerstown photo caption ) and reproduced in news media around the world .

This March, on an overcast and foggy day after a “bad weather” call cancelled his helicopter and brought him to Hagerstown after a weekend at Camp David, President Biden answered a few questions from reporters at the airport before boarding his plane to head back to Washington.

“We must get more aid into Gaza,” Biden told reporters, as he spoke in Hagerstown on the issues of the day, including the possibility of a ceasefire in Gaza , the 2024 presidential election, and the upcoming State of the Union address scheduled for that week. The quick exchange on the airport grounds was recorded in an official White House transcript with the dateline “Hagerstown, Maryland.”

While he spoke, Biden held a paper copy of The New York Times and a smartphone, according to an image captured that day by a photographer with the Paris-headquartered news organization, Agence France-Presse.

More: Call for Middle East 'ceasefire' comes to Maryland state capital through joint resolution

‘Not many communities get that privilege,’ former director Motz says

Longtime Hagerstown resident Cynthia Shank has only found out about such internationally known visits afterwards, to her disappointment.

“I understand, though, why they don’t publicize,” she says, “it because it’s the safety reasons.”

Motz credited the local police departments and the fire and rescue teams, who support such visits. “They have always been very low key and very professional about it,” she said.

Motz’s eventual successor as director of the airport, Ridenour, was on one of those fire teams with the Maugansville Goodwill Volunteer Fire Company when Barbara Bush visited Hagerstown. (Years later, he still has the photograph.) Ridenour called such visits a “prestigious thing.”

“There’s a lot of airports out there in the world that have never had the opportunity,” he says.

The airport’s current director, Neil Doran, called the visits a "source of pride” for the team.

Shank, the Hagerstown resident who desires to see the president, used the same phrase.

“It’s a source of pride,” she said, “(The presidents) know New York City and LAX and Chicago, and all those big airports, but they know our little Hagerstown airport is here.”

“It’s nice having the airport here,” Shank said, “I just wish we had more flights.” (Two days after the interview, the Washington County government announced a 38% increase this year in flights, including to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, St. Pete-Clearwater and Orlando-Sanford, Florida. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore toured the airport and the aviation museum last month .)

Motz, now the director of business development for the Rider Jet Center, summed up the presidential visits this way.

“We get some special visitors here,” she said, “not many communities get that privilege.”

More: What's in a name? Maybe a lot more travelers at HGR, airport officials say

Dwight A. Weingarten is an investigative reporter, covering the Maryland State House and state issues. He can be reached at  [email protected]  or on Twitter at @DwightWeingart2.

Deaf Hagerstown teen won pageant judges' hearts — and chance at Miss Maryland's Teen title

Leticia detrow's long list of accomplishments now includes pageant winner. she hopes her new platform will have impact for the deaf community..

At just 16 years old, Leticia Detrow has already won two national gold medals for inline speed skating, is set to compete internationally in track and field, and has played a dozen different sports competitively. But in February, Leticia was named Miss Western Maryland Teen and added pageant queen to her long list of achievements.

This win isn’t just a pageant title for Leticia, it is also a piece of pageant history, an accomplishment that brought friends, family and even strangers to tears.

And now she'll be competing for the state title during the Miss Maryland and Miss Maryland's Teen competition this month at the Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown.

Until recently, becoming a pageant queen hadn’t been a thought for the Hagerstown teen. She attends Maryland School for the Deaf and was busy with her schoolwork and sports — track and field, cross country, volleyball and basketball — that she plays throughout the year, when a friend convinced her to enter the Miss Western Maryland Teen competition.

“I came into pageants because my friend asked me, and at first, I was like ‘I never wanted to be in pageants before,’” Leticia said, with her mother Kris, interpreting.

It wasn’t the dresses or outfits — and definitely not the dancing — that drew Leticia into the pageant scene. Leticia said she entered so she could share her experiences as a deaf person and help spread awareness of the struggles that deaf people face daily.

As part of the community service initiative aspect of the event, each contestant chose a cause to support. This year’s picks ranged from Struttin’ for the Vets to Clothing for Children. Leticia’s pick was Equal Language Access.

“I really wanted to have an impact in the community for deaf people, so I decided to try it,” Leticia said. “And I actually loved it.”

Leticia loved it, and she won it.

Leticia's emotional monologue

The pageant is a preliminary event for the Miss Maryland Teen pageant, and was held Feb. 24 in the Kepler Center for the Performing Arts at Hagerstown Community College. Leticia was one of seven teen contestants participating in hopes of moving onto Miss Maryland Teen.

For her talent, Leticia performed a 90-second monologue through an interpreter, which gave the audience a glimpse into the day in the life of a deaf person.

"It was very impactful," said Jenn Peiffer, the executive director of the Miss Washington County pageant.

Leticia's eyes lit up and she talked about her platform. Her monologue centered on the life of a deaf person in a hearing world that offers few accommodations to the deaf community.

While Leticia has noticed that the pool of interpreters is shrinking and deaf youth aren't being encouraged to attend deaf schools and join deaf communities, Leticia's focus was evident.

"We have the right to access in communities," Leticia said, emphasizing the word "right" as she signed.

"People were very amazed, and they told me 'I learned something, I never knew that about the deaf community,'" Leticia said. "I just had to explain to them how I feel inside, and some of them were really shocked. It was amazing."

Her family and some of their deaf friends came to support her, and when she was announced as the winner, Leticia’s support group was cheering and crying.

“It wasn’t only about Leticia,” said Kris. “It was about what she was sharing.”

Even the interpreters hired by HCC were brought to tears as Leticia was crowned, Kris said. None of them had ever met Leticia or her family before.

“I want to help support the deaf community and show them that we are equal,” Leticia said.

Kris Detrow was initially not nearly as enthusiastic going into the pageant world but wanted her daughter to spread her platform and share her experiences. And although she won’t call herself a full pageant mom yet, she loved seeing her Leticia onstage.

“When I saw her come out and do that dance, I was loud, I was obnoxious, and I was annoying,” Kris recalled. “And when I saw her doing that I was like ‘you know what, she earned that.’”

Leticia's a teen with many talents. But dancing?

Kris Detrow and her husband adopted Leticia in 2015 from Uganda. Since then, Kris has become a skate mom, track mom and flag football mom. She said becoming a pageant mom is something she will have to learn.

Leticia said she enjoyed the experience and liked her competitors. However, all competitors had to learn and perform a dance.

“I can’t hear anything, and I couldn’t really feel the music. But I tried to dance, and I practiced and practiced,” Leticia said. “All I could do is copy the hearing girls, so I wish there was a way to make that more accessible for me.”

Peiffer, sitting next to Leticia as she talked about learning the dance, had helped the Detrows through the pageant experience and said she would help teach Leticia whatever dance she needed to know for the Miss Maryland pageant this month.

Hagerstown Historic Farmers Market finds new location in 2024: Here's where

“I’m not the best at dancing, and I don’t know if I want to do it again,” Leticia said.

To that, Peiffer smiled at Leticia.

“Hearing girls are not good dancers either,” she said.

Up-and-down education experience

Leticia’s experiences with inaccessibility to activities extend far beyond the pageant. But at the Maryland School for the Deaf, Leticia can both socialize and learn.

In the sixth, seventh and eighth grades following the pandemic, Leticia was mainstreamed at a hearing school and would be left without an interpreter at times.

“It was really tough on my life because I had no communication with my friends, no socialization, nothing,” Leticia said. “Every day I would just sit lonely.”

At the Maryland School for the Deaf, Leticia’s life is vastly different. She has the full ability to socialize and communicate with her peers and teachers.  

“My life is so much better having friends,” Leticia said.

Vote for the Female Mount Rushmore of Washington County sports

Leticia spoke to the Washington County Board of Education when she was in eighth grade asking why they didn't provide an American Sign Language class, and described her experiences in public school. While many members of the deaf community came out to support Leticia, no real change came from her testimony, Kris said.

Leticia and her family had to raise money for her to compete. While there were hired interpreters for the pageant, the Detrows had to pay for their own interpreters for the preparation, which Kris said can cost up to $75 an hour.

To help with the costs of hiring interpreters, a nonprofit organization is being created so people can donate.

What’s next for Leticia

While Leticia is preparing for the Miss Maryland's Teen competition, she has her focus set on a different competition. As a first-year member of the Maryland School for the Deaf track and field team, Leticia will be attending the World Deaf Athletics Championships in July in Taipei, Taiwan.

Leticia practices daily but is hoping to beat her personal records as she trains and when she competes.

As for her goals after high school, Leticia said she wants to run for Liberty University and set records there. And after, she hopes to open her own clothing store.

Her vision for the store is simple: clothing designed by her with ASL graphics to spread awareness and recognition.

“I thought I was just adopting a sweet baby girl who was beautiful on the inside and outside,” Kris said. “I didn't know that I was adopting a champion.”

As for Leticia, she just wants to continue to impress everyone around her.

“I love proving people wrong,” Leticia said with a smile. “I’m not shy, I’m confident.”

Miss Maryland's Teen will be crowned at the Miss Maryland pageant, held June 17 to June 21 at the Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown.