Braddock Heights, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Frederick County
Frederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 4,627 at the 2000 census. Braddock Heights is part of the Middletown, Maryland
Middletown, Maryland
Middletown is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,668 at the 2000 census. Middletown is a small, rural community steeped in American history...
School District. The local post codes are 21714 (Post Office boxes only) and 21703.
History
Braddock Heights is located at an elevation of 950 feet (289.6 m) atop Braddock Mountain (as Catoctin MountainCatoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain, along with the geologically associated Bull Run Mountains, comprises the easternmost mountain ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are in turn a part of the Appalachian Mountains range...
is locally known) near the pass at Braddock Springs, so named after British General Edward Braddock
Edward Braddock
General Edward Braddock was a British soldier and commander-in-chief for the 13 colonies during the actions at the start of the French and Indian War...
and Lt. Colonel George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
’s use of the mountain pass on their way to Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in what is now downtown Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania....
during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
on April 29, 1755. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Braddock Heights was the site of a minor cavalry battle between generals J.E.B. Stuart
J.E.B. Stuart
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart was a U.S. Army officer from Virginia and a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb", from the initials of his given names. Stuart was a cavalry commander known for his mastery of reconnaissance and the use...
(CSA) and Alfred Pleasonton
Alfred Pleasonton
Alfred Pleasonton was a United States Army officer and General of Union cavalry during the American Civil War. He commanded the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac during the Gettysburg Campaign, including the largest predominantly cavalry battle of the war, Brandy Station...
(USA) on September 13, 1862; it was at that time known as Fairview Pass. One mile east of Braddock Heights, near the base of Braddock Mountain, are the older communities of Clifton and Old Braddock.
The picturesque view of the city of Frederick
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
from Old Braddock—also known as Fairview, elevation 550 feet (167.6 m)—was the inspiration for Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. was an American physician, professor, lecturer, and author. Regarded by his peers as one of the best writers of the 19th century, he is considered a member of the Fireside Poets. His most famous prose works are the "Breakfast-Table" series, which began with The Autocrat...
to record in his 1862 journal:
This journal entry was in turn an inspiration for Holmes' close friend John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier was an influential American Quaker poet and ardent advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. He is usually listed as one of the Fireside Poets...
when composing the famous civil war poem Barbara Fritchie.
Braddock Pass is near the locations at which Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
and the National Pike
National Road
The National Road or Cumberland Road was the first major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. Construction began heading west in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River. It crossed the Allegheny Mountains and southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching...
(U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 is an east–west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey...
) cross Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain, along with the geologically associated Bull Run Mountains, comprises the easternmost mountain ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are in turn a part of the Appalachian Mountains range...
. Braddock Heights was founded in 1896 by George William Smith as a summer resort community that eventually included several hotels, a community pool, a wooden floor skating rink, an amusement park, scenic overlooks, nature trails, and until 1980, a small ski resort. Braddock Heights has been host to many national political figures including Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. was an American physician, professor, lecturer, and author. Regarded by his peers as one of the best writers of the 19th century, he is considered a member of the Fireside Poets. His most famous prose works are the "Breakfast-Table" series, which began with The Autocrat...
, Edwin Warfield
Edwin Warfield
Edwin Warfield , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 45th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1904 to 1908.-Early life:...
, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, Earl Warren
Earl Warren
Earl Warren was the 14th Chief Justice of the United States.He is known for the sweeping decisions of the Warren Court, which ended school segregation and transformed many areas of American law, especially regarding the rights of the accused, ending public-school-sponsored prayer, and requiring...
, Ethel Kennedy, and (then) Senator Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.
Braddock Heights was one of the first modern planned communities in the United States, and custom housing development has continued since 1901. Braddock Heights is now known for its eclectic houses (no two are alike) and its scenic views of Frederick
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
and the Monocacy
Monocacy River
The Monocacy River is a free-flowing tributary of the Potomac River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean via the Chesapeake Bay. The river is long, with a drainage area of about...
and Middletown
Middletown Valley
Middletown Valley, also historically known as Catoctin Valley, is a valley in western Frederick County in the state of Maryland.-Geography:...
valleys. Following the end of World War II and the decline of the amusement park, Braddock Heights’ demographic changed from commercial summer boarding houses to that of an unincorporated community with permanent residents.
Braddock Heights has a number of resident authors and artists, including Walter Bartman, Lee McCardell and Helen L. Smith. Braddock Heights, similar to the other Maryland cottage parks of Pen Mar and Glen Echo, has evolved into an artisans' community. The Braddock Heights Community Association and the Braddock Heights Historical Society continue to maintain and hold public events at Braddock Heights Park.
Hagerstown & Frederick Railway
The Hagerstown & Frederick Railway, a suburban (later interurbanInterurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
) trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
system, was developed by George William Smith and initially called the Frederick & Middletown Railway. Service between Frederick and Braddock Heights commenced on August 22, 1896. The Jefferson
Jefferson, Maryland
Jefferson is an unincorporated community located in Frederick County, Maryland, established in 1774, incorporated as a town in 1831. However, a year later, in 1832, the citizens of the town decided that municipal government was unnecessary, thus, it was disincorporated.- History of Jefferson...
branch was added in 1906, running down the east side of Jefferson Boulevard. The right of way is still visible as a strip between the set-back sidewalk and the street.
Service to Jefferson lasted until 1940, although a short section was kept open to serve the Vindobona Hotel. Service to Braddock Heights and Middletown from Frederick was finally discontinued in 1946.
Geography
Braddock Heights is located at 39°25′15"N 77°30′18"W (39.420895, -77.504931).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²), of which 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²) is land and 0.14% is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,627 people, 1,684 households, and 1,343 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 626.6 people per square mile (242.1/km²). There were 1,733 housing units at an average density of 234.7/sq mi (90.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.17% White, 1.19% African American, 1.02% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.73% of the population.
There were 1,684 households out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. 15.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 31.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $71,932, and the median income for a family was $78,779. Males had a median income of $52,179 versus $38,063 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $29,621. About 1.0% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
Trivia
Braddock Heights was once home to the oldest roller rink in the United States, the Stargaze Skateway. It burned to the ground as the result of arsonArson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
on August 18, 1998. http://www.mudnrox.com/brr/firearticle1.htmlhttp://www.mudnrox.com/brr/firearticle2.html
It was also the home of the Schley Inn which was a combined hotel and restaurant formerly owned by Herman Fisher of Germany. A long-time friend and private investigator, John Lacher of Munich, Germany often stayed at the Hotel and used the hotel as a safe house for women and children involved in domestic abuse cases.
A third-season episode of the popular science fiction series The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
was set in Braddock Heights, but actually filmed in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia. The episode titled "Wetwired
Wetwired
"Wetwired" is the 72nd episode and the twenty-third episode of the third season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on May 10, 1996 on FOX, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
" aired on May 3, 1996.
Braddock Heights is said to be the roost of the mythic(?) Snallygaster
Snallygaster
The snallygaster is a mythical dragon-like beast said to inhabit the Blue Ridge Mountains near Braddock Heights, Maryland.-Background:The area was settled by German immigrants beginning in the 1730s. Early accounts describe the community being terrorized by a monster called a Schneller Geist,...
, a chimeric bird-like creature claimed to be responsible for the disappearance of livestock, and the occasional Middletown Valley resident, since the mid-18th century.