Frederick, Maryland
Encyclopedia
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 Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV Combined Statistical Area
. The city's population was 65,239 people at the 2010 census, making it the second largest incorporated area in Maryland behind Baltimore
.
Frederick is home to Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK)
, which primarily accommodates general aviation
traffic, and to the U.S. Army's Fort Detrick
, the largest employer in the county. Frederick is also home to BP Solar
, which was the second-largest private employer in the county until March 2010, when BP Solar laid off hundreds of employees due to setbacks.
— a land speculator — in 1745; it was settled by a German immigrant party led by a young German Reformed schoolmaster from the Rhineland Palatinate named Johann Thomas Schley (d. 1790), who came to the Maryland colony with his wife, Maria Winz. Schley built the first house of the new town; as late as the 20th century, it stood at the northwest corner of Middle Alley and East Patrick Street. The settlement was founded upon a tract of land granted by Dulany on the banks of Carroll Creek
. Within three years, the settlement had become the county seat of Frederick County
. It is uncertain which Frederick the town was named for, but the likeliest candidates are Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
(one of the proprietors of Maryland),
Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales, and Frederick "The Great" of Prussia
.
Most sources favor Calvert .
The settlers founded a German Reformed Church (today the church is known as Evangelical Reformed Church, UCC), which also served as a public school, in keeping with the German Reformed tradition of sponsoring universal public education. Many Pennsylvania Dutch
(ethnic Germans) settled in Frederick as they migrated westward in the late 18th century. Frederick was a stop along the German migration route that led down through the "Great Valley
" (Shenandoah Valley
, etc.) to the western Piedmont
in North Carolina
.
The city served as a major crossroads from colonial times. British General Braddock
marched west through Frederick on the way to the fateful ambush near Fort Duquesne
during the French and Indian War
. To control this crossroads during the American Revolution
, the British garrisoned a Hessian regiment in the town during Afterward, with no way to return to their homeland, the men of the Hessian regiment stayed on and married into the families of the town, strengthening its German identity.
When President Thomas Jefferson
commissioned the building of the National Road
from Baltimore to St. Louis
, the "National Pike" ran through Frederick along Patrick Street. (This later became Route 40.)
near Thurmont
had been a significant site for iron production. In 1831 the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
(B&O) completed its Frederick Branch line from Baltimore to Frederick.
When the first wave of Irish
refugees from the potato famine
settled in the city in 1846, one of the leading members of the Schley family married into the Wilson family from Ireland
. Consequently, many of the Schleys converted to Catholicism
, and residents of Frederick began to speak English for the first time in the town's history — up until then, the language had been German. Frederick was known during the nineteenth century for its religious pluralism, with one of its main thoroughfares, Church Street, hosting half a dozen major churches. The main Catholic church, St. John's, was built in 1800, then rebuilt in 1837 (across the street) one block north of Church Street on East Second Street, where it still stands. Together, these churches dominated the town, set against the backdrop of the first ridge of the Appalachians, Catoctin Mountain
. The abolitionist poet John Greenleaf Whittier
immortalized this view of Frederick in his poem to Barbara Fritchie: "The clustered spires of Frederick stand — greenwalled in the hills of Maryland."
, during which both Union
and Confederate
troops marched through the city. General Stonewall Jackson
led his light infantry division through Frederick on his way to the battles of Crampton's, Fox's and Turner's Gaps
and Antietam
in September 1862. An incident with Pennsylvania Dutch resident Barbara Fritchie was commemorated in the poem of the same name by John Greenleaf Whittier
. Union Major General Jesse L. Reno
's IX Corps followed Jackson's men through the city a few days later on the way to the Battle of South Mountain
, where Reno was killed. Slaves escaped from Frederick and the area to join the Union forces, work against the Confederacy and seek freedom.
.jpg)
Several historic Civil War landmarks are located in and around Frederick. It was the site of a Civil War
speech given by President Abraham Lincoln
, which he gave at what was then a train depot at the current intersection of South and Market Streets. A plaque commemorates the speech.
At the Prospect Hall mansion on what is now Butterfly Lane, in the early morning hours of June 28, 1863, a messenger from President Abraham Lincoln arrived to inform General George Meade
that he would be replacing General Joseph Hooker
after the latter's disaster at Chancellorsville
in May. The Army of the Potomac
, which camped at Prospect Hall for weeks prior to Gettysburg
, went on to fight several major battles. The National Museum of Civil War Medicine
is located downtown.
Due west along Alternate US 40
, and west of Burkittsville
, lie the sites of three episodes in the Battle of South Mountain
: the battles of Crampton's
(September 14, 1862), Fox's
, and Turner's
gaps, where Confederate troops under Jackson and Walker unsuccessfully attempted to halt the Federal army's advance into the Cumberland Valley
. The war correspondents' memorial can be found at Gathland State Park
at Crampton's Gap, just west of Burkittsville. The memorial to the slain Union General Jesse Reno lies on the south side of Alternate US 40, west of Middletown
, just below the summit of Fox's Gap.
The Monocacy Battlefield
lies just outside the city limits, while Antietam and Gettysburg
lie approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) to the west and north, respectively.
The home of Barbara Fritchie, who according to legend waved the Stars and Stripes
in defiance of Confederate commander Stonewall Jackson
and his troops as they marched through downtown Frederick in 1862, stands as another historical site. Though the legend has been generally discredited, it was widely believed during the Civil War and was the subject of an 1864 poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
, a poem that remained popular for decades. Barbara Fritchie, a significant figure in Maryland history in her own right, is buried in Frederick's Mt. Olivet cemetery.
In 1872 the Pennsylvania Railroad
completed its Frederick Secondary branch line, which ran from Frederick to York, Pennsylvania
and Columbia, Pennsylvania
.
Jewish pioneers Henry Lazarus and Levy Cohan settled in Frederick in the 1740s as merchants. Mostly German Jewish immigrants organized a community in the mid-19th century, creating the Frederick Hebrew Congregation in 1858. Later the congregation lapsed, but was reorganized in 1917 as a cooperative effort between the older settlers and more recently arrived Eastern European Jews under the name Beth Sholom Congregation.
In 1905, Rev. E.B. Hatcher started the First Baptist
Church of Frederick.
After the Civil War, the Maryland legislature established racially segregated public facilities by the end of the 19th century, re-imposing white supremacy. Black institutions were typically underfunded in the state, and it was not until 1921 that Frederick established a public high school for African Americans. First located at 170 West All Saints Street, it moved to 250 Madison Street, where it eventually was adapted as South Frederick Elementary. The building presently houses the Lincoln Elementary School.
, built in 1756 by German settler Joseph Brunner. It is now the Schifferstadt Architectural Museum.
In 1814, Dr. John Tyler built what is called the Tyler Spite House
at 112 W. Church Street in Frederick to prevent the city from extending Record Street south through Tyler's land to meet West Patrick Street (now also Maryland Route 144
)..
in the north and western part of the state of Maryland
. The city has served as a major crossroads since colonial times. Today it is located at the junction of Interstate 70
, Interstate 270
, U.S. Route 340
, U.S. Route 40
, U.S. Route 40 Alternate
and U.S. Route 15
(which runs north-south). In relation to nearby cities, Frederick lies 48 miles (77.2 km) north and slightly west of Washington, D.C.
, 49 miles (78.9 km) west of Baltimore
, 24 miles (38.6 km) southeast of Hagerstown, Maryland
, and 71 miles (114.3 km) southwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
. The city's coordinates 39°25'35" North, 77°25'13" West (39.426294, -77.420403).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 22.2 square miles (57.5 km²). The city's area is predominantly land, with the only water being the Monocacy River
, which runs to the east of the city, Carroll Creek (which runs through the city and causes periodic floods, such as that during the summer of 1972 and fall of 1976), and Culler Lake, a man-made small body in the downtown area.
, there were 65,239 people residing in Frederick city and roughly 27,000 households. The city's population grew by 23.6% in the ten years since the 2000 census, making it the fastest growing incorporated area in the state of Maryland with a population of over 50,000 for 2010.
2010 census data put the racial makeup of the city at 61% White, 18.6% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 5.8% Asian American
, and 14.4% Hispanic or Latino of any race. Roughly 4% of the city’s population was of two or more races.
In regard to minority group growth, the 2010 census data show the city's Hispanic population at 9,402, a 271 percent increase compared with 2,533 in 2000, making Hispanics/Latinos the fastest growing race group in the city and in Frederick county (267 percent increase). Frederick city had 3,800 Asian residents in 2010, a 128 percent increase from the city's 1,664 Asian residents in 2000. The city's black or African-American population increased 56 percent, from 7,777 in 2000 to 12,144 in 2010.
For the roughly 27,000 households in the city, 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41% were non-families. Approximately 31% of all households were made up of individuals living alone and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.11.
As of 2009, 27.5% of the city’s population was under the age of 19, 24.5% were between 20 and 34, 28.1% were between 35 and 54, 9.0% were between 55 and 64, and 10.5% were 65 years of age or older. The median age of a Frederick city resident for 2009 was 34 years. For adults aged 18 or older, the population was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.
According to U.S. census data for 2009, the median annual income for a household in Frederick city was $64,833, and the median annual income for a family was $77,642. Males had a median annual income of $49,129 versus $41,986 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $31,123. Approximately 7.7% of the total population, 5.3% of families, and 5.2% of adults aged 65 and older were living below the poverty line. The unemployment rate in the city for adults over the age of 18 was 5.1%.
In regard to educational attainment for individuals aged 25 or older as of 2009, 34% of the city's residents had a bachelor's or advanced professional degree, 29.6% had some college or an associate's degree, 21.6% had a high school diploma or equivalency, 6.8% had between a 9th and 12th grade level of education, and 3.6% had an 8th grade or lower level of education.
The median value of a home in Frederick city as of 2009 was $303,900, with the bulk of owner-occupied homes valued at between $300,000 and $500,000. The median cost of a rental unit was $1,054 per month, with the bulk of rental units priced between $1,000 and $1,500 per month. The value of the housing stock in Frederick is above the national average and significantly higher than small nearby cities such as Hagerstown, MD and Harrisburg, PA. This discrepancy likely reflects Frederick’s location as a desirable and growing commuter suburb of Washington, DC (and related areas in Montgomery County MD such as Bethesda), one of the most expensive housing and rental markets in the nation.
2009 census data indicated that roughly 89% of the workforce commuted to work by automobile, with an average commute time of approximately 30 minutes. This suggests that a substantial portion of those residing in Frederick city are, in fact, commuting out of the county for work.
Previous mayors include:
Frederick is home to Riverside Research Park, a biomedical research park being developed in east Frederick. Current tenants include the relocated offices of the National Cancer Institute(Fort Detrick) as well as Charles River Labs.
Frederick has also been impacted by recent national trends centered on the gentrification of the downtown areas of cities across the nation (particularly in the northeast and mid-Atlantic), and to re-brand them as sites of cultural consumption.
Frederick's downtown houses more than 200 retailers, restaurants and antique shops along Market, Patrick and East streets. Restaurants feature a diverse array of cuisines, including Italian American, Thai, Vietnamese, and Ethiopian, as well as a number of regionally recognized dining establishments, such as Volt and The Tasting Room. Outside of the downtown area are garden variety chain dining establishments that comprise a typical suburban landscape (Famous Dave's BBQ; The Olive Garden; Red Lobster; Denny's; etc.) as well as several independently owned restaurants.
In addition to retail and dining, downtown Frederick is home to 600 businesses and organizations totaling nearly 5,000 employees. A growing technology sector can be found in downtown’s historic renovated spaces, as well as in new office buildings located along Carroll Creek Park. Carroll Creek Park began as a flood control project in the late 1970s. It was an effort to reduce the risk to downtown Frederick from the 100-year floodplain and restore economic vitality to the historic commercial district. Today, more than $150 million in private investing is underway or planned in new construction, infill development or historic renovation in the park area.
The first phase of the Park improvements, totaling nearly $11 million in construction, run from Court Street to just past Carroll Street. New elements to the Park include brick pedestrian paths, water features, planters with shade trees and plantings, pedestrian bridges and a 350-seat amphitheater for outdoor performances.
A recreational and cultural resource, Carroll Creek Park also serves as an economic development catalyst, with private investment along the creek functioning as a key component to the park’s success. More than 400,000 sf of office space; 150,000 sf of commercial/retail space; nearly 300 residential units; and more than 2,000 parking spaces are planned or under construction.
Completed projects include:
(1) Creekside Plaza, a 90,000 sf office/commercial/residential building on the northeast corner of Court Street along Carroll Creek. This building is home to The Green Turtle and Wachovia Bank on the first floor, three floors of office space which is home to Warner Construction, R&J Builders, America East Mortgage, United Title Services, LLC. and, Real Estate Teams. The top two floors house 11 residential condominiums.
(2) The new South Market Center, on the north side of the creek between Market Street and Carroll Street. The 3-story, 43,000+ sf building offers 2 floors of office condominiums and ground floor retail and restaurant space offering outside patio seating. Office tenants occupy the upper two floors and Ben & Jerry’s, Five Guys Hamburgers, Hinode Japanese Restaurant are on the ground floor.
On the first Saturday of every month, Frederick hosts an evening event in the downtown area called "First Saturday." Each Saturday has a theme, and activities are planned around those themes in the downtown area (particularly around the Carroll Creek Promenade). The event spans a 10-block area of Frederick and takes place from 5-9 PM. During the late spring, summer, and early fall months, this event draws particularly large crowds from neighboring cities and towns in Maryland, and nearby locations in the tri-state area (Virginia and Pennsylvania). The average number of attendees visiting downtown Frederick during first Saturday events is around 11,000, with higher numbers from May to October.
The housing stock of downtown Frederick is mostly composed of 19th and 20th-century row housing and duplexes. The scale of this older part of the city is dense, with streets and sidewalks suitable for pedestrians, and a variety of shops and restaurants, comprising what Forbes
magazine in 2010 called one of the United State's "Greatest Neighborhoods". Adjacent to downtown are many older communities composed of larger, detached housing built mostly in the early 20th century. Beyond that is housing from the mid-20th century and beyond, becoming suburban in character the further one travels out. The most extensive growth is to the south of the downtown area, including the business corridor along Maryland highway 85 (Balleger Creek pike) outside the city.
Frederick has a bridge painted with a mural titled Community Bridge. The artist William Cochran has been acclaimed for the trompe l'oeil
realism of the mural. Thousands of people sent ideas representing "community", which he painted on the stonework of the bridge. The residents of Frederick call it "the mural", "painted bridge", or more commonly, the "mural bridge".
In August 2007, the streets of Frederick were adorned with 30 life-size fiberglass keys as part of a major public art project entitled "The Keys to Frederick". In October 2007, artist William Cochran created a large-scale glass project titled The Dreaming. The project is on the east face of the Francis Scott Key Apartments in downtown Frederick.
The movie Blair Witch Project (1999) was set in the woods west of Burkittsville, Maryland
, in western Frederick County, but it was not filmed there.
A weekly recital is played on the Joseph Dill Baker Carillon
each Sunday at noon for half an hour. The carillon can be heard from anywhere in Baker Park, and the City Carillonneur can be seen playing in the tower, which is open each week at that time.
Frederick is home to the Frederick School of Classical Ballet, the official school for Maryland Regional Ballet. Approximately 30 dance studios are located around the city. Each year, these studios perform at the annual DanceFest event.
For a city its size, Frederick also has a surprisingly visible and growing independent and alternative rock scene, with live music regularly featured in many of the city's bars and pubs. Locations such as Cafe Nola (on East Patrick), Guido's Pub (on 6th and Market), and Cafe 611 (600 block of Market St.) are some of the venues where alternative-minded youth and young adults congregate.
Frederick also has a large amphitheatre in Baker Park, which features regular music performances of local and national acts, particularly in the summer months.
, and the Frederick Progressive Action Coalition or FredPac.
The UNESCO Center for Peace has been working since 2004 in the city and around the state to promote the ideals of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The O Center for Peace is partner to County's Public Schools, Hood College, Frederick Community College, Maryland School for The Deaf (MSD), Frederick County Public Libraries, on a variety of community projects that include various after-school programs, Ambassador Speaker Series, Regional Model United Nations, International Model United Nations, celebrations of major United Nations International Days, the Frederick Stamp Festival, and exchange programs for high school and college-level students and schools.
Beth Sholom Congregation, an unaffiliated synagogue
, has been in Frederick since 1917. Congregation Kol Ami, a Reform synagogue
, was founded in 2003.
The Islamic Society of Frederick,founded in the early 1990s, serves Frederick's Muslim community.
.
(930AM - News/Talk/Sports), WFRE
(99.9FM - Country Music), and WAFY
(103.1FM - Adult Contemporary) radio stations. The following box details all of the radio stations in the local market.
(FCPS) operates area public schools.
High schools serving Frederick City students:
Other high schools in Frederick County:
Other public schools: Adult Education, Career and Technology Center, Heather Ridge School, Outdoor School, Rock Creek School, and The Earth and Space Science Laboratory. Frederick County was long-time home to a highly innovative outdoor school for all sixth graders in Frederick County. This school was located at Camp Greentop, near the presidential retreat at Camp David and Cunningham Falls State Park.
trolley
service that was among the last surviving systems of its kind in the United States.
Currently, the city is served by MARC commuter rail
service, which operates several trains daily on the old B&O line to Washington, D.C.
; Express bus route 991
, which operates to the Shady Grove Metrorail Station
, and a series of buses operated by TransIT services of Frederick, Maryland
. Greyhound Lines
, and Megabus (North America) also serve the city.
Frederick has an airport
with a mile-long runway and a second 3600' runway. It is the home airport of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
due to its proximity to Washington and ability to handle small twin engine jets.
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...
. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of 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....
, 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 Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV Combined Statistical Area
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is a combined statistical area consisting of the overlapping labor market region of the cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.. The region includes Central Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Jefferson County in the Eastern Panhandle of West...
. The city's population was 65,239 people at the 2010 census, making it the second largest incorporated area in Maryland behind Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
.
Frederick is home to Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK)
Frederick Municipal Airport (Maryland)
Frederick Municipal Airport is a public airport located in the city of Frederick, in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. This airport is publicly owned by City of Frederick....
, which primarily accommodates general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
traffic, and to the U.S. Army's Fort Detrick
Fort Detrick
Fort Detrick is a U.S. Army Medical Command installation located in Frederick, Maryland, USA. Historically, Fort Detrick was the center for the United States' biological weapons program ....
, the largest employer in the county. Frederick is also home to BP Solar
BP Solar
BP has been involved in solar power since 1973 and its subsidiary, BP Solar, is a solar power company with production facilities in India and the People's Republic of China, employing a workforce of over 2,000 people worldwide. BP Solar is worldwide manufacturer and installer of photovoltaic solar...
, which was the second-largest private employer in the county until March 2010, when BP Solar laid off hundreds of employees due to setbacks.
Colonial era
“Frederick Town” was laid out by Daniel DulanyDaniel Dulany the Elder
Daniel Dulany the Elder was a prominent lawyer and land-developer in colonial Maryland, who held a number of colonial offices. In 1722 Dulany write a pamphlet entitled The Right of the Inhabitants of Maryland, to the Benefit of the English Laws, asserting the rights of Marylanders over the...
— a land speculator — in 1745; it was settled by a German immigrant party led by a young German Reformed schoolmaster from the Rhineland Palatinate named Johann Thomas Schley (d. 1790), who came to the Maryland colony with his wife, Maria Winz. Schley built the first house of the new town; as late as the 20th century, it stood at the northwest corner of Middle Alley and East Patrick Street. The settlement was founded upon a tract of land granted by Dulany on the banks of Carroll Creek
Carroll Creek
Carroll Creek is an tributary of the Monocacy River in Frederick County, Maryland. The headwaters of the creek are located on the eastern slopes of Catoctin Mountain, southeast of Gambrill State Park. The stream runs roughly east through the city of Frederick to the Monocacy, which drains to the...
. Within three years, the settlement had become the county seat of 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....
. It is uncertain which Frederick the town was named for, but the likeliest candidates are Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore, 4th Proprietor of Maryland was an English nobleman and last in the line of Barons Baltimore...
(one of the proprietors of Maryland),
Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales, and Frederick "The Great" of Prussia
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
.
Most sources favor Calvert .
The settlers founded a German Reformed Church (today the church is known as Evangelical Reformed Church, UCC), which also served as a public school, in keeping with the German Reformed tradition of sponsoring universal public education. Many Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
(ethnic Germans) settled in Frederick as they migrated westward in the late 18th century. Frederick was a stop along the German migration route that led down through the "Great Valley
Great Appalachian Valley
The Great Valley, also called the Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. It is a gigantic trough — a chain of valley lowlands — and the central feature of the Appalachian Mountain system...
" (Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
, etc.) to the western Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
The city served as a major crossroads from colonial times. British General 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...
marched west through Frederick on the way to the fateful ambush near 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...
. To control this crossroads during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, the British garrisoned a Hessian regiment in the town during Afterward, with no way to return to their homeland, the men of the Hessian regiment stayed on and married into the families of the town, strengthening its German identity.
When President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
commissioned the building of the National Road
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...
from Baltimore to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, the "National Pike" ran through Frederick along Patrick Street. (This later became Route 40.)
Early 19th century
From these beginnings, Frederick grew to an important market town, but by the first third of the 19th century, the town had also become one of the leading mining counties of the United States, producing gold, copper, limestone, marble, iron and other minerals. As early as the American Revolution, Catoctin FurnaceCatoctin Furnace
Catoctin Furnace was constructed in 1774 by four brothers Thomas, Baker, Roger and James Johnson to produce pig iron from locally mined hematite.In blast by 1776,...
near Thurmont
Thurmont, Maryland
Thurmont is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The population was 5,588 at the 2000 census. The town is located in the northern part of Frederick County , approximately ten miles from the Pennsylvania border, along U.S. Highway 15...
had been a significant site for iron production. In 1831 the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(B&O) completed its Frederick Branch line from Baltimore to Frederick.
When the first wave of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
refugees from the potato famine
Potato famine
Potato famine may refer to:* Great Famine , the famine in Ireland between 1845 and 1852* Highland Potato Famine, a major agrarian crisis in the Scottish Highlands from 1846 to 1857...
settled in the city in 1846, one of the leading members of the Schley family married into the Wilson family from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Consequently, many of the Schleys converted to Catholicism
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, and residents of Frederick began to speak English for the first time in the town's history — up until then, the language had been German. Frederick was known during the nineteenth century for its religious pluralism, with one of its main thoroughfares, Church Street, hosting half a dozen major churches. The main Catholic church, St. John's, was built in 1800, then rebuilt in 1837 (across the street) one block north of Church Street on East Second Street, where it still stands. Together, these churches dominated the town, set against the backdrop of the first ridge of the Appalachians, 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...
. The abolitionist poet 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...
immortalized this view of Frederick in his poem to Barbara Fritchie: "The clustered spires of Frederick stand — greenwalled in the hills of Maryland."
Civil War
Frederick's status as a major crossroads put the town at the center of the Maryland campaigns of the Civil WarAmerican 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...
, during which both Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
and Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
troops marched through the city. General Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
led his light infantry division through Frederick on his way to the battles of Crampton's, Fox's and Turner's Gaps
Battle of South Mountain
The Battle of South Mountain was fought September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles were fought for possession of three South Mountain passes: Crampton's, Turner's, and Fox's Gaps. Maj. Gen. George B...
and Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
in September 1862. An incident with Pennsylvania Dutch resident Barbara Fritchie was commemorated in the poem of the same name by 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...
. Union Major General Jesse L. Reno
Jesse L. Reno
Jesse Lee Reno was a career United States Army officer who served in the Mexican-American War, the western frontier, and as a Union General during the American Civil War...
's IX Corps followed Jackson's men through the city a few days later on the way to the Battle of South Mountain
Battle of South Mountain
The Battle of South Mountain was fought September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles were fought for possession of three South Mountain passes: Crampton's, Turner's, and Fox's Gaps. Maj. Gen. George B...
, where Reno was killed. Slaves escaped from Frederick and the area to join the Union forces, work against the Confederacy and seek freedom.
Sites of historical interest
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...
speech given by President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, which he gave at what was then a train depot at the current intersection of South and Market Streets. A plaque commemorates the speech.
At the Prospect Hall mansion on what is now Butterfly Lane, in the early morning hours of June 28, 1863, a messenger from President Abraham Lincoln arrived to inform General George Meade
George Meade
George Gordon Meade was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved in coastal construction, including several lighthouses. He fought with distinction in the Second Seminole War and Mexican-American War. During the American Civil War he served as a Union general, rising from...
that he would be replacing General Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker was a career United States Army officer, achieving the rank of major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although he served throughout the war, usually with distinction, Hooker is best remembered for his stunning defeat by Confederate General Robert E...
after the latter's disaster at Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
in May. The Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
, which camped at Prospect Hall for weeks prior to Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, went on to fight several major battles. The National Museum of Civil War Medicine
National Museum of Civil War Medicine
The National Museum of Civil War Medicine is a U.S. historic education institution located in Frederick, Maryland. Its focus involves the medical, surgical and nursing practices during the American Civil War .- History :...
is located downtown.
Due west along Alternate US 40
U.S. Route 40 Alternate (Hagerstown – Frederick, Maryland)
U.S. Route 40 Alternate is an alternate route of US 40 in the U.S. state of Maryland. The highway runs from Potomac Street in Hagerstown east to US 40 in Frederick. US 40 Alternate parallels US 40 to the south through eastern Washington County and western Frederick County...
, and west of Burkittsville
Burkittsville, Maryland
Burkittsville is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The population was 171 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Burkittsville is located at ....
, lie the sites of three episodes in the Battle of South Mountain
Battle of South Mountain
The Battle of South Mountain was fought September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles were fought for possession of three South Mountain passes: Crampton's, Turner's, and Fox's Gaps. Maj. Gen. George B...
: the battles of Crampton's
Crampton's Gap
Crampton's Gap, also known as Crampton Gap, is a wind gap on South Mountain in Maryland.The gap connects Burkittsville in the Middletown Valley to the east with Gapland and Rohrersville in the Pleasant Valley to the west....
(September 14, 1862), Fox's
Fox's Gap
Fox's Gap, also known as Fox Gap, is a wind gap in the South Mountain Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains, located in Frederick County and Washington County, Maryland. The gap is traversed by Reno Monument Road...
, and Turner's
Turner's Gap
Turner's Gap is a wind gap in the South Mountain Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains, located in Frederick County and Washington County, Maryland. The gap is traversed by U.S. Route 40 Alt, the Old National Pike. The Appalachian Trail also crosses the gap....
gaps, where Confederate troops under Jackson and Walker unsuccessfully attempted to halt the Federal army's advance into the Cumberland Valley
Cumberland Valley
The Cumberland Valley is a constituent valley of the Great Appalachian Valley and a North American agricultural region within the Atlantic Seaboard watershed in Pennsylvania and Maryland....
. The war correspondents' memorial can be found at Gathland State Park
Gathland State Park
Gathland State Park is a small state park located near Burkittsville, Maryland, in the United States. The park is composed of the remains of the estate of George Alfred Townsend , a correspondent during the American Civil War who wrote under the pen name "Gath"...
at Crampton's Gap, just west of Burkittsville. The memorial to the slain Union General Jesse Reno lies on the south side of Alternate US 40, west of Middletown
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...
, just below the summit of Fox's Gap.
The Monocacy Battlefield
Monocacy National Battlefield
Monocacy National Battlefield is a unit of the National Park Service, the site of the Battle of Monocacy Junction in the American Civil War fought on July 9, 1864. The battlefield straddles the Monocacy River southwest of the city of Frederick, Maryland. The battle, labeled "The Battle That Saved...
lies just outside the city limits, while Antietam and Gettysburg
Gettysburg Battlefield
The Gettysburg Battlefield is the area of the July 1–3, 1863, military engagements of the Battle of Gettysburg within and around the borough of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Locations of military engagements extend from the 4 acre site of the first shot & at on the west of the borough, to East...
lie approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) to the west and north, respectively.
The home of Barbara Fritchie, who according to legend waved the Stars and Stripes
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
in defiance of Confederate commander Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
and his troops as they marched through downtown Frederick in 1862, stands as another historical site. Though the legend has been generally discredited, it was widely believed during the Civil War and was the subject of an 1864 poem by 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...
, a poem that remained popular for decades. Barbara Fritchie, a significant figure in Maryland history in her own right, is buried in Frederick's Mt. Olivet cemetery.
Late 19th century
Major Henry Schley's son, Dr. Fairfax Schley, was instrumental in setting up the Frederick County Agricultural Society and the Great Frederick Fair. Gilmer Schley served as Mayor from 1919–1922, and the Schleys remained one of the town's leading families into the late twentieth century. Nathaniel Wilson Schley, a prominent banker, and his wife Mary Margaret Schley helped organize and raise funds for the annual Great Frederick Fair, one of the two largest agricultural fairs in the State. Since the 1960s, the fair has featured many outstanding country-western singers and become a major music festival. Schley Avenue commemorates the family's role in the city's heritage.In 1872 the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
completed its Frederick Secondary branch line, which ran from Frederick to York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
and Columbia, Pennsylvania
Columbia, Pennsylvania
Columbia, once colonial Wright's Ferry, is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles southeast of Harrisburg on the left bank Susquehanna River across from Wrightsville and York County. Originally, the area may have been called Conejohela Flats, for the many islands and islets in the...
.
Jewish pioneers Henry Lazarus and Levy Cohan settled in Frederick in the 1740s as merchants. Mostly German Jewish immigrants organized a community in the mid-19th century, creating the Frederick Hebrew Congregation in 1858. Later the congregation lapsed, but was reorganized in 1917 as a cooperative effort between the older settlers and more recently arrived Eastern European Jews under the name Beth Sholom Congregation.
In 1905, Rev. E.B. Hatcher started the First Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church of Frederick.
After the Civil War, the Maryland legislature established racially segregated public facilities by the end of the 19th century, re-imposing white supremacy. Black institutions were typically underfunded in the state, and it was not until 1921 that Frederick established a public high school for African Americans. First located at 170 West All Saints Street, it moved to 250 Madison Street, where it eventually was adapted as South Frederick Elementary. The building presently houses the Lincoln Elementary School.
Notable houses
Possibly the oldest house in the city of Frederick is SchifferstadtSchifferstadt (Frederick, Maryland)
Schifferstadt, also known as Scheifferstadt, is the oldest standing house in Frederick, Maryland.-History:The stone abode was completed in 1756 after the land it stands on was purchased by German immigrant farmer Josef Brunner in 1746...
, built in 1756 by German settler Joseph Brunner. It is now the Schifferstadt Architectural Museum.
In 1814, Dr. John Tyler built what is called the Tyler Spite House
Spite house
A spite house is a building constructed or modified to irritate neighbors or other parties with land stakes. Spite houses often serve as obstructions, blocking out light or access to neighboring buildings, or as flamboyant symbols of defiance...
at 112 W. Church Street in Frederick to prevent the city from extending Record Street south through Tyler's land to meet West Patrick Street (now also Maryland Route 144
Maryland Route 144
Maryland Route 144 is a collection of state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These highways are sections of old alignment of U.S. Route 40 between Cumberland and Baltimore...
)..
Geography
Frederick is located in Frederick CountyFrederick 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....
in the north and western part of the state of Maryland
Western Maryland
Western Maryland is the portion of the U.S. state of Maryland that consists of Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. The region is bounded by the Mason-Dixon line to the north, Preston County, West Virginia to the west, and the Potomac River to the south. There is dispute over the...
. The city has served as a major crossroads since colonial times. Today it is located at the junction of 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...
, Interstate 270
Interstate 270 (Maryland)
Interstate 270 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Maryland that travels between Interstate 495 just north of Bethesda, Montgomery County and Interstate 70 in the city of Frederick in Frederick County. It consists of the mainline as well as a spur that provides access to and...
, U.S. Route 340
U.S. Route 340
U.S. Route 340 is a spur of US 40. It currently runs for from Greenville, Virginia at US 11 to Frederick, Maryland at US 40. Between those two states, US 340 also passes briefly through West Virginia. In Virginia and West Virginia, it is signed north–south...
, 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...
, U.S. Route 40 Alternate
U.S. Route 40 Alternate (Hagerstown – Frederick, Maryland)
U.S. Route 40 Alternate is an alternate route of US 40 in the U.S. state of Maryland. The highway runs from Potomac Street in Hagerstown east to US 40 in Frederick. US 40 Alternate parallels US 40 to the south through eastern Washington County and western Frederick County...
and U.S. Route 15
U.S. Route 15
U.S. Route 15 is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Carolina to Interstate 86 and NY 17 in Painted Post, New York.US...
(which runs north-south). In relation to nearby cities, Frederick lies 48 miles (77.2 km) north and slightly west of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, 49 miles (78.9 km) west of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, 24 miles (38.6 km) southeast of Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
, and 71 miles (114.3 km) southwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The city's coordinates 39°25'35" North, 77°25'13" West (39.426294, -77.420403).
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 city has a total area of 22.2 square miles (57.5 km²). The city's area is predominantly land, with the only water being the Monocacy River
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...
, which runs to the east of the city, Carroll Creek (which runs through the city and causes periodic floods, such as that during the summer of 1972 and fall of 1976), and Culler Lake, a man-made small body in the downtown area.
Demographics
As of the 2010 U.S. 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...
, there were 65,239 people residing in Frederick city and roughly 27,000 households. The city's population grew by 23.6% in the ten years since the 2000 census, making it the fastest growing incorporated area in the state of Maryland with a population of over 50,000 for 2010.
2010 census data put the racial makeup of the city at 61% White, 18.6% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 5.8% Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, and 14.4% Hispanic or Latino of any race. Roughly 4% of the city’s population was of two or more races.
In regard to minority group growth, the 2010 census data show the city's Hispanic population at 9,402, a 271 percent increase compared with 2,533 in 2000, making Hispanics/Latinos the fastest growing race group in the city and in Frederick county (267 percent increase). Frederick city had 3,800 Asian residents in 2010, a 128 percent increase from the city's 1,664 Asian residents in 2000. The city's black or African-American population increased 56 percent, from 7,777 in 2000 to 12,144 in 2010.
For the roughly 27,000 households in the city, 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41% were non-families. Approximately 31% of all households were made up of individuals living alone and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.11.
As of 2009, 27.5% of the city’s population was under the age of 19, 24.5% were between 20 and 34, 28.1% were between 35 and 54, 9.0% were between 55 and 64, and 10.5% were 65 years of age or older. The median age of a Frederick city resident for 2009 was 34 years. For adults aged 18 or older, the population was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.
According to U.S. census data for 2009, the median annual income for a household in Frederick city was $64,833, and the median annual income for a family was $77,642. Males had a median annual income of $49,129 versus $41,986 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 city was $31,123. Approximately 7.7% of the total population, 5.3% of families, and 5.2% of adults aged 65 and older were living below the poverty line. The unemployment rate in the city for adults over the age of 18 was 5.1%.
In regard to educational attainment for individuals aged 25 or older as of 2009, 34% of the city's residents had a bachelor's or advanced professional degree, 29.6% had some college or an associate's degree, 21.6% had a high school diploma or equivalency, 6.8% had between a 9th and 12th grade level of education, and 3.6% had an 8th grade or lower level of education.
The median value of a home in Frederick city as of 2009 was $303,900, with the bulk of owner-occupied homes valued at between $300,000 and $500,000. The median cost of a rental unit was $1,054 per month, with the bulk of rental units priced between $1,000 and $1,500 per month. The value of the housing stock in Frederick is above the national average and significantly higher than small nearby cities such as Hagerstown, MD and Harrisburg, PA. This discrepancy likely reflects Frederick’s location as a desirable and growing commuter suburb of Washington, DC (and related areas in Montgomery County MD such as Bethesda), one of the most expensive housing and rental markets in the nation.
2009 census data indicated that roughly 89% of the workforce commuted to work by automobile, with an average commute time of approximately 30 minutes. This suggests that a substantial portion of those residing in Frederick city are, in fact, commuting out of the county for work.
City executive
The current Mayor of Frederick is Randy McClement.Previous mayors include:
- Lawrence Brengle (1817)
- Hy Kuhn (1818–1820)
- George Baer, Jr.George Baer, Jr.George Baer, Jr. was a United States Representative from the fourth district of Maryland, serving from 1797 to 1801 and from 1815 to 1817....
(1820–1823) - John L. HardingJohn L. HardingJohn Lackland Harding Born 1780,Died October 15, 1837.Mayor of Frederick , Maryland 1823-1826.Married to Eleanora Marshall May 31, 1804 .2nd Marriage to Eleanor Mantz March 20, 1820....
(1823–1826) - George Kolb (1826–1829)
- Thomas Carlton (1829–1835)
- Daniel Kolb (1835–1838)
- Michael Baltzell (1838–1841)
- George Hoskins (1841–1847)
- M. E. Bartgis (1847–1849)
- James Bartgis (1849–1856)
- Lewis Brunner (1856–1859)
- W. G. Cole (1859–1865)
- J. Engelbrecht (1865–1868)
- Valerius Ebert (1868–1871)
- Thomas M. Holbruner (1871–1874)
- Lewis M. Moberly (1874–1883)
- Hiram Bartgis (1883–1889)
- Lewis H. Doll (1889–1890)
- Lewis Brunner (1890–1892)
- John E. Fleming (1892–1895)
- Aquilla R. Yeakle (1895–1898)
- William F. Chilton (1898–1901)
- George Edward SmithGeorge Edward SmithGeorge Edward "Smitty" Smith is a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War, former prisoner of war, and author. Captured with other members of his squad on November 24, 1963, he was released two years later in Cambodia....
(1901–1910) - John Edward Schell (1910–1913)
- Lewis H. Fraley (1913–1919)
- Gilmer Schley (1919–1922)
- Lloyd C. Culler (1922–1931)
- Elmer F. Munshower (1931–1934)
- Lloyd C. Culler (1934–1943)
- Hugh V. Gittinger (1943–1946)
- Lloyd C. Culler (1946–1950)
- Elmer F. Munshower (1950–1951)
- Donald B. Rice (1951–1954)
- John A. Derr (1954–1958)
- Jacob R. Ramsburg (1958–1962)
- E. Paul Magaha (1962–1966)
- John A. Derr (1966–1970)
- E. Paul Magaha (1970–1974)
- Ronald N. YoungRonald N. YoungRonald N. Young is an American politician and a member of the Maryland State Senate. Young is also a former mayor of Frederick, Maryland.-Background:...
(1974–1990) - Paul P. Gordon (1990–1994)
- James S. Grimes (1994–2002)
- Jennifer DoughertyJennifer DoughertyJennifer P. Dougherty was elected Frederick, Maryland’s first female mayor in 2001. Dougherty defeated 2-term incumbent Republican Mayor James S. Grimes....
(2002–2006) - W. Jeff Holtzinger (2006–2009)
Representative body
Frederick has a Board of Aldermen of six members (one of whom is the Mayor) which serves as its legislative body. Elections are held every 4 years. The current board was elected November 3, 2009, and consists of Shelley Aloi, Carol Krimm, Michael O'Connor, Kelly Russell, and Karen Young.Economy
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Detrick Fort Detrick Fort Detrick is a U.S. Army Medical Command installation located in Frederick, Maryland, USA. Historically, Fort Detrick was the center for the United States' biological weapons program .... |
8,200 |
| 2 | Frederick County Public Schools Frederick County Public Schools (Maryland) Frederick County Public Schools is a public school system run for the residents of Frederick County, Maryland.-High schools:*Brunswick High School*Catoctin High School*Flexible Evening High School*Frederick High School*Governor Thomas Johnson High School... |
5,685 |
| 3 | Frederick County Government 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.... |
3,142 |
| 4 | Frederick Memorial Healthcare System | 2,681 |
| 5 | Wells Fargo Home Mortgage | 1,550 |
| 6 | Frederick Community College Frederick Community College Frederick Community College is a community college in Frederick, Maryland.-Clubs:FCC offers 33 different clubs on campus. To name a few...* Anime* Theater* Republicans* Democrats* Education* Spanish* Math* Newspaper* Tom's Shoes... |
937 |
| 7 | Frederick City Government | 863 |
| 8 | UnitedHealth Group UnitedHealth Group UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is a diversified health and "well-being" company. Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, UnitedHealth Group offers a spectrum of products and services through two operating businesses: United Healthcare and Optum. Through its family of subsidiaries and divisions,... |
832 |
| 9 | State Farm Insurance State Farm Insurance State Farm Insurance is a group of insurance and financial services companies in the United States. The company also has operations in Canada.... |
795 |
| 10 | BP Solar BP Solar BP has been involved in solar power since 1973 and its subsidiary, BP Solar, is a solar power company with production facilities in India and the People's Republic of China, employing a workforce of over 2,000 people worldwide. BP Solar is worldwide manufacturer and installer of photovoltaic solar... |
460 |
Frederick is home to Riverside Research Park, a biomedical research park being developed in east Frederick. Current tenants include the relocated offices of the National Cancer Institute(Fort Detrick) as well as Charles River Labs.
Frederick has also been impacted by recent national trends centered on the gentrification of the downtown areas of cities across the nation (particularly in the northeast and mid-Atlantic), and to re-brand them as sites of cultural consumption.
Frederick's downtown houses more than 200 retailers, restaurants and antique shops along Market, Patrick and East streets. Restaurants feature a diverse array of cuisines, including Italian American, Thai, Vietnamese, and Ethiopian, as well as a number of regionally recognized dining establishments, such as Volt and The Tasting Room. Outside of the downtown area are garden variety chain dining establishments that comprise a typical suburban landscape (Famous Dave's BBQ; The Olive Garden; Red Lobster; Denny's; etc.) as well as several independently owned restaurants.
In addition to retail and dining, downtown Frederick is home to 600 businesses and organizations totaling nearly 5,000 employees. A growing technology sector can be found in downtown’s historic renovated spaces, as well as in new office buildings located along Carroll Creek Park. Carroll Creek Park began as a flood control project in the late 1970s. It was an effort to reduce the risk to downtown Frederick from the 100-year floodplain and restore economic vitality to the historic commercial district. Today, more than $150 million in private investing is underway or planned in new construction, infill development or historic renovation in the park area.
The first phase of the Park improvements, totaling nearly $11 million in construction, run from Court Street to just past Carroll Street. New elements to the Park include brick pedestrian paths, water features, planters with shade trees and plantings, pedestrian bridges and a 350-seat amphitheater for outdoor performances.
A recreational and cultural resource, Carroll Creek Park also serves as an economic development catalyst, with private investment along the creek functioning as a key component to the park’s success. More than 400,000 sf of office space; 150,000 sf of commercial/retail space; nearly 300 residential units; and more than 2,000 parking spaces are planned or under construction.
Completed projects include:
(1) Creekside Plaza, a 90,000 sf office/commercial/residential building on the northeast corner of Court Street along Carroll Creek. This building is home to The Green Turtle and Wachovia Bank on the first floor, three floors of office space which is home to Warner Construction, R&J Builders, America East Mortgage, United Title Services, LLC. and, Real Estate Teams. The top two floors house 11 residential condominiums.
(2) The new South Market Center, on the north side of the creek between Market Street and Carroll Street. The 3-story, 43,000+ sf building offers 2 floors of office condominiums and ground floor retail and restaurant space offering outside patio seating. Office tenants occupy the upper two floors and Ben & Jerry’s, Five Guys Hamburgers, Hinode Japanese Restaurant are on the ground floor.
On the first Saturday of every month, Frederick hosts an evening event in the downtown area called "First Saturday." Each Saturday has a theme, and activities are planned around those themes in the downtown area (particularly around the Carroll Creek Promenade). The event spans a 10-block area of Frederick and takes place from 5-9 PM. During the late spring, summer, and early fall months, this event draws particularly large crowds from neighboring cities and towns in Maryland, and nearby locations in the tri-state area (Virginia and Pennsylvania). The average number of attendees visiting downtown Frederick during first Saturday events is around 11,000, with higher numbers from May to October.
Cityscape
Frederick is well-known for the "clustered spires" skyline of its historic downtown churches. These spires are depicted on the city's seal and many other city-affiliated logos and insignia.The housing stock of downtown Frederick is mostly composed of 19th and 20th-century row housing and duplexes. The scale of this older part of the city is dense, with streets and sidewalks suitable for pedestrians, and a variety of shops and restaurants, comprising what Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine in 2010 called one of the United State's "Greatest Neighborhoods". Adjacent to downtown are many older communities composed of larger, detached housing built mostly in the early 20th century. Beyond that is housing from the mid-20th century and beyond, becoming suburban in character the further one travels out. The most extensive growth is to the south of the downtown area, including the business corridor along Maryland highway 85 (Balleger Creek pike) outside the city.
Frederick has a bridge painted with a mural titled Community Bridge. The artist William Cochran has been acclaimed for the trompe l'oeil
Trompe l'oeil
Trompe-l'œil, which can also be spelled without the hyphen in English as trompe l'oeil, is an art technique involving extremely realistic imagery in order to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects appear in three dimensions.-History in painting:Although the phrase has its origin in...
realism of the mural. Thousands of people sent ideas representing "community", which he painted on the stonework of the bridge. The residents of Frederick call it "the mural", "painted bridge", or more commonly, the "mural bridge".
Arts
The Frederick Arts Council is the designated arts organization for Frederick County. The organization is charged with promoting, supporting, and advocating the arts, a thriving community in the city. There are over ten art galleries in downtown Frederick, and three theaters are located within 50 feet of each other (Cultural Arts Center, Weinberg Center for the Arts, and the Maryland Ensemble Theatre). Frederick is the home of The Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center, a leading non-profit in the region, as well as the Maryland Shakespeare Festival.In August 2007, the streets of Frederick were adorned with 30 life-size fiberglass keys as part of a major public art project entitled "The Keys to Frederick". In October 2007, artist William Cochran created a large-scale glass project titled The Dreaming. The project is on the east face of the Francis Scott Key Apartments in downtown Frederick.
The movie Blair Witch Project (1999) was set in the woods west of Burkittsville, Maryland
Burkittsville, Maryland
Burkittsville is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The population was 171 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Burkittsville is located at ....
, in western Frederick County, but it was not filmed there.
Theater
The Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET), a professional theater company, is housed on the lower level of the Francis Scott Key Hotel. The MET first produced mainstage theater in 1997, but the group began performing together with its creation of The Comedy Pigs sketch comedy/improv troupe in April 1993.Music
Frederick has a community orchestra, the Frederick Symphony Orchestra, that performs five concerts per year consisting of classical masterpieces. Other musical organizations in Frederick include the Frederick Chorale, the Choral Arts Society of Frederick, the Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra, and the Frederick Symphonic Band. The Frederick Children's Chorus has performed since 1985. It is a five-tier chorus, with approximately 150 members ranging in age from 5 to 18.A weekly recital is played on the Joseph Dill Baker Carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
each Sunday at noon for half an hour. The carillon can be heard from anywhere in Baker Park, and the City Carillonneur can be seen playing in the tower, which is open each week at that time.
Frederick is home to the Frederick School of Classical Ballet, the official school for Maryland Regional Ballet. Approximately 30 dance studios are located around the city. Each year, these studios perform at the annual DanceFest event.
For a city its size, Frederick also has a surprisingly visible and growing independent and alternative rock scene, with live music regularly featured in many of the city's bars and pubs. Locations such as Cafe Nola (on East Patrick), Guido's Pub (on 6th and Market), and Cafe 611 (600 block of Market St.) are some of the venues where alternative-minded youth and young adults congregate.
Frederick also has a large amphitheatre in Baker Park, which features regular music performances of local and national acts, particularly in the summer months.
Cultural organizations
Frederick organizations include the Peace Resource Center of Frederick County, a chapter of Women in BlackWomen in Black
Women in Black is a women's anti-war movement with an estimated 10,000 activists around the world. The first group was formed by Israeli women in Jerusalem in 1988, following the outbreak of the First intifada.-History:...
, and the Frederick Progressive Action Coalition or FredPac.
The UNESCO Center for Peace has been working since 2004 in the city and around the state to promote the ideals of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The O Center for Peace is partner to County's Public Schools, Hood College, Frederick Community College, Maryland School for The Deaf (MSD), Frederick County Public Libraries, on a variety of community projects that include various after-school programs, Ambassador Speaker Series, Regional Model United Nations, International Model United Nations, celebrations of major United Nations International Days, the Frederick Stamp Festival, and exchange programs for high school and college-level students and schools.
Religion
There are numerous religious denominations in Frederick: the first churches were established by early Protestant settlers, followed by Irish Catholics and other European Catholics. In Frederick City proper, Lutheran, Evangelical (German) Reformed, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic (East Second Street), Methodist (West Second Street), Episcopal and Congregationalist (UCC) churches predominate. Mt. Olivet Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the City and is Roman Catholic. Maryland was originally founded as a Catholic colony by Cecil Calvert, a Roman Catholic supporter of England's King Charles I. Frederick County also retains ties to the Pennsylvania Dutch and some Old Order Amish cultivate land as small-scale truck farmers. Other denominations represented in Frederick City and in the surrounding county include large numbers of Brethren, as well as some Pentecostal churches. Quinn Chapel, of the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, is located on East Third Street. The AME Church, founded in Philadelphia in the early 19th century by free blacks, is the first black independent denomination in the United States. The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints (Mormon) has had a presence in Frederick since the 1970s when the first congregation was organized and now includes four congrations in two buildings within the City.Beth Sholom Congregation, an unaffiliated synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, has been in Frederick since 1917. Congregation Kol Ami, a Reform synagogue
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
, was founded in 2003.
The Islamic Society of Frederick,founded in the early 1990s, serves Frederick's Muslim community.
Television
Frederick is licensed one Maryland Public Television station affiliate: WFPT 62 (PBS/MPT)Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television is a non-profit, state-licensed Public Broadcasting Service non-commercial educational public television state network which serves U.S. state of Maryland. Its six transmitters cover nearly all of the state, plus Washington, D.C...
.
Radio
The city is home to WFMDWFMD
WFMD is a News/Talk/Sports formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Frederick, Maryland, serving Central Maryland. WFMD is owned and operated by Clear Channel.-History:...
(930AM - News/Talk/Sports), WFRE
WFRE
WFRE is a radio station located in Frederick, Maryland, in the United States. It plays country music and is owned by Clear Channel Communications along with its sister station 930 WFMD...
(99.9FM - Country Music), and WAFY
WAFY
WAFY is a radio station located in Frederick, Maryland, in the United States. It plays a mix of current music by artists like Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Rob Thomas, and Daughtry, as well as hits from the 90's and 80's. WAFY is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting.The station was created in 1990 by...
(103.1FM - Adult Contemporary) radio stations. The following box details all of the radio stations in the local market.
Sports
- Frederick KeysFrederick KeysThe Frederick Keys minor league baseball team is the "High-A" class A baseball affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland. The franchise is named for Star Spangled Banner poet Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick County. The team mascot is a coyote known as...
, a "high-A" minor league baseball affiliate of the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. The Keys are named after Francis Scott KeyFrancis Scott KeyFrancis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".-Life:...
, who was a resident of Frederick, and play in Harry Grove StadiumHarry Grove StadiumHarry Grove Stadium, located in Frederick, Maryland, is the home of the Frederick Keys, a class A minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Opened in 1990, it seats 5,400 fans....
. - "Frederick Flying Dogs", an adult amateur baseball team in the Mid-Maryland Semi-Pro Baseball League. The Flying Dogs are named after their primary sponsor, the Flying Dog BreweryFlying Dog BreweryFlying Dog Brewery is a beer brewery now located in Frederick, Maryland, United States. Originally opening in Aspen, Colorado in 1990 as a brewpub, it became the first brewery to open in Aspen in over 100 years, and one of the first brewpubs in the Rocky Mountain region...
, a local craft brewer. - "Frederick Rugby", a group of local rugby teams in the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union. The group consists of a Men's team which originated in 1990, and was subsequently followed by an Old Boy's Team (Over 35), a Women's team, and an Under-17 Youth Program. The Men's team has had some national success, finishing 2nd in the Division 2 National Play-Offs in 1998, and returning to the Sweet 16 the following 2 years, finishing 5th in 1999 and 6th in 2000. The club's all welcome both experienced and new players to their programs.
Public schools
Frederick County Public SchoolsFrederick County Public Schools (Maryland)
Frederick County Public Schools is a public school system run for the residents of Frederick County, Maryland.-High schools:*Brunswick High School*Catoctin High School*Flexible Evening High School*Frederick High School*Governor Thomas Johnson High School...
(FCPS) operates area public schools.
High schools serving Frederick City students:
- Frederick High SchoolFrederick High SchoolFrederick High School is a four-year public high school in Frederick, MD, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. Frederick High School can trace its roots to the 1890s before the boys' and girls' high schools merged in 1923 to form the first Frederick High School...
- Governor Thomas Johnson High SchoolGovernor Thomas Johnson High Schoolfor schools of the same name.Governor Thomas Johnson High School is a Four-Year Visual & Performing Arts public high school in Frederick, MD, Frederick County, Maryland, United States.- Thomas Johnson :...
- Tuscarora High SchoolTuscarora High SchoolTuscarora High School is a secondary school located at 5312 Ballenger Creek Pike in Frederick, the third-largest city in Maryland, USA.-History:...
- Oakdale High SchoolOakdale High School (Maryland)Oakdale High School is an American high school located in Frederick County, Maryland, near the city of Frederick. The school's mascot is the Bear, and its colors are Silver and Black.-History:...
Other high schools in Frederick County:
- Middletown High SchoolMiddletown High School, Middletown, MarylandFor other schools named Middletown High School see Middletown High School .Middletown High School is located in Middletown, Maryland...
- Catoctin High SchoolCatoctin High SchoolCatoctin High School is a four-year public high school in Thurmont, Frederick County, Maryland, United States....
- Brunswick High SchoolBrunswick High School (Maryland)Brunswick High School is a four-year public high school in Brunswick, Frederick County, Maryland, United States.-Overview:The school is near the Virginia border near the Potomac River, just off of Maryland Route 464, and a couple miles southeast of U.S. Route 340.The current building was...
- Linganore High SchoolLinganore High SchoolLinganore High School is an American high school located in Frederick County, Maryland, near the city of Frederick. The school's mascot is the Lancer, and its colors are red and black.-History:...
- Urbana High SchoolUrbana High School (Maryland)Urbana High School is a public high school in Urbana, Maryland, and is the only International Baccalaureate Diploma School in Frederick County. The school colors are navy, gray, and white, and the mascot is the hawk. The principal is Ms. Kathy Campagnoli, and the Vice Principals are Mr. Jeff...
- Walkersville High SchoolWalkersville High SchoolWalkersville High School is a four-year public high school in Walkersville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The school's colors are blue and gold and athletic teams are known as the “Lions.”-Overview:...
Other public schools: Adult Education, Career and Technology Center, Heather Ridge School, Outdoor School, Rock Creek School, and The Earth and Space Science Laboratory. Frederick County was long-time home to a highly innovative outdoor school for all sixth graders in Frederick County. This school was located at Camp Greentop, near the presidential retreat at Camp David and Cunningham Falls State Park.
Private high schools
- Saint John's Catholic Prep (at Prospect Hall)
- New Life Christian School
- Frederick Christian Academy
- The Banner School
Colleges and universities
- Frederick Community College
- Hood CollegeHood CollegeHood College is a co-educational liberal arts college located in Frederick, Maryland. The college serves approximately 1,050 graduate students and more than 1,400 undergraduate students.-Early History :...
- Mount St. Mary's University, Frederick County, Maryland
Transportation
From 1896 to 1961, Frederick was served by the Hagerstown & Frederick Railway, an 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...
service that was among the last surviving systems of its kind in the United States.
Currently, the city is served by MARC commuter rail
MARC Train
MARC , known prior to 1984 as Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract...
service, which operates several trains daily on the old B&O line to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
; Express bus route 991
Route 991 (MTA Maryland)
Route 991 is a commuter bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in the U.S. state of Maryland between Hagerstown, Frederick, and the Shady Grove Metro Station. The line is operated by the private contactor Eyre Bus Company...
, which operates to the Shady Grove Metrorail Station
Shady Grove (Washington Metro)
Shady Grove is an island platformed Washington Metro station in Derwood, Maryland, United States. The station was opened on December 15, 1984, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Serving as the northwestern terminus of the Red Line, it is the station most distant...
, and a series of buses operated by TransIT services of Frederick, Maryland
TransIT services of Frederick, Maryland
TransIT Services of Frederick County is a public transportation agency in Frederick County, Maryland, that is operated by the county government...
. Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
, and Megabus (North America) also serve the city.
Frederick has an airport
Frederick Municipal Airport (Maryland)
Frederick Municipal Airport is a public airport located in the city of Frederick, in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. This airport is publicly owned by City of Frederick....
with a mile-long runway and a second 3600' runway. It is the home airport of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is a Frederick, Maryland-based non-profit political organization. Incorporated on 15 May 1939, AOPA's membership consists mainly of general aviation pilots in the United States...
due to its proximity to Washington and ability to handle small twin engine jets.
Notable residents and natives
- Joe Alexander (1986), Named to the 2007 All-Big East squad, also an All-American Honorable Mention.
- Michael BeasleyMichael BeasleyMichael Paul Beasley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He plays both forward positions, and shoots his jump shot left-handed, though he is also ambidextrous...
(1989), NCAA National Player of the Year (2007–08), 2nd overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft2008 NBA DraftThe 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
by Miami HeatMiami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
. - Shadrach BondShadrach BondShadrach Bond was a representative from Illinois Territory to the United States Congress. In 1818, he was elected the first Governor of Illinois, becoming the new state's first chief executive...
(1773–1832), the first Governor of IllinoisGovernor of IllinoisThe Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....
. - Lester BowieLester BowieLester Bowie was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the AACM, and cofounded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Biography:...
(1941–1999), jazz trumpeter and improviser, was born in the historically-black hamlet of Bartonsville, where he is buried. - Fred CarterFred CarterFredrick James Carter is a former professional basketball player and head coach.A 6' 3" guard from Mount St. Mary's University, Carter was selected by the Baltimore Bullets in the third round of the 1969 NBA Draft...
(1945--), a basketball player from Mount St. Mary's University. He starred there in the 1960s, played eight years in the NBA, and was the coach of the Philadelphia 76ers for two seasons. - Patsy ClinePatsy ClinePatsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
(1932–1963), born Virginia Patterson Hensley, was an American country music singer. She married Gerald Cline of Frederick, and lived in town from 1953-1957. - Chuck ForemanChuck ForemanChuck Foreman is a retired NFL football player.He was a running back during his NFL career, although he often caught passes out of the backfield.-Early career:...
(10/26/1950--) NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, native of Frederick. - Barbara Fritchie, American Unionist patriot during Civil War (1766–1862)
- David Gallaher (June 5, 1975), writer whose second book, Yours Truly, Johnny DollarYours Truly, Johnny DollarYours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a radio drama of "the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account — America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator." The show aired on CBS Radio from January 14, 1949 to September 30, 1962...
is set in 1950s Frederick. Gallaher is also an alumnus of Hood CollegeHood CollegeHood College is a co-educational liberal arts college located in Frederick, Maryland. The college serves approximately 1,050 graduate students and more than 1,400 undergraduate students.-Early History :...
. - John HansonJohn HansonJohn Hanson was a merchant and public official from Maryland during the era of the American Revolution. After serving in a variety of roles for the Patriot cause in Maryland, in 1779 Hanson was elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress...
, the first President of CongressPresident of the Continental CongressThe President of the Continental Congress was the presiding officer of the Continental Congress, the convention of delegates that emerged as the first national government of the United States during the American Revolution...
under the Articles of ConfederationArticles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation, formally the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement among the 13 founding states that legally established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states and served as its first constitution... - Shawn HatosyShawn HatosyShawn Wayne Hatosy is an actor with over 40 film and television credits to his name.-Personal life:Hatosy was born in Frederick, Maryland, the son of Carol , a loan officer, and Wayne Hatosy, a graphic designer and event planning director...
, (December 29, 1975), actor - Sam HindsSam Hinds (baseball)Samuel Russell Hinds was a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers. He was selected in the thirty-fifth round of the amateur draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, but never played for them. After graduating from Broward Junior College, he would go on to be signed in by the Brewers as an undrafted amateur...
, MLB player for the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. - Bruce Ivins, (1946–2008), a scientist at Fort DetrickFort DetrickFort Detrick is a U.S. Army Medical Command installation located in Frederick, Maryland, USA. Historically, Fort Detrick was the center for the United States' biological weapons program ....
who was suspected to be solely responsible for the 2001 Anthrax Attacks2001 anthrax attacksThe 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation case name, occurred over the course of several weeks beginning on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, one week after the September 11 attacks. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to...
. - Bradley Tyler JohnsonBradley Tyler JohnsonBradley Tyler Johnson was an American lawyer, soldier, and writer. Although his home state of Maryland remained loyal to the Union during the American Civil War, Johnson served as a general in the Confederate States Army, leading efforts to raise a Maryland Line in the CSA, and rising to command...
, (1829–1903), Soldier, lawyer, and politician. - Thomas JohnsonThomas Johnson (governor)Thomas Johnson was an American jurist with a distinguished political career. He was the first Governor of Maryland, a delegate to the Continental Congress and an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States....
(1732–1819) was a distinguished American jurist and political figure of the revolutionary and post-revolutionary period. In his later years he lived with his daughter Ann and her husband at Rose Hill Manor, in Frederick. Governor Thomas Johnson High School, located on the property, bears his name. - Charlie KellerCharlie KellerCharles Ernest "Charlie" Keller was a left fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1939 through 1952, Keller played for the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers...
: Charles Ernest (Charlie) Keller (September 12, 1916 - May 23, 1990) "Charlie King Kong Keller". MLB Player with the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. Born in Middletown, Maryland; died in Frederick. - Francis Scott KeyFrancis Scott KeyFrancis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".-Life:...
(1779–1843), lawyerLawyerA lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, author of "The Star-Spangled BannerThe Star-Spangled Banner"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
". He is buried at Mount Olivet CemeteryMount Olivet Cemetery (Frederick)Mount Olivet Cemetery is a cemetery in Frederick City, Maryland. It was chartered on October 4, 1852 to provide several of the downtown churches more room for interments, after their cemeteries became full...
in Frederick. His family plot is next to Thomas Johnson and Barbara Fritchie. - Charles Mathias (1922–2010), a Republican member of the United States Senate, representing Maryland from 1969 to 1987
- Terence MorrisTerence MorrisTerence Darea Morris is an American professional basketball player.- High school career :...
, (January 11, 1979) professional NBA basketball player. Attended Gov. Thomas Johnson High School, class of 1997 - John NelsonJohn Nelson (lawyer)John Nelson was Attorney General of the United States from 1843 to 1845 under John Tyler.Nelson was born in Frederick, Maryland, the son of politician Roger Nelson. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1811 and was admitted to the bar in 1813, starting practice in Frederick...
, U.S. Attorney General, (1843–1845), U.S. Congressman for Maryland's 4th District, (1821–1823), born in Frederick in 1791. - Florence RobertsFlorence RobertsFlorence Roberts was an actress of the stage and in motion pictures.-Stock Company Actress:Born in Frederick, Maryland, she began acting on the stage in New York, New York at the age of 19. Her career began at the Brooklyn, New York Opera House in Hoop of Gold...
, (16 March 1861 - 6 June 1940) was an actress of the stage and in motion pictures. Roles include Mother Widow Peep in Babes in Toyland (1934 film)Babes in Toyland (1934 film)Babes in Toyland is a Laurel and Hardy musical film released in November 1934. The film is also known by its alternate titles Laurel and Hardy in Toyland, Revenge Is Sweet , March of the Wooden Soldiers and Wooden Soldiers .Based on Victor Herbert's popular 1903 operetta Babes in Toyland, the film...
. - Winfield Scott SchleyWinfield Scott SchleyWinfield Scott Schley was a rear admiral in the United States Navy and the hero of the Battle of Santiago Bay during the Spanish-American War.-Civil War:...
(9 October 1839 - 2 October 1911), rear admiral of the United States Navy who served from the Civil War to the Spanish-American War, was born in Richfields, near Frederick. - Roger Brooke Taney, JudgeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, (1777–1864) Chief JusticeChief JusticeThe Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the United States Supreme Court (1836–1864), who rendered the Dred Scott Decision in 1857. He lived and worked in Frederick for several years before his appointment, and is buried there. - Theophilus ThompsonTheophilus ThompsonTheophilus Augustus Thompson is considered the first African-American chess player recognized in the United States. In addition to competing in tournaments, he wrote a book Chess Problems: Either to Play and Mate published in 1873.-Early life and education:Thompson was born into slavery in...
(1855- after 1873), the first notable African-American chess player, he wrote the book of endgame positionsEndgame studyAn endgame study, or just study, is a composed chess position—that is, one that has been made up rather than one from an actual game—presented as a sort of puzzle, in which the aim of the solver is to find a way for one side to win or draw, as stipulated, against any moves the other side...
, Chess Problems: Either to Play and Mate (1873). - Bryan VoltaggioBryan VoltaggioBryan Voltaggio is an American chef residing in Urbana, Maryland. He received an AOS in culinary arts from The Culinary Institute of America and was mentored by chef Charlie Palmer. Voltaggio was the runner-up of the sixth season of Top Chef, Bravo's cooking competition show, placing second to his...
, chef at Volt in Frederick, runner-up on Top ChefTop ChefTop Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
television program