Boonsboro is a town in Washington County,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, United States, located at the foot of South Mountain. It nearly borders Frederick County and is proximate to the

Antietam National Battlefield Antietam National Battlefield is a National Park Service-protected area along Antietam Creek in Sharpsburg, Washington County, northwestern Maryland. It commemorates the American Civil War Battle of Antietam that occurred on September 17, 1862. ...

. The population was 3,336 at the 2010 census.

History

Local lore asserts Boonsboro was founded by George Boone, a cousin of

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

, and was originally named "Margaretsville" after his wife. The town was incorporated as Boonesborough in 1831. Local newspapers and villagers preferred the name Boonsboro. The former name was used on some documents as late as 1903. Boonsboro was a key town during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Two battles were fought in its present borders. The town was also used to keep wounded soldiers after the

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...

in September 1862. Southeast of the town was the site of the

Battle of South Mountain The Battle of South Mountain—known in several early Southern accounts as the Battle of Boonsboro Gap—was fought on September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles were fought for posses ...

. Boonsboro lies on what used to be the

National Road The National Road (also known as the Cumberland Road) was the first major improved highway in the United States built by the Federal Government of the United States, federal government. Built between 1811 and 1837, the road connected the Pot ...

. Today it is known as either the Old National Pike or Alt-U.S. 40. In Boonsboro it is Main Street. The route was originally established as a road improvement project in 1758 to shorten travel between Fredericktown and Fort Frederick during the Seven Years' War. The route began from the existing (old) road at today's Marker road, passed through Turner's Gap, Boonsboro and turned west along today's MD. Rt. 68 to Williamsport. The route from Boonsboro to Funkstown was later adopted as part of the National Turnpike route. The town suffered a fire at the former Asaro's (its successor Vesta moved to the building across) in 2007, and a fire at the former inn in 2008. That fire completely gutted the inn, which was on the verge of being renovated and reopened. The Inn BoonsBoro finally opened a year later; it is owned by best-selling romance novelist

Nora Roberts Nora Roberts (born Eleanor Marie Robertson on October 10, 1950) is an American author of more than 225 romance novels. She writes as J. D. Robb for the ''in Death'' series and has also written under the pseudonyms Jill March and for publication ...

. The

Boonsboro Historic District Boonsboro Historic District is a national historic district at Boonsboro, Washington County, Maryland, United States. The district includes 562 contributing elements. Its component buildings chronicle the town's development from its founding i ...

, Bowman House, Ingram-Schipper Farm,

Keedy House The Keedy House is a historic home located at Boonsboro, Washington County, Maryland, United States. It is a -story home, three bays wide and two deep, built of coursed gray stone about 1790. Also on the property is a small stone bank house ...

, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and

Washington Monument The Washington Monument is an obelisk shaped building within the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, once commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (1775–1784) in the American Revolutionary War and the ...

are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

Geography

Boonsboro is located at . According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Boonsboro is located just 1 mile west of the Appalachian Trail and is a popular spot for Hikers. Boonsboro is the starting point for the JFK 50 mile race held every year in November.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 3,336 people, 1,237 households, and 879 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 1,327 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 2.1%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.1% Native American, 1.0%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.5% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.7% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 2.7% of the population. There were 1,237 households, of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.9% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.06. The median age in the town was 40.8 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.1% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 16.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,803 people, 1,068 households, and 723 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,109 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.04%

, 0.75%

, 0.11% Native American, 0.18%

, 0.04%

, 0.14% from

, and 0.75% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.75% of the population. There were 1,068 households, out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.04. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $40,476, and the median income for a family was $48,155. Males had a median income of $37,683 versus $25,673 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $19,430. About 7.8% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Boonsboro has a seven-member Town Council, which serves as the legislative body of the Town. In Boonsboro, from 1831 through 1939, Mayors (originally called Burgesses) were elected annually. From 1940 through 1975, they served two-year terms. Since 1976, Mayors have been chosen for four-year terms, except for the previous mayor, who had been in office from 1988 through 2016. Boonsboro's current Mayor is Howard W. Long. Previous Mayors include: * 1831-1835 Jonathan Shafer * 1835-1836 David Brookhart * 1836-1837 Lewis Fletcher * 1837-1838 Joseph O'neal * 1838-1839 Anthony McBride * 1839-1840 Joseph Knox * 1840-1841 Charles Perry * 1841-1843 Jacob Smith * 1843-1845 James Chambers * 1845-1846 Andrew Newcomer * 1846-1847 Lewis Fletcher * 1847-1848 James Chambers * 1848-1850 David Gilbert * 1850-1851 David H. Keedy * 1851-1852 J. C. Brining * 1852-1853 William H. Miller * 1853-1854 P. B. Stuffing * 1854-1855 J. C. Brining * 1855-1856 John Stonesifer * 1856-1857 Lauton Miller * 1857-1859 James Chambers * 1859-1862 Joseph O'helper * 1862-1864 James Chambers * 1864-1865 George Numan * 1865-1867 Josiah Knodle * 1867-1868 Jacob Blecman * 1868-1869 David Schlosser * 1869-1872 John H. Smith * 1872-1874 Anslem Watery * 1874-1876 Elias Cost * 1876-1877 George Hoffmeister * 1877-1880 William Welck * 1880-1881 Thomas E. Smith * 1881-1882 John Murdock * 1882-1883 George Nyman * 1883-1885 John H. Lakin * 1885-1886 John C. Brining * 1886-1887 William E. Itnyre * 1887-1888 A. M. V. B. Deaner * 1888-1889 Frank Smith * 1889-1891 John R. Fletcher * 1891-1892 John E. Smith * 1892-1893 Matthew O'Brn * 1893-1894 M. L. Storm * 1894-1895 Eli Wade * 1895-1897 James P. Ford * 1897-1898 Frank E. Newcomer * 1898-1899 William L. Irwin * 1899-1901 John R. Fletcher * 1901-1902 O. J. Stotlemyer * 1902-1904 Elias E. Martz * 1904-1905 C. C. Ford * 1905-1906 George M. Stover * 1906-1909 G. J. Roudabush * 1909-1910 Elias E. Martz * 1910-1911 G. J. Roudabush * 1911-1912 H. G. Routzahn * 1912-1916 G. J. Roudabush * 1916-1917 George M. Stover * 1917-1919 J. L. Danner * 1919-1920 H. P. Lynch * 1920-1921 Harvey J. Huffer * 1921-1925 George McBride * 1925-1926 Oscar Morgan * 1926-1929 George McBride * 1929-1934 H. S. Bomberger * 1934-1935 Alfred C. Huffer * 1935-1938 D. Frank Miller * 1938-1940 John Hershberger * 1940-1942 John Hershberger * 1942-1960 John B. Wheeler * 1960-1970 John L. Herr * 1970-1974 Kenneth E. Ramsburg * 1974-1976 Edward T. Weaver * 1976-1980 Stuart L. Mullendore * 1980-1988 John L. Herr * 1988-2016 Charles F. (Skip) Kauffman, Jr. * 2016–Present Howard W. Long

Education

Boonsboro is served by a educational complex. It consists of the following schools: * Boonsboro Elementary School * Boonsboro Middle School * Boonsboro High School The current principal of Boonsboro High School is Sherry Hamilton.Message from BHS Principal
Retrieved 13 September 2011.

Transportation

The primary means of travel to and from Boonsboro is by road. Five main highways serve the town, with the most prominent of these being

U.S. Route 40 Alternate U.S. Route 40 has at least eight extant special routes. Current routes WaKeeney business loop U.S. Route 40 Business (US-40 Bus.) is a business route through WaKeeney, Kansas, that was recommended in 1979 as substitute for the formerly pro ...

. US 40 Alt follows Main Street through central Boonsboro, linking westward to Hagerstown and eastward to

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederick ...

. In addition to US 40 Alt,

Maryland Route 34 Maryland Route 34 (MD 34) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Shepherdstown Pike, the state highway begins at the West Virginia state line at the Potomac River, where the highway continues south as W ...

connects Boonsboro to Sharpsburg,

Maryland Route 66 Maryland Route 66 (MD 66) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Mapleville Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 40 Alternate (Hagerstown–Frederick, Maryland), U.S. Route 40 Alternate (US ...

connects the town to

Interstate 70 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15, I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of Interstate 695 (Maryland), I-695 in ...

Maryland Route 67 Maryland Route 67 (MD 67) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Rohrersville Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 340 (US 340) in Weverton north to US 40 Alternate in Boonsboro. MD 67 parallels the western flan ...

connects it to

U.S. Route 340 U.S. Route 340 (US 340) is a spur route of US 40, and runs from Greenville, Virginia to Frederick, Maryland. In Virginia, it runs north–south, parallel and east of US 11, from US 11 north of Greenville via Waynesboro, Grottoes, Elkton, ...

, and

Maryland Route 68 Maryland Route 68 (MD 68) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 40 (US 40) in Clear Spring east to US 40 Alternate in Boonsboro. MD 68 crosses central Washington County to the south of H ...

links to

Interstate 81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island ...

and Williamsport.

Notable people

* Janet Doub Erickson, co-founder of the Blockhouse of Boston, artist and educator (born in Hagerstown Hospital to a Boonsboro farming family, she spent her childhood there). *

William Thomas Hamilton William Thomas Hamilton (September 8, 1820October 26, 1888), a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 38th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1880 to 1884. He also served in the United States Senate, representing the ...

, 38th Governor of Maryland, U.S. Senator, & U.S. Congressman for Maryland's 2nd District and 4th District. Born in Boonsboro on 8 September 1820. *

Edwin R. Keedy Edwin Roulette Keedy (January 19, 1880 November 25, 1958) was Dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School from 1941 until 1945, as well as the law school's Algernon Sidney Biddle Professor of Law. Biography Keedy was born in Boonsboro, M ...

(1880–1958), Dean of the

University of Pennsylvania Law School The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School (also known as Penn Law or Penn Carey Law) is the law school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is among the most selective and olde ...

* The late Charlotte Winters, 109, once the oldest surviving female American World War I veteran. Served in the navy. *

, author of over 170 romantic novels and entrepreneur of several businesses in Boonsboro.

Area attractions

* Crystal Grottoes *

Washington Monument State Park Washington Monument State Park is a public recreation area located approximately southeast of Boonsboro, Maryland. The park preserves the Washington Monument, a tower honoring George Washington, the first President of the United States. The mo ...

* Greenbrier State Park * Old South Mountain Inn *

Stoney Creek Farm Stoney Creek Farm is located in Boonsboro, Maryland. It is near the American Civil War battlefield Antietam, Washington Monument State Park, and the Appalachian Trail. It was owned by the Schlosser family as early as April 6, 1841, when local dee ...

* South Mountain State Battlefield * Boonsboro cantaloupes * Inn Boonsboro (Themed

bed and breakfast Bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B or BnB) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. Bed and breakfasts are often private family homes and typically have between four and eleven rooms, wit ...

owned by

) * Boonesborough Museum of History * Boonsboro Trolley Museum * Bowman House

References

External links

Town of Boonsboro Website
{{authority control Towns in Washington County, Maryland Hagerstown metropolitan area South Mountain Range (Maryland−Pennsylvania) Towns in Maryland 1790s establishments in Maryland 1792 establishments in the United States