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 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. Built between 1811 and 1837, the road connected the Potomac and Ohio Rivers and was a main tran ...
. 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 publicatio ...
.
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 th ...
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 ...
.
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 in ...
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 o ...
, 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 Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 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, 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 viceroyalties forme ...
or
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 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%
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 o ...
, 0.75%
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 ...
, 0.11%
Native American, 0.18%
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 ...
, 0.04%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.14% 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 0.75% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties forme ...
or
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 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 in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of I-695 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the fifth-longest Interstate in the co ...
, 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 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 Isla ...
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 oldes ...
* The late Charlotte Winters, 109, once the oldest surviving female American World War I veteran. Served in the navy.
* 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 publicatio ...
, 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 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 publicatio ...
)
* 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