Indian Springs is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

in western Washington County,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

, United States. Its population was 64 as of the 2010 census.

Geography

Indian Springs lies along

U.S. Route 40 U.S. Route 40 or U.S. Highway 40 (US 40), also known as the Main Street of America (a nickname shared with U.S. Route 66), is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid- ...

and

Maryland Route 56 Maryland Route 56 (MD 56) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Big Pool Road, the state highway runs from Interstate 70 (I-70) in Big Pool east to MD 68 near Pinesburg in western Washington County. MD 56, which feat ...

between Clear Spring and Hancock; it is located north of

Fort Frederick State Park Fort Frederick State Park is a public recreation and historic preservation area on the Potomac River surrounding the restored Fort Frederick, a fortification active in the French and Indian War (1754–1763) and the American Revolutionary War (1 ...

. The community is approximately west of Hagerstown and is officially designated a part of the Hagerstown Metropolitan Area (Hagerstown-Martinsburg, Maryland-West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area). The area is traditionally defined as encompassing the narrow tract of land north of U.S. Route 40 between Fairview Mountain and the Licking Creek. Terrain in the area is generally rugged with elevations between above sea level, the landscape being primarily wooded. The terrain here differs greatly from the neighboring Hagerstown Valley, where elevations average less than and is characterized by fertile, gently rolling hills. While land for farming is not as readily available in the Springs area, orchards have been a source of local livelihood for centuries. The Indian Springs watershed is serviced by four primary runs: Lanes, Rabble, Rattle, and Indian Springs. These runs are tributaries of nearby Licking Creek. The Indian Springs for which the area was named have their headwaters on the west flank of Fairview Mountain. Two solutional caves are also reported to exist in this area. Revell's and Darby Caves are both said to be developed in the Tonoloway Formation, a thin-bedded dolomitic limestone of the upper Silurian. Much of the land not held by private individuals is part of the Indian Springs State Wildlife Preserve and is open to the public. A local sportsman's club also owns land adjoining the preserve. Several companies and institutions maintain equipment located atop the larger hills, including Johns Hopkins University, Verizon, and local radio stations; trespassing is strictly prohibited.

Demographics

Tourism

Indian Springs is located near the state-run Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area, a tract of forestry that draws tourists for fishing, hiking, and hunting. Fishing is popular at Blair's Valley Lake and hunting deer is famous in the wooded areas. Fairview Mountain, located in the WMA, once served as a Civil War military signal post. Camping is also common in campgrounds such as Indian Springs Kampgrounds, Maryland, McCoys Ferry Campground, and Little Pool Campground.

Footnotes

External links

Indian Springs Kampgrounds, Maryland

Indian Springs WMA
{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Washington County, Maryland Unincorporated communities in Maryland Census-designated places in Washington County, Maryland Census-designated places in Maryland