Exploring the Beauty of Greenbrier State Park
Last summer, more than 500,000 visitors enjoyed swimming, camping and hiking at Greenbrier State Park. Ranger Emily Bard talks about the park’s history and its amenities.
Time for Wine
Maryland’s wine industry may date to the mid-17th century when records show that Frenchman Tenis Palee tried to make wine with indigenous grapes, but the trajectory of the state’s wine scene remained flat for the next…
A Dream Fulfilled
When Rachel Roupe was growing up in Sharpsburg, her father and a couple of his friends started a softball league to give young girls an opportunity in sports. Roupe took to the sport, loved it, and excelled as she…
Eliminating a Food Desert
Imagine not having easy access to a gallon of milk, bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, and protein options. This is a reality for millions of people in many parts of the country, even here in some neighborhoods of Hagerstown. City residents are…
From Hagerstown to the Stars
Paul Beard started building resonator guitars in a Hagerstown basement 40 years ago. At that time, he wasn’t setting out to build a business. Instead, he was setting out to make music. Today, Beard Guitars has grown into…
Centennial Celebration
What today is a sprawling, serpentine lake covering 3,900 acres in Garrett County and serving as a recreational and economic hub was, in the early 20th century, a rural valley of farms, homes and schools, resembling much of the rest of…
Celebrating Women’s History Month
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Sheehy subaru of Hagerstown visited Lasting Change, a local organization dedicated to helping women overcome addiction and rebuild their lives. As part of this…
The Public Square
The intersection of the National Pike and Washington Street in downtown Hagerstown a century ago was often a place of confusion. The area known as the Public Square accommodated the…
Families Found, History Reclaimed
Ellen Fowler cared very much for how her final resting place would be tended to after she died. One of the earliest burials in Halfway African American Cemetery in 1898, “she was a single woman who worked as a…
Celebrating Creativity
The University System of Maryland Hagerstown hosts the annual Washington County High School Art Show and gives awards to high school artists from Washington County public and private schools. More than 90 pieces were…
The Summer Vacation
The first time my parents took me to the Atlantic Ocean I was young enough that I hadn’t started school yet. We went to Assateague Island and camped in a tent along the seashore. I don’t recall much from that trip. I most remember a storm coming in off the water to…
A Deep Fascination
The last time I saw Corey Hackley was sometime around 2008 in the hallways of Boonsboro High School–until this past year when I turned on a National Geographic documentary titled “The Deepest Cave” and saw…
A Field House for Fitness…and More
From youth camps to seniors who want to play pickleball, the opening of the Hagerstown Field House earlier this year has changed sports and fitness for anyone in Washington County who wants to take advantage of the…
Italian fare; Maryland Soul
Everyone loves a nice Italian dinner. Americans practically claim pizza and spaghetti as our own. Now, a new restaurant in downtown Hagerstown is offering its unique interpretation of classic Italian fare, infused with a…
Family Ties
Hagerstown resident, Michael Keifer was just curious one day. “I was sitting at the computer and wondered if there were any other towns named Hagerstown,” he says. There was. One. “I saw only two, one in Maryland and one in…
Steaming Along
It’s not a clam or steamed hams. Technically, it’s not a “loose meat” sandwich or even (gasp) a sloppy Joe. It’s a steamer—a humble, handheld meal that’s been quietly simmering in the hearts and kitchens of Washington County for…
Local Livestock History
Four States Livestock Sales, a local livestock auction business, is celebrating its 40th Anniversary for owners, James and Barb Starliper. Four States was originally established in 1935 by founders E.B. Clark and William Garrott making the…
Celebrating Our Agricultural Life
Competition, tradition, great food, and fun are just a few of the things that come to mind when you think of the county fair. July marks the annual Washington County Ag Expo & Fair when thousands of people flock to the…
A 4-H’ers View
One of my favorite 4-H projects is the Cavy project. Cavies, more commonly known as guinea pigs, are in the rodent family. There are 13 different breeds of cavies, and they tend to live five to seven years. Once cavies are fully grown, they…