Walk Through History: Civil War Marker/Rose Hill Cemetery Tour Brochures Available
Citizens and visitors can now guide themselves through our local history with the City of Hagerstown’s new Civil War Walking Tour Map. City staff pioneered the idea of the tour map, which is a product of many volunteer hours and partnerships with Rose Hill Cemetery and the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The comprehensive guide is comprised of two maps: one that portrays 19th-century Hagerstown with the locations of 50 designated Civil War historical markers and other notable Civil War sites; the other lays out the final resting places of more than 70 Civil War notables as well as past Hagerstown mayors and other figures of historical significance in Rose Hill Cemetery.
City Zoning Administrator, and also noted Hagerstown historian and author, Stephen Bockmiller compiled the data for the maps, volunteering his own time on evenings and weekends. He says, "We hope by making this tour map available, both citizens and visitors will be able to experience all of the 50 historical markers located throughout the City, learn about the important Civil War landmarks in our community, and also appreciate the extremely historic and aesthetically beautiful nature of Rose Hill Cemetery."
A portion of Rose Hill Cemetery was purchased by the State to create the Washington Confederate Cemetery after the war, where the remains of nearly 2,500 identified and unidentified Confederate soldiers were interred. Rose Hill Cemetery now spans over 100 acres and still has many acres available for expansion to accommodate generations of Washington County residents to come. Rose Hill generously paid for the design and production costs of the first 5,000 walking tour maps.
"We have veterans buried here who were involved in conflicts throughout our nation’s history. Our Civil War history is a very important part of our heritage here in Hagerstown, and that’s why we wanted to be a part of this endeavor," says Roger Finn, president of Rose Hill’s Board of Trustees. "We’re looking forward to a celebration commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Hagerstown next year here at the cemetery."
The 50 historical markers throughout the City have been a joint effort between the City of Hagerstown, the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, the Maryland Heritage Area Authority, the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau and local historians. Together, the group unveiled new historical information and collaborated on the story of Hagerstown’s past, giving residents and visitors alike the opportunity to understand and explore the City’s roots. Most of the markers are located within three blocks of Public Square, and some of them relate stories and depict landmarks before and after the war.
The maps are now available at the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau as well as other area tourist destinations and City Hall. For more information on the City of Hagerstown’s Civil War Walking Tour Map, click the PDF versions of the maps below or contact Stephen Bockmiller at (301) 739-8577 ext. 139 or email sbockmiller@hagerstownmd.org.
Civil War Marking Walking Tour Map (7.2MB)
Rose Hill Cemetery Tour Map (7.7MB)
