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Young at Heart James Rada, Jr. If only we could all be so active and energetic. At 97 years old, Sylvia Bloom, of Monterey Pass, plays golf three times a week, bowls twice a week, and plays bridge, just to name a few of her activities. She also shows no signs of letting up. Besides…

by Richard D. L. Fulton At least a half-dozen native tribes inhabited what would become Frederick County, either before or after European colonization. But even before the existence of tribal culture, prehistoric nomadic people had frequently transversed the area thousands of years prior.  However, this article will deal with the post-prehistoric people. From some 20,000…

by James Rada, Jr. Thurmont Christmas Events The annual lighting of the Thurmont Christmas tree will be held at Mechanicstown Square Park on Saturday, November 30 at 6:00 p.m. The following Saturday, December 7, will be Christmas in Thurmont activities, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Then, on Friday, December 13, will be a Small…

Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird    Here we are in December; the years seem to go by faster and faster. With Christmas coming up, Karen and I want to share our wishes for each of you and share our Christmas wish list. I know it seems early, but I want to give everyone enough time to…

The State Flag:1976/2009 Richard D. L. Fulton On February 23, 1976, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a set of stamps dedicated to the state flags of the United States in conjunction with the nation’s Bicentennial, with the Maryland flag representing the appropriate state. On August 6, 2009, the flag was depicted in a…

Alisha Yocum On November 13, Frederick Health staff, along with Jessica Fitzwater, Frederick County Executive; Jan Gardner, former Frederick County Executive; and Barbara Brookmyer, Director, Frederick County Health Department, gathered to celebrate the expansion of the Family Connects service now available to all residents of Frederick County, regardless of where you deliver your baby. The…

Waynesboro’s Arcade Theater by Richard D. L. Fulton Waynesboro’s Arcade Theater was built in 1916, at 75 West Main Street (71-79 West Main Street, according to the Waynesboro Historical Society), Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, and continued to be in operation into the early 1960s. Word began to spread in 1914 that a major theater project for Waynesboro…

The following are the statuses of new businesses and developments coming to Emmitsburg from the town planner’s report: Federal Stone (Creamery Road, east side of US 15) — Under construction. Awaiting framing, ceiling, and building insulation inspections. Provided information permit information regarding signage. Seton Village — The town is awaiting signatures and the fee in-lieu…

The following are the statuses of new businesses and development coming to Thurmont: Subdivisions Hammaker Hills, Phase 1 (Woodland Avenue) — 36 single-family lots recorded, built, and sold. Final site work to be completed. Hammaker Hills, Phase 2 (Westview Drive) — 22 single-family lots in R-2. Final Plat approved; site work underway. Mechanicstown, LLC —…

The Monocacy Valley VFW Memorial Post 6918 in Harney, Maryland, brought together members from all branches of the military in observance of Veterans Day, November 9. There was no shortage of patriotism, with the Honor Guard posting colors; the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America,” led by VFW member Tom Nichols; the…

New Classrooms Opening in Emmitsburg & Frederick The YMCA of Frederick County is excited to announce the expansion of its Head Start program to include Early Head Start services, offering crucial educational and developmental support for our community’s youngest children and their families. This fall, six new Early Head Start classrooms will open across Emmitsburg…

The Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland announced that the Town of Emmitsburg was one of 17 Maryland municipalities honored at the Sustainable Maryland Awards Ceremony at the Maryland Municipal League’s annual Fall Conference. The Town was certified at the Bronze level. “The Board of Commissioners would like to thank all the Town…

C. Rodman Myers Nominated by: Nikki Eyler By Alisha Yocum In Thurmont, you might be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t know the name Rodman Myers. At 90 years old, Myers has been a lifelong resident of Thurmont and the face of agriculture in our community. Being a full-time farmer his entire life, he expressed,…

Seton Center in Emmitsburg recently celebrated its 55th Anniversary. The Seton Center’s mission is to work with its neighbors to build a hopeful future in the spirit of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton through a focus on the well-being of the whole person. The staff, board of directors, and supporters recently gathered to celebrate the accomplishment.…

Thurmont Lions Club 95th Charter Night Anniversary Lion Ruth Heaney & Joyce Anthony Excitement increased as the steps were climbed at Dutch’s Daughter restaurant. Gentle music drew guests toward the banquet room. Invitees entered through the French doors. Guests were greeted with a cordial smile and a “Good evening. Welcome,” as they received a program.…

On September 22, the Bollinger family held a dedication of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel statue in honor of their parents, Sterling and Linda Bollinger. The statue was donated by the Bollinger family and is located at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on N. Church Street in Thurmont.

Cub Scout Pack 270, BSA Scouts BSA Troop 270B and 270G, and Venturing Crew 270 are collecting new, unwrapped toys to help the USMC Toys for Tots program for Frederick County Maryland. Drop boxes can be found at Mountain Gate Restaurant in Thurmont, Jubilee grocery store in Emmitsburg, ACE Hardware in Thurmont, American Legion Post…

The Emmitsburg Community Chorus kicks off its fall season with a free performance at the historic Basilica of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 1. Under the direction of Peggy Flickinger, the 31-voice group includes members from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. They are accompanied by pianist Lisa Mattia. The concert features…

On Sunday, November 10, Reverend Mark Claiborne, honored the Veterans of Lewistown United Methodist Church. Veterans attending were Odale Martin, Jim Bostian, and Harold Staley. A table of memorabilia was on display, honoring church family members.

Mount St. Mary’s University Knott Scholar joined First Fruits Farm in Freeland, Maryland. First Fruits Farm is a non-profit farm that, using a volunteer workforce, donates the resulting fresh produce to organizations serving needy families and individuals in their community. The Mount sent their Knott Scholarship recipient students to serve alongside First Fruit Farm to…

The Thurmont Food Bank recently received two large donations. The first came from the Scouting for Food Collection, which netted over 6,500 pounds of food through a collection sponsored by local Scout Troops. Cub Scout Pack 270, Scouts BSA Troop 270B and 270G, and Venturing Crew 270 participated in Scouting’s National Scouting for Food drive,…

Scouts BSA Troop 270B and 270G honored our local Veterans on November 10, assisting the American Legion Post 168 Honor Guard in the flag ceremony at Trinity United Church of Christ. On November 18, Cub Scout Pack 270 hosted its annual Veterans Ice Cream Social at their monthly Pack meeting. Veteran family members and members…

Patricia Alice Topper December 28, 1926 – November 6, 2024 Patricia Alice Topper, 97, of Emmitsburg, departed this life on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. A woman of noble character, a mighty force of independence and strength, she lived her life guided by her steadfast commitment to God, family, and community. Born on December 28, 1926,…

Amy Poffenberger, Catoctin FFA Advisor The National FFA Convention is held every year and attracts FFA members from every state, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The 97th National FFA Convention was held in Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 23 through October 26. While at the convention, 20 Catoctin FFA members joined over 71,000 other…

by Daniel Hoyle, CHS Student Writer “How to Inspire a Community” How do you get people to come out and participate? How do we get people to come to things like these? That’s the question of the hour.” That’s what Michele Maze, head of the Thurmont Green Team, said to me during a volunteering opportunity…

Science teacher Brian Brotherton, CHS Class of 2024, the members of the Catoctin High Environmental Conservation Club, and Class of 2024 graduate Gina Lin were each presented a 2024 Frederick County Sustainability Award for their “outstanding contributions to help the Frederick County community make progress toward climate and environmental justice goals.” The awards are given…

Talking Hoops with Catoctin’s New Boys Basketball Coach Alisha Yocum Meeting Coach Mike Wagner for the first time, you’re instantly struck by his warm and approachable demeanor, which naturally puts those around him at ease and leaves them smiling. Many believe this energy could be exactly what Catoctin’s Boys Basketball program needs. However, his journey…

Jeremy Johnson, Catoctin Youth Association (CYA) Football & Cheer President To be a part of anything special, you must have a group of people around you who have a common purpose or goal. In our youth sports program, we rely on positive support from leadership, coaches, parents, volunteers, and community members. Our community, year after…

with Michael Betteridge We Are Blessed Last month, we were tracking the progress of our Catoctin Cougars sports teams, who were a disappointing 8-23 a month ago. Let’s see how we finished the fall season. Our Cougars football team finished the regular season 2-7. That’s a regression from last year’s 3-6 record.  They ranked 22nd…

A serial fiction story for your enjoyment written by James Rada, Jr. 1: Returning Home As the sun began to set on Friday evening, cars started rolling into Thurmont, bringing with them alumni from all over who were returning for their anticipated Saturday reunion of the Catoctin High Class of 2016 at Thurmont Ambulance Company…

Art has been part of the history of national parks since the 1860s when Hudson River School painters captured the majestic Western landscapes that became our first iconic national parks. Their awe-inspiring works spurred Americans to preserve those lands for future generations. Artist George Catlin, during an 1832 trip to the Dakotas, was perhaps the…

The Curious Case of the Planet of the asteroids by Mitchell Tester, College Student As I discussed last month, there is much more to our solar system than just our planets. We learned the difference between meteors, meteoroids, meteorites, asteroids, and comets. It is only natural that I discuss the next part of our solar…

Steps to Take Now for Maximum Savings by Tricia Bush, CPA, CFP®, Partner, Bestgate Advisors As we approach year-end, it’s a good time to take stock of your finances and look for tax-saving opportunities. Whether you’re an individual, a business owner, or a 1099 independent contractor, there are key moves you can make now to…

James Rada, Jr. Note: Newspaper excerpts are as they appeared in their respective issues. December 1924, 100 Years Ago Dr. O’Toole in London According to a teller received by Edmund it. Fhidung, a Baltimore entomologist, Dr. Bernard F. O’Toole, of Thurmont, recently saw the collection of rare butterflies and moms of Lord Rothschild of England.…

by Michele Tester“A Tall Christmas Tale” It was the evening before the night before Christmas, and all through the town, citizens were busily scurrying all around. In anticipation, in excitement, in cheer…of jolly old Saint Nick’s arrival this year. Darting to-and-fro, to their favorite local restaurants and stores, with merry excitement of that one final…

Adams County’s Forgotten Centennial by James Rada When Adams County, Pennsylvania, turned 100, no one cared enough to throw a party. While surrounding counties celebrated various anniversaries in the late 19th century, Adams County’s big anniversary—its centennial—went relatively unrecognized and uncelebrated. As Adams County’s centennial approached, a group of public-spirited citizens met in the mid-1890s…

by Richard D. L. Fulton Sergeant Ernest L. Rowe KIA in the Mekong Delta Ernest L. Rowe, Waynesboro, was born on November 29, 1947, to parents, John W, Rowe, Jr. and Evelyn “Mickie” L. Rowe. He had one brother, Randy. Rowe’s father was employed as a machinist by Mack Trucks, Inc., of Hagerstown, while his…

A great time was had by all on Veterans Day during the Armed Forces Bus Tour. The tour included Arlington Cemetery, War Memorials, and Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with a Wreath Ceremony.  The Auxiliary would like to thank all the Veterans who attended the Veterans luncheon on November…

We hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving. The Sons of the AMVETS Post 7 had a busy November. The Sons hosted a Veterans/community breakfast on November 10, which allowed us to serve 76 Veterans a free breakfast, as well as 275 community members. We would like to thank everyone who attended, everyone who helped out,…

High Blood Pressure How to Reduce Occasional Bloating by Dr. Thomas K. Lo, Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center Bloating is common and affects just about everybody at some point in their lives. In fact, about 25 percent of adults report that they have occasional bloating. Whether it’s caused by certain foods you’ve eaten or…

Thought it might be interesting for Banner readers. The Brice family thought that the story might have been made up, but soon after Doug’s father’s death, Doug discovered a picture and a newspaper clipping online. Since then, framed copies of the picture are found on Brice family walls. The story is that on Halloween night…

by Kristen Bodmer Winter is here, and we are ready to celebrate Christmas and bring in the New Year. As this year comes to a close, I just want to say “thank you” to all of our seniors for a wonderful year. I have enjoyed every single day with each of you.  December is full…

BY Caitlyn Kirby The holiday season is upon us! We have many ways at the Emmitsburg 50+ Center to help you celebrate the season. In December, we begin the month with a “Winter Snow Scene” in Acrylic Class on December 2. Our talented instructor, Dorothea Barrick, will guide us to make our own unique creation.…

Jeff Yocum Prologue Observations from the Woodpile” is a collection of essays bundled together and given as a birthday present for my wife, Nancy, in 1997. Twenty-seven years have passed since the collection was given. The two main subjects of the essays, my sons Justus and Jacob, have grown into men with families of their…

ClASSIFIED AND and DISPLAY ADS To place a classified ad, submit and pay online at www.TheCatoctinBanner.com under the ‘Classifieds’ tab. A classified ad costs $20 and includes up to 200 characters in the For Sale, For Rent, Help Wanted, Yard Sales,  and Wanted categories. Classifieds under the Services category require a paid display ad. When…

Cover Photo:  Carrie Wivell Wolf and Jonathan Wolf’s son, Jackson, grandson of Phil and Shelly Wivell, celebrates his first Halloween!

Part 2: West of Frederick by Richard D. L. Fulton For hundreds of millions of years, the land that Maryland presently resides upon had rested predominantly at the bottom of the ancient oceans. Around 335 million years ago, two continental plates—one referred to as the African Plate and the other known as the North American…

…from the Past Submitted by Joan Bittner Fry 1889 The Board of School Commissioners of Frederick County, Maryland, Frederick County School No. 4, Election District No. 5. (1889)    To use books and stationery for three pupils fall term ending November 18, 1889 at .75 x 2 + .50 cents total of $2.00. Each pupil shall,…

by James Rada, Jr. Thurmont ARPA Funds Reallocated With the North Church Street water and sewer project substantially complete, Thurmont Chief Operating Officer Jim Humerick recommended that the remaining $272,111 for the project be reallocated to deal with one of the town’s infiltration and inflow problems. The 2,610-foot sewer line from the sewer plant to…

Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird It’s hard to believe that Colorfest has come and gone! We had beautiful weather both days with nice crowds. I am certain that our local organizations did very well and the funds they raised will benefit our community. Colorfest is the largest fundraising opportuntiy of the year for many local non-profits…

‘President’ John Hanson:1972/1981 Richard D. L. Fulton John Hanson was born in Port Tobacco Parish, Charles County, in 1721, to parents Samuel Hanson and Elizabeth Storey Hanson, and in 1781,  arguably became the first president of the United States, eight years before the election of George Washington. On September 1, 1972, the United States Postal…

Welcoming Train Enthusiasts of All Ages Alisha Yocum East Main Trains is open and welcoming train enthusiasts everywhere. Owners John Hamilton and Jeff Crum have been into the hobby since they were kids. Hamilton recently retired and had reconnected with Crum to do some remodeling. One thing led to another, and the two talked about…

The Monterey Tea House by Richard D. L. Fulton The Monterey Tea House operated for decades in Blue Bridge Summit.  An advertisement in the June 4, 1924, edition of The (Baltimore) Sun had announced the opening of the “New Monterey Gift-Shop Tea-House” at the Monterey Golf Course. The tea house was located at Tracy (also…

The following are the statuses of new businesses and developments coming to Emmitsburg from the town planner’s report: The following are the statuses of new businesses and developments coming to Emmitsburg from the town planner’s report: Federal Stone (Creamery Road, east side of US 15) — Under construction. Passed the most recent County inspection of…

Subdivisions Hammaker Hills, Phase 1 (Woodland Avenue) — 36 single-family lots recorded, built, and sold. Final site work to be completed. Hammaker Hills, Phase 2 (Westview Drive) — 22 single-family lots in R-2. Final Plat approved; site work underway. Mechanicstown, LLC — (Emmitsburg Road) — Final Plat conditionally approved for 31 single-family lots in R-2/…

Donates Building to FFA Alumni Association Alisha Yocum & JAMES RADA, JR. On September 27, members and supporters gathered at Graceham Volunteer Fire Company (GVFC) to meet one last time in their building on Graceham Road in Thurmont. The volunteer fire company had been placed on operational pause in June 2022 by the Frederick County…

Members of the Catoctin High School Future Farmers of America (FFA), an intracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership, recently held a Hurricane Relief Drive to help those impacted by the recent hurricane in North Carolina. The group filled a trailer and truck full of supplies, which included clothes, diapers, and agricultural…