Once Upon a Time in Frederick County…
While Frederick County is still the largest county by land area in Maryland, it used to be even larger. It comprised present-day Montgomery, Washington, Allegany, Garrett, part of Carroll, and Frederick counties. In 1776, Montgomery County formed from Frederick’s southern portion, and Washington County formed from the western end of Frederick County. Then, in 1837, an eastern portion of Frederick County combined with part of Baltimore County to form Carroll County. The remaining 667 square miles, about a fourth of its original size, form modern Frederick County.
It is an area that has been home to Founding Fathers, the location of Civil War battlefields, and the site of a secret training camp. It also has stories that not many people know, even those who live in the county.
Bestselling author James Rada, Jr. has compiled the forgotten stories of Frederick County and its people. Secrets of Frederick County: Little-Known Stories & Hidden History About Maryland’s Largest County is the latest book in his Secrets series.
A lot of Maryland history has unfolded in Frederick County. It still maintains much of its agricultural roots and scenic beauty. However, along its mountain slopes, in the streets of its cities, and along its waterways, history has unfolded and, in some cases, been forgotten.
The first President of the United States was not George Washington, but he did live in Frederick County.
Contemporaries of the Wright Brothers test their airplane designs on the National Road in Braddock Heights.
The legendary Babe Ruth was first discovered during a baseball game at Mount St. Mary’s College.
A quarter of the Marine Corps invaded Frederick County in 1922.
Spanish Flu devastated the county in 1918, far worse than COVID-19.
These are just some of the stories included in the new book, Secrets of Frederick County: Little-Known Stories & Hidden History About Maryland’s Largest County. These are the types of stories that you won’t read about in history textbooks. They are stories that define the county’s character.
“These are stories that caught my attention in one way or another,” Rada said. “They aren’t well known—I call them hidden history—but they are the stories that can be the most interesting. They are part of the county’s history and helped make it what it is today.”
Secrets of Frederick County contains nearly 70 black-and-white photographs and illustrations that help bring the stories to life.
“I never imagined that I would make my living writing about history,” Rada said. “I thought it was boring in school, but then I discovered the story part of history and became hooked.”
Secrets of Frederick County is the ninth book in his popular Secrets series. Other local titles include Secrets of Catoctin Mountain, Secrets of the C&O Canal, and Secrets of the Gettysburg Battlefield. He has also written 10 other non-fiction history books and 12 historical fiction novels.
“I love finding interesting and unusual stories about people and places, and I haven’t come across an area that doesn’t have plenty of these stories,” Rada said.
Rada, Jr. is an Amazon best-selling author and award-winning writer who Midwest Book Review called “a writer of considerable and deftly expressed storytelling talent.” A review of Rada’s most recent historical fiction novel, Home for Wayward Elephants, on OnlineBookClub.org, called it “a delightful read with dynamic characters and highly emotional scenes.” He has been writing about history for 25 years and still finds it fascinating and new.
“History is not boring. It’s full of love, adventure, comedy, and mysteries that still aren’t solved to this day. It’s those types of stories I like to write, and I believe I’ve pulled together a great collection of them for this book,” Rada said.
Rada is the author of 39 books. He is the contributing writer and editor of The Catoctin Banner, and his articles have been published in magazines like The History Channel Magazine, Boy’s Life, and Frederick Magazine.
For more information about James Rada’s books, visit his website at jamesrada.com.
