by James Rada, Jr. Emmitsburg April 2015 Town Employees Will Soon See Bigger Paychecks The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners approved a fifteen percent salary adjustment to employee salaries during their March 16 meeting. The increase will come in stages, with the first increase being five percent. The town had contracted with a human resources consultant […]
Guardian Hose Company Yard Sale The Guardian Hose Company is sponsoring a yard sale on May 30, 2015, at the Thurmont carnival grounds on 123 East Main Street in Thurmont. Spaces are $5.00 each. Vigilant Hose Company’s Spring Fling The Vigilant Hose Company’s Annual Spring Fling will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2014, at […]
The Thurmont business community put its best foot forward for the 11th Annual Thurmont Business Expo, held on April 2, 2015. However, this was the Expo that almost didn’t happen. Thurmont Main Street, the usual organizers of the event, had decided not to hold the Expo this year and canceled it. Heather Dewees and Rob […]
Emmitsburg Civilian and Veteran Organizations and Surrounding Communities Join Together to Celebrate the 33rd Annual Heritage Day Jim Houck, Jr. The combined planning efforts of civilian and Veteran organizations in Emmitsburg and the surrounding communities will join together to celebrate the 33rd Annual Heritage Day (formerly Community Day) on Saturday June 27, 2015. The Town […]
Deb Spalding Employees of the former Cozy Restaurant in Thurmont gathered at the restaurant for a group photo with Cozy’s owner, Jerry Freeze, on March 30, 2015. Many of the employees shared memories about their times together, and some of the famous customers they served. It was sobering and sad to notice how much of […]
Mayor John Kinnaird (far right), Chief Administrative Officer Jim Humerick (center), and Main Street Manager Vickie Grinder (left) pose in front of the new Thurmont kiosk at the Mason Dixon Welcome Center. The kiosk was provided by Frederick County Tourism Special Projects Coordinator Mr. Chris Haugh.
In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the covered wagon could be seen on the dusty and muddy roads of Frederick County, Maryland. The covered wagon was a home on wheels that was pulled by a team of horses, mules, or oxen to take a family to a new home in America. According to history.com, […]
Joan Bittner Fry In 1964, my family and I bought and later moved into a house in Sabillasville, where the late Tom and Annie Harbaugh had lived. I still live there. My mother helped pack up the Harbaugh’s household goods for public sale at the Blue Ridge Summit fire hall, but the family didn’t want […]
Allison Rostad Just as the sun began to set on Saturday, April 18, 2015, members and friends of the Graceham Volunteer Fire Company gathered to hold their annual banquet in recognition of the Company’s service in calendar year 2014. A greeting was given by emcee, Brian Boller, who was president of the Company in 2014. […]
Rev. Heath Wilson was appointed to serve at Tom’s Creek United Methodist Church (UMC) in Emmitsburg less than a year ago. His personal journey reflects that of many in today’s materialistic society. Before he was called to ministry, he was raised in a small village in upstate New York, named Phoenix. He attended Elmira College […]
Dennis Black acquired this historical photo for his collection. It is a postcard of the Thurmont 4th grade melody flute class. It appears to be a photo circa 1950s. If you can identify the children and the teacher in this wonderful, historical image of our local history, please email Dennis Black at dennisblack1@msn.com.
You Asked For It by Valerie Nusbaum Spring is finally here! During our long, hard winter, I must have heard the phrase, “I can’t wait until spring” at least a thousand times. As my old friend Jay would have said, “Well, here it is—spring….” You asked for it my friends, so don’t come crying to […]
Buck Reed The Supermarket Gourmet On May 2, 2015, the 141st Kentucky Derby will be held in Louisville, Kentucky. As this is one of our most-celebrated Southern racing traditions, you should try and make an effort to get there—if not this year, then maybe sometime in the future. But even if you can’t make it […]
This article includes excerpts from Karen Gardner’s article in a 1991 Frederick Post titled The History Behind the Doughboy and Joan Bittner Fry’s research in her compilation of local history titled, Did You Know? published in 2013. A doughboy is the popular name for a World War I foot soldier. A statue commemorating the doughboy […]
Army Chaplain, Family Man, Pastor, and Artist by Chris O’Connor Col. Bill Hammann of Blue Ridge Summit retired in 1999 after two and a half decades in the U.S. Army, where he served as a chaplain, rising through the ranks, ministering to the spiritual needs of American patriots and their families. His service to our […]
STAFF SERGEANT RICHARD L. FLEAGLE U.S. AIR FORCE RETIRED A Son Becomes a Veteran and A Father Becomes A Son by Jim Houck, Jr. Richard Lee Fleagle (Rick) was born to Dick and Joyce Fleagle on March 3, 1960. Rick graduated from Catoctin High School in 1978. He liked to have fun and was considered […]
A Survivor, A Best Friend, A Blessing by Michele Tester One lucky dog. That’s what would come to your mind if you saw Nala with her owner, Pam Ryan of Thurmont. The heartfelt connection and the happiness emanating between animal and human is unmistakable. But to say that Nala was the only lucky one in […]
Gardening for Wildlife Christine Schoene Maccabee On just one occasion, I had the pleasure of witnessing the profound beauty of hundreds of Monarch butterflies on their migratory path to Mexico. It was the first September of my new life here in the Catoctins, and my unmowed fields were bursting with flowering goldenrod. The goldenrod, being […]
Easter at Camp David by James Rada, Jr. Anyone with eyes knew just where President Richard M. Nixon and his family were Easter Sunday morning in 1971. It was pretty widely known through town that the Nixons would be spending the weekend at Camp David, a favorite retreat for the president. Since it was also […]
James Rada, Jr. The Thurmont Food Bank did what it does best at the grand opening of its new home on March 7…it fed people. Food trays of hot and cold foods were spread throughout the Thurmont’s former Town Office, as dozens of people crowded the building to see how it had changed now that […]
Catoctin Mountain Adventures Magazine If you own or operate a business in the Catoctin Region, from the Mason Dixon line to the Potomac River, you should advertise in the new Catoctin Mountain Adventures Magazine with Byway Guide (CMA). This is a project of E Plus Promotions, publishers of The Catoctin Banner, and operators at E […]
Thurmont’s Anytime Fitness Newly Remodeled and Expanded by Joseph Kirchner Spring has sprung, and, for most of us, that means it’s time to shake off the winter blues and get in shape. Have you put on a few extra pounds? If your response is yes, then joining a quality gym might be the answer for […]
Grace Eyler On March 7, 2015, members of Guardian Hose Company joined together to celebrate their accomplishments of 2014 during their annual banquet. Invocation was provided by Chaplin Rev. James Hamrick, followed by a home-cooked meal served by GT’s catering. Family and friends mingled until Wayne Stackhouse drew all attention to the podium, where he […]
James Rada, Jr. Walk into the science classrooms at Thurmont Middle School on Wednesdays after school and prepare to be amazed. Alyssa Malasky (6th grade) and Joey Risser (6th grade) built a rocket nearly as tall as they are that is powered by water. Mikaila Risser (8th grade) builds simple machines and tests what they […]
John Kempisty, Catoctin FFA Reporter During the week of February 22-28, 2015, FFA chapters across the nation celebrated National FFA Week. The Catoctin FFA Chapter celebrated every day of the week, hosting events for members and alumni. On Sunday, the Catoctin FFA chapter ate brunch, along with chapter Alumni, at the Mountain Gate Family Restaurant. […]