By Alisha Yocum The Catoctin Banner was excited to partner with the Town of Thurmont and the Town of Emmitsburg for our first-ever youth art contest! As our nation prepares to commemorate its 250th anniversary, young artists were invited to showcase their creativity and patriotism through artwork celebrating the United States. The judges were impressed…

The Maryland 400 by Richard D. L Fulton “Here … two hundred and fifty out of four hundred brave Maryland soldiers … were killed in combat.” –1897 plaque placed near the Vechten Stone Farmhouse On August 27, 1776, a torrential thunderstorm and heavy rain,  followed by cold from a nor’easter and a thick morning fog,…

by James Rada, Jr. Thurmont Changes to Municipal Parking Lot Plan Economic Development Manager Vickie Grinder provided updates on some issues that had arisen with the plan to make improvements to the municipal parking lot. The engineer working on the original plan left out stormwater management from the plan, which will add $75,000-$100,000 to the…

Woodsboro Burgess Heath Barnes Happy 250th birthday, America. I hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July weekend celebrating 250 years of American independence, the land of the free, and the home of the brave. June’s two food truck events in the park were very successful, with a lot of the community out…

ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird I just returned from the Maryland Municipal League (MML) Conference in Ocean City. The MML offers municipal leaders and staff members dozens of courses and seminars on topics of interest to our communities. I attended seminars on Policing-Immigration-Community Trust, De-Escalation of Confrontational Situations, Stretching Revenues, 2026 Legislative Recap, 2026 Federal Briefing, Maryland…

by Richard D. L. Fulton “Welcome to Maryland” The United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a sheet of 50 different 34-cent stamps on April 4, 2002, essentially commemorating the boom in state tourism, which traced its roots to the 1930s and 1940s, although early examples of tourism in Maryland date back to the 19th century.…

By Alisha Yocum Students at Thurmont Middle School recently brought laughter, music, and beloved fairy tale characters to the stage with their production of Shrek The Musical, based on the Oscar-winning animated film Shrek. The students performed three shows during the weekend of May 15-17, entertaining crowds of family members, friends, and community supporters. Audience…

Past and Present by Richard D. L Fulton The first feline, Proailurus, evolved some 25 million years ago and lived in Europe and Asia. Its Latin name, Proailurus, means “before cats,” but it has since become recognized as the earliest true cat, and was about the size of the modern house cat.  But an evolutionary…

ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird I was in the medical lab one day last week getting my monthly bloodwork. I need to go regularly to make sure the chemotherapy drugs I am taking don’t damage my kidneys. While I was there, I heard a technician ask another patient about their bad sunburn. The patient said that they…

by James Rada, Jr. Thurmont Thurmont Approves FY2027 Budget The Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners approved the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. The budget includes a $6 million general fund, a $12.2 million electric fund budget, a $2 million sewer fund budget, and a $1.2 million water fund budget. The town’s tax rate will remain…

SS Frederick Victory By Richard D. Fulton The United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a series of commemorative covers on April 18, 2008, in recognition of the Victory ships launched during World War II, which were employed with the task of transporting supplies and troops to overseas ports during the war. One of the covers…

Thurmont Little League Built on Community and Tradition by Alisha Yocum Traditions have stood the test of time at Thurmont Little League (TLL). On April 3, the league celebrated its 75th season, honoring decades of community, teamwork, and tradition. Historical images show that the raising of the flag has long been a part of Opening…

by Richard D. L. Fulton The story of Maryland’s vast coal seams began some 400 million years ago when the collision of the African and North American continents had begun to lead to land arising from the tropical seas … seas that had once covered the land that would eventually become Maryland. Around 320 million…

by James Rada, Jr. Thurmont Sidewalk Work Ongoing The Town of Thurmont began a comprehensive sidewalk replacement project on April 14. The project, funded by a Community Development Block Grant and Maryland Highway User Revenues, will remove and replace the sidewalks on Lombard Street, Walnut Street, and Carroll Street. While the work is underway, parking…

ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird This year, the United States is celebrating its 250th anniversary. I expect that there will be lots of opportunities to celebrate this milestone accomplishment! Interestingly, here in Thurmont, we are also celebrating a special anniversary. This year will be the 275th anniversary of the founding of our community by settlers from Pennsylvania.…

Baltimore-Washington HPO Richard D. L. Fulton The United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a three-cent stamp on February 28, 1952, commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad. The stamp depicted a horse-drawn railcar, the 1829-1930 Tom Thumb, and then-modern diesel. In addition, the legend on the stamps stated, “Baltimore & Ohio…

Rail fans affectionately called the Western Maryland Railway “Wild Mary.” Although no one is sure of the origin of this nickname, it is believed to have developed from the small railroad’s scrappy spirit as it traversed the mountainous terrain, steep grades, sharp curves, and dramatic scenery of Western Maryland. Unlike most railroads that were built…

Alisha Yocum In today’s world, running a restaurant is no easy task, but the Carriage House Inn in Emmitsburg is celebrating 40 years in business this year. While there are many reasons for their success, one thing stands out: They feel like family. The original owners, the late James “Pop” and JoAnn Hance, first opened…

by Richard D. L. Fulton Maryland has been the scene of numerous “firsts” in the annals of aviation, beginning with the first “manned” hot air balloon in America (see “Balloons Over Maryland,” by Richard D. L. Fulton, in the February 2026 issue of The Catoctin Banner) to the first airplane built in the state and…

by James Rada, Jr. Thurmont Emmitsburg Road Flood Mitigation Project On Hold Unless a significant grant can be found to help pay for the Emmitsburg Road Flood Mitigation Project, it has been tabled. The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners discussed the project during a recent town meeting. The project has been planned, and the needed property…