Part II Richard D. L Fulton Amusement parks and their subgenre, theme parks, trace their origins back to the 1800s, and many more modern parks continue to thrive exceedingly well today. The difference between an amusement park and a theme park is that amusement parks provide general entertainment, while theme parks ten d to focus…

Thurmont Mayor John KinnairdMayor John Kinnaird was unable to submit his column for this month. Emmitsburg Mayor Frank Davis I do not want to jinx us, but I think the worst of winter may be over. The baseball fi eld has been full of young players, the dog park is barking, and the playgrounds are…

Richard D. L. Fulton Point of Rocks Station: 2023 The station, located at 4000 Clay Street in Point of Rocks, Frederick County, was designed by architect Ephraim Francis Baldwin and was constructed in 1875 by the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad. According to the application fi led in 1972 to place the station on the…

Chele’s Pick by Michele Tester In Five Years by Rebecca Serle published in 2020 a romance novel This was my first read by this author. It was suggested to me by my daughter, who is an avid reader. I have to say that the ending I predicted didn’t pan out as I had expected. I…

Alisha Yocum Catoctin Mountain Orchard recently served as a stop on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF) Field Trip in February. The event brought together a diverse group of attendees, including farmers, processors, scientists, policymakers, government officials, and representatives from non-governmental organizations, all eager to learn about the latest agricultural research,…

Alisha YocumSix months ago, Ellie DuJardin-Woodall opened Apotheke DuJardin at Fort Ritchie in Cascade to bring holistic and eco- and environmentally friendly products as part of the current revitalization of the old Army base. DuJardin-Woodall initially graduated from nursing school before joining the Air Force as a Respiratory Therapist, specializing in trauma and critical care.…

by Richard D. L. Fulton Gettysburg Pennsylvania’s Fantasyland Fantasyland, the memorable amusement park of Gettysburg, was established in 1959 by Kenneth and Thelma Dick after essential acreage was purchased for $21,000 from LeRoy and Esther Apgar. Kenneth Dick reportedly stated that during the course of a local Kiwanis meeting, he had conceived the idea for…

Emmitsburg New Business and Development Briefs 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 U.S. 15) — Under construction. A slight modifi cation to the improvement plans was made to add a roof drain system. It has…

A Unique Experience to Benefit the Leader Dogs for the Blind Alisha Yocum Imagine performing everyday tasks—taking a shower, climbing stairs, or eating dinner—without sight. The Glade Valley Lions Club’s Dinner in the Dark aimed to give attendees a firsthand experience of the daily challenges faced by nearly one million Americans living with blindness. Members…

James Rada, Jr. Not much has been heard about the Richard W. Kanode Farm Park—a new county park that will focus on agricultural and equestrian pursuits—since the public hearings last year. Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater approved the park master plan in May 2024. Later in the year, Phase 1 Design began with an emphasis…

Twenty-four volunteers got out bright and early on the morning of March 22 for the Spring Community Tree Planting at East End Park in Thurmont.  A demonstration on proper tree planting was conducted by Anna Twigg from the Maryland Forest Service. Twenty-four trees were planted, including American Linden, Pin Oak, Burr Oak, Sycamore, Eastern Red…

Lion Ruth Heaney Life is filled with milestones, beginning with being born. From there, an explosion of milestones occurs, including taking your first step and saying your first word, which may sound a bit garbled! A milestone for parents is when diapers are no more! Daycare or school marks another milestone, as you learn to…

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant in Thurmont hosted the 5 Guys and a Pi Contest on Pi Day, March 14, to benefit a non-profit of the winner’s choice. In the running were several well-known faces around Thurmont: Thurmont Police Chief Dave Armstrong – Supporting Tunnels to Towers Foundation. Commissioner Bill Blakeslee – Supporting Thurmont Food Bank.…

By Alisha Yocum Ed and Karen Schildt Nominated by: Bill Derbyshire Ed and Karen Schildt (pictured right) have become pillars of the Catoctin community, dedicating themselves to raising awareness and offering support to those struggling with addiction or grieving the loss of a loved one to addiction. Their journey began with their son, Chris, who…

March Community MeetingGeraldine Otremba, Cascade Resident, on Behalf of the Committee to Protect Our Mountain The Fort Ritchie Community Center welcomed Cascade residents eager to learn of the latest developments in what is now a three-year legal challenge to a proposed Dollar General Market directly across the street from Historic Fort Ritchie on McAfee Road.…

Alisha Yocum The Town of Thurmont proclaimed Friday, March 21, as Robert Black Day. Black and his family are the owners of Catoctin Mountain Orchard in Thurmont. The proclamation was made for Black for following the principles set forth by his father, Harry Black, when he opened Catoctin Mountain Orchard in 1948, his “community stewardship”…

Catoctin High senior Kaitlyn Bartlett was surprised at her school on Thursday, March 20, with the news that she earned a Dorsey Scholarship to McDaniel College—full room and board for four years. Bartlett was one of two FCPS students to receive a Dorsey Scholarship, and  just one of four overall this year. Kaitlynn Bartlett with…

Maxine Troxell The Thurmont High School Alumni Association banquet will be held on June 7 at 3:00 p.m. at the Rocky Ridge Fire Company Building, located at 13527 Motters Station Road in Rocky Ridge. The evening begins with a social hour at 3:00 p.m., followed by a turkey and oyster dinner. Dinner starts promptly at…

Thurmont Grange No. 409 is offering two scholarships to any 2025 Catoctin High School graduating senior who will be attending a technical or trade school, a community college, or a four-year college. You do not need to be a Grange member to apply. Applicants are required to submit one letter of recommendation, an essay about…

by Daniel Hoyle, CHS Student Writer What Are The Kids Doing?What are the kids doing? Where do they go after school or on the weekends? The truth is, nowhere. The Catoctin area is devoid of activities for young people to spend time doing.  Most kids (6th through 12th graders) either go to practice for a…