By Alisha Yocum Sixty years and three generations later, Catoctin Wildlife Preserve (CWP) is still sharing a love of animals with the community. Richard and Mary Anne Hahn first purchased the property at 13019 Catoctin Furnace Road in Thurmont in March 1966. The three-acre property was purchased from the widow of Gordon Gaver, who owned…

by Richard D. L. Fulton The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins? – Edgar Allen Poe Ghost and spirit stories and ghostly hauntings are as old as civilization itself, with virtually every culture on Earth having stories…

ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird Here we are heading into October. Where has the year gone? School is back in session, Labor Day has passed, cooler days are here, and the leaves will soon be changing. One of the best things about living in this area is the experience of enjoying four distinctive seasons and the wonderful…

by James Rada, Jr. Thurmont Flood Mitigation Project Approved The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners voted to approve funding for the Emmitsburg Road Flood Mitigation Project. The project will see the installation of two stormwater management facilities and a large culvert under Emmitsburg Road. The town had applied for a grant through the Maryland Water Infrastructure…

Seton Center’s Helping Hands Holidays program helps struggling families celebrate the holidays with a little less worry. The holiday season is often filled with family gatherings, shared meals, gifts, and traditions. But for families struggling to meet their basic needs, the added expenses of Thanksgiving and Christmas can make what should be a joyful season…

By James Rada Jr. Catoctin Mountain is now the setting for a fantasy novel by first-time author Lindsey Campbell. Catoctin Mountain Fever is a story of a healer woman, Airmed, who lives in the mountains above Thurmont, who gives much to the community but is also feared and ostracized. She has a variety of animal…

Chele’s Pickby Michele Tester My Husband’s Wife | by Alice Feeney  | psychological thriller novel I love psychological thriller novels, and this one did not disappoint. It had me guessing the whole time, with lots of twists and turns. I am usually very good at predicting the ending twist in the books I read; however,…

RelaYed by Becky Royer Smith, Submitted by Joan Bittner Fry If you’ve ever used Route 550 from Thurmont to Sabillasville, you probably became familiar with seeing Rowdy, the donkey. Rowdy was owned by Jim Royer, who lives just outside Sabillasville. He was a farmer for many years along with his father, Paul, who lived on…

By Alisha Yocum Tony and Tina Testa have been staples of the Thurmont community for the last 36 years and are excited to be celebrating another year of business. Growing up in Italy, Tony has always had a love of food. At just 10 years old, he started working as a dishwasher at a restaurant,…

By Alisha YocumLooking for something a little different? Thurmont has a new place to shop for unique clothing, accessories, and gifts for the whole family. Corn Crib Boutique offers a variety of styles for men, women, and children. Whether your style leans toward a little country, something edgy and trendy, or somewhere in between, you’re…

 by Richard D. L. Fulton The Creager Funeral Home The Creager Funeral Home in Thurmont was established in 1840 by James Jacobus Krieger when Thurmont was still known as Mechanicstown (the name was changed to Thurmont in 1894). The change of spelling from Krieger to Creager occurred sometime after the business establishment was founded. According…

The following are the statuses of new businesses and development coming to Emmitsburg from the town planner’s report: Emmit Ridge — The preliminary plan was approved on August 10. The applicant continues to address improvement plan comments from the Frederick County Soil Conservation District and Frederick County. Brookfield Phase 5 — Construction work is ongoing.…

The following are the statuses of new businesses and development coming to Thurmont from the town planner’s report: Subdivisions: Hammaker Hill, Phase 2 (Westview Drive) — 22 single-family homes in R-2. Completed. Mechanicstown, LLC (Emmitsburg Road) — Final Plat conditionally approved for 31 single-family lots in R-2/ ARP. Discussions between developer and builder in progress.…

The 70th Anniversary of the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show was held at Catoctin High School in Thurmont from Friday through Sunday, September 11-13. The opening ceremonies began with the 50th Anniversary of the C. Rodman Myers Community Organizations Flag Ceremony, and was renamed in honor and memory of Rodman, Community Show Co-Founder, who passed…

Winners in the 45th Annual Robert Kaas Memorial Horseshoe Pitching Contest for the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show were (from left): 2nd place, Donnie Kaas, Sr., Dale Kaas; 1st place, Paul Eyler; 3rd place, Richard Brown; 1st place, Charlie Kaas, Sr.; and 3rd place, Gary Hoffmaster

The 2026 Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show Pet Show was held on Saturday, September 12, at the Catoctin High School. There were 31 exhibitors who exhibited 66 pets at the show.  Judges were Jon Branson of the Catoctin Veterinary Clinic and Becky Clarke of the Dirty Dawg who both did an excellent job judging all…

The Town of Thurmont has received notification from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) that they have been selected to receive a grant from the Maryland Water Infrastructure Financing Administration (WIFA), which will be used to fund the Emmitsburg Road Flood Mitigation Project, a project that has been in the planning stages since 2021.…

The Emmitsburg High School’s 102nd Annual Alumni Banquet will be held on Saturday, October 17. All graduates of Emmitsburg High School and all who attended the school at some time are invited. They are asked to seek out classmates and encourage them to attend. Graduation is not a requirement. Teachers of the Emmitsburg School are…

For Catoctin High School student Peighton Rhinehart, showing cattle is more than a 4-H project. It is something she has been working on since she was just five years old. That hard work paid off at this year’s Maryland State Fair, where Peighton earned Grand Champion Market Steer with her Shorthorn Plus steer, Pablo (pictured…

By Alisha Yocum For many Americans, September 11, 2001, is a day they will never forget. They remember where they were when they first heard the news, watched the images on the television screen, and realized that the country had experienced an attack unlike anything most had ever witnessed. This year marks the 25th anniversary…