Part I Richard D. L Fulton Amusement parks and their subgenera, theme parks, trace their origins back to the 1800s, and many 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 tend to focus more on storytelling. For…

by James Rada, Jr. T h u r m o n t .Town Gets Loan to Fight “Forever Chemicals” The Maryland Department of the Environment has approved the Town of Thurmont for three forgivable loans, totaling more than $6 million, to build filtration units at each of the town’s three water treatment plants. The filtration…

Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse Richard D. L. Fulton On August 6, 2021, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a “forever” stamp, featuring the Maryland Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse as part of a set of stamps commemorating Mid-Atlantic lighthouses. The stamp depicts the current version of the lighthouse, along with a flock of the endemic…

Old One Will Also Stay Open For Now James Rada Jr. Dozens of people showed up to wait in line in the rain on February 6 for the new Goodwill store in Thurmont to open. After three meetings for planning and approvals, the new, larger Goodwill retail store opened its new location on Thurmont Boulevard…

James Rada Jr. Thurmont residents are still opposing the plan to annex 16 acres of the Simmers property into the town. Nearly 8 acres of the 24.5-acre property at 304 Apples Church Road is already within the town limits. Residents filled the town meeting room during a recent planning and zoning commission meeting to present…

Alisha Yocum Emmitsburg welcomed Old Line Leather Lids with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5 East Main Street on February 15. Mayor Frank Davis attended the event, expressing his enthusiasm for this one-of-a-kind business choosing Emmitsburg as its home. Co-owners Nick and Brooke DeVries started Old Line Leather Lids six years ago in their kitchen,…

Alisha Yocum With spring just around the corner, North County Supply in Emmitsburg is ready to become your go-to destination for lawn and garden essentials, home décor, gifts, and more! Owners Chris and Destiny Pratt opened the store in November 2024, and they have been hard at work renovating and expanding their location at 16663…

by Richard D. L. Fulton Woodsboro Opera House The Woodsboro Opera House existed at 5 North Main Street in Woodsboro, located on the second floor of the building that had been constructed and occupied by the Woodsboro (Savings) Bank. The structure housing the opera house had replaced a pre-existing structure, which had served as the…

J&B Real Estate, Inc. is growing and is excited and honored to announce that the Little-Moore Team has decided to join J&B Real Estate, Inc. Tony and Jane bring many years of Real Estate expertise to the table, along with their Realtor team members Cinnamon Smith and Buck Wivell, and are a welcome addition to…

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. Seton Village — The county is reviewing the subdivision plats. MSMU School of Health Professions (South Seton Avenue) —…

Jennifer Joy The vibrant community of Emmitsburg is uniting to extend a helping hand to its residents. Beginning on March 12, the Neighborhood Meals Initiative will generously offer a complimentary sit-down dinner at the VHC Activities Building, located on Creamery Road in Emmitsburg. This event will take place every second Wednesday of the month, from…

Alisha Yocum Robert “Bob” Black (pictured right), owner of Catoctin Mountain Orchard, was recently honored with the International Fruit Tree Association (IFTA) Hall of Fame Award at their 68th Annual Conference in Rochester, New York. The organization of 450 members honored Black with this award. “Bob exemplifies the dedication and passion that define this honor.…

Starting in 2025, Rev. Marti Steiner Unger was called as Harriet Chapel’s new priest-in-charge. Rev. Marti received her BA in Education from Glenville State University and her theological certificate from Seminary of the Southwest through the Iona Collaborative. She previously served as a supply priest at Grace Episcopal Church in Middleway, West Virginia; St. Phillips…

Submitted by Joan Bittner Fry Article from Good Dog Paws We are incredibly grateful to Butch Wilhide, a true champion of our service dog program, Operation Save-A-Vet, Save-A-Pet, which supports Veterans with service-connected disabilities by providing them with highly trained service dogs, which can greatly improve their quality of life. Over the past eight years,…

The Thurmont Food Bank (TFB) does not have a paid staff. Everyone who works at the food bank is a volunteer. Most of the volunteers are senior citizens, but there are volunteers ranging from 16 to 80-plus years of age. The food is not all given by the government. Approximately 40 percent of the food…

Meet Attorney Michele Rosenfeld, Interviewed by Laura Apelbaum* On Behalf of the Committee to Protect Our Mountain Geraldine Otremba, Cascade Resident, on Behalf of the Committee to Protect Our Mountain Concerned residents of Cascade have been fighting the granting of a special exception that would allow the building of a Dollar General Market directly across…

Alisha Yocum Robert “Bob” Valentine was recently recognized as the 2025 Contemporary Guest of Honor at the Maryland Dairy Shrine Annual Banquet and Meeting in February. Valentine was one of four recipients recognized as a dairy leader who has made outstanding accomplishments and significant contributions to the dairy industry. Valentine is a third-generation Ayrshire breeder,…

By Alisha Yocum Brenda Gonder Brenda Gonder of Thurmont has a gift for bringing smiles and comfort to everyone she meets. Affectionately known as the “Queen of Weis,” many recognize her as the friendly face greeting them at the self-checkout at Weis Markets in Thurmont. For 18 years, Gonder has gone beyond her role, brightening…

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,…

Catoctin Colorfest Inc. gave a generous donation toward the Thurmont Downtown Flag Replacement Program and to assist with funding for the lighting project for the flagpole in Community Park. Catoctin Colorfest, Inc. President Carol Robertson presents the donation to CAO Jim Humerick.