Hagerstown, MD

Hagerstown, MD, is the county seat of Washington County in the western region of the state and Maryland's 18th largest city. Covering an area of 12.91 square miles, the community has a population of 40,638 residents. The city is in close proximity to Frederick, Mount Airy and Westminster, MD. The state of Maryland was one of the country's original colonies, and settlers who arrived in 1736 in western Maryland, then considered a wilderness, were offered land at a very small cost as an enticement to persuade these newcomers to settle in this attractive region

The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, located in Hagerstown's historic City Park, has been praised for being one of the leading small museums in the country. It offers a surprisingly broad variety of fine arts exhibitions for viewers of all ages, housing over 7,000 works of art representing worldwide artists and cultures. The Maryland Theatre is a central feature of the Arts and Entertainment district of the city. Designed by architect Thomas Lamb in 1915, this dramatic arts institution seats an audience of 1300 at performances of music, comedy, dramatic productions and children's shows. It is also home to the Maryland Symphony Orchestra.

Another must-see is the Jonathan Hager House and Museum. Jonathan Hager built this unusual three and one-half story house in 1739, constructing it over cool flowing spring water. Its massive central chimney heated the stone home in winter, with the aid of 22-inch thick walls insulated by layers of mud and rye straw. During the heat of summer, the family stayed cool in the cellar while enjoying the refreshing relief of the spring water.