Northwest Hagerstown - Hagerstown, MD

German immigrant Jonathan Hager founded Hagerstown in 1739 although he named it Elizabethtown, after his wife. The city council changed it to Hagerstown in 1813. As an important city to many railroad companies, Hagerstown garnered the nickname the "Hub City." It also served as an aviation center when Fairchild Aircraft based its headquarters here from 1931 to 1984 and became the city's biggest employer.

Hagerstown's arts and entertainment district in city center houses the Maryland Theater, home to the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts and gallery exhibits by the Washington County Arts Council. Several museums reside in the downtown area as well, including the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts.

Downtown Hagerstown holds several popular annual events, such as the Western Maryland Blues Fest; Augustoberfest, celebrating Hagerstown's German heritage; and the Alsatia Mummers' Halloween Parade, the largest night-time parade on the East Coast.

Find delectable cuisine when the craving hits you in a wide array of restaurants located in or near Northwest Hagerstown.

Within the neighborhood, Cafe Italia on Pennsylvania Avenue serves pizza and hearty portions of classic Italian fare. You can’t go wrong with the manicotti or lasagna, but if you feel adventurous, try a specialty pizza with bacon, ranch and fries or the baked ziti pizza with ziti, ricotta and mozzarella.

Black Eyed Susan features a different special every night, such as a $10 bottle of wine with two entrées. The large menu includes a tasty shrimp and grits in either an appetizer or entrée portion and an amazing gourmet grilled cheese sandwich with Gouda, brie, havarti, caramelized onions and tomato topping the whole-grain bread.

Visitors and locals alike rave about Hempen Hill BBQ. Start with the crab chips — kettle chips covered in cheddar cheese, crab dip, scallions and tomatoes. For your entrée, give your taste buds a treat with the chorizo burger, cole slaw and sweet potato fries or the two meats platter with pit beef, pulled brisket, cole slaw and smoked macaroni and cheese.

If you want to extend dinner into a night out, Hempen Hill BBQ also hosts live music on Saturday nights. Go to Leitersburg Pike to the east for more night-life options. At the Colonial Sports Bar and Grill, root for your favorite team or participate in karaoke on Saturday nights. Break Away II Sports Lounge features more of a nightclub vibe. This club's all-night party includes a DJ who keeps the party going until 2 a.m. on Saturday nights. Late-night happy hours Monday through Friday, live bands and special events, such as a zombie prom, provide patrons with a fun atmosphere to share with old friends and new. A chic, upscale bowling alley with gourmet food and a full bar, Seven Ten plays music videos and sports on large-screen televisions over the alleys for added entertainment, and also hosts an arcade and pool tables. The lanes feature high-top tables and couches for socializing.

Hagerstown earned its nickname as the Hub City in part because Interstates 81 and 70 and the CSX, Norfolk Southern and Winchester and Western railroads pass through it. It’s also home to the Hagerstown Regional Airport. Despite the large railroad presence, no passenger rail service runs through Hagerstown. However, the Washington County Transit Department does operate buses in the area.

It takes about 5 minutes to get to city center from Northwest Hagerstown. Residents rely on Route 11 (Pennsylvania Avenue) as well as Route 40 to get around locally and to connect to Interstates 81 and 70. Residents park in their driveways or for free on the neighborhood streets. Most businesses in the area include parking as well. If you need a ride, call a local cab company for a pickup, but be aware that Uber doesn't operate in Hagerstown.

The subdivisions of Northwest Hagerstown include sidewalks that make walking safe, but residents mostly use them for leisurely strolls, exercise or to visit with neighbors. You need a car to do most errands, but bicycling provides another option. Most roads in the neighborhood, including Pennsylvania Avenue, maintain bike-friendliness.

Hagerstown provides many free parks for its residents to enjoy time outdoors. In Northwest Hagerstown, Hamilton Playground gives neighborhood children a place to play and explore the playground equipment. Have a picnic, play basketball or have an impromptu volleyball game here as well. Hagerstown welcomes leashed dogs in all its parks, but asks that they be kept out of children's play areas. Other nearby parks include Mills Park, with a playground, walking trails and a picnic pavilion, and Wheaton Park. At Wheaton Park, you can play tennis, basketball or softball, or read a book in the gazebo while the kids play on the playground.

The cost of living in Hagerstown sits about 19 percent below the average for Maryland. You save a little by living in Northwest Hagerstown, where the cost of living drops about 5 percent less than in the city center. Expect to pay an average of $744 per month for a one-bedroom apartment in Northwest and around $4 for a beer at a local bar. Gas costs about 9 percent more here than the national average. If you ride the bus instead of taking your car, you pay $1.25 for a regular fare. Save money by purchasing a 20-ride card for $24 or a 31-day unlimited ride pass for $50.

The primarily residential Northwest Hagerstown doesn't have much in the way of shopping other than a pharmacy, a dollar store and some service companies, such as carpet and auto supply stores. However, across Route 81 to the west, residents shop at the Walmart Supercenter and other big box stores, such as Home Depot and Dick's Sporting Goods. Shoppers from the surrounding area flock to the outlet mall on the south side of Hagerstown for great deals on merchandise. This mall hosts high-end retailers such as Ralph Lauren. Valley Mall to the southwest of the neighborhood gives residents more shopping options.

Unique locally owned shops sit scattered around Hagerstown, such as family-owned Olympia Candy Kitchen. This charming shop in a renovated Victorian cottage sells fresh chocolates and candies as well as gifts. On North Potomac Street downtown, Bikle's Snow, Skate and Surf stocks everything you need for your outdoor adventures from skiing to skateboarding. Across 81, Ingram’s Men's Shop sells quality name-brand merchandise at reasonable prices to help men look their best. The shop also provides free in-store alterations on everything it sells.

For groceries, head outside the neighborhood toward the north to find Food Lion and Martin's Food Market. Venture to the east to discover Weis Market, or go west to the Walmart Supercenter. Locals visit Penn Avenue Meats for the freshest cuts, ready-to-go meals and great tips for cooking meat and seafood. For those special marinating or salad dressing ingredients, stop by Weyira Olive Oil and Vinegar Tasting Gallery. On West Church Street in the heart of Hagerstown, visit the historic City Farmers Market on Saturday mornings year-round. The market hosts more than 30 vendors selling produce, baked goods, handmade crafts and more.