The Civil War Civilian Experience on the Journey Through Hallowed Ground in Maryland

Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway - (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia)

Departure: Frederick, Maryland
Destination: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Maryland
Time to allow: 1 day

You’ve seen the battlefields and heard the stories of the soldiers, the generals, the politicians. What about the men, women, and children left at home to keep things running while the rest of the nation was at war? Spend a day on the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway in Maryland experiencing life as a civilian during the Civil War. Tour households, view artifacts at museums, and stroll through historic downtown districts as you learn the stories of the men, women, and children who bravely fought their own wars at home.

Day 1

  • Start: Frederick

    A city rich in history, Frederick is the perfect place to begin your Civil War Civilian experience. Home to a 50-block long historic district, you'll find plenty of places to eat and shop as you go throughout your day.

  • Stop 1: Rose Hill Manor and Museum

    From previous stop: 6 minutes / 1.8 mi (2.9 km)
    Directions:

    Head northwest on Motter Ave. Rose Hill Manor is on the right.
    Suggested time at this stop: 2 hours 30 minutes

    This family-friendly museum was once the home of Thomas Johnson, Maryland's first governor. Today, the museum is a hands-on museum showcasing the heritage of Rose Hill Manor from 1746 - 1950. The site features a manor house, ice house, log cabin, blacksmith shop, carriage collection, and two barns. Guided tours are offered daily!

  • Stop 2: National Museum of Civil War Medicine

    From previous stop: 6 minutes / 1.8 mi (2.9 km)
    Directions:

    Head south on Motter Ave and continue onto N Bentz St. Turn left onto W. Church St and then right onto Maxwell Ave. Take the first right onto E. Patrick St; the museum will be on the left.
    Suggested time at this stop: 2 hours

    During the Civil War, the City of Frederick acted as a major hospital center for both the North and the South. Today, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine shares the stories of the doctors, nurses, and soldiers. Spend a couple of hours delving into the medical side of the Civil War as you walk past displays of medical equipment, tools, prostheses, and other artifacts of a bygone era.

  • Stop 3: Barbara Fritchie House

    From previous stop: 1 minute / 0.3 mi (0.5 km)
    Directions:

    Head west on E Patrick Street toward N Market Street. The Barbara Fritchie house is on the left.
    Suggested time at this stop: 20 minutes

    See the home that inspired John Greenleaf Whittier's poem Barbara Fritchie: "Shoot if you must, this old gray head, but spare your country's flag, she said." Although the character in Whittier's poem is fictionalized, the real Barbara Fritchie, a 95-year-old staunch Unionist, did fly her Union flag to antagonize Confederate troops marching through Frederick during the Maryland Campaign in 1862. You can visit the exterior of the house year round; if you would like to go inside, call 301-600-4047 for hours.

  • Stop 4: Roger Brooke Taney House

    From previous stop: 1 minute / 0.2 mi (0.3 km)
    Directions:

    Head west on W Patrick Street and turn left onto S. Bentz Street. The Taney House will be on the right.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour 30 minutes

    Roger Brooke Taney served as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1836 to 1864. When he wasn't in Washington, DC he made his home in downtown Frederick. His house, now restored, presents nineteenth century life to visitors. Take a guided tour through the house, detached kitchen, root cellar, and slave quarters and imagine what life would have been like for Taney's family and slaves.

  • End: Mount Olivet Cemetery

    From previous stop: 5 minutes / 1.2 mi (1.9 km)
    Directions:

    Head South on S Bentz St and take the first left onto W South St. Take the third right onto S Market St to access the cemetery.
    Suggested time at this stop: 30 minutes

    Explore the Mount Olivet Cemetery for the graves of Barbara Fritchie, Francis Scott Key, and many Union and Confederate soldiers who died during the war. Built in the early 1850s, the cemetery includes a monument to Francis Scott Key, author of "the Star-Spangled Banner."

Totals for Day 1

Total Distance Traveled: 5.3 miles / 8.5 km
Total Travel Time: 19 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 6 hours 50 minutes