Brunswick Crossing:

Do you love to Ice Skate or want to try?  There are several venues minutes from Brunswick Crossing that offer you the opportunity to skate all year round or enjoy the outside winter air in an open pavilion style setting.

Minutes from Brunswick Crossing is Skate Frederick which is Frederick’s premiere skating facility featuring two NHL regulation rinks (200′ x 85′). Skate Frederick offers a snack bar, a Pro Shop for all your skating needs, video games, skate rentals, seating for spectators and ample parking.

Ice Skating is not just a winter sport. Skate Frederick is open year round with daily public sessions for your skating enjoyment. Skate Frederick offers a wide range of recreational and competitive ice hockey and figure skating programs.

Reston Town Center‘s is less than 30 minutes from Brunswick Crossing with an open-air pavilion offers year-round events, including a free summer concert series, Taste of Reston, Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival and seasonal ice skating.

This unique outdoor facility is available to rent from April through mid-October for catered parties and dinners, business meetings, festivals, fundraisers, product launches and many other functions.

Also in Reston, Va and less than two miles from Reston Town Center is Skatequest. Skatequest ice skating rink founded in 1993 it is an indoor rink and open year round.

Looking for more ice? Less than 40 minutes from Brunswick Crossing is Hagerstown Sports & Ice Complex.  They have a variety of ice skating lessons for people of all ages as well as hockey  and homeschool programs.

So grab your skates, your family and friends and enjoy a day on the ice!

You don’t have to venture far to find frozen fun at Brunswick Crossing! In honor of the upcoming Brunswick Crossing Frost Festival, we thought we would Did you know Dog Sledding is as close as 45 minutes away? Snow or no snow, a dog sledding adventure can be found minutes from Brunswick Crossing!

Assembling a dog sled team involves picking leader dogs, point dogs, swing dogs, and wheel dogs. The lead dog is crucial so mushers take particular care of these dogs. Important too is to have powerful wheel dogs to pull the sled out from the snow. Point dogs (optional) are located behind the leader dogs, swing dogs between the point and wheel dogs, and team dogs are all other dogs in between the wheel and swing dogs and are selected for their endurance, strength and speed as part of the team. In dog sledding Siberian Huskies or Alaskan malamutes are the main types of dogs that are used because of their willingness to work.

Fifteen Interesting Facts about Sled Dogs and Sled Dog Racing:

1. Sled dog teams consist of four distinct parts; lead dogs that set the pace of the team, swing dogs that help to turn the sled, team dogs that provide the horsepower, and wheel dogs, which are usually the strongest dogs on the team and the ones closest to the sled.
2. Sled dog teams usually consist of 6 to 14 dogs.
3. Mushing is a general term that not only describes dog sled racing, but also carting, pulka, cootering, skijoring, freighting, and more.
4. Mushing is the state sport of Alaska.
5. Though not an official sport, sled dog racing was demonstrated at the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
6. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, arguably dog sled racing’s most popular event, began in 1973.  The Yukon Quest, one of the sport’s most difficult, had its first race in 1985.
7. The Yukon Quest race is over 1,000 miles long.  Temperatures routinely dip below -50 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. While the Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute might be the most famous breeds of sled dogs, any medium sized dog breed can be used to pull a sled and many mushers prefer to use cross-breeds.
9. Todd Palin, husband of Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, once challenged his counterpart Jill Biden to a dogsled race.  No word on whether or not Mrs. Biden responded to the challenge, or responded with a challenge of her own.
10. In addition to dog sled races, dogs may also be used in the sport for skijoring, where a person on skis is pulled by a horse, dogs, or a motor vehicle.
11. Libby Riddles was the first woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, in 1985.
12. Susan Butcher was the second woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, and the first person of either gender to win the race four times in five years.  She is currently tied with three others for second-most wins in the history of the race.
13. The city of Nome, AK, the finish line for the Iditarod, was founded in April 9, 1901.  It is Alaska’s oldest continuous first-class city.
14. Many sled dogs wear booties to protect their feet from sharp and granular ice.
15. While sled dog racing is often associated with Alaska and Canada, the sport has spread all over the globe and is gaining popularity in Australia.  The Canberra Sled Dog Club, the country’s largest and most active sled dog club, is involved with as many as 20 races a year.

Brunswick Crossing will once again bring Frost Fest to life February 18^th 2012 with ice sculptures. These lovely sculpted ice forms will be on display in front of each of our five single family models. Three of the forms will be sculpted before your very eyes! There is nothing more exciting than to have a live ice sculpting demonstration at an event or gathering. It’s truly amazing to watch as the carver turns a block of ice into a piece of art.

Ice sculpture is a form of sculpture that uses ice as the raw material. Sculptures from ice can be abstract or realistic and can be functional or purely decorative. Brunswick Crossing will have some of our favorite symbols carved for display on the front porches of our model homes.  Ice sculptures are generally associated with special or extravagant events because of their limited lifetime. Let’s hope for some cooler weather!

The lifetime of a sculpture is determined primarily by the temperature of its environment and thus, a sculpture can last from mere minutes to possibly months. There are several ice festivals held around the world, hosting competitions of ice sculpture carving.

The temperature of the environment affects how quickly the piece must be completed to avoid the effects of melting; if the sculpting does not take place in a cold environment, then the sculptor must work quickly to finish his piece. Some sculptures can be completed in as little as ten minutes if the carver is using power tools such as chainsaws and specialty bits fitted to a die grinder. Ice sculptors also use razor-sharp chisels and hand saws that are specifically designed for cutting ice. Blow torches are used to melt the frost and give the ice sculpture that clear, glass-like look when finished.

To produce a clear block of ice, pure clean water, or filtered water is pumped into large tanks. These large tanks are lined with plastic. Water pumps are placed on each end of the tank to keep the water moving. These pumps are key to a clear ice block. The pumps push the impurities to the surface. It takes about 3 days to freeze a 300lb. block of ice.

This art form is traditionally taught in culinary schools using text books such as Ice Sculpting the Modern Way, Joseph Amendola’s Ice Carving Made Easy and Mac Winker’s Ice Sculpture: The Art of Ice Carving in 12 Systematic Steps. There are also small schools that teach ice carving.

Ice sculptures feature decoratively in some cuisines and may be used to enhance the presentation of foods, especially cold foods such as seafood or sorbets. At holiday buffets and Sunday brunches some large restaurants and hotels will use ice sculptures to decorate the buffet tables. Cruise ship buffets are also famous for their use of ice sculptures.

Ice sculptures are often used at wedding receptions, usually as some form of decoration. Popular subjects for ice sculptures at weddings are hearts, doves, and swans. Swans have a reputation for monogamy, partly accounting for their popularity.

Learn how to make ice sculptures and you’ll be able to create beautiful works of art. Turning blocks of ice into sculptures complete with color, lights and intricate details is not as difficult as it seems In fact, you could make an ice sculpture at home.

Depending on the size of the ice sculpture you want to make, your tools will vary. If you are aiming for a simple winter project for you and your kids, consider making a smaller ice sculpture. You can do this using water, salt and simple kitchen tools. A day or two before you plan on making the ice sculptures, freeze water into blocks or molds. Then, using the salt and water, shape the ice. You can use water to melt away ice and the salt will adhere pieces of ice to each other. As you can imagine, it’s difficult to get too detailed with this type of ice sculpture, but it’s a good place to start.

If you want to go all out and make the type of ice sculpture you may see around the holidays, you’ll need a chainsaw, grinder, Percival, ice pick and heat gun. You’ll definitely want to wear gloves while making an ice sculpture, but it’s also a good idea to wear boots too, especially if you’re working with a larger piece of ice. You should definitely wear safety goggles so that you don’t injure an eye because of shards of ice.

To get the ice sculptures to be completely clear, you have to purify water then boil it several times. It is water without air bubbles that produces crystal-clear ice sculptures. You can buy this from specialty suppliers. If you don’t mind whether the sculpture is clear or cloudy, you can use regular ice.

As with any type of sculpture, it’s a good idea to have a drawing of what you’re going to do first. This will help you with the execution of an idea you may have in your mind. Using the drawing as a map of what you’ll do, saw and form the ice into the shape you want it to be.

Feel free to be creative with your ice sculptures. You can use food coloring, added objects and glitter to enhance your sculptures.

If you feel like leaving it to the experts, they will be back at Brunswick Crossing for the Frost Festival, February 18^th 2012. Enjoy the afternoon. There will be horse and buggy rides, hot chocolate, slushies, and weather permitting, smores’. Join us for Ice Sculpting excitement and pure winter fun.

Looking for a new adventure? Snowshoeing can be a great way to get out, walk and enjoy the beautiful winter weather. With all the open space here at Brunswick Crossing, snowshoeing can be done right outside your door.

Snowshoes are footwear for walking over the snow. Snowshoes work by distributing the weight of the person over a larger area so that the person’s foot does not sink completely into the snow. This is called “flotation”.

Traditional snowshoes have a hardwood frame with rawhide lacings. Some modern snowshoes are similar, but most are made of materials such as lightweight metal, plastic, and synthetic fabric. In addition to distributing the weight, snowshoes are generally raised at the toe for maneuverability. Regardless of configuration, all wooden shoes are referred to as “traditional” and all shoes made of other materials are called “modern.”

In the past, snowshoes were essential tools for fur traders, trappers and anyone whose life or living depended on the ability to get around in areas of deep and frequent snowfall, and they remain necessary equipment for forest rangers and others who must be able to get around areas inaccessible to motorized vehicles when the snow is deep. However, today snowshoes are mainly used for recreation, primarily by hikers and runners who like to continue their hobby in wintertime. Snowshoeing is easy to learn, and in appropriate conditions is a relatively safe and inexpensive recreational activity. However, snowshoeing in icy, steep terrain is more dangerous.

Snowshoeing can be done anywhere there is sufficient snow. There is no need to go to a special area of any kind, although such areas may offer some amenities not found in the typical woodlot or golf course.

Snowshoes function best when there is enough snow beneath them to pack a layer between them and the ground, usually at a depth of 8 inches or more. However, contrary to popular belief, snowshoes perform poorly on very icy and steep terrain. Snowshoes give relatively little grip on ice.

It is often said by snowshoers that if you can walk, you can snowshoe. This is true in optimal conditions, but snowshoeing properly requires some slight adjustments to walking. The method of walking is to lift the shoes slightly and slide the inner edges over each other, thus avoiding the unnatural and fatiguing “straddle-gait” that would otherwise be necessary. A snowshoer must be willing to roll his or her feet slightly as well. An exaggerated stride works best when starting out, particularly with larger or traditional shoes.

On newly fallen snow it is necessary for a snowshoer to “break” a trail. This is tiring (it may require up to 50% more energy than simply following behind) even on level terrain, and frequently in groups this work is shared among all participants.

An interest in snowshoeing made a comeback in the late 20^th century due to snowboarding banned from ski slopes. Many snowboarders and downhill skiers, found snowshoes useful in reaching the backcountry powder bowls and other areas not accessible by chairlifts. The snowshoe bindings are similar to snowboards which makes an easy transition from one to the other. Even though most ski areas allow snowboarding, there is a growing interest in backcountry snowboarding and skiing for those in search of fresh powder.

Snowshoes often use trekking poles or ski poles as an accessory to help them keep their balance on the snow. Other than that, no other special accessories are required. Most types of footwear can be worn with snowshoes, although hiking boots are the preferred choice among most recreational users. Ski boots will only work with certain snowshoes.

Snowshoes today are divided into three types:

• aerobic/running (small and light; not intended for backcountry use);
• recreational (a bit larger; meant for use in gentle-to moderate walks of 3–5 miles
• mountaineering (the largest, meant for serious hill-climbing, long-distance trips and off-trail use).

A common formula is that for every pound of body weight, there should be one square inch of snowshoe surface per snowshoe to adequately support the wearer. Users should also consider the weight of any gear they will be packing, especially if they expect to break trail. Those planning to travel into deep powder look for even larger shoes.

Well, there you have it. When the snow arrives, you’ll be ready to try something new. Brunswick Crossing is always ready for new adventures. Snowshoeing starts here!

Brunswick Crossing, the most beautiful planned community in Frederick County is excited and ready for snowflakes. Are you ready?

Do you remember catching snowflakes on your tongue when you were a child? Is it true that no two snowflakes are exactly alike? The winter solstice has come and gone, making it officially winter in the U.S., with cooler temperatures, less sunlight and in some places: snow, ice, and frost. As a child, snowflakes meant building snow forts and playing mock “battles”, using snowballs as weapons. What fun it was to make snow tunnels and snow caves, as well as snow angels and snowmen. Remember sledding, tobogganing and skiing on the hills that near by? Perhaps snowflakes could even give you a day off of school.

Where does all this white stuff come from? Have you ever given thought to how snowflakes are formed? Well, a man named Wilson Bently, who is known as the “Snowflake Man”, was a self-educated farmer who dedicated his life to the study of snowflakes.

Wilson Bentley became intrigued with snowflakes when he was 15 years old. He tried drawing their intricate shapes but they usually melted before he could finish. When he was seventeen his parents bought him a bellows camera with a microscope inside that could magnify snowflakes. After much trial and error, he succeeded in photographing his first snow crystal in 1885. He spent the rest of his life exploring snowflake forms and he photographed more than 5,000 snow crystals, of which no two were alike. He was the first one to publish an article suggesting that all snowflakes looked different.   Wilson Bentley wanted the world to know just how unique snowflakes were. To show the world his beautiful life’s work he published the book “Snow Crystals” when he was 66. During his life he wrote over 60 articles and books and was eventually dubbed The Snowflake Man. When he died in 1931, Bentley was the world’s snowflake expert. There is even a child’s book that’s been written about Bentley and his snowflake research. It’s called Snowflake Bentley.

Wilson Bentley is quoted as saying, “Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated., When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind.”

Little-Known Facts About Snow & Snowflakes

The largest snowflake recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records fell at Fort Keogh, Montana and was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick.

Scientists study snowflakes by spreading a chemical compound over a glass plate and waiting until a snowflake lands there. The compound immediately covers the snowflake and hardens. When the snowflake melts, it leaves behind a plastic case that shows its exact structure!

When combined, windblown snow and black dirt make what is called snirt.

A snow storm becomes a blizzard when visibility is under 1/4 mile and the storm continues for more than 3 hours with winds of 35 mph.

Stampede Pass, Washington averages 430 inches of snow per year. No wonder it’s known as the snow capital of the United States!

Be safe and enjoy the winter weather. See how many snowflake designs you can find. The fun is never ending in Brunswick Crossing. Snowflake season is here!

Looking for Frosty Fun? Besides Brunswick Crossing’s annual Frost Festival, there are lots of snow-filled adventures the entire family can enjoy minutes from Brunswick Crossing. There are two ski resorts less than 50 miles away and another one 82 miles away from Brunswick Crossing if your want to take you adventure a little farther.

Never skied before? Don’t worry, here are some suggestions for first time skiers to get you started:

• Dress in layers. A number of lighter layers allow you to adjust your clothing as the temperature changes.
• Wear a base layer of long underwear or tights.
• Warm collared shirt, turtleneck, sweater or fleece.
• Water and wind resistant pants are the best bet, and you will be very glad you have them. Snow or ski pants are ideal, but jeans are OK as long as you bring an extra pair. Avoid sweat pants, they get wet very quickly! Be sure your pants are wide enough at the bottom of the legs to fit over large boots.
• Jacket or shell with a high collar, once again water and wind resistant is best.
• High socks. Only wearing one pair is best. Avoid socks with big, thick seams if possible.
• Eye protection. Either sunglasses or goggles.
• Gloves or mittens. Gloves allow more freedom of movement, but mittens are warmer – either way waterproof is best. Avoid knit gloves, they get wet very quickly.
• Warm hat that covers your ears. The old saying “If your feet are cold, put on a hat” is true!
• Sunscreen and lip balm, SPF 15 or greater. Even on cloudy days it is very easy to get too much sun when on the snow.
• Be sure to bring extra clothes to change into for the ride home!
• You will also need a driver’s license or credit card to rent skis or a snowboard. Please bring them with you to the ticket windows!

Now that we are dressed where should we go?

Liberty Mountain Resort and Conference Center is 43.4 miles or approximately 57 minutes from your home at Brunswick Crossing.  They have 22 trails and 8 lifts as well as snow tubing and a terrain park.  The terrain park has many different areas for different expertise.

Whitetail Resort is 48.99 miles or approximately 1 hour and 14 minutes away from your house in Brunswick, MD.  The have a vertical drop of 935 feet and a top elevation of 1,800 feet. With 23 trails and 9 lifts they have an uphill capacity of 15,000 skiers per hour.  They have a snow tubing park as well as 2 terrain parks with half pipe.  They are open for night skiing and snowboarding every evening till 10 PM.  Whitetail has many amenities as follows:

• Marketplace Dining Area
• Windows Dining Area
• First Tracks Snack Shop
• Starbucks Wireless Internet Cafe
• Whitetail Sports Shop
• Complimentary Ski Check
• Basket Check
• Slope Side Lodging
• Exclusive Lodging Partners
• Changing Rooms

Roundtop Mountain Resort is 82.29 miles or approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes away from your house in Brunswick, MD.  They have 20 trails as well as 9 lifts.  They also have a snow tubing park and a terrain park. Feel like going fast? Experience the #1 NASTAR program in Pennsylvania!  Roundtop Mountain Resort has recreational racing for skiers and snowboarders of all ages.  Every Friday Night from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Saturday, Sunday and Holiday Noon to 3:00 pm.

Did you receive a gift card for the holidays to one of these ski resorts?  Since they are all owned by Snow Time, Inc. your gift card is welcome at any of the three resorts.
Enjoy winter fun so close to Brunswick Crossing!

Grab your hat and mittens, snow or no snow this winter it’s a frosty fun wonderland at Brunswick Crossing on February 18th! You are cordially invited to our Frost Festival. Join us for an afternoon of cozy carriage rides, amazing ice sculptures and fun activities for the whole family!

Activities from 12-5

• Live Ice Sculpture Demonstrations
• Horse Drawn Carriage Rides of the Community
• Meet Frosty the Snowman
• Frozen Slushies if you dare
• Gather ’round the fire
• Tour 7 Decorated models
• Toast S’mores, drink Hot Chocolate and more!

Join us – snow or shine – as we transform the heart of the Potomac River valley into our winter wonderland full of frozen fun!

The shots fired in Harpers Ferry during the raid by John Brown in October 1859 are regarded by many as the first of the Civil War. Harpers Ferry, only a stones throw from Brunswick Crossing. Who knew it would become the start of a 4 year campaign? Brunswick Crossing is surrounded by deep history. With the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War, Frederick County is in the heart of many important battles and sites that changed our history.

In many ways, Frederick County was at the crossroads of America’s Civil War. Located on the Mason Dixon Line, Frederick County was the site of the Battle of South Mountain (1862) and the Battle of Monocacy (1864). Its towns were alternately occupied by troops from both sides in the days before the nearby battles of Antietam (1862) and Gettysburg (1863). Today you can follow in the soldiers’ footsteps along two Maryland Civil War Trail driving tours. In the days after these battles, Frederick became a major hospital center. Today the story of care and compassion in the wake of battle is told at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. View the animated Civil War Trail maps. For additional information on the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area visit www.heartofthecivilwar.org.

These are just a few of the significant civil war sites in our area.

Top 10 Sesquicentennial Experiences

Civil War Trails – A sojourn along Maryland’s Civil War Trails retraces the steps of Union and Confederate soldiers en route to battles at Antietam and Gettysburg.  The trails take visitors through landscapes, towns and villages that look much as they did when troops, and the caregivers that followed, marched through and encamped here.

Frederick–The city witnessed a steady stream of Northern and Southern soldiers and full-blown military occupations from both armies, from 1862-1864. Several museums and historic sites offer Civil War exhibits, including interpretation of events that led up to war and post-battle care of the wounded and dead. Frederick was home to patriotic heroine Barbara Fritchie who was immortalized by John Greenleaf Whittier in his poem that also coined the term “clustered spires’ that is synonymous with Frederick. The “clustered spires” churches were used as makeshift infirmaries where as many as 8,000 soldiers were treated at one time. Besides numerous ways to explore history, Frederick offers a variety of shopping, dining, entertainment and public art experiences.

Hagerstown is where near riots, a newspaper office burning and other incidents took place as passions erupted before and during the war years.  Sites like the Jonathan Hager House and Museum, the Miller House, headquarters of the Washington County Historical Society, and the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts offer exhibits featuring artifacts and works of art of related to the Civil War. Downtown Hagerstown boasts historic buildings, thriving retail stores, great restaurants, an exciting calendar of events, and a system of interpretive markers that focus on local Civil War stories as a complement Civil War Trails.

Westminster offers a vibrant visitor experience, infused with Civil War history. The Historical Society of Carroll County is a great first stop where exhibits provide historical context for the events that took place here in the 1860s. Nowhere is the border state experience of divided loyalties in families more striking than at Union Mills Homestead, where as the Battle of Gettysburg loomed, Confederate cavalry units under J.E.B. Stuart, on their way north, stayed with the Southern sympathizing Shrivers, but before the dust had settled after their departure the next morning, Union troops set up camp across the road with the Pro-Union part of the family.  Interestingly, it wasn’t the southern sympathizers, but the northern leaning Shrivers that were the slave holders.  Annual encampments (July 16-17 in 2011) relive some of these times surrounding the Battle of Gettysburg.

South Mountain State Battlefield is where the first major battle on Northern soil took place. On September 14, 1862, this engagement involved battles fought for possession of the South Mountain passes: Crampton’s, Turner’s and Fox’s gaps.  It allowed General Robert E. Lee to hold back General George B. McClellan’s army and regroup his own forces at Sharpsburg, where the Battle of Antietam was fought several days later. Numerous guided hikes, interpretive programs and artillery demonstrations are offered throughout the year at Washington Monument and Gathland state parks, situated at two of the famous gaps.

Antietam National Battlefield is where pastoral, peaceful Sharpsburg became the location of the bloodiest single day battle in American history. Battle anniversary commemorations occur each September, with the 150^th commemoration scheduled for September 14-17, 2012. The strategic northern victory at Antietam prompted President Lincoln to issue his edict to emancipate slaves in occupied territories. The annual Memorial Illumination, with 23,110 luminaries, represents the battle’s casualties in a beautiful and poignant tribute.  Special guided tours of the Illumination by motor coach are offered by the Hagerstown-Washington County CVB. The Illumination takes place on the first Saturday of each December.

C & O Canal National Historical Park – The C&O Canal runs alongside the Potomac River, a dividing line between the Union and the Confederacy during the Civil War. Strategically important to both sides – the Union army used the canal for the movement of war materials and troops, while Confederates tried to damage canal aqueducts and impair boat traffic. Several campaigns were fought on or near the canal. Three beautiful aqueducts –engineering marvels with Civil War survival stories to share – may be visited in the Heart of the Civil War – Monocacy and Catoctin in Frederick County and Conococheague in Washington County.

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park – Much of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is located in Washington County, Maryland, in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area. From the spark that ignited the conflict in 1859 – John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry – to the largest surrender of Federal troops during the war, to the education of newly freed slaves after the war, this area was integral to every aspect of the Civil War.

Monocacy National Battlefield – Known as the “Battle that Saved Washington,” this was the final Confederate effort to move the war into the north. The battle anniversary is observed with programs each year; the 150^th commemoration is planned for July 9-13, 2014.  Before this land saw battle, it played a significant role in 1862, prior to the Battle of Antietam, when a copy of Robert E. Lee’s Special Orders #191 was lost in a farmer’s field and later found – wrapped around a few cigars – by passing Union soldiers. The original “Lost Orders” will find their way back to the area, on loan from the Library of Congress, in a special exhibit at the Monocacy National Battlefield Visitor Center, August-October, 2012.

National Museum of Civil War Medicine – A visit to any of this museum’s locations yields surprises and the discovery that “Civil War Medicine – It’s Not What you Think!” Whether viewing immersion exhibits at the main site in Frederick, which was once an embalming center for victims of the war, or displays at the Pry House Field Hospital near Sharpsburg, also General McClellan’s headquarters for a time, visitors will learn stories of compassion that knew no boundaries, courage, and innovations in medicine and crisis management that changed the face of modern medicine and provided the foundation for practices used today in military and civilian settings.

Begin your exploration at one of these local visitor centers:

The Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Exhibit and Visitor Center at the historic Newcomer House Antietam National Battlefield www.heartofthecivilwar.org (301) 432-6402

Carroll County Visitor Center www.carrollcountytourism.org 800-272-1933

Frederick Visitor Center www.fredericktourism.org 800-999-3613

Washington County Visitor Center www.marylandmemories.org 888-257-2600

“Civil War history lives here”, only minutes from Brunswick Crossing, Frederick’s most beautiful planned community.