One Vast Hospital - Downtown Frederick Walking Tour
2026-04-25 10:30 - 11:00, 2026-04-26 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-05-02 10:30 - 11:00, 2026-05-03 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-05-09 10:30 - 11:00, 2026-05-10 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-05-16 10:30 - 11:00, 2026-05-17 12:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) and 8 more dates | National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 E. Patrick St., Frederick, 21701, United States
Explore the incredible Civil War history in Downtown Frederick with expert guides from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.
Every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday at 12:00 p.m. from April until September, docents from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine will explain how Frederick became “One Vast Hospital.” Arguably the most trying moment in city’s history came after the Battle of Antietam in the fall of 1862. The town’s population doubled when 8,000 wounded soldiers were delivered by ambulance to make-shift hospitals throughout Frederick. Walking tours last for an hour to an hour and a half.
Tickets are $15 and include admission to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in addition to the walking tour. Tickets are free for Museum members, but you must still reserve your spot. Reservations will be accepted on a first come first served basis.
Contact Chris Reed at chris.reed@civilwarmed.org for more information.

History Distilled: Alcohol & The Civil War Era
2026-04-30 18:30 | Pathfinder Farm Distillery Tasting Room and Cocktail Bar, 14 S. Main Street, Boonsboro, MD, 21713
Join us at Pathfinder Farm Distillery Tasting Room for a night of local spirits and history!

Pathfinder is thrilled to host “History Distilled,” an open-house storytelling event. Grab a signature Pathfinder cocktail and settle in as three captivating historians explore the fascinating and often rugged connection between alcohol and the American Civil War era.

Meet Our Speakers:

Travis Shaw, Director of Education at the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area With over two decades of experience in archaeology and historic preservation, Travis is a dedicated public historian who has shared his expertise through numerous articles and historical films.
Emily Huebner, Director of Operations and Programs for Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area. A specialist in Maryland history, Emily previously worked with the Maryland State Archives on the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland project and has a deep background in researching the state’s complex past.
Mallory Huard, Assistant Professor of History at Hood College A scholar of 19th-century U.S. history, Mallory specializes in the intersections of commerce and society and currently teaches courses on the American Civil War and environmental history.

This is an open-house style event. No stuffy lectures here—just great stories, good company, and excellent whiskey. Come out, support your local distillery, and learn something new about the high-proof history of our region.

Flower & Plant Market
2026-05-01 11:00 | The Union Mills Homestead, 3311 Littlestown Pike, Westminster, MD, 21158, United States
Join the Union Mills Homestead when they open the 2026 season with their 56th Annual Flower & Plant Market! Come see beautiful selections of your favorite regionally grown: Native Plants Hanging Baskets Annuals/Perennials Vegetable Plants and Herbs Shrubs and Trees Heirloom Vegetables Browse the Tannery and wagons for the perfect additions to your garden. Visit the Gardener’s Corner for gently used books, pots, containers, and other garden-related bargains. Browse the booths of craft and garden-related vendors.
Schedule: Friday Early-Bird Selections — have the first pick of the unique selection of quality plants! Kountry Kafe Catering will feature a light luncheon menu. Craft vendors will join for the afternoon. Saturday and Sunday Tannery and wagons full of locally grown flowers, shrubs, vegetables and herbs. Garden-related vendors. Kountry Kafe Catering will feature your lunch menu favorites. Historic House and Mill tours from noon – 4 pm (last combination tour starts at 3). Saturday only – children’s activity table provided by the Littlestown Garden Club.

Inside the Farms of Monocacy
2026-05-02 09:00 | Best Farm (Tour Stop #1), Urbana Pike, Monocacy National Battlefield, Frederick, MD, 21742, United States
The Battle of Monocacy was fought amongst the farms, fields, and forests along the Monocacy River on July 9, 1864. Each of the farms, and the people who lived on them, were impacted by the battle.
On May 2nd, 2026, join Monocacy National Battlefield Rangers and volunteers as they explore two of these farms. Guests should meet at Best Farm, tour stop #1 on Monocacy National Battlefield at 9am on May 2, 2026. At tour stop #1 you’ll look at the long legacy of the Best Farm. Located on the north end of the battlefield landscape, the Best Farm has a legacy far beyond the Civil War.
After Best Farm, guests will be encouraged to join the ranger staff at tour stop #2, the Worthington Farm. Guests should meet at Worthington Farm by 11am for the tour of Worthington Farm. This farm has a deep importance to the history of the campaign and the establishment of Monocacy National Battlefield itself. Space is limited at both farms, so please contact Monocacy National Battlefield via email, mono_mail@nps.gov or by calling 301-662-3515 to make your reservation.

"Ancestors at Antietam" - Virginia Mumma Hildebrand: The 70 Year Journey of the Antietam Remembered Manuscript
2026-05-02 14:00 | Antietam Institute Education Center, 101 W Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD, 21782
Virginia Mumma Hildebrand (1901–1982) grew up in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Virginia’s grandfather was Samuel Mumma Jr. (1838–1925), and her grandmother was Frances Reichard Mumma (1844–1883). Virginia’s great-grandfather was Samuel Mumma Sr. (1800–1876), and great-grandmother was Elizabeth Miller Mumma (1816–1886), owners of the Mumma farm in the middle of the battlefield.
The September 17, 1862, Battle of Antietam destroyed Samuel and Elizabeth Mumma’s family of ten’s home, barn, outbuildings, crops, and all of their personal property, save a few personal items and the clothes they were wearing when they evacuated.
Over her lifetime, Virginia Mumma Hildebrand listened to stories from family members and residents of Sharpsburg who were present during the battle. In her youth, she attended reunions held on the battlefield by past combatants from the North and South and listened to and recorded their stories. Many of these veterans convalesced from horrible wounds and illnesses in local homes and field hospitals for months and formed lifelong friendships with residents. Between 1956 and 1960, Virginia developed a draft manuscript for a new book called “Antietam Remembered” with plans to release it in time for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam held August 31 through September 17, 1962. Unfortunately, after five years’ work and bringing the manuscript to near completion, she took ill, and a series of circumstances left the work unpublished.
Despite her best efforts, her manuscript was never formally published as a finished work. One bound copy of the 1959 draft resides in the Western Maryland Room of the Washington County Free Library in Hagerstown, Maryland. In 2024, Virginia’s grandson Michael Hildebrand took on the task of updating and completing Antietam Remembered.
Mr. Michael Hildebrand had a fifty-one-year career in hazardous materials emergency planning and response. During his career, he held professional positions with the National Transportation Safety Board, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the American Petroleum Institute. He was a successful consultant for 27 years, completing more than 700 emergency planning and response projects throughout the United States and internationally. Michael is an experienced technical writer and has worked on 18 different textbook projects. He is the co-author of six textbooks currently in print on emergency response, including Hazardous Materials: Managing the Incident, 5th edition (2024), now in its 37th year of continuous print. Michael grew up in Hagerstown, Maryland, and spent many days visiting Sharpsburg, the Antietam Battlefield, and hunting relics on the Mumma family farm. He is a self-described Civil War history buff. These monthly “Ancestors at Antietam” talks are free and open to the public – anyone may attend – and you do not need to register. The talks will be held at the Institute’s Education Center at 101W Main Street, Sharpsburg, beginning at 2 pm.

Catoctin Furnace Outdoor Theater Festival
2026-05-14 19:00 - 2026-05-17 19:00 | Catoctin Furnace, 12610 Catoctin Furnace Road, Thurmont, Maryland, 21788
On May 14-17, join the Catoctin Furnace Historical Society for theater under the stars at four nightly performances of Iron Will, a tale of American colonists and enslaved African Americans who are both fighting for their freedom. Walk through the quaint village of Catoctin Furnace as the play unfolds. Combine it with a trip to the Maryland Iron Festival during the day on Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17. Tickets are $25 in advance at catoctinfurnace.org/theater/

The Maryland Iron Festival
2026-05-16 10:00 - 2026-05-17 10:00 | Catoctin Furnace, 12610 Catoctin Furnace Road, Thurmont, Maryland, 21788
The Maryland Iron Festival Celebrates 250! May 16-17
It’s the 250th birthday of our country and of Catoctin Furnace, home of the Maryland Iron Festival, and they’re pulling out all the stops. Join for a patriotic weekend of family fun, tours of the village, food trucks, live music, a beer and wine garden, a makers’ market, kids’ activities, an antique car show, and the exciting 2,800-degree molten iron pour at 1 pm on Saturday. You can purchase molds to carve in advance and take home your own cast iron tile. For the full schedule and information about parking and shuttle service, go to catoctinfurnace.org/mif/. A celebration like this only happens once every 250 years!

Monocacy's Lost Battalions
2026-05-16 14:00 | National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 E. Patrick St., Frederick, 21701, United States
At the Battle of Monocacy, fought July 9, 1864, Union troops launched a desperate attempt to delay a Confederate advance on Washington, D.C. Throughout the battle, the Federal commanders, Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace and Brig. Gen. James Ricketts, waited for additional reinforcements that never came. Where was the rest of Rickett’s command? Nearly a thousand of his men failed to reach the battlefield on July 9. Park Ranger Matt Borders will unravel the fascinating story of what happened to them, and where they were found.

Box Lunch Talk: A Tribute to Carroll County’s Hometown Heroes Presented by Steve Bowersox
2026-05-19 12:00 | Historical Society of Carroll County – Shriver-Weybright Auditorium, 210 East Main Street, Westminster, MD, 21157
Remembering the reason for Memorial Day by paying Tribute to several of Carroll’s war casualties. Steve will speak about five soldiers from various conflicts and tell their stories.
Steve is a member of the Board of Trustees at the Historical Society of Carroll County. He is a lifetime resident of Westminster and is retired from the Carroll County Public School system. He loves history in general and is particularly fond of Westminster History.
As always, there is no registration for Box Lunch Talks. You bring your lunch, and we provide the drinks and desserts (thanks to our volunteers and staff). The cost is $3 for HSCC members and $5 for nonmembers.
Questions? Please contact Laura Bankard, Outreach & Events Director at lbankard@hsccmd.org or 410.848.6494 ext. 200.

Last Full Measure of Devotion - Memorial Day at Monocacy National Battlefield
2026-05-25 14:00 | Monocacy National Battlefield Visitor Center, 5201 Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD, 21704, United States
Join Park Rangers as they discuss the history and importance of Memorial Day. Listen to patriotic music and participate in the National Moment of Silence as they commemorate those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

14th New York State Militia in the Maryland Campaign – Jim McLean
2026-06-01 19:00 | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 209 W Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD, 21782, United States
The Antietam Institute will be kicking off their 2026 Civil War Lecture Series on Monday, June 1st, with historian James L. McLean, Jr., telling the unique story of the 14th New York State Militia (14th Brooklyn) and the regiment’s actions in the 1862 Maryland Campaign.
The 14th New York State Militia, nicknamed the “14th Brooklyn,” “Brooklyn Chasseurs,” or “Red-legged Devils,” was a prominent Brooklyn volunteer regiment famous for its distinctive red-pants Zouave-style uniform and service in the Civil War as the 84th New York Infantry. Formed in 1847, it saw major action at First & Second Manassas and Gettysburg, earning high praise for bravery, and remained in service through later conflicts.
McLean’s interest in the Civil War, sparked at an early age on a bus trip to Gettysburg. In November 1863 (on the eve of JFK’s assassination), Jim attended his first meeting of the Baltimore Civil War Round Table at the age of 12. His interest in the Civil War has never waned. In September 1978, Jim gave a talk to the Round Table about Lysander Cutler’s brigade at Gettysburg. He had collected material on that brigade, which included the 14th New York State Militia/14th Brooklyn, ever since. Cutler’s Brigade at Gettysburg was published in 1987, revised and enlarged in 1994, and recently republished in 2023 by Savas Beatie. Jim has also published several articles in Civil War magazines. In October 2025, Savas Beatie released The 14th New York State Militia Volume I: “Baptized by Fire”—from Bull Run to Bull Run, April 1861–August 1862, of Jim’s proposed trilogy about the 14th NYSM. The book is full color throughout. It includes: 36 color maps; more than 100 photos/illustrations (many in color); over 500 pages; several appendices, one of which provides a detailed list of casualties, discharges, and desertions; footnotes at the bottom of the pages; high-quality, glossy paper; and an attractive dust jacket.
For thirty years, Jim taught high school mathematics. Much of the time, Jim also ran Butternut and Blue, a Civil War book business.
Come join leading historians and scholars as they discuss intriguing topics about their latest works and research on the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War during the Civil War Summer Lecture Series. See the complete 2026 schedule.
These indoor programs are held in McKinley Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The church is located at 209W Main Street with a small parking area off the alley. More parking is available on Main and Hall Streets. These lectures are free and open to the public. Each week, the Antietam Institute holds a drawing in which the proceeds support the Save Historic Antietam Foundation. Be sure to check their Facebook page for updates and changes to the schedule.

Gettysburg Surgeons: Facing a Common Enemy
2026-06-06 14:00 | National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 E. Patrick St., Frederick, 21701, United States
Join the National Museum of Civil War Medicine for a special First Saturday Speaker Event with Barbara Franco. She will share her findings from a 10-year project to identify the surgeons who cared for the wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. A database of more than 1,200 surgeons, both Union and Confederate, is the basis for her new book, “Gettysburg Surgeons: Facing a Common Enemy in the Civil War’s Deadliest Battle.” The study includes not only well-documented and prominent physicians who left written accounts, but also the lesser-known surgeons who were part of a complex system of doctors and caretakers both during and after the battle.
Barbara Franco is Founding Executive Director Emerita of the Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center and a new board member of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. As a public historian, curator, and museum director she has written and consulted about museum practice and historical interpretation. Her broad interest in the social, cultural, and intellectual history of the 19th century includes the decorative and fine arts, communal societies, fraternal organizations, the role of religion, and the Civil War era. She served as executive director of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., and Assistant Director for Museums at the Minnesota Historical Society.

"Ancestors at Antietam" - Lt. Samuel McBride Pringle and Garden’s Battery
2026-06-06 14:00 | Antietam Institute Education Center, 101 W Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD, 21782
Drawing on decades of research in original letters, diaries, and archival records, this presentation tells the story of Lieutenant Samuel McBride Pringle, set within the decisive stand of Captain Hugh R. Garden’s Palmetto Light Artillery during the Final Assault at Antietam. Under devastating Union fire across Antietam Creek, Garden’s Battery held Cemetery Hill until A. P. Hill’s arrival turned the tide. Mortally wounded, Pringle—great-great-uncle of the presenter—attempted to rise three times before being carried from the field, calling to his men, “They have killed me, boys, but stand by your guns!” Join us Saturday, June 6, as Institute member, Susie Ingles shares the story of her ancestor during her talk called, “They have killed me boys but stand by your guns!” Lt. Samuel McBride Pringle and Garden’s Battery in the Final Assault at Antietam”.
Susie Ingles is a legal aid lawyer in Greenville, South Carolina, practicing consumer protection law. She obtained a B.A. in History from Clemson University and her law degree from the University of South Carolina. She has spent many years researching and eventually writing the story of her great, great uncle, Confederate 1st Lieutenant Samuel McBride Pringle, the namesake of her father and brother, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam. She has traced his life through his original letters preserved by her family from his college years at Furman University in Greenville, through the 1st and 2nd Battles of Bull Run, and finally Antietam, where he was mortally wounded, then on to Winchester, Virginia, where he ultimately died and was laid to rest.
These monthly “Ancestors at Antietam” talks are free and open to the public – anyone may attend – and you do not need to register. The talks will be held at the Institute’s Education Center at 101W Main Street, Sharpsburg, beginning at 2 pm.

The Marines Land in Sharpsburg – Keith Snyder
2026-06-08 19:00 | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 209 W Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD, 21782, United States
The largest event ever to take place in Sharpsburg, after the Battle of Antietam, was in 1924 when the Marine Expeditionary Force marched to Antietam for a twelve-day training encampment. They brought aircraft, tanks, balloons, machine guns, plus their band and baseball team. On June 8, see numerous historic photos of this somewhat unknown event in the history of the park, as retired ranger, Keith Snyder presents: The Marines Land in Sharpsburg.
Keith Snyder had worked for the National Park Service since 1985 at four National Parks. He recently retired as the Chief of Resource Education and Visitor Services at Antietam National Battlefield. He is a graduate of Shepherd University and received his master’s degree from the U. S. Army War College. He retired from the United States Air Force and Air National Guard in 2016 after 40 years of service.
Come join leading historians and scholars as they discuss intriguing topics about their latest works and research on the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War during the Antietam Institute’s Civil War Summer Lecture Series. See the complete 2026 schedule.
These indoor programs are held in McKinley Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The church is located at 209W Main Street with a small parking area off the alley. More parking is available on Main and Hall Streets. These lectures are free and open to the public. Each week, the Antietam Institute holds a drawing in which the proceeds support the Save Historic Antietam Foundation. Be sure to check their Facebook page for updates and changes to the schedule.

Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage - Frederick County Tour
2026-06-13 10:00 - 17:00 | Throughout Frederick County, Frederick County, Frederick, Maryland, 21701
The Maryland House and Garden Tour of Frederick County showcases the region’s rich layers of history, from its earliest Native inhabitants to its role as a crossroads of trade, culture, and conflict. Formed in 1748, Frederick County flourished along the Old National Road, where stagecoaches and Conestoga wagons once carried settlers and goods westward, fueling the growth of thriving towns like Frederick, Middletown, and New Market. Visitors will explore historic homes and gardens that reflect the area’s agricultural prosperity, industrial innovation, and Civil War legacy. Today, Frederick County remains a vibrant mix of scenic farmland, mountain landscapes, and lively Main Street communities, where the past and present come together in one of Maryland’s most picturesque and historic destinations. Find the full list of tour sites here. Learn more and purchase your tickets here: https://www.mhgp.org/frederickcounty
