Carroll 250 Event: Fourth of July Celebration presented by the Carroll County Farm Museum
2026-07-04 16:00 (America/New_York) | Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 S. Center Street, Westminster, MD, 21157
Join the Carroll County Farm Museum on July 4th for Carroll’s largest fireworks display at their Fourth of July Celebration starting at 4pm with fireworks going off at sundown (approximately 9:30pm). Admission is $10 per car. There will be food, live entertainment, children’s activities and more.
Admission: $10 per vehicle (CASH ONLY) — exact change preferred (cuts down on waiting time to park). Admission is non-refundable. Please stay tuned for more details.
Please no pets, outside alcohol, glass containers, fireworks/sparklers, grills, skateboards/bikes/wheelies/hoverboards/scooters/etc., or popup tents/overhead shades. Overhead sunshades/tents pose a fire safety risk & obstruct the view of other guests–they are not permitted.

One Vast Hospital - Downtown Frederick Walking Tour
2026-07-05 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-07-11 10:30 - 11:00, 2026-07-12 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-07-18 10:30 - 11:00, 2026-07-19 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-07-25 10:30 - 11:00, 2026-07-26 12:00 - 13:30 | 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.

America's 250th Anniversary Celebration Concert
2026-07-05 15:00 | All Saints Episcopal Church, 106 West Church St., Frederick, MD, 21701
Sunday July 5th, All Saints Episcopal Church is celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the US with two musical performances. At 3:00PM a concert featuring music by Hollis Thoms, based on revolutionary era poetry. 4:00PM after the concert, all are welcome to join for a Declaration Roundtable. They will discuss our Founding Father’s original ideas and how they hold up 250 years later. At 5:30PM our Choral Evensong, experience Evening Prayer as our Founding Fathers would have! Music spanning from the Renaissance to the modern day. All events are free and family friendly! Food and refreshments will be served.

Carroll 250 Speaker Series: Midwives to the Revolution- Maryland Women in the Early American Printing Industry
2026-07-06 18:30 | Eldersburg Branch of Carroll County Public Library, 6400 Hemlock Drive, Eldersburg, MD, 21784
In an age when women’s voices were often silenced, some found power in ink and paper. Join Dr. Amy Rosenkrans as she uncovers the crucial role women played in the colonial printing industry, spotlighting Maryland trailblazers Anne Catharine Hoof Green of Annapolis and Mary Katharine Goddard of Baltimore—printers who helped shape public opinion in a revolutionary world.
Registration is required. Please register here.

Full View of the Enemy’s Lines: Reassessing Intelligence, Command, and the Federal Signal Service at Antietam – Cory M. Pfarr
2026-07-06 19:00 | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 209 W Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD, 21782, United States
Historian, Cory Pfarr will start off our July lectures with a look at the Federal Signal Service and his forthcoming book during his talk, “Full View of the Enemy’s Lines: Reassessing Intelligence, Command, and the Federal Signal Service at Antietam.”
Civil War scholarship has long framed Antietam through a contrast: Robert E. Lee as the dynamic battlefield commander and George B. McClellan as the detached spectator at the Pry House. Primary source evidence from the Maryland Campaign presents a different picture. Under Major Albert J. Myer and operationally directed by Captain Benjamin F. Fisher, the Federal Signal Service established a network of forward, headquarters, and backbone stations that gathered and relayed intelligence throughout September 17, 1862. One forward post—the Hooker–Meade–Sumner station manned by James Byron Brooks and William H. Hill—functioned as a mobile station that moved with the I and II Corps. Others, including the fixed Michael Miller Farm Station and the backbone post on Red Hill, transmitted battlefield reports in near-real time. These operations reveal a commander acting through an organized intelligence system, not passive observation.
Cory M. Pfarr works for the Department of War (formerly Defense). He is the award-winning author of Longstreet at Gettysburg: A Critical Reassessment (2019); Righting the Longstreet Record at Gettysburg: Six Matters of Controversy and Confusion (2023); and the forthcoming The Federal Signal Service at Antietam: Stations, Officers and Battlefield Intelligence on America’s Bloodiest Day (2026), all published by McFarland Books. His essays and scholarship have appeared in Gettysburg Magazine, North & South Magazine, and The Massachusetts Historical Review, and his work has been featured on the Pennsylvania Cable Network and C-SPAN American History TV, as well as presented to audiences at the U.S. Army War College. He lives in Fallston, Maryland, with his wife and three children.
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.

162nd Anniversary of the Battle of Monocacy Tour (Caravan Style)
2026-07-09 10:00 | Monocacy National Battlefield Visitor Center, 5201 Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD, 21704, United States
Transport yourself back in time to the day of the Battle of Monocacy as a ranger provides an in-depth tour of the battlefield. This driving tour will begin at the visitor center and cover the battle chronologically. Walk in the footsteps of the men who fought valiantly to safeguard their homes and country.

Ribbon Cutting: Naganna Exhibits Hall & History Learning Center & Exhibit Openings
2026-07-09 17:00 | Historical Society of Carroll County, 210 E. Main Street, Westminster, MD, 21157, United States
We hope you can join the Historical Society of Carroll County for the ribbon cutting and opening of the Naganna Exhibits Hall & History Learning Center and rededication of the Shriver-Weybright Auditorium on Thursday, July 9 at 5 pm. At that time, they will open their new Carroll 250 exhibit, Carroll County at 250: People, Place, and the Making of History. The exhibit will showcase artifacts from the HSCC collection, in addition to collections from Carroll County families and historic sites.
Other spaces officially opening on July 9th:
Doris J. Hull Event Serving Hall
Barbara Shipley Guthrie Docent Lounge and Gallery
Dave and Sharon Bollinger Kimmey Exhibit Room
We want to thank our staff, board of trustee members, volunteers, Samantha Dorsey, collections consultant, and especially the Shriver, Weybright, and Naganna families without whom this new space and exhibit would not be possible.
This is a free event and no registration is needed.
More about the exhibit:
Carroll County at 250: People, Place, and the Making of History opens July 9th at the new Naganna Exhibits Hall & History Learning Center at 210 E. Main Street in Westminster. The exhibition will explore how local residents have lived, shaped, and remembered the nation’s founding ideals from the Revolutionary era to today. The chronological exhibition brings national history close to home. Through objects, documents, and stories drawn from the Society’s collections, regional scholarship, and community contributions, visitors will discover how everyday life in Carroll County reflects broader American change. Guided by three central ideas, place, people, and memory, the exhibition will highlight how geography, work, belief, and civic life have shaped the county across generations. Additionally, the exhibit will demonstrate how history is preserved, interpreted, and shared over time. The exhibit will be open to the public Wednesday -Friday 11am-4pm weekly and will run through the end of 2027.
The Historical Society of Carroll County (HSCC) is discovering a plethora of incredible artifacts that will be on exhibit for the anniversary year, including General Mordecai Gists’ Revolutionary era cane sword, a famed Bruce family silver creamer, original 18th century documents, commemorative items from the 1976 bicentennial year, and other never-before-seen items from area museums and private collectors. Several objects on loan include archival documents from Dickinson College in Carlise, PA and pastel paintings from Frederick Kemmelmeyer, on loan from the Maryland Center for History and Culture in Baltimore.
Samantha Dorsey, a consultant specializing in curation and exhibits in museums in the mid-Atlantic region, is serving as guest curator of Carroll County at 250: People, Place, and the Making of History.

History: Shaken & Stirred - Untold Stories of Revolution in Carroll County
2026-07-09 18:00 | Covalent Spirits, 118 E. Main Street, Westminster, Maryland, 21157
Stop in for a drink at Covalent Spirits Westminster on July 9th at 6pm as HSCC continues History: Shaken and Stirred. Once again there will be five speakers telling up to 5-minutes of untold, local history stories shared with the crowd in a fun, relaxed setting. This quarter, Untold Stories of Revolution in Carroll County will be told. A special history-themed drink will be developed by owners Jenn and Drew. Light refreshments provided by Collision Course.
As a special treat, Blowfish Poke Hawaiian Grill – A frequent food truck in the Westminster area will be at Covalent Spirits for History: Shaken & Stirred this time. He offers fresh, island-inspired poke bowls, sushi, Hawaiian barbecue, and plates. No need to pay for a meal in advance. You will purchase that food from the truck and enjoy it inside Covalent or on their patio.
No RSVP or reservation required. All are welcome and encouraged to attend the auditorium and exhibit opening then come down Main Street to hear great stories of Revolution in Carroll County!

162nd Commemoration of the Battle of Monocacy
2026-07-11 09:00 | Monocacy National Battlefield Visitor Center, 5201 Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD, 21704, United States
Join rangers and volunteers as they commemorate the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Monocacy with real time hikes, along with military living history demonstrations. Rangers and living historians will work in tandem this year on different parts of the battlefield to provide a unique twist on traditional battlefield programming. Stay tuned for program/demonstration times.

Elevated Architecture Double Decker Bus Tour
2026-07-11 10:00 | The Museum of Frederick County History, 24 E Church St, Frederick, MD, 21701
Heritage Frederick is excited to partner with Maryland Double Deckers to bring you an all new history experience! Most people walk through Downtown Frederick with absolutely no awareness of what’s happening above their own eyebrows, which is precisely how gargoyles gain confidence. This tour aims to correct that.
Many of the defining features of historic Downtown Frederick’s charming architecture are found high above the streets in upper stories, cornices, and spires. Discover beautifully preserved examples of commercial, residential, religious, and public buildings displaying major American and European styles that span more than two centuries. Along the way, we’ll explore how the history of Frederick is told by the enduring structures that witnessed it.
Recurring program: Saturdays: June 13, July 11, August 8 10-11:30am Sundays: September 13, October 11 2-3:30pm

Living History at the Museum
2026-07-11 11:00 | National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 E. Patrick St., Frederick, 21701, United States
Join the National Museum of Civil War Medicine for living history! Members of the Blue and Gray Hospital Association will be in the Delaplaine Randall Conference Room describing the medical history of America’s bloodiest conflict. Dressed as members of the Union Medical Department and armed with period medical equipment, the unit brings a unique perspective to understanding the conflict.
The presentation is included with admission to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and FREE for NMCWM members.

“‘Your Golden Opportunity Is Gone?: General Meade & The Pursuit From Gettysburg” – Jen Murray
2026-07-13 19:00 | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 209 W Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD, 21782, United States
Between July 1-3, 1863, Major General George G. Meade led the Army of the Potomac in a victory at the Battle of Gettysburg, marking the army’s first significant battlefield victory to date. Upon hearing of the repulse of the Confederate forces at Gettysburg, northern civilians and newspapers rejoiced in Meade’s great victory. But such euphoria proved short-lived, and Meade’s decline in prominence came as rapidly as his ascent to command. By July 14, a mere eleven days following the battle’s climactic assault of Pickett’s Charge, General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia rested on the south side of the Potomac River. Disappointment in Meade’s inability to destroy, not merely defeat, the southern forces spread throughout the North and defined the atmosphere in Washington, D.C. During the program, we will explore Meade’s leadership during the pursuit and consider the Army of the Potomac in these pivotal days following the Battle of Gettysburg. Join us on July 13 as Dr. Jennifer Murray presents, “‘Your Golden Opportunity Is Gone?: General Meade & The Pursuit From Gettysburg.”
Dr. Jennifer M. Murray is an Assistant Professor of History at Shepherd University and the Director of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War. Her most recent publication is On A Great Battlefield: The Making, Management, and Memory of Gettysburg National Military Park, 1933-2023, published by the University of Tennessee Press in 2014 and printed as a second edition in 2023. Murray is currently working on a full-length biography of General George Meade, tentatively titled Meade at War. She is the co-editor of the forthcoming, “They Are Dead, And Yet They Live”: Civil War Memories in a Polarized America to be published by the University of Nebraska Press in February 2026. Prior to joining the faculty at Shepherd, Murray taught at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. A native of Maryland, Murray worked as a seasonal interpretive park ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park for nine summers.
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.

Citizen Meets Soldier
2026-07-18 10:00 - 2026-07-19 10:00 | The Union Mills Homestead, 3311 Littlestown Pike, Westminster, MD, 21158, United States
PLEASE NOTE: As of 7/16, all outdoor activities have been canceled due to impending weather. Any reenactors still able to attend are welcome at the historic house and grist mill. Visitors may still attend during regular admission hours (12-4) and experience Civil War focused programming as part of tours of the house and mill. Tickets may be purchased in the gift shop.
“Citizen Meets Soldier” is a living history of 1863 in Carroll County, Maryland. Join the Union Mills Homestead to commemorate the events of the hot summer of 1863. Walk in the footsteps of the citizens of Carroll County, Maryland, who were divided in their loyalties, and the Union and Confederate soldiers who camped along Big Pipe Creek at Union Mills in the days surrounding the Battle of Gettysburg. This event will celebrate and commemorate the chaos and excitement of the Civil War in Carroll County, Maryland.
In the days surrounding Lee’s Second Invasion of the North, small towns in Carroll County — including Union Mills — saw the movement of both U.S. and Confederate Armies, supply wagons, injured soldiers, and an important skirmish occurred in nearby Westminster. There, U.S. Cavalry charged headfirst into Confederate Cavalry under the command of Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart. But for a few hours, a battle may well have occurred at Union Mills, as it lay dead center in the Union Army’s defensive line along Big Pipe Creek and Union Mills served as the site of overnight encampments by both Stuart’s Confederate Cavalry and Sykes’ Fifth Corps of the U.S. Army. Stuart’s Cavalry pulled out of Union Mills just hours before the Union Army arrived!

Dan Sickles at Gettysburg: The Story of the Civil War’s Most Notorious Amputated Leg
2026-07-18 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 their Saturday Speaker Series with Historian James Hessler and take a fascinating look at myth, lore, and facts surrounding Maj. Gen. Dan Sickles’ Gettysburg wounding and leg amputation. A Confederate solid shot at the Battle of Gettysburg shattered controversial Union General Dan Sickles’ right leg, and surgeons subsequently amputated the limb. Sickles’ leg bone was then donated to the fledgling Army Medical Museum, and he often visited his severed limb there. Sickles’ leg bone remains a popular museum relic more than 160 years later, and a replica is now on display at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Hessler will discuss the odyssey of Sickles’ amputated leg and how he used it to declare himself “the hero of Gettysburg.”
James Hessler is a historian, author, and Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park. He is the author or co-author of four books on the Gettysburg Campaign: “Sickles at Gettysburg” (2009), “Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg” (2015), “Gettysburg’s Peach Orchard” (2019), and his most recent release, “The First Day at Gettysburg” (2025). Beyond his publications, Hessler co-created and hosts the popular Battle of Gettysburg Podcast, reaching a global audience of history enthusiasts.

Custer in the Maryland Campaign – Jim Hessler
2026-07-20 19:00 | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 209 W Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD, 21782, United States
Few names in American military history are as noteworthy and controversial as George Armstrong Custer. The year 2026 marks the 150th anniversary of his death at the Battle of Little Bighorn. The year 1862, however, marked the beginning of his rise as an officer in the Army of the Potomac. Join historian and LBG, Jim Hessler, on July 20, as we examine Custer’s role as a staff officer under George McClellan during the Maryland campaign and how that relationship impacted the rest of Custer’s life and meteoric career.
James Hessler is a historian, author, and Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park, where he has been interpreting the battle since 2003. He is the author or co-author of four books on the Gettysburg Campaign: Sickles at Gettysburg (2009), Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg (2015), Gettysburg’s Peach Orchard (2019), and his most recent release, The First Day at Gettysburg (2025). His work has earned several distinguished book awards, and he has also published articles in respected outlets such as Gettysburg Magazine.
Beyond his publications, Hessler co-created and hosts the popular Battle of Gettysburg Podcast, reaching a global audience of history enthusiasts. He has appeared as a public historian in major media such as the History Channel, NPR, Travel Channel, PCN-TV, and in programs and content development with the American Battlefield Trust.
Hessler is a frequent speaker for national and regional historical organizations. His willingness to tackle controversial subjects continues to spark discussion and deepen understanding of Gettysburg’s enduring story. Besides Gettysburg, Hessler has led battlefield tours at numerous sites across the country. He currently serves in a board or advisory capacity for Gettysburg History (Adams County Historical Society), Gettysburg Museum of History, and the Little Bighorn Associates.
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.

Box Lunch Talk: What the Dickens? A Look at Maryland’s Almshouses and Asylums Presented by Adrienne Smith
2026-07-21 12:00 | Historical Society of Carroll County, 210 E. Main Street, Westminster, MD, 21157, United States
Join Adrienne Smith as she discusses Carroll County’s Poor Farm and Springfield Hospital Center as examples of how the State of Maryland cared for its indigent citizens.
Adrienne is the curator of the Sykesville Gate House Museum which is run by the Town of Sykesville. After seven years as a middle school social studies teacher, Adrienne moved to Carroll County with her family where she began researching almshouses and asylums in Maryland. Through collaboration with mid-Atlantic hospitals such as Springfield Hospital Center, her work has helped extend a sense of place by sharing the historical and current role of places of mental healthcare within their broader communities.
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.

Curious Iguana Presents: Author & Historian Derek Baxter
2026-07-22 18:00 | C. Burr Artz Public Library, 110 E Patrick Street, Frederick, MD, 21701
In light of America’s 250th anniversary, Curious Iguana is excited to welcome historian and author Derek Baxter to Frederick at C. Burr Artz Public Library on Wednesday, July 22 from 6:00-7:00 pm to speak about his new book, “The Forgotten World War.” Focusing on the broader impacts of the American Revolution, Derek invites readers to consider how this infamous war spanned beyond American soil across the globe. Following his talk, Derek will answer questions and sign books. Copies of “The Forgotten World War” will be available for purchase at the event.
Location: C. Burr Artz Public Library, 110 E. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701. This event is free and open to the public. Curious Iguana is proud to partner with Frederick County Public Libraries for this event. For accessibility requests, email events@curiousiguana.com at least two (2) weeks prior to the event.
About the book: How well do you truly know the American Revolution? On the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the United States, author Derek Baxter reveals just how global an effort it was to create a new country.
Forget the Liberty Bell: if you want to truly understand the American Revolution, get a passport and visit the hills of Andalucia, the lagoons of the Yucatan, and the palaces of south India. In “The Forgotten World War,” Derek Baxter embarks on an adventure-filled quest across four continents to uncover the story of how Americans really won our independence. He discovers how the fighting in the U.S. was only one theater of a much broader conflict, in which an unlikely group of nations banded together to take on the mighty British Empire. On the windswept island of Jersey in the English Channel, he finds out how France attempted a full-scale invasion. At an unlikely Fourth of July party in Spain, he helps the descendent of a renowned Spanish general make a giant paella. In India, he investigates one of the greatest victories of the Revolutionary War, when an army five times as large as any that Washington ever put in the field (and with considerably more elephants) annihilated the Redcoats. Baxter finds the human stories behind this long-ago conflict—sometimes with surprising results.
“The Forgotten World War” delivers a powerful message, right in time for our nation’s 250th anniversary. America began only when peoples of different races, languages, and religions overcame mistrust and came together.
About the author: Derek Baxter is a historian, writer, and travel storyteller whose work explores the intersection of place, history, and personal journey. He is the author of The Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again and In Pursuit of Jefferson: Traveling through Europe with the Most Perplexing Founding Father, in which he recounts his journeys through six countries, armed with a guide written by Jefferson in 1788. He lives with his family in northern Virginia.

History on Tap: Civil War Beer Tasting
2026-07-24 17:00 | National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 E. Patrick St., Frederick, 21701, United States
Join the National Museum of Civil War Medicine for History on Tap: Civil War Beer Tasting on Friday, July 24, 2026 at 5:00pm. You’re invited to sample Civil War-inspired beers and snacks while exploring the stories of the people, places, and themes they’re named for. Tickets are $20/person or $35/couple. A limited number of tickets will be sold.

August 1 – Trolley History Day
2026-07-25 10:00 - 2026-07-26 16:00 | National Road Museum, 214 N. Main Street, Boonsboro, MD, 21713
Join the National Road Foundation as they celebrate trolleys in both of their buildings! This August marks 79 years since the last trolley trip left Hagerstown, so they will kick off the month with special displays of rarely-seen local trolley artifacts, films of trolleys both locally and from around the country, and more! As always, the Boonsboro Trolley Station Museum next door will be open as part of your tour. Children will be able to color and take home a 3D paper trolley model. Regular museum hours and “admission by donation” applies.

Discover the Heart of Maryland
2026-07-25 13:00 | Antietam Creek Vineyards, 4835 Branch Ave, Sharpsburg, MD, 21872
The Heart of Maryland Collaborative, a network of more than 30 organizations working across Frederick and Washington County, will host Discover the Heart of Maryland 2026 Saturday, July 25 from 1:00–3:00 PM at Antietam Creek Vineyards (4835 Branch Ave, Sharpsburg, MD).
It is a community event celebrating the region’s landscape, woods, and waters, connecting landowners with opportunities to implement projects on their land.
Sponsored by Catoctin Land Trust, the gathering highlights the collaborative efforts of organizations working together through the Whole Watershed Program to improve water quality, protect natural resources, and support sustainable land stewardship across the region.
Landowners are especially encouraged to attend, as the event provides a unique opportunity to meet directly with conservation professionals, learn about available funding and technical assistance, and explore potential projects such as stream restoration, tree plantings, and other land stewardship practices.
Partners from across the Collaborative will be tabling throughout the event, creating space for one-on-one conversations, while attendees can enjoy live music and food and drink in a relaxed outdoor setting.
Set in the scenic landscape of the Antietam Watershed, the event offers a welcoming, informal setting for conversation, connection, and collaboration, while building momentum for future conservation projects.
Event Details:
What: Discover the Heart of Maryland 2026
When: July 25, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Where: Antietam Creek Vineyards, Sharpsburg, MD
Who: Open to the public (landowners encouraged to attend)
For more information, please contact: Emma Tarquinio
Outreach and Engagement Manager
Catoctin Land Trust info@catoctinlandtrust.org
Please register at the link: https://catoctinlandtrust.org/event/discover-the-heart-of-maryland-2026/

“‘Irritable Heart’, Shell Shock, Battle Fatigue, and PTSD: The History of Combat Stress Reactions” Program at Historic Newcomer House
2026-07-25 13:00 | Newcomer House, 8422 Shepherdstown Pike, Keedysville, Maryland, 21756
On Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at the historic Newcomer House on the Antietam National Battlefield, Dr. Stephen A. Goldman will present a fascinating talk on “Irritable Heart,” Shell Shock, Battle Fatigue, and PTSD: The History of Combat Stress Reactions. This program is FREE to the public.
In 1996, the Office of the Inspector General Evaluation Report on the Management of Combat Stress Control in the Department of Defense noted that “Combat stress is not new,” its documentation “dat[ing] back to the Civil War.” Using data from that conflict, World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, psychiatrist and war historian Dr. Stephen A. Goldman will examine how evolving concepts and knowledge of combat-related stress led to the American Psychiatric Association’s milestone 1980 classification of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
He will then discuss the ongoing revision of PTSD diagnostic criteria based on accumulating experience and research from subsequent wars, and the actual (as opposed to popularly believed) extent of PTSD among veterans, up to and including those who have served in Iraqi, Afghanistan, or both theaters.
Stephen A. Goldman, M.D. is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and the only physician to serve on the Abraham Lincoln Institute Board of Directors. His having treated and worked with those who have been in combat, ongoing comprehensive study of veterans that spans 160 years, and their ramifications are all exemplified in his groundbreaking book, One More War to Fight: Union Veterans’ Battle for Equality through Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the Lost Cause.

History Distilled: Open-House Storytelling Event About Alcohol and the Civil War Era
2026-07-26 13:30 | Pathfinder Farm Distillery Tasting Room and Cocktail Bar, 14 S. Main Street, Boonsboro, MD, 21713
Join us at Pathfinder Farm Distillery for another round of “History Distilled.” The tasting room doors open at noon. Arrive early for cocktails, order food or grab snacks, and find a seat to settle in. This is an outdoor, rain or shine event under the tent and patio area. Listen along as three historians explore the fascinating connection between alcohol and the American Civil War era. Pathfinder will be donating 15% of total sales to the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area. Cheers!
Speakers:

Emily Huebner – Director of Operations and Programs for the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
Elizabeth Paul – Newcomer House Manager with the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
Gary Candelaria – TA Consultants, Naval History and Heritage Command

The Most Terrible Experience during the War: Stonewall Jackson’s Winter Campaign to Bath, Hancock, and Romney – Timothy R. Snyder
2026-07-27 19:00 | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 209 W Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD, 21782, United States
On July 27, local author Timothy R. Snyder will take a critical look at Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s controversial Bath-Romney Campaign, conducted in the winter of 1862. During the expedition, Jackson failed to achieve his objectives. Severe winter weather, an aggressive Union commander, and disgruntlement from a large portion of his command thwarted his plans. In the end, the Confederate high command intervened and reversed Jackson’s troop dispositions, which caused him to resign. The presentation will examine Jackson’s preparations and leadership during the campaign and the soundness of his decision to leave the majority of his army at Romney.
Timothy R. Snyder has a master’s degree in history from Shippensburg University. He is the author of Trembling in the Balance: the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal during the Civil War, which was published in 2011, and his most recent book, Stonewall Jackson’s Winter Operations: The Raids Against the C&O Canal and the Bath-Romney Campaign, which was published this year by Savas Beatie. He lives in Hagerstown, MD.
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.

Carroll 250 Event: Braddock’s Tars: The Sailors of the Braddock Expedition
2026-07-28 18:00 | Carroll County Public Library – North Carroll Branch, 2255 Hanover Pike, Hampstead, MD, 21074, United States
A little known party of thirty-three Royal Navy sailors marched with Braddock’s army in the 1755 expedition to attack Fort Duquesne that ended as a disastrous failure on the banks of the Monongahela. In Braddock’s Tars: Common Sailors and the Braddock Expedition, Kyle Dalton will use their story as a lens to look at the larger picture of common sailors in the British Atlantic World and discuss what we can learn from ordinary people in extraordinary situations.
Registration is required. Please register here.
