History
Historic Timeline
Frederick County has been a Maryland standout since its founding in 1748. Movers and shakers of United States history have started their lives and careers here, from Francis Scott Key, author of the national anthem, to Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first United States-born individual to be canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.
During the Civil War, Frederick was a key territory in the conflict. Acting as a barrier between the northern and southern states, it was occupied by both Union and Confederate troops and was located near the battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Antietam, near Sharpsburg, Maryland. Today, visitors to the county can commemorate this part of Frederick’s history by visiting South Mountain State Battlefield Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, and other sites.
Frederick continues to play a major role in United States history and politics. It is the home to presidential country retreat Camp David, located in Catoctin Mountain Park and Fort Detrick, a U.S. Army Medical Command that is also one of the county’s largest employers. Frederick also has a distinctive 40-block historic district making it an ideal place to explore.
