Frederick, MD

The county seat of Frederick County, the city of Frederick is one of the most historic cities in Maryland. Settled by German immigrants, it wasn't until an influx of Irish refugees came that English became the common language spoken over German. During the American Revolution, Frederick served as a major crossroads and an important steel-making center. During the Civil War, a number of battles were fought around the city, and Abraham Lincoln once gave a speech at the city's train depot.

Today, the city has benefited from its wealth of history with a strong tourism industry. The western Maryland city is nearly 50 miles from Washington, D.C., and about 50 miles from Baltimore.

FOR VISITORS

• Frederick City Hall: Modeled after the Old Court of Assizes in Dublin, Ireland, by a local Irish architect, the Frederick City Hall was restored in 1985. The building is actually the third building to be built on the land, as the hall was a victim to deterioration and fire over its long history.
• Baker Park: The more than 40-acre park in Frederick's downtown has an assortment of recreational activities available to the city's residents, including playgrounds, ball fields, a band shell, a public swimming pool, and Culler Lake.
• Frederick Keys Harry Grove Stadium: This stadium is home to the Baltimore Orioles' single-A minor league baseball team, the Frederick Keys.
• The areas around Frederick are rich with opportunity for touring your way back into history--including covered bridges and many Civil War battlefields--and hiking, with the Appalachian trail 40 miles from town.
• Frederick is a center for antiques shopping: Some 200 dealers have set up shop in an eight-block area downtown.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Frederick's economy has come a long way from the historic market and mining town it once was. The biggest industries in Frederick are tourism, construction, manufacturing, education and health care. Being the county seat of the largest county in Maryland in terms of land mass, the city itself is a large employer. Some of Frederick's other major employers include:

• BP Solar: A subsidiary of BP, the solar company is the second biggest employer in Frederick County. Headquartered in Frederick, the company manufactures and installs solar panels all over the world. The company is also a leader in new battery technology.
• Fort Detrick: The county's largest employer, Fort Detrick is home to a number of governmental organizations, including the U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, and the National Cancer Institute of Frederick. From 1943 to 1956 the fort served as the center of biological weapon research in United States. Since the late 1950s all biological research at the base has been done for preventive and defensive purposes. The base employs nearly 8,000 military, contract and federal employees.
• Frederick County Board of Education: This group oversees more than 60 schools that serve Frederick County youth in kindergarten through 12th grade.
• Frederick Memorial Healthcare System: This comprehensive health-care center has been open for more than 100 years and offers emergency services, cardiac rehabilitation and hospice, among others.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

The downtown Frederick Historic District is a 50-block area packed with 200 antiques dealers, 100 specialty shops and 30 restaurants and a wealth of period buildings stretching back 200 years.

With a total area of 20.4 square miles, Frederick accommodates about 22,050 houses with an occupancy ratio of 94 percent. Out of these, 11,620 houses are owner-occupied and around 9,170 are renter-occupied.

The walkability of Frederick is fairly decent and many grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops and parks within a mile from the center of the city.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Barbara Fritchie House: This is the reconstructed home of the heroine of the Civil War whom poet John Greenleaf Whittier chronicled waving the American flag in face of Stonewall Jackson from the second story window of her home. The house offers tours daily and is located on West Patrick Street.
• National Museum of Civil War Medicine: The museum is dedicated to telling visitors the story of how medicine played an integral part in America's Civil War. The struggle amidst the destruction and violence led to the foundation of modern medicine in the United States.
• Mount Olivet Cemetery: The final resting place of the author of the "Star Spangled Banner," Francis Scott Key, as well as Barbara Fritchie and the first governor of Maryland, Thomas Johnson. A monument honoring Francis Scott Key was erected on the cemetery's grounds.
• Monocacy Battlefield: This is the site of the battle of Monocacy, which was fought right outside Frederick. The town served as an important medical site for the battle's wounded. Civil War researchers still regularly find artifacts from the battle on the historic battlefield.
• Frederick Arts Council: The council runs the county's cultural arts center, which features a black-box theater that offers regular productions, rehearsal halls, conference rooms, a dance studio, and offices. A number of theater companies stage productions ranging from children's theater to community theater and even professional theater companies. Art gallery exhibitions are hosted regularly at the center for the public.

GETTING AROUND

Frederick Municipal Airport: The airport is owned publicly by the town of Frederick and functions as a general aviation airport. The Frederick Flight Center is located at the airport and operates as a flight school as well as an aircraft rental center. Advanced Helicopter Concepts runs a flight school and rental business as well.

LOCAL MEDIA

• The Frederick News Post