Sharpsburg Maryland
“Town Rich in History & Heritage”
Town of Sharpsburg MD
The town of Sharpsburg Maryland is rich in history and heritage. This is a Civil War enthusiasts place to take in a lot of history in one location. Sharpsburg Maryland is located nearby many historical attractions such as the Antietam Battlefield, the C&O Canal, Harper’s Ferry, Washington Monument State Park, South Mountain, Crystal Grottoes Caverns, and many others. Presently the town looks very much as it did in the 1800s. Modern day conveniences have been added, but have been carefully planned out so as not to interfere with the historical nature of the town. Sharpsburg itself is a great town to explore with being so close to the Potomac River, such as hiking, canoeing, and rafting.
History of Sharpsburg MD
A very interesting fact, is that when George Washington became President of the United States of America in 1789, he looked at the area between Sharpsburg (Maryland) and Shepherdstown (West Virginia) as a possible site for the permanent location of the U.S. Capital. It would have occupied both sides of the Potomac River in the same manner as the site he eventually chose further down the river at Georgetown and closer to his home at Mount Vernon.
Sharpsburg’s plans for the town were laid out in 1763, by Joseph Chapline, and was the first town in Washington county. He named the town after his friend Governor Horatio Sharpe, that said he chose that site because of the great natural spring located there.
The town flourished with English and German settlers and turned into a thriving commercial community. In 1836 the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal reached Sharpsburg giving many people living in Sharpsburg more work.
September 17, 1862 the “Bloodiest Day of the Civil War” took place at the Battle of Antietam or the Battle of Sharpsburg. Where the Confederacy General Robert E Lee took on the Union General George B McClellan with a total number of 23, 110 men died, wounded or missing that day. The people of Sharpsburg after the battle treated wounded and the remanants of battle and rebuilt the town. Veterans and families later made pilgrimages walking from the train station through the town to the National Cemetery. Sharpsburg has a Memorial Day Parade that started in the 1860s and still today has that same parade in remembrance.
Highlights of Sharpsburg Maryland
- C&O Canal
- Harper’s Ferry
- Washington Monument State Park
- South Mountain
- Crystal Grottoes Caverns
