Heritage Frederick

Heritage Frederick The Museum of Frederick County History
Frederick County Archives and Research Center
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Heritage Frederick is the home of the Museum of Frederick County History, the Archive and Research Center, the Heritage Frederick Garden, and the Frederick County Historic Preservation Center. We collect artifacts and documents, research and preserve them, and through exhibits, lectures and programs, tell the stories of Frederick County History.

06/04/2026

Frederick has spent more than 275 years collecting beautiful buildings, and quite frankly, it seemed a shame to keep looking at them from ground level.

Elevated Architecture on the Double is a guided tour aboard our vintage London double-decker bus, offering a unique perspective on some of Frederick’s most fascinating historic buildings, churches, homes, and architectural landmarks. From the top deck, you’ll spot details that often go unnoticed from the sidewalk, while learning the stories behind the people, styles, and craftsmanship that helped shape the city.

Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast, a history lover, a photographer, or simply someone who enjoys seeing Frederick from a different angle, this tour offers a fresh perspective on a city you thought you knew.

After all, architecture looks even better from the top deck.

Book here:
https://marylanddoubledeckers.com/elevated-architecture-on-the-double/

Join us for our weekly guided gallery tour! Every Friday at 1pm, you can explore our historic museum and join a Heritage...
06/04/2026

Join us for our weekly guided gallery tour! Every Friday at 1pm, you can explore our historic museum and join a Heritage Frederick docent on a deep dive into one of our exhibits.

Are you curious about the history of the grand building Heritage Frederick calls home? Interested in knowing what is new at the Museum of Frederick County History? Join our Director Doug Propheter for a house tour as he shares the newest artifacts and stories to be featured in our exhibits.

Friday guided gallery tours are included in regular museum admission!
Please note that upstairs exhibits are only accessible by stairs.

Happy ! Created by a United Nations Resolution in 2018, World Bicycle Day is an international celebration of the physic...
06/03/2026

Happy !

Created by a United Nations Resolution in 2018, World Bicycle Day is an international celebration of the physical, environmental, and social benefits of bicycling. Frederick Countians have enjoyed bicycling for generations, as seen in these historic images from our archives!

For generations of Frederick Countians, Braddock Heights Resort and Amusement Park was the local summer playground. This...
05/31/2026

For generations of Frederick Countians, Braddock Heights Resort and Amusement Park was the local summer playground. This early-1900s photograph was captured on Jefferson Boulevard as it winds up the mountain to intersect Maryland Avenue at the entrance to Braddock Heights Park. Several "cottages" built by local families are seen clustered along the top of the ridge while on the opposite side, a trolley plies the rails that transported parkgoers to and from the Heights. Trolley service between Frederick and Braddock Heights commenced 130 years ago this summer. In 1906, the branch line seen in this photograph was added linking Braddock Heights to Jefferson.

P2006 Haller Collection, Frederick County Archives and Research Center, Heritage Frederick.

All aboard! We are so excited to announce our upcoming Elevated Architecture Double Decker Bus Tours in conjunction with...
05/28/2026

All aboard! We are so excited to announce our upcoming Elevated Architecture Double Decker Bus Tours in conjunction with ! Join Archivist Jody Brumage for an eye-level view of the most significant architecture in Frederick. 🚌🏛️

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.

Saturdays 10:00-11:30: June 13, July 11, and August 8
Sundays 2-3:30: September 13 and October 11

Tickets here ➡ https://marylanddoubledeckers.com/elevated-architecture-on-the-double/

Today, our nation commemorates Memorial Day and pays tribute to those who have given their lives in defense of the Unite...
05/25/2026

Today, our nation commemorates Memorial Day and pays tribute to those who have given their lives in defense of the United States.

The first monument to be constructed on the Monocacy Battlefield was dedicated by veterans of the 14th New Jersey Infantry on July 9, 1907. The monument is positioned just west of the Monocacy Junction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's main line and Frederick branch, around which the Civil War battle was fought in July 1864. The regiment lost 164 men at the Battle of Monocacy fighting to slow the Confederate Army's advance towards the federal capital at Washington, DC.

Before the monument was unveiled, Major John C. Patterson, a veteran of the 14th New Jersey, remarked: "Here on these fields, in the face of such great odds, the brave men of General Wallace's army fought with a courage and resistance rarely paralleled in the annals of war. From eight o'clock in the morning, with the thermometer in the nineties, we fought them until five o'clock of that July day. In this battle against such odds we suffered severely. Many of our comrades who had fought at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, the Bloody Angle, and at Cold Harbor fell here."

Our area is receiving some much needed rain, but don't let that put a damper on your holiday weekend! Looking for a good...
05/23/2026

Our area is receiving some much needed rain, but don't let that put a damper on your holiday weekend! Looking for a good indoor activity? The Museum of Frederick County History is open today, Saturday, May 23rd from 10am until 4pm. Come and choose your own adventure through eight different exhibits featuring hundreds of artifacts, photographs, and stories that will lead you to discover the rich and diverse history of Frederick County!

Photo: View of North Market Street at Seventh Street on a rainy day in the 1930s. P1757 Photograph Collection, Frederick County Archives and Research Center, Heritage Frederick.

05/22/2026

Introducing our newly renamed Bodmer Community Room! Our meeting and rental space got a facelift last year and now it has a new name to match, named in honor of Nancy Bodmer, dedicated volunteer and HF supporter. The room now serves as an extension of our regular exhibit spaces, with a set of archival images that will rotate to feature images from the collection. Come see our first iteration of this photo exhibit- Frederick Countians Engaging with History!

This color slide was taken by H. Hanford Hopkins of New Market and captures Edgewood, part of today's Monocacy National ...
05/22/2026

This color slide was taken by H. Hanford Hopkins of New Market and captures Edgewood, part of today's Monocacy National Battlefield.

In 1855, James H. Gambrill purchased a flour mill from George W. Delaplane on the eastern bank of the Monocacy River near the community of Araby. The mill dated back to 1830 when it was built by John McPherson, Jr. Barely a decade after Gambrill acquired the mill, it was in the center of fighting between United States and Confederate forces during the Battle of Monocacy on July 9, 1864.

Gambrill's success in the milling industry enabled him to build Edgewood in 1872/73, a grand Second Empire style brick house. The house contained a double parlor, library, and ballroom and was equipped with running water and gas lighting. Edgewood remained in the Gambrill family until 1901. Today, Edgewood serves as the headquarters of the National Historic Preservation Training Center.

SL0350, Hopkins Collection, Frederick County Archives and Research Center, Heritage Frederick

Address

24 E Church Street
Frederick, MD
21701

Opening Hours

Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

(301) 663-1188

Website

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