The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About20100602yb��o�oR 006 WASHINGTON COUNTY ; HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION A Washington County Administrative Annex 80 West Baltimore Street Hagerstown, Maryland 21740-6003 Telephone: 240-313-2430 FAX: 240-313-2431 �9RyLA�9 Deaf and Hard of Hearing call 7-1-1 for Maryland Relay AGENDA HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND CONFERENCE ROOM 1A & B WASHINGTON COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE ANNEX 80 WEST BALTIMORE STREET JUNE 2, 2010 7:00PM M A. Call to Order & Roll Call B. Minutes — May 5, 2010 * C. Communications & Bills D. Unfinished Business 1. Proposed cell tower, E. Budget F. New Business 1. Permit #2010-01909, Village zoning* G. Other Business H. Executive Session I. Adjournment * = written material enclosed \HDC\ajunel0.DOC 14145 Breezy Acres Road near Leitersburg, Balloon visibility test* 18846 Sandy Hook Road, covered front porch in Sandy Hook Rural NOTICE IS GIVEN THAI'IRE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MAY MEET IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 10.508, STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND. INDIVIDUALS REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS ARE REQUESTED TO CONTACT 'IRE WASHINGTON COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT. CONTACT PERMITS DEPARTMENT AT (301) 791-3065 VOICETrDD TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS NO LATER THAN TEN (10) WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO'I'HE MEETING. WVWW, Washeo-ntd.net RECYCLED PAPER May 13th, 2010 Mr. Stephen T. Goodrich Washington County Historic District Commission Washington County Administrative Annex 80 West Baltimore Street Hagerstown, Maryland 21740-6003 RE: Leltersburg#MD-110 Balloon Fly Visibility Test 14145 Breezy Acres Road Hagerstown, Washington County, MD 21742 Project No.: 100163101 Dear Mr. Goodrich: On behalf of Liberty Towers (Liberty) the following information, regarding the proposed construction of a 195' telecommunications lattice tower, was requested. According to correspondence received, dated April 8th, 2010, from the Washington County Historic District Commission (HDC), the HDC requested documentation be provided that illustrates the visibility of the proposed tower on the Leitersburg National Register Historic District and the surrounding area. Balloon Fly Visibility Test On April 23rd, 2010, Advantage Engineers (Advantage) conducted a "balloon fly" in order to determine the visibility of the proposed tower in relation to the Leitersburg Historic District and surrounding areas. A five (5) foot diameter red balloon was utilized to simulate the proposed antennae array and elevated to the proposed tower height of 199 feet. Care was taken to ensure the tower height was accurately represented during the balloon fly. Representative photographs were taken from various areas within the Leitersburg Historic District and along Ringgold Pike, Leitersburg Road, and Leitersburg Smithsburg Road looking toward the proposed tower in order to establish visibility. Given the distance from the tower, topography, vegetation, and terrain cover, it was determined that the proposed 199' lattice tower will be partially visible from the northeastern -most portion of the Leitersburg Historic District and select areas within the area surroundingthe site. However, due to the distance and limited visibility of the tower, it will not detract from the qualities of the historic properties in the area and it is the opinion of Advantage that the proposed undertaking. will have No. Adverse Effect on the Leitersburg Historic District. Photographs of the balloon test have been included for- review along with amap depicting the site and photograph locations. In addition, Advantage prepared Simulation Photographs to depict the proposed tower from visible areas. telecommunications / environmental / geotechnical 910 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055 (717) 458-0800 (717) 458-0801(fax) Mr. Stephen T. Goodrich May 13, 2010 Page 2 of 2 Upon review of the surrounding area, it was determined that there are no existing structures, with sufficient height, suitable for the collocation of antennas to provide coverage for the Leitersburg area. Please review the photographs and provide a determination to the following: Advantage Engineers 910 Century Drive Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 In addition, a copy of this correspondence has been sent to the Board of Zoning Appeals to provide them an opportunity to comment on the proposed undertaking and the potential effects on historical resources. We trust this is the information you require. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact the undersigned at (717) 458-0800. Respectfully Submitted, ADVANTAGE ENGINEERS, LLC Adam J. Bower Senior Environmental Scientist Cc: Kathy Kroboth, Zoning Coordinator for Board of Zoning Appeals N. Balloon height is=199 feet LEITERSBURG #MD -110 BALLOON FLY PHOTOS View 1: Proposed tower site looking north. (Refer to Photograph Simulation- View 1) LEITERSBURG #MD -110 BALLOON FLY PHOTOS View 2: From Ringold Pike looking to site. Balloon is visible. (Refer to Photograph Simulation- View 2) View 3: From northwestern edge of the Leitersburg Historic District looking to site. Balloon is visible. (Refer to Photograph Simulation- View 3) LEITERSBURG #MD -110 BALLOON FLY PHOTOS View 4: From Leitersburg. Road looking to site. Balloon is visible. (Refer to Photograph Simulation- View 4) View 5: From Leiter Street, within the Leitersburg Historic District, looking to site. Balloon is not visible. LEITERSBURG #MD -110 BALLOON FLY PHOTOS View 6: From intersection of Leiter St. and Leitersburg Smithsburg Rd., within the:Leiters- burg Historic District, looking to site. Balloon is not visible. View 7: From Leitersburg Smithsburg;Road, within the Leitersburg Historic District, looking to site. Balloon is not visible. LEITERSBURG #MD -110 BALLOON FLY PHOTOS View 8: From Leitersburg.Road looking.;to site. Balloon is -not visible. BALLOON FLY VISIBILITY TEST PHOTGRAPH SIMULATIONS FOR LEITERSBURG - #MD -110 CONTENTS VIEW 1: Proposed Conditions at Site VIEW 2: Proposed Conditions from Ringgold Pike VIEW 3: Proposed Conditions from Leitersburg Historic District (northwestern edge) VIEW 4: Proposed Conditions from Leitersburg Road telecommunications I environmental I geotechnical 910 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055 (717) 458-0800 (717) 458-0801(fax) .....:..:...::.:.. A''I : tip— ,Jr :.....:,::. .... .. v... .....:...:.. .. 3i.�t .fit, w-.....�,....1-:.,__.....;. Es..............._......... .:. •.:,.:..:: f;;it ryas :.... .....:..:......:....:...... sit:,- .......::........:...:....':�,..-.5.....::...................... ..,.. ..... + lI 'p., .:::. ........ ...::....... . ..::........ J4 11i... , 1 T r<' - c !S .r .s.r. .:.....:......:.:.....^............,:..........................:..... a ..... ...,... 3,.. �:::::::''`':.: J.: ..... .:......�.. .mac,.: �..... :......... _..... , ::.: ... :...::....:......,. ,..!:.. ..,. rxSn.,..:,::':.� If I ......:...:.:.. :..::...:...:.: ..4::1 : .x.J'..., v: t. IIIuIlIna C Z v/fl' 8 �� ig fad A @$ "CT\. f x 3 9 \ z pp S[@ a gq&3 s $b ?hM Y�idb 6IRR k1a gg� N W: ppp % Iiii � G r 3 3 Y P'i cg I \ §H| | ■. ( \ $ } b r -.� �_� �'" X��laj _ � i E �I 6 pp� fi M , �3�� I a f iij E {p � q Y $ 0 Oil 0 ZI 9 gg@€}P, b� g q b✓�Q9d 4{q€8�R agp�PRh k' 4 i hi 4� Y xn ,o -.n --_r-I v III $p @� F! pp�p b®g$9 I A fi - 8 I SS 2�6 I{ry I cebce�y 199, f _.. S xmn Wl II ;hi WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION a Washington County Administrative Annex 80 West Baltimore Street Hagerstown, Maryland 21740-6003 Telephone: 240-313-2430 FAX: 240-313-2431 Deaf and Hard of Hearing call 7-1-1 for Maryland Relay April 8, 2010 Mr. Adam J. Bower Senior Environmental Scientist Advantage Engineers 910 Century Drive Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 RE: LEITERSBURG - MD -110 14145 BREEZY ACRES ROAD Dear Mr, Bower: Subsequent to your correspondence of 3/8/10 and 3/18/10 the Washington County Historic District Commission(HDC) has reviewed the location of a proposed'199 foot lattice towel facility at 14.145Bicezy Acres Road near Leitersburg, MD- andits potential to affect historic resources. The HDC acknowledgesyourevaluation of theeffects on the identified historic sites within a'/x mile radius of the proposed site ;but 'does not necessarily agree with your'determinationof no effect. Further, the irno has great concern that a 199 foot lattice tower in this relatively flat, rural and open landscape can have visual impacts far beyond a''/z mile radius. The HDC is specifically concerned for a negative visual impact on the National Register district of Leitersburg which is located. less than a mile to the southwest, That HDC believes that before any entity can adequately assess the full impact of the proposed tower on historic, resources and the area in general that additional analysis in the form of balloon tests and photosimulations of the tower from multiple locations, including the northern boundary of the Leitersburg National Register district; should be performed and provided for additional review. The information should be provided to the Historic District Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals before those bodies make their respective analysis and recommendations or'decisions on the proposed tower. You may be aware that Section 4.22aof the Washington County Zoning. Ordinance requires an applicant to demonstrate an effort.to exhaust all alternatives to consti•ucting'a new tower such as locating on"existing towers, buildings, elevated tanks of other strtjctures able to provide the antenna platform required." There are seveial.large barn and silos in the area that could be considered. www.tvoshco-md.net RECYCLED PAPER Mr. Adam J. Bower April 8, 2010 Page 2 The IBC looks forward to receipt of the additional information in order to provide useful recommendations to you. and the Board of Zoning Appeals. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Sincerely, in CSC Stephen T. Goodrich Chief Planner HDC/stg/me Cc: Kathy Kroboth, Zoning -Coordinator (forBZA)(W/attachments) Michael Thompson, Director May 13th, 2010 Mr. Stephen T. Goodrich Washington County Historic District Commission Washington County Administrative Annex 80 West Baltimore Street Hagerstown, Maryland 21740-6003 RE: Leitersburg #MD -110 Balloon Fly Visibility Test 14145 Breezy Acres Road Hagerstown, Washington County, MD 21742 Project No.: 100163101 Dear Mr. Goodrich: For your review, please find enclosed the Balloon Fly Visibility Report for the above referenced project. Per our telephone conversation on May 13th, 2010, a> second` copy of this•„ report is included for Ms.. Kathy Kroboth, Zoning Coordinator for the Board of Zoning Appeals. If you have any questions or need further information please contact the undersigned at (717) 458-0800. Sincerely, ADVANTAGE ENGINEERS, LLC Adam J. Bower Senior Environmental Scientist v,;Er sIl% telecommunications I environmental / geotechnical 910 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055 (717) 458-0800 (717) 458-0801(fax) /, S' I on L IVR/Activity No: 2010.01909 WASHINGTON COUNTY BUILDING & ZONING PERMIT Applied: 05/11/2010 Project No: P2010-0451 Approved: Permit Type: RES-ADD Status: PENDING Inspector Area: B4 District/Acct No: 11001637 Job Address: 18846 SANDYHOOK ROAD KN Location: LOR 18846 SANDYHOOK ROAD Parcel No: 087-20-0103-00000 Zoning Dist: RURAL VILLAGE Floodplain: • Applicant: GAY KENNETH N ETAL 18846 SANDY HOOK RD KNOXVILLE, MD 21758 Phone Number: 301-418-3103 Owner: GAY KENNETH N ETAL .r, Contractor: Phone Number: Contractor Lic, No: Description: 138 SQ FT COVERED FRONT PORCH, PRESSURE TREATED LUMBER, SHED ROOF Foundation Size: 6 X 23 Exterior Finish: PRESSURE TREATED Air Conditioning: Type of Heat...: Septic........... Public Sewer...: Y Time Existed: Public Water...: Y Well............ Gas............: Time Existed: Electric.......: Construction Type: PDS Construction Valuation: $2,500.00 No. Of Bathrooms: Code Enforced: 2006 INT'L RESIDENTIAL CODE No. of Bedrooms: 0 Setbacks Lot Tract Area Lot Area Per Family Front Yard Setback Rear Yard Setback Left Side Setback Right Side Setback Lot Width Pronosed .23 ACRES .23 ACRES 21 0 5.9 9 38 Minimum Required 20,000 SQ FT 20,000 SQ FT 18.9 0 8 8 This permit has been reviewed by the Washington County Department of Permits & Inspections and meets all applicable local and state codes and ordinances. Should you have any questions, please contact our department at 240-313-2460 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. 80 West Baltimore Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740 Phone: 240-313-2460 Fax: 240-313-2461 Page 1 of 1 LOCATION -18846 Sandy Hook Road I F 4 Select Layer Street Names Streets C ❑Rural Village {RR} S . 4 af A rq T A.D7� Cur C%r w.. 9.. v. Refer to the Accela GIS Administrators Guide for instructions on how to set the disclaimer text displayed in this area. o► i N I1 Al Survey No. wR"�t�i)9p ( Maryland Historical Trust Magi No. State -Historic Sites Inventory Form i;�,�� DOE des no oN 7(U `- f7 /0 3 Car,''; t) IOU f� °5 ) 9. Name (indicate preferred name) historic Stone house and/or common 2. Location street & number north side of Sandy Hook Road, .06 mile west of Clark Rm hot for city, town Sandy Hook vicinity of congressional district sixth state Maryland county Washington 3. Classification Category Ownership Status Present Use district- — public _ occupied _ agriculture museum ( — building(s) — private — unoccupied commercial park structure both work in progress _ educational private residence site Public Acquisition Accessible entertainment religious — object in process — yes: restricted government scientific — being considered _ yes: unrestricted industrial — transportation not -applicable no military other: 4. Owner of Property (give names and mailing addresses of all owners) name street & number telephone no. city, town - .' state and zip code 5. Location of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Washington County Courthouse liber street & number Washington Street folio city, town Hagerstown state Maryland 6. Representation in Existing Historical Surveys title date federal state — county local 'epository for survey records city, town state 7 Description Survey No.WA-1jLOqg Con dition Check one Check on e — excellent — deteriorated unaltered X original site good — ruins altered moved date of move fair — unexposed rrepare both a summary paragraph and a general description of the resource and its various elements as it exists today. The stone house is a two-story stone structure built in a rectangular plan. The main section is a three -bay by one -bay structure with a one-story stone addition on the rear. This structure has a side entrance plan with a one-story, one -bay entrance porch. Ornamentation includes a bracket cornice, large wood lintels, and round -arch upper sash in the two -over -two sash windows, and bracket and pendant ornamentation on the porch. This structure is one of several significant stone structures in Sandy Hook. The property is located on the north side of Sandy Hook Road, approximately .06 mile west of Clark Road in Sandy Hook. The house sits on a slight rise above the road. The main facade faces south. The two-story structure is constructed of stone laid in a random pattern. The main facade is asymmetrically arranged with a side entrance. The entrance has a two= paneled door, with a window, a two -paned (round -arch pane) transom and large stone lintel. The other bays on the first story and three bays on the second story have two -over -two sash windows with large wood lintels and round - arch upper panes. There is a one -bay, one-story entrance porch with chanfered posts, pendant ornamentation: -and a stick railing. The structure has a bracket cornice and a gable roof covered in wood shingles. Interior -end brick chimneys rise from each gable end of the structure. S,gnhfocance .. Sorvey No:WA q. .. Aeriod Areas of Significance --Check and justify below — prehistoric — archeology -prehistoric 1400-1499 — archeology- historic — community planning __ landscape architecture._ religion — 1500-1599 — agriculture — conservation economics — law — science — 1600-1699 X architecture — education — literature — sculpture 1700-1799 — art 1800.-I — — engineering — military — music — social/ heel nitarian — commerce —1900 — communications _ exploration/settlement — Industry _ philosophy — ._ Invention politics/government — transpottation — others (specify) fY) Specific dates Builder/Architect check: Applicable Criteria: A B £C D and/or Applicable Exception: A B _C D E F G Level of Significance:. '_national _state Xjocai Prepare both a summary paragraph of significance cance and a general statement of history and This site is a contributing structure in the Sandy Hook Survey District. 9. Major Bibliographical References Survey No.* -dqg C Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References do NOT complete UTM references Quadrangle scale A B W I I I I I I I I I I I I III W 1 1 I 1 II I lII Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing cW IIIIIIIIIIIIIii DW IIIIIIIIIIII111 El ii I ii I ii I I it I ii F I I I I I I I Ii I I 1 I.1 I I 1 1 G II I I I I I I I I I, I I I I I I HI I I I I I I i I I I I I I I I I I Verbal boundary description and justification List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state code code state code county code 11. Form Prepared By name/title Joe organization Maryland Historical Trust date April 1983 street & number 21 State Circle telephone city or town Annapolis state Maryland The Maryland Historic Sites Inventory was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA, 1974 supplement. The survey and inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only and do not constitute any infringement of individual property rights. return to: Maryland Historical Trust Shaw House 21 State Circle Annapolis, Maryland 21401 (301) 269-2438 PS -2746 TAYLOR & TAYLOR ASSOCIATES, INC. I Historic Preservation and Community Development Specialists VILLAGE OF SANDY HOOIZ, MARYLAND: HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT Prepircd for Washington County Department of Planning and Community Development 100 West Washington Street Hagerstown, Maryland 21740 by TAYLOR & TAYLOR ASSOCIATES, INC. Historic Preservation and Community Development Specialists 9 Walnut Street Brookville, Pennsylvania 15825 2001 9 Walnut Street • Brookville, PA 15825 • 814-849-4900 • 814-849-4094 (fax) • e-mail: tta@key-net.net \ I' tom, g t CU1 1 V \ \ I. Q I' •�' CLARK ROAD O 3 'Al • - I r O �� I- 0 CA z D o m � � o, $ .0� 90 ° n>tD>ca y oOTD0A CD N •C `" t-4 o O m 0 to d '4- a O bA � d x j E ' z ' e z �__ ?� a * DE ❑ }-I-l&Ji � i iwII 5 I � � � �aee I xa� I � P.' Y. 0 �} �, �P122 1 i I� f P�11J � 1�� E V 1 dl 41fT ` W F— lP°4+f , \ O O a" tj O O 9 0 QI q O m y N J x 0 6 t E. 1S Mt n 7 .,�! �� Irv., � J 1 ! nl /%% c'f t w " AC -71 Kpc/ xCTI& f ICI <' / O Tyr , % up// Q ,t---' :m�r, p: J i Gad �Yr {gip I ¢/ K _ A I'I p _ js 'N\_ z U — tee! W s Y Lx ' i,aoK B '4 s d 5'a uJ a ' O O CD O VILLAGE OF SANDY HOOK, MARYLAND: HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT' The unincorporated village of Sandy Hook (Fig. 1) lies between South Mountain and the Maryland Heights of the Blue Ridge, on the north shore of the Potomac River, in south- western Washington County, Maryland, approximately eleven miles west of Frederick and Fig. 1 this excerpt from me u. u. ucu,ug.,a �w�.�-r ' �<'•-u•'--- ••'-r -__ the Harper's Ferry quadrangle illustrates the location of Sandy Hook and its relationship to Harper's Ferry, the canal and railroad, and the associated Civil War sites. worth a voyage across the Atlantic."2 twenty-five miles south of the county seat of Hagerstown. The village is at the foot of Pleasant Valley, opposite Loudoun County, Virginia and less than one mile downriver from Har- per's Ferry, West Virginia, with whose history Sandy Hook is in- extricably linked. The pictures- que quality of the area was recog- nized early by Thomas Jefferson, who in his Notes on, Virginia not- ed, "The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge is per- haps one of the most stupendous scenes in nature ... The same is The historic area of the village of Sandy Hook consists of a linear strip of land which iAs with much of rural Washington County, a dearth of written history exists for Sandy Hook. Two regional histories make little mention of the settlement, and the community is discussed only peripherally in accounts of the Civil War era. Sources which were consulted in the preparation of this Historic Context Statement appear in the Bibliography which was prepared as part of the development of this project. 2Quoted in the Hagerstown Heraid- AfailAnniversaty-Centennial Edition, August 29, 1962, p. D- 13. Village of Sandy Hook, Maryland: Historic Context Statement August, 2001 Page 3 runs east -to -west and contains approximately thirty acres and fewer than one hundred proper- ties. The area extends from the river bank northward approximately four hundred feet to the rear property lines of the proper- ties on the north side of Sandy Hook Road. In addition to buildings, two historic transpor- tation corridors are in the vil- lage —the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the trackage of the for- mer Washington County branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- road —both of which also contrib- uted significantly to the history of the community. Immediately Fig. 2 Thomas Taggart's 1859 map of Washington County shows sandy Hook to be little more than a hamlet on the canal, a character which it retains nearly one hundred fifty years later. Fig. 3 This streetscape photograph illustratesthe linear character or me village as well as its proximity to the B & O railroad. Maryland heights, which figured so prominently in the Civil War -era history of Dandy Hook, appears in the background. west of the village is the bluff known as Maryland Heights (see Fig. 3, left), which is a portion of the Harper's Ferry National His- torical Park. Sandy Hook Road is the community's principal thoroughfare, and Clark Road ex- tends northward for approxi- mately eight hundred feet near the center of the village. U. S. Route 34C passes through the Village of Sandy Hook, Maryland: Historic Context Statement August, 2001 Page 4 village on a high level bridge near the eastern reaches of the community. Sandy Hook is in the Eleventh Election District, which also carries the name of the village. The genesis of the hamlet is unrecorded, but it appears that the initial settlement oc- curred around 1830, since an 1882 county history noted that "fifty years ago there were but two houses there."3 When the local post office was established, it was known as Keep Tryst;, the etymology of which is not recorded. The aforementioned county history asserted that "Sandy Hook," the eventual name of the village, was owed to an incident wherein a teamster lost his team in a nearby quicksand pool. This tradition of the village's naming has been reprinted several times in the limited historical treatments of the community. Fig.4 This map is entitled "Map of the countyemoracrng the various routes sui ccyCU,vi L«..,,...L. a,... Ohio Rail Road by order of the Board of Engineers." It is thought that the map dates from 1831; Sandy Hook does not appear, although Berlin (now Weverton) is shown. [from the collection of the Library of Congress, through its American History websitel Sandy Hook's neighboring community of Harper's Ferry dates from the fourth decade of the eighteenth century, when Peter Stephenson settled the lands at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, in an area that became known as "Peter's Hole." In 1747, Robert Harper acquired Peter's Hole, erected a sawmill, and established the ferry which bore 3Scharf, J. Thomas History of Washington County, Maryland 1882; rpt. Baltimore: Regional Publishing Company, 1968., p. 1285 Village of Sandy Hook, Maryland: Historic Context Statement August, 2001 PageS his name, Sandy Hook, on the other hand, was not settled until nearly a century later, and its Fig. 5 By the time this map was drawn in 1sbb, the name or Drum nau been changed to Weverton, but Sandy Hook did not yet merit inclusion. This map was prepared for the Metropolitan Rail Road [from the collec- tioirof the Library of Congress, through its American History website] initial growth beyond two houses was likely spurred by the 1820s and 'thirties development of the Ches apeake and Ohio. The C & O dates from 1828, when President John Quincy Adams turned the first shov- elful of earth at Georgetown, near the national capitol. The Canal led westward to Cumberland, in Alle- gany County, Maryland. The Canal followed the Potomac River and led through Sandy Hook, carrying both goods and settlers westward to Cumberland, where they embarked overland on the National Road. The construction of the Canal involved thousands of laborers and was plagued with misfortune, ranging from legal maneuvering by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad over the rights -of -way to illness, including cholera, which claimed more than five hundred canal work- ers who died further westward in Washington County, near the junction of Antietam Creek and the Potomac River. The C & O reached Sandy Hook in 1833. At the same time the Canal was working its way west from Georgetown, the B & O was furiously laying track westward from Baltimore. While other communities along these two bitterly competing transportation routes grew and prospered, Sandy Hook remained small. By the 1880s, the village's population had grown to 373; it never grew significantly larger. Sandy Hook's greatest claim to fame occurred in 1859, when abolitionist John Brown, who had taken up residency at a farmhouse at Sample's Manor, northwest of the village, Village of Sandy Hook, Maryland: Historic Context Statement August, 2001 Page 6 stormed the United States Arsenal at Harper's Ferry. Local historian Thomas Williams recorded "Between eleven and twelve o'clock on Sunday night, October 16, 1859, `Ossawatamie' Brown at the head of about eighteen followers left the Sample's Manor farmhouse, crossed the Potomac on the bridge of the B & 0 railroad, and stealthily entered the little village of Harper's Ferry."4 Brown attacked the Arsenal and the United States military was ordered to the rescue. Ninety Marines left Washington for Harper's Ferry and were joined by another train carrying five Baltimore militia units. "At Sandy Hook, a mile below Harper's Ferry on the Maryland side, they were joined by Col. Robert E. Lee, U. S. Army. . . he led the Marines across the covered bridge and into the Armory grounds."5 Thus, Sandy Hook, the diminutive village along the river, canal, and railroad, was at the center of one of the most significant events in American history.. Two years later, in September, 1862, the Civil War was raging and the same Robert E. Lee —by that time the Confederate commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, General -- invaded Maryland to initiate what became known as the Maryland Campaign. Local historian Williams, writing less than a half -century later, recorded that "the month of September, 1862 became the most eventful in the history of Washington County. Two battles were fought in the Civil War during that month."6 One was the Battle of Antietam, which was waged north of Sandy Hook on September 16 and 17 and marked the end of the first Confederate invasion of the north. The second battle preceded Antietam by two days and was fought at South Mountain in the immediate environs of Sandy Hook. 4Williams, Thomas J. C. A History of Washington County 1906; rpt., Baltimore: Regional Publishing Company, 1968, p. 288. 5iManakee, Harold Russell, The Civil War in Maryland (Baltimore: Baltimore Historical Society, 1961), p. 8. 6Williams, op. cit., p. 329. Village of Sandy Hook, Maryland: Historic Context Statement August, 2001 Page 7 Lee had divided his army to march on Harper's Ferry. The Army of the Potomac, under Union General George B. McClellan, pursued the Confederates to Frederick, about eleven miles from Sandy Hook, and then advanced on South Mountain. McClellan's intent was to capture of three strategic passes through the mountain: Crampton's, Turner's, and Fox's Gaps, all of which are north of Sandy Hook. By the end of the day McClellan had turned back the Confederate forces but his activities after the victory at South Mountain allowed the garrison at Harper's Ferry to be captured by Lee's army on September 15. In conjunction with the capture of Harper's Ferry, Southern forces occupied Sandy Hook and on the day of the battle, "the Confederates began a furious artillery fire [on Harper's Ferry] simultaneously from Loudorm Heights and Maryland Heights and Sandy Hook."' Lee was able to reunite his divided army at Sharpsburg, where on September 16 and 17 occurred the Battle of Antietam; the second day of the battle became the bloodiest single day in American history. Thus, Sandy Hook was clearly and closely associated with the South Mountain battle, which has only recently been recognized as a critical component in the Maryland Campaign and, ultimately, in the Civil War.' The community was doubtless home to a variety of individuals whose proximity to the John Brown Raid and the various local Civil War incidents would have been indisputable. One of these was Patrick Higgins (1841-1915) whose obituary in a Shepherdstown, West Virginia, newspaper recounted his association with the 1859 Raid, when he would have been a young man of eighteen: Patrick Higgins, for many years a well known character of the Harper's Ferry neighbor- hood, died last Sunday at his home at Sandy Hook, in the 84" year of his age. He was the first man to be arrested by John Brown and his followers when they made their raid on Harper's Ferry 56 years ago. He was at the time a watchman at the bridge across the Potomac, and when Brown and his party made their appearance he courageously 7Scharf, op. cit., p. 237. 'Information on the Battle of South Mountain was drawn from two websites, both of which are cited in the Bibliography. Village of Sandy Hook, Maryland: Historic Context Statement August, 2001 P e8 called on them to halt. They drew their guns on him and he was taken along with them as a prisoner. Watching his chance, Higgins soon found opportunity to make a dash for liberty. Guns cracked and bullets whizzed all about him, but he hid behind some iron pillars and in the darkness finally made his escape. A negro [sic] who attempted to break away from the party and ran into the light, was killed. Higgins was a watch- man and switchman for the railroad company for many years and though he never drew very big wages he managed to accumulate considerable property, leaving an estate of some $25,000. Higgins was an original, character, and had often been written up by journalists who found that his experiences during the John Brown raid were extremely interesting.9 In addition to its significance as an important, although hitherto largely unacknowl- edged, Civil War site, the historic context of the village of Sandy Hook is also embodied in its architecture. Although modest in its scale, Sandy Hook's architecture represents a variety of r1" t J� ��l n yWCv Diu+� Fig. 6 This map appeared in the 1877 atlas of Washington County, ana snows the level or aeveropmcnr 01 oauuy I -look at that time. The Methodist Church is at the right and bridge guard Patrick Higgins' home is near the center of the village. the styles which were in vogue during the middle years of th_ e_ nineteenth PPrlt»n> during which time the town was developed. Most of the village is residential in character; early canal and railroad properties are no longer extant, although the 1877 county atlas (Fig. 5) indicates that between the railroad and the canal were an engine house and a ticket office along with a store and post office. The atlas also indicates that bridge watchman Patrick Higgins, men- tioned above, lived near the center of the community. The scale and rural character of Sandy Hook, along with the topography, precluded and major institutional development, but one historic institutional building, the Methodist Church, survives. The church is located along 9Shepherdstmlm Register, May 6, 1915. Village of Sandy Hook, Maryland: Historic Context Statement August, 2001 Page 9 Sandy Hook Road east of the heart of the community on a hill leading out of town. The 1877 atlas map indicates that a school stood immediately west of the church; it is not extant. s Fig. 7 This side -passage stone residence typifies the domestic architecture which was prevalent in SandyHook during the second quarter of the nineteenth century. The majority of the architecture of the village is vernacular in character. A number of properties are built of native stone along with residences of wood and a smaller iv number of brick. The Methodist Church is of brick. Traditional house types characterize Sandy Hook, including central -passage and side -passage single pile homes. Fenestration throughout Sandy Hook is primarily flat-topped, without notable ornament. Some homes retain multi -light historic sash with exterior operable louvered shutters. Most residential properties have open front porches and laterally -oriented gable roofs of varying materials including asphalt shingles and standing -seam metal. Alterations to historic properties in Sandy Hook are typical of those found elsewhere in older areas, and include the replacement: of historic wood sash, the application of non -historic siding, and the removal of significant architectural features such as porches and trim. However, these alterations do not detract from die community to any significant degree and the village of Sandy Hook Fig. 8 The Methodist Church along the road leading out of the village on the east side of Sandy Hook is the community's only historic institutional building. clearly retains sufficient historic fabric to reflect its appearance during its Period of Significance which extends from c. 1830 through the early years of the, twentieth century. Village of Sandy Hoolc, Maryland: Historic Context Statement August, 2001 Page 10 Thus, the context of the village of Sandy Hook is that of a rural western Maryland canal and railroad town, with irrefutable links to the abolitionist movement and to the American Civil War. Fig. 9 As the nineteenth century progressed, elements such as this Eastlake -style porch were added to earlier buildings in the district. Such additions are significant to the evolutionary history of the community. Vffiage of Sandy Hook, Maryland: Historic Context Statement August, 2001 Page 11 Bibliography An Illustrated Atlas of Washington County, Maryland Philadelphia: Lake, Griffing, & Co., 1877. Battle of South Mountain. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/soiithntbattle.html. Eolfinger, James R. Washington County, Maryland, Post Offices, When Established and Discontinued (unpublished MSS on the collection of the Washington County Historical Society, Hagerstown, Maryland). Manakee, Harold Russell. The Civil War in Maryland. Baltimore: Baltimore Historical Society, 1961. Historical Materials on Washington County Hagerstown: Washington County Free Library, 1975. Michael, Mary. The Story of Washington County. Williamsport, Maryland: 1993. Minnick, Rosemary, "Why Some Washington County Towns are So -Named," uncited newspaper article on file at the Washington County Historical Society, Hagerstown, Maryland). Musey, Reuben L. It Happened in Washington County. Hagerstown: Washington County Bicentennial Commission, 1976. Scharf, J. Thomas History of Washington County, Maryland 1882; rpt. Baltimore: Regional Publishing Company, 1968. South Mountain, Cramp ton Gap, Turner Gap, Fox Gap, Maryland. htpp: //americancivilwar. com/statepic/md/md002. html Taggert, Thomas. Map of Washington County, Maryland, Philadelphia: Charles DeSilver, 1859 [also Hagerstown: L. McKee & C. G. Robertson, 1859]. Williams, Thomas J. C. A History of Washington County 1906; rpt., Baltimore: Regional Publishing Company, 1968.