HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune Agenda Packet_StaffReportsIncluded
Gregory Smith, Chair Vernell Doyle
Lloyd Yavener, Vice Chair Michael Lushbaugh
Ann Aldrich Kourtney Lowery
Brianna Candelaria Wayne K. Keefer, BOCC Rep HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND
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AGENDA
June 7, 2023, 7:00 p.m.
Washington County Administration Complex, 100 West Washington Street, Room 2001, Hagerstown, MD 21740
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING
Appalachian National Scenic Trail Maryland segment National Register Nomination (W-IV-
278) – (Information/Discussion/Action) – To review documentation provided for the
nomination using criteria for evaluation and criteria for consideration to make
recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners and Maryland Historical Trust. *
MINUTES
1. Minutes of the May 3, 2023 meeting *
NEW BUSINESS
1. 2023-01727- Residential New Construction Permit - 21550 Leitersburg Smithsburg
Road - (Discussion/Action) 900 sq.ft. finished space detached two story garage with 457
sq.ft. unfinished second floor with exterior landing, frame construction on concrete slab.
Leitersburg Historic Rural Village WA-I-174 *
2. 2023-00893 – Non-Residential New Construction Permit - 21431 Leiter Street -
(Discussion/Action) 576 sq.ft. one story pole building on concrete slab to be used for
storage, (1) 9’ overhead door, pre-engineered roof trusses, pole construction with metal
roof and metal sides. Leitersburg Historic Rural Village WA-I-174 *
OTHER BUSINESS
1. Staff Report
a. Staff Reviews *
b. Social Media Historic Preservation Month Review
c. Archaeology Training Scheduling through MAHDC
d. CLG NAPC CAMP training February 20-21, 2024 (tentative)
e. BOCC Hearing for AT NR Nomination June 13, 2023
ADJOURNMENT
UPCOMING MEETING
1. Wednesday, July 5, 2023, 7:00 p.m.
*attachments
The Historic District Commission reserves the right to vary the order in which the cases are called. Individuals
requiring special accommodations are requested to contact the Washington County Planning Department at 240-
313-2430 to make arrangements no later than ten (10) days prior to the meeting. Notice is given that the agenda
may be amended at any time up to and including the meeting.
MINUTES OF THE
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY
May 3, 2023
The Washington County Historic District Commission held its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday,
May 3, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the Washington County Administration Complex, 100 W Washington Street,
Room 2001, Hagerstown, MD.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Commission members present were: Greg Smith, Chairman, Lloyd Yavener, Vernell Doyle, Michael
Lushbaugh, Kourtney Lowery, Ann Aldrich and Ex-officio Commissioner Wayne Keefer. Staff members
present were: Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning: Meghan Jenkins, GIS Coordinator
and HDC Staff member and Debra Eckard, Administrative Assistant.
MINUTES
Motion and Vote: Mr. Lushbaugh made a motion to approve the minutes of the April 5, 2023 meeting as
presented. The motion was seconded by Mr. Yavener and unanimously approved.
NEW BUSINESS
SP-23-004 – 2003 Mason Dixon LLC
Ms. Jenkins presented for review and comment a site plan for two proposed commercial warehouses to
be located at 17939 Mason Dixon Road, which is on the edge of the Urban Growth Area. The developer is
proposing to construct a 1 million square foot warehouse and 600,000 square foot warehouse. The
historic structures remaining on the property are a barn and several outbuildings. These structures were
not recommended for the National Register of Historic Places during the last evaluation.
Discussion and Comments: Ms. Jenkins explained that the Commission is only offering comments at this
phase of development. If the site plan is approved, and the development moves forward, the HDC would
review the demolition permits for the historic structures when they are applied for. MIHP commented
there is lack of integrity on the structures that remain. Members asked if an archaeological study was
provided for the site. Ms. Jenkins stated there was not an archaeological assessment provided and there
are no Mason Dixon markers located on the site.
Consensus: Members recommended that a Phase I archaeological study should be completed for the
entire site per the adopted County Design Guidelines.
SP-23-011 – Downsville Solar II
Ms. Jenkins presented for review and comment a site plan for a proposed solar energy generating system
located at 17137 Black Stallion Lane. She noted there will be very minimal impact to the closest historic
resource because it will be buffered by existing landscaping.
Consensus: The Commission had no comments because there will be no impact on any historic resource.
Section 106 Consultation – Project No. WA488C21
Ms. Jenkins presented a request for concurrence from the Maryland Department of Transportation State
Highway Administration that the proposed project no. WA488C21, I-70 bridges 2112003 and 2112004
over the Antietam Creek south of Funkstown will have no negative impact to historic resources.
Motion and Vote: Ms. Aldrich made a motion to concur with MDOT SHA there will be no negative impact
to any historic resources on this project. The motion was seconded by Mr. Lushbaugh and unanimously
approved.
OTHER BUSINESS
Staff Report
• East Water Street Streetscape Improvements – Town of Smithsburg
Ms. Jenkins reported that the Town of Smithsburg is planning updates to its streetscapes and
sidewalks. The Town has submitted the initial proposal to MHT; a more detailed description of
the plans will be required.
• Historic Properties Incentive Ordinance
Ms. Jenkins reported that staff met with the departments of Budget & Finance, Grants
Management, and the County Attorney to discuss the proposed changes to the Ordinance. The
proposal was received positively by all departments. The order of operations will be as follows:
1) Update what we already have in place
2) A grant has been successfully implemented in Frederick County; staff will try to
replicate that process as closely as possible for Washington County
3) The proposal will be presented to the County Commissioners following additional
research and refinement
• Staff Reviews
Ms. Jenkins provided a written summary.
Ms. Aldrich made a motion to enter into Closed Session at 7:38 p.m. The motion was seconded
by Mr. Lushbaugh, unanimously approved and so ordered by the Chairman.
CLOSED SESSION
To discuss potential candidates to be recommended to the Board of County Commissioners for
appointment to the Historic District Commission to fill an upcoming vacancy.
Mr. Lushbaugh made a motion to re-enter Open Session at 7:51 p.m. The motion was seconded
by Ms. Aldrich, unanimously approved and so ordered by the Chairman
Motion and Vote: Ms. Doyle made a motion to recommend to the Board of County
Commissioners the appointment of the candidates as discussed during Closed Session. The
motion was seconded by Ms. Aldrich and unanimously approved.
Motion and Vote: Ms. Aldrich made a motion to recommend to the Board of County
Commissioners the re-appointment of Mr. Gregory Smith and Mr. Michael Lushbaugh to a second
term on the Historic District Commission. The motion was seconded by Mr. Yavener and
unanimously approved with Mr. Lushbaugh and Mr. Smith abstaining from the vote.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr. Yavener made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:05 pm. The motion was seconded by Ms. Aldrich
and so ordered by the Chairman.
______________________________________
Gregory Smith, Chairman
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
MEMORANDUM
To: Washington County Historic District Commission
From: Meghan Jenkins, GISP, GIS Coordinator - Historic District Commission Staff
Date: May 25, 2023
Subj: Appalachian National Scenic Trail Maryland Segment National Register Nomination
Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties Number WA-IV-278
Background of the National Register CLG Process
As a Certified Local Government (CLG), Washington County plays an important part in the process of
nominating properties to the National Register of Historic Places (NR) through a special working
relationship with the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) and the National Park Service. Under this
program, both the local historic preservation commission and the jurisdiction’s chief elected official
(CEO) are asked to provide recommendations concerning eligibility for National Register Listing. The
recommendation is submitted to MHT on the MHT CLG/NR Recommendation Form (Attachment 1)
with supplemental information, as necessary. The Recommendation Form includes a detailed
statement of the reasons for the recommendation, addressing National Register criteria for evaluation,
and must be signed by both the Historic District Commission Chairperson and the President of the
Board of County Commissioners.
Staff Report
A nomination packet was received from MHT on May 1, 2023 for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
(ANST) Maryland Segment which involves both public and private landowners along the Eastern border
of the County for approximately 41 miles of trail length from Sandy Hook to the Pennsylvania border
near Pen Mar. The majority of the approximately 270 tax parcels/4,200 acres involved are State or
Federal properties. Private property owners (less than 10) identified by the consultant for the
nomination were notified via individual letter. Additional letters were sent to private property owners
(24 properties) directly adjacent to and intersecting the consultant’s boundary map as well.
The nomination includes 24 structures (the A.T. Treadway, 20 A.T. Side Trails, and 3 A.T. Bridges) and 25
sites (9 Overnight Use Areas [OUAs] and 16 A.T. Viewpoints). The boundary where it passes through
public lands extends to 500 feet (ft) on either side of the A.T. Trail Treadway centerline for a maximum
width of 1,000 ft. The boundary narrows where the property line of public lands is less than 500ft from
the treadway. When the Trail goes through privately owned lands or is collocated on publicly owned
rights of way such as bridges, sidewalks, roads, or other paths that were constructed for purposes other
than recreational hiking, the boundary is 4 feet wide (2 feet on either side of the centerline), the
standard width of the A.T. treadway and prism. The 4-foot-wide boundary also applies to portions of
A.T. Side Trails that extend beyond the 1,000-foot (500 feet on either side) boundary of the main Trail.
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Justification Highlight
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail (ANST) Maryland Segment is being nominated under Criterion A,
Consideration G.
Criterion A concerns a property associated with one or more events that have made a significant
contribution to the broad patterns of our history. The ANST is being nominated under Criterion A for its
association with national recreation and conservation efforts as well as Maryland State social history
for its association with the formation and activities of the various hiking clubs which maintain the ANST
in Maryland. The detailed description of the ANST Maryland Segment provides documentation on the
49 resources associated with the nomination, one being the A.T. treadway. The ANST Maryland
Segment also provides documentation for Consideration G considering the exceptional importance of
the A.T. as a historic recreational resource of enduring national significance.
Staff Recommendation:
Recommend the nomination of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail Maryland Segment to the Board of
County Commissioners and the State Historic Preservation Officer as eligible for the National Register.
Respectfully Submitted,
Meghan Jenkins, GISP
Historic District Commission Staff
Attachments:
• Maryland CLG NR Nomination Form (1)
• Nomination Packet including MPDF (2)
• Criterion A/Consideration G NR Bulletin (3)
MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST
CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT
NATIONAL REGISTER RECOMMENDATION FORM
Property name Appalachian National Scenic Trail (ANST) Maryland Segment
Location 41 miles along the Eastern border of Washington County from the Pennsylvania border
south to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
CLG name Washington County, Maryland (Historic District Commission)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION’S RECOMMENDATION
____X____ Nomination recommended ________ Nomination not recommended
National Register criteria (and considerations, if applicable) used by the Commission for the decision:
Criteria: __X___A _____B _____C _____D
Considerations: ____A ____B ____C ____D ____E ____ F __X__G (_____none applicable)
Justification for the decision:
The ANST Maryland Segment is eligible under Criterion A for its association with national recreation and
conservation efforts as well as Maryland State social history for its association with the formation and activities of
the various hiking clubs which maintain the ANST in Maryland. The detailed description of the ANST Maryland
Segment provides sufficient documentation on the 49 resources associated with the nomination, one being the A.T.
treadway. The ANST Maryland Segment also provides sufficient documentation for Consideration G due to the
exceptional importance of the A.T. as a historic recreational resource of enduring national significance. Both the
resources and the events associated with their creation are sufficiently documented to illustrate their significance,
integrity, and features adequately.
The documentation is sufficient to support the nomination.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Signature of the Chair of the Historic Preservation Commission Date
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIAL’S RECOMMENDATION
________ I concur with the opinion of the Historic Preservation Commission.
________ For the reasons stated on the attached sheet, I do not concur with the opinion of the Historic
Preservation Commission.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Signature of the Chief Elected Official Date
Maryland Historical Trust • 100 Community Place • Crownsville • Maryland • 21032
Tel: 410.697.9591 • toll free 877.767.6272 • TTY users: Maryland Relay • MHT.Maryland.gov
Wes Moore, Governor
Aruna Miller, Lt. Governor
Rebecca L. Flora, AICP, Secretary
May 1, 2023
Meghan Jenkins
747 Northern Ave
Hagerstown, MD 21742
Re: Appalachian National Scenic Trail Maryland Segment National Register Nomination (W-
IV-278)
Dear Ms. Jenkins,
Our office has sent electronic draft documentation to nominate the above-referenced properties
to the National Register of Historic Places, for processing by Washington County Historic
District Commission under the Certified Local Government program.
When the County’s review is complete, please forward the recommendations of the Commission
and the County Executive. The nomination was considered by the State Review Board (GCC) at
their meeting on May 9, 2023. As you know, according to CLG procedures, the GCC may
consider nominations prior to completion of local review, but no further action may be taken
until the recommendations of the Commission and the County Executive are received.
Please contact me, at Jessica.french@maryland.gov or (410) 697-9623, with any
questions. Once again, we appreciate your collaboration in the Certified Local Government
process.
Very truly yours,
Jessica French
Administrator
Evaluation and Registration
Maryland Historical Trust
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
1
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register
Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being
documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only
categories and subcategories from the instructions.
1. Name of Property
Historic name: _Appalachian National Scenic Trail Maryland Segment
Other names/site number: _Appalachian Trail_______________________________
Name of related multiple property listing:
_Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail__________________
(Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing
____________________________________________________________________________
2. Location
Street & number: _Appalachian National Scenic Trail (ANST) within MD between border
with PA at north end and border with WV at south end____________________________
City or town: See Section 1–6, page 3 State: _MD_ County: See Section 1–6, page 3
Not For Publication: Vicinity:
____________________________________________________________________________
3. State/Federal Agency Certification
As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended,
I hereby certify that this nomination ___ request for determination of eligibility meets
the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic
Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60.
In my opinion, the property ___ meets ___ does not meet the National Register Criteria. I
recommend that this property be considered significant at the following
level(s) of significance:
___national ___statewide ___local
Applicable National Register Criteria:
___A ___B ___C ___D
Signature of certifying official/Title: Date
______________________________________________
State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government
In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria.
Signature of commenting official: Date
Title : State or Federal agency/bureau
or Tribal Government
N/A N/A
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 1-6 page 2
______________________________________________________________________________
4. National Park Service Certification
I hereby certify that this property is:
entered in the National Register
determined eligible for the National Register
determined not eligible for the National Register
removed from the National Register
other (explain:) _____________________
______________________________________________________________________
Signature of the Keeper Date of Action
____________________________________________________________________________
5. Classification
Ownership of Property
(Check as many boxes as apply.)
Private:
Public – Local
Public – State
Public – Federal
Category of Property
(Check only one box.)
Building(s)
District
Site
Structure
Object
X
X
X
X
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 1-6 page 3
Number of Resources within Property
(Do not include previously listed resources in the count)
Contributing Noncontributing
______0_______ _____________ buildings
______25_______ _____________ sites
______24_______ _____________ structures
______0_______ _____________ objects
______49_______ ______________ Total
Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register ____0_____
____________________________________________________________________________
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions
(Enter categories from instructions.)
RECREATION AND CULTURE
Current Functions
(Enter categories from instructions.)
RECREATION AND CULTURE
2. Location (Continued)
Cities/Towns and Counties:
Highfield-Cascade, Smithsburg, Hagerstown, Boonsboro, and Knoxville in Washington County;
and Myersville, Middletown, Jefferson, and Knoxville in Frederick County
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 4
_____________________________________________________________________________ 1
7. Description 2
3
Architectural Classification 4
(Enter categories from instructions.) 5
_N/A_______________ 6
7
Materials: (enter categories from instructions.) 8
Principal exterior materials of the property: WOOD/Log, ASPHALT, STONE, EARTH_ 9
10
Narrative Description 11
(Describe the historic and current physical appearance and condition of the property. Describe 12
contributing and noncontributing resources if applicable. Begin with a summary paragraph that 13
briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, type, style, 14
method of construction, setting, size, and significant features. Indicate whether the property has 15
historic integrity.) 16
______________________________________________________________________________ 17
Summary Paragraph 18
19
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail (ANST) Maryland Segment (“ANST Maryland Segment”) 20
comprises approximately 41 miles of the Appalachian Trail (A.T or the Trail), a 2,193-mile-long skyline 21
hiking path that traverses the scenic, heavily wooded, pastoral, and wild Appalachian Mountains. The 22
ANST Maryland Segment constitutes a single state segment of the A.T. and has a total of 49 countable 23
contributing resources consisting of 24 structures (the A.T. Treadway, 20 A.T. Side Trails, and 3 A.T. 24
Bridges) and 25 sites (9 Overnight Use Areas [OUAs] and 16 A.T. Viewpoints). It travels in a 25
southwestern direction from its connections with the ANST Pennsylvania Segment on the north to the 26
ANST West Virginia/Virginia Segment on the south. Along its route, the ANST Maryland Segment 27
passes through Pen Mar Park, South Mountain State Park, Greenbrier State Park, Washington Monument 28
State Park, Gathland State Park, and Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, before entering 29
West Virginia within the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. The boundary of the ANST Maryland 30
Segment where it passes through public lands extends 500 feet (ft) on either side of the A.T. Trail 31
treadway centerline for a maximum width of 1,000 ft. The boundary narrows in areas where the property 32
line of public land is less than 500 ft from Trail treadway. 33
34
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 5
Previous Documentation 1
2
The National Trails System Act (NTSA) (16 USC § 1241 et seq.) passed by the U.S Congress on 3
October 2, 1968, designated the A.T. as America’s first National Scenic Trail. This Registration Form 4
nominates the ANST Maryland Segment for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National 5
Register) under the Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail Multiple Property 6
Documentation Form (MPDF) nomination and the “ANST State Segment” associated property type 7
(Olausen et al. 2022). The ANST Maryland Segment intersects with six previously listed National 8
Register properties: Washington Monument (NRIS No. 72000588, listed 1972); Turner’s and Fox’s Gaps 9
Historic District (NRIS No. 10000575, listed 2011) and Crampton’s Gap Historic District (NRIS No. 10
10000576, listed 2011), which are associated listings under the South Mountain Battlefields – September 11
14, 1862, Multiple Property Submission; Antietam National Battlefield (NRIS No. 33000038, listed 12
1966); Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (NRIS No. 66000036, listed 1966); and 13
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (NRIS No. 66000041, 16000238). 14
______________________________________________________________________________ 15
Narrative Description 16
17
Setting 18
19
The ANST Maryland Segment, as it evolved from the initial early twentieth century to the present-day 20
route, expresses the vision of the original A.T. planners and builders to provide hikers with opportunities 21
to connect with both wilderness and human activity areas. The segment primarily follows the crest of 22
South Mountain, a succession of narrow ridges, which forms the northern extension of the Blue Ridge 23
Mountain range, and is part of the Appalachian Range. The mountain separates the Hagerstown and 24
Cumberland valleys from the Piedmont regions of the Maryland and Pennsylvania. Elevations along the 25
Segment are between 230 and 1,880 feet, creating an easy to moderate hiker experience of gentle terrain 26
with few instances of steep ascents and descents. The gentle topography is a result of a long period of 27
erosion on the slowly rising land that created the Appalachian Range. The variation in erosion is 28
accentuated by the differing resistance of the rock types which comprise the range, including quarts, 29
greenstone, black humus. As the softer rocks erode, the more resistant quartzite remains in place, creating 30
the unique level shelves besides cliffs that are only along the ANST Maryland and Pennsylvania 31
segments. Much of the landscape hikers travel along the ANST Maryland Segment is defined by lush 32
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 6
forest containing hardwoods, rhododendrons thickets, and wildflower thickets. Active and abandoned 1
agricultural fields dot the landscape along the valleys below South Mountain to the east and west. 2
3
The ANST Maryland Segment can be hiked in four to five days because of its gentle terrain and short 4
length. OUAs are about one day’s hike apart. Additionally, the Segment is accessible to day hikers along 5
the various road crossings and access side trails that connect parking areas and roads to the main line of 6
the A.T. In addition to being readily accessible, the ANST Maryland Segment travels through numerous 7
historic sites, including sites of summer resorts, ruins of former settlements and agricultural development 8
such as stone walls, cellar holes and rolling fields. The Segment also extends through and overlooks Civil 9
War battlefields, which were mostly part of the Battle of South Mountain and the Battle of Antietam in 10
September 1862. 11
12
At the northern end of the Segment, the A.T. crosses the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland following 13
the ridgeline and travels through Pen Mar Park, site of a historic railroad-developed amusement park and 14
summer resort village, and South Mountain State Park.1 The Trail visits High Rock, where rock 15
outcroppings grant panoramic views over the valley below. Between Raven’s Rock Road and Foxville 16
Road, the Trail travels through federally protected A.T. land along the forested ridge. The A.T. then 17
travels within the South Mountain State Park until crossing US Route 70 where it briefly travels through 18
Greenbrier State Park, and then within Washington Monument State Park. Hikers are afforded 360-degree 19
views, including of Antietam National Battlefield and surrounding agricultural land from a high point of 20
land and from the Washington Monument constructed in honor of George Washington in 1827. Next the 21
A.T. briefly descends and crosses through Dahlgren Field, where fighting during the Battle of South 22
Mountain occurred. The A.T. traverses the ridge until it descends to Turners Gap and Crampton Gap, both 23
locations of fighting during the Battle of South Mountain, and crosses Gapland Road where it enters 24
Gathland State Park. The War Correspondents Memorial Arch is at the road crossing, which was 25
constructed in 1896, and is notably the first US monument dedicated to journalists killed in combat. The 26
Trail ascends the ridge once again and continues south along the border of Washington and Frederick 27
1 South Mountain State Park is 40-miles long and follows the ridge of South Mountain from the Pennsylvania–
Maryland border to the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal at the Potomac River to the south. The state park encompasses
the majority of the ANST Maryland Segment and overlaps the three other state parks (Greenbrier, Washington
Monument, and Gathland) and county-owned Pen Mar Park which the A.T. travels through. The state park has no
distinguishable boundary and parking lots are available for visitors and hikers across the park (MDDNR 2022). This
park was established as part of the state’s efforts to protect the A.T., see Section 8 below for additional information.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 7
counties, until it descends the Weverton Cliffs, where there are sweeping views over the Potomac River 1
and toward Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, from rock cliffs. The Trail descends and crosses the 2
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Byway, and follows the north shore of the Potomac River along the towpath of 3
the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. The canal is a National Historical Park, and the final three miles of the 4
Segment along the towpath is the flattest part of the entire A.T. Upon reaching the Segment end, the Trail 5
crosses the Goodloe Byron Memorial Footbridge into Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (PATC 2015a). 6
7
Property Type Summary 8
9
The following summary identifies the property types present within the ANST Maryland Segment historic 10
district. The property types are defined in the Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail 11
MPDF, Section F- Associated Property Types, and consist of the A.T. Treadway, A.T. Side Trails, A.T. 12
Bridges, A.T. Viewpoints, and A.T. Overnight Use Areas. 13
14
A.T. Treadway 15
16
The A.T. Treadway through the ANST Maryland Segment is the primary contributing resource and is 17
counted as one structure (Resource #1). The A.T. Treadway consists of a cleared walking path that is 18
designed to be easily followed but otherwise blends into its surroundings. It includes associated ancillary 19
elements such as markers, signs, puncheons, preexisting roads, stairs, bridges and boardwalks that are less 20
than 20 ft long, stiles, retaining walls, cribs, and culverts. These typically small features are designed to 21
be aesthetically compatible with the natural landscape. Most of the ANST Maryland Segment travels 22
through wooded areas, where the treadway consists of both wide and narrow dirt path scattered with tree 23
roots and small rocks and is surrounded by a 4-ft-wide by 8-ft-high prism that is cleared of vegetation to 24
allow enough room for backpackers to pass (Photos 29 and 31). Through fields and other open areas, the 25
Treadway is often a narrow and worn earthen path (Photos 7 and 24). Variations from the packed earthen 26
Treadway exist mostly where rock-lined treadway runs across rock formations and over steep inclines and 27
descents, such as various stretches of Treadway along the ridge of South Mountain or where the 28
Treadway is located on steep slope (Photo 39). Constructed elements of the Treadway consists of stone, 29
wood steps, water bars, and check dams to control deterioration of the path from use and erosion (Photos 30
16–17), puncheons to carry the Treadway over wet areas (Photo 6), and switchbacks to accommodate 31
climbs and descents along steeper elevation changes (Photo 41). In some circumstances, particularly 32
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 8
where the A.T. passes through developed areas, the treadway is on preexisting sidewalks or paths, roads, 1
bridges, or some other pre-developed path that was not specifically constructed as A.T. treadway, such as 2
the paved path through Pen Mar Park near the Mason-Dixon Line; where it travels between Weverton 3
Cliffs and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal; and along the canal on the towpath (Photos 42–44). 4
5
Signage along the ANST Maryland Segment primarily consists of directional aids that assist hikers in 6
navigating the Trail. In forested areas, the Trail route is marked by standard A.T. 2-x-6-inch white-7
painted blazes on trees. In open areas, such as meadows and pastures or rocky ridge lines, the blazes are 8
placed on wood or metal posts and boulders. Other trail markings consist of a standard 4-inch-square 9
diamond-shaped piece of metal with the A.T. monogram (Photos 12, 23, and 24). Directional text signage 10
that provides distances to key points along the Trail or mark important locations consist of brown-painted 11
wood panels on wood posts with carved lettering and symbology painted white or metal panels with a 12
similar color scheme (Photos 3, 19, and 26). The northern end of the ANST Maryland Segment is 13
identified with a painted wood state border sign and a stone pillar with a metal mailbox containing a Trail 14
logbook (Photo 1). The southern end of the ANST Maryland Segment is identified with typical National 15
Park Service (NPS) Signage, because the Trail exits the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical 16
Park and enters Harpers Ferry National Historical Park at the state border. 17
18
A.T. Side Trails 19
20
The ANST Maryland Segment has 20 A.T. Side Trails, which consist of dead-end spur or loop trails that 21
diverge from the main line route of the A.T. to bring hikers to important points of interest, such as historic 22
sites associated with Civil War or other historic events and activities and scenic viewpoints, or to trail 23
facilities, such as A.T. Overnight Use Areas [OUAs], trailhead parking areas, or water sources. The side 24
trails in Maryland are typically constructed to the same specifications as the main Trail and are marked 25
with blue blazes (Photos 3 and 12). Contributing side trails are those that are identified in official ATC 26
and PATC guidebooks and maps and the Appalachian Trail Park Office’s Geographic Information 27
System. Of the 21 side trails along the ANST Maryland Segment, seven lead to OUAs, seven lead to 28
viewpoints, six lead to access points/parking areas, and one leads to a water source. The ANST Maryland 29
Segment A.T. Side Trails range in length from 149 ft (Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA Water Source Side 30
Trail, Resource No. 14, Map Sheet No. 2) to 0.96 miles (Thurston Griggs Trail, Resource No. 18, Map 31
Sheet No. 3 – leads to parking). 32
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Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 9
1
A.T. Bridges 2
3
The ANST Maryland Segment contains three contributing A.T. Bridges, which are defined as bridges that 4
are at least 20 ft long and were constructed specifically for the A.T. The I-70 Footbridge (Resource No. 5
29, Map Sheet 4) (Photo 19) is a 150-ft-long concrete and steel footbridge. It was constructed in 1972 to 6
carry the A.T. over the newly constructed Interstate 70. The Crampton Gap OUA Side Trail Bridge 7
(Resource No. 41, Map Sheet No. 6) (Photo 33) is an over 20-ft-long wood deck bridge that provides 8
access between the Crampton Gap OUA shelter and privy over a rocky and wet area. The Goodloe Byron 9
Memorial Footbridge (Resource No. 49, Map Sheet No. 8) (Photo 45) is a 0.2-mile-long steel footbridge 10
attached to a railroad bridge over the Potomac River. It carries the A.T. over the river and between the 11
ANST Maryland and ANST West Virginia/Virginia segments. The bridge was initially constructed in 12
1985. However, a train derailment and subsequent damages to the bridge in 2019, resulted in its partial 13
reconstruction in 2020. Only a few smaller (shorter than 20 ft long) footbridges are along the ANST 14
Maryland Segment; they are included in the Trail description where appropriate but are not considered 15
countable, contributing resources.2 16
17
A.T. Viewpoints 18
19
There are 16 contributing A.T. Viewpoints within the ANST Maryland Segment. A.T. Viewpoints are the 20
physical locations from which a vista or view may be experienced. A vista is a controlled prospect of a 21
discrete, linear range of vision that is deliberately contrived and maintained through vegetation 22
management or other treatment. A view is uncontrolled, natural, open scenery provided by the landscape 23
and its flora. A.T. Viewpoints along the ANST Maryland Segment are located on the A.T. Treadway, 24
short distances off the Treadway on rock outcroppings or cleared areas along the ridge, and on A.T. Side 25
Trails. Expansive and sweeping views occur primarily along the ANST Maryland Segment on high points 26
along South Mountain’s ridgeline at rock outcroppings and cleared areas, including the High Rock 27
Viewpoint (Resource No. 5, Map Sheet No. 1) (Photo 4), Black Rock Viewpoint (Resource No. 21, Map 28
Sheet No. 3) (Photo 13), Annapolis Rock Viewpoint (Resource No. 23, Map Sheet No. 4) (Photo 14), and 29
2 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data provided by the NPS regarding the A.T. were used to determine which
bridges were considered countable resources and the typology, material, and dimensions of each bridge.
Terminology (e.g., lumber, timber, and log) was retained as it appeared in the data,
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Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 10
Weverton Cliffs Viewpoint (Resource No. 48, Map Sheet No. 8) (Photo 40). Washington Monument 1
Observation Tower Viewpoint (Resource No. 32, Map Sheet No. 5) (Photos 21–22) is a notable 2
viewpoint along the ANST Maryland Segment for its use of the non-A.T. Washington Monument that 3
was constructed in 1827 in honor of George Washington and reconstructed by the CCC in 1934–1937, 4
and for its 360-degree views over the surrounding mountains and valleys, including views of Antietam 5
National Battlefield. Vistas along the ANST Maryland Segment, such as the Willard SUP (special-use 6
permit) Viewpoint (Resource No. 10, Map Sheet No. 2) (Photo 7), Powerline Right of Way Viewpoint 7
(Resource No. 11, Map Sheet No. 2), and South Mtn Viewpoints 1 and 2 (Resource Nos. 16 and 17, Map 8
Sheet Nos. 2–3), consist of controlled and discrete viewpoints common along wooded areas on the 9
ridgeline, where vegetation is deliberately managed to maintain a specific prospect of the surroundings 10
and in fields and other managed cleared areas. A unique element of the ANST Maryland Segment 11
viewpoints is that many overlook various Civil War battlefields, including the above-mentioned 12
Washington Monument Observation Tower Viewpoint. Another example of this type of viewpoint is the 13
Dahlgren Field Viewpoint (Resource No. 33, Map Sheet No. 5) (Photo 24), which overlooks Dahlgren 14
Field where fighting occurred during the Battle of South Mountain. 15
16
A.T. Overnight Use Areas 17
18
The ANST Maryland Segment has nine A.T. Overnight Use Areas (OUAs), which are defined as 19
complexes of buildings, sites, and structures that support and enhance the A.T. hiking experience by 20
providing overnight accommodations at regular intervals along the Trail. They include campsites, lean-21
tos/shelters, privies, and water sources. A.T. OUAs that qualify as contributing resources of the ANST 22
Maryland Segment are those that are identified in the PATC’s official guidebooks and on maps. 23
24
The ANST Maryland Segment contains three traditional, lean-to type shelters constructed by the CCC in 25
the 1930s and 1940s. They are in the Rocky Run OUA (Resource No. 36, Map Sheet No. 5), Pine Knob 26
OUA (Resource No. 27, Map Sheet No. 4) (Photo 16), and Crampton Gap OUA (Resource No. 42, Map 27
Sheet No. 6) (Photo 33). These CCC-built shelters consist of one story, rectangular, log buildings with 28
side gable roofs clad in metal and have stone foundations. The interiors contain wood deck bunk areas, 29
and stone- or wood-surfaced picnic areas covered by an extension of the roofs. The CCC also constructed 30
graded tent sites and spring outlets for A.T. OUAs. 31
32
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Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 11
The remaining ANST Maryland Segment’s shelters were constructed in the 2000s, and are typically 1
three-sided, rectangular, one-story, front-gable or shallow side-gable, log buildings that contain lofted 2
wood-frame or simple wood-deck bunk areas. The roofs extend over wood-deck or stone picnic areas at 3
the front of the shelters. Both or one gable end contain paired single-light fixed windows. Examples of 4
this type oof shelter at the Raven Rock OUA (Resource No. 7, Map Sheet No. 1), Ensign Cowall 5
Memorial OUA (Resource No. 13, Map Sheet No. 2) (Photo 8), and the Rocky Run OUA (Resource No. 6
36, Map Sheet No. 5) (Photo 30). The Raven Rock shelter was constructed in 2010 to replace a CCC-built 7
shelter. The Ed Garvey OUA (Resource No. 45, Map Sheet No. 7) (Photo 38) is unique along the ANST 8
Maryland Segment for its shelter, which was constructed in 2002. The shelter is a two-story log building 9
with a front-gable roof and has an open first story and a sleeping loft and balcony accessed by a ladder. 10
11
In addition to shelters, the ANST Maryland Segment’s OUAs contain campsites that are set a short 12
distance off the main course of the trail and are connected by narrow access trails to the other parts of the 13
OUAs. They consist of a mix of simple cleared areas designated for tents and constructed platforms for 14
tents. Three of the OUAs, Pogo Memorial Campsite OUA (Resource No. 19, Map Sheet No. 3), 15
Annapolis Rock OUA (Resource No. 25, Map Sheet No. 4), and the Dahlgren Backpacker Campground 16
OUA (Resource No. 34, Map Sheet No. 5) (Photo 27), consist of only campsites and no shelters for hiker 17
accommodations. 18
19
Ancillary elements at the OUAs consist of bear poles, water sources, and privies/bathroom facilities. Bear 20
poles are located near, but outside of, the direct area of shelters and campsites and are metal poles 21
anchored to the ground and contain cable systems for hikers to hang their food bags. Water sources 22
consist of mostly spring outlets near the OUAs. There are eight privies along the ANST Maryland 23
Segment. They are of typical wood-frame enclosed construction and are either a composting style (with 24
an open-air, screened-in base) or are pit-style (with the structure sits directly on the ground over a dug 25
hole). The Dahlgren Backpacker Campground OUA contains a building with bathroom facilities instead 26
of a privy. 27
28
Description of the A.T. and Associated Resources 29
30
The following describes the ANST Maryland Segment south from its beginning at the Pennsylvania-31
Maryland border to its end at the Maryland-West Virginia border. The description is organized into seven 32
United States Department of the Interior
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Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 12
sections that are identified in the official guidebook for the A.T. in Maryland published by the Potomac 1
Appalachian Trail Conservancy (PATC 2015a). The ANST Maryland Segment Treadway (Resource 2
No. 1, Map Sheet Nos. 1–8) extends through all sections and is designated as Resource No. 1. Each of 3
the remaining 49 resources is assigned a number according to their location along the Trail as identified 4
on the accompanying historic district map and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail – Maryland 5
Segment National Register Historic District Contributing Resources List that appears at the end of the 6
description. 7
8
Section 1 9
10
Section 1 is a 5.9-mile-long portion of the ANST Maryland Segment that follows the crest of South 11
Mountain from the Mason–Dixon Line (originally the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland) (Photo 1) at 12
an elevation of 1,300 ft and descends to Raven Rock Hollow. The northern end of the Section is 13
accessible by car from Pen-Mar Road and from the southern end by MD Route 491 ( PATC 2015a:55). 14
15
The Section begins at Pen Mar Road and the border with Pennsylvania, crosses over an A.T. corridor 16
gate, crosses railroad track onto a gravel lane, and at mile 0.2, the Trail enters Pen Mar Park. The park 17
was established in 1877 by the Western Maryland Railroad, which retained management until its closure 18
in 1943. It reopened in 1977, under the ownership of the county. The A.T. follows a paved pathway 19
through the Park, passing the Pen Mar Park Viewpoint (Resource No. 2, Map Sheet No. 1) (Photo 2), 20
where hikers are afforded a managed vista to the west of the forested slope of South Mountain below and 21
active agricultural lands in both Pennsylvania and Maryland in the distance. The Pen Mar Park’s wood-22
frame overlook pavilion and benches (non-A.T. resources) are located along the Trail’s route and 23
accommodate both park and A.T. visitors. The Trail next travels through forest along an old forest and 24
abandoned roads. Remnants of old stone-lined root cellars and brick foundations can be found along this 25
stretch of treadway near mile 1 ( PATC 2015a:58–59). 26
27
The Treadway transitions from a mostly earth base to rocky before mile 2. The Trail sharply turns 28
northward and reaches High Rock Parking Area Side Trail (Resource No. 3, Map Sheet No. 1) (Photo 29
3), a 0.23-mile side trail leading to a gravel parking lot off Pen Mar High Road at mile 3.1. At the parking 30
lot, the High Rock Viewpoint Side Trail (Resource No. 4, Map Sheet No. 1) extends 86 ft northwest 31
from the parking area side trail to the High Rock Viewpoint (Resource No. 5, Map Sheet No. 1) (Photo 32
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Appalachian National Scenic Trail
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Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 13
4), which affords sweeping views over the slope of South Mountain and agricultural land to the west. The 1
rock outcropping includes remnants of a stone foundation and cement platform from the 30-ft-tall 2
pavilion that historically stood atop the rock. The Trail turns southward from the parking area side trail 3
and A.T. junction and reaches the local high point of the Quirauk Mountain (1,800-ft elevation) at mile 4
3.9. It leaves an area of dense undergrowth and enters forest at mile 4.5 ( PATC 2015a:60–61). 5
6
At mile 4.9, the Trail intersects the Raven Rock OUA Side Trail (Resource No. 6, Map Sheet No. 1), 7
which leads 0.13 miles west to Raven Rock OUA (Resource No. 7, Map Sheet No. 1). The OUA has a 8
shelter that was built by the PATC in 2010 that replaced the former Devils Racecourse Shelter. The 9
shelter is a three-sided, rectangular, one-story, front-gable, log building that contains a lofted wood-frame 10
bunk area. The roof extends over the wood-deck picnic area at the front of the shelter. Both gable ends 11
contain paired single-light fixed windows. Raven Rock shelter accommodates 16 people, offers bear 12
poles, a privy, and spring access. The shelter is the highest-elevation and most recently constructed shelter 13
along the A.T. in Maryland. The Trail next intersects Raven Rock Viewpoint Side Trail (Resource No. 14
8, Map Sheet No. 2) at mile 5.7, a 346-ft spur that leads to Raven Rock Viewpoint (Resource No. 9, 15
Map Sheet No. 2), which offers limited views from a cliff to the east overlooking forest. The A.T. steeply 16
descends to the section end at Raven Rock Hollow at mile 5.9 (1,100-ft elevation) ( PATC 2015a:60–61; 17
Decker 2020:140). 18
19
Section 2 20
21
Section 2 is a 4.1-mile-long portion of the ANST Maryland Segment that extends from Raven Rock 22
Hollow to Wolfsville Road. The Section crosses two small ridges that extend southeast and link with the 23
Catoctin range. With an approximately 500-ft change in elevation, the Section steadily climbs through 24
dense woods to an open field bordered by Raven Rock Road (MD Route 491) ( PATC 2015a:63). 25
26
The Trail crosses and follows the guardrail of the road for about 0.1 miles, and then reenters the woods 27
where it crosses Little Antietam Creek on rocks (Photo 5). The A.T. crosses a stone wall at mile 0.4 and 28
reaches a high point on the slope of Buzzard Knob at mile 0.5. The Trail crosses Warner Gap Road, 29
where parking is available, at mile 0.8 at a 1,200-ft elevation. The A.T. turns east onto the gravel road, 30
then turns west, and reenters the woods. After crossing Edgemont Reservoir Feeder Stream at mile 0.85, 31
the Trail passes a spring west of the trail at mile 0.9. A powerline clearing at mile 1.2 (1,300-ft elevation) 32
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Appalachian National Scenic Trail
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Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 14
affords no views, and the Trail reenters the woods and reaches a large rock outcropping at mile 1.8. The 1
A.T. ascends and descends on stone steps at mile 1.9 and crosses a stream at mile 2.1 (Photo 6). A high 2
point is at mile 2.4, and the Trail exits the woods and enters a field at mile 2.5 ( PATC 2015a:65). 3
4
The Trail crosses MD Route 77 (Foxville Road) at mile 2.6 at an elevation of 1,600 ft, enters the woods 5
for 0.1 miles, and travels through a series of fields. At mile 2.9, the A.T. crosses the tree line between 6
fields and reaches the Willard Property SUP 3 Viewpoint (Resource No. 10, Map Sheet No. 2) (Photo 7
7) at mile 3 that offers sweeping views across an open field bound by forest as hikers travel across the 8
field. The A.T. reenters the woods at mile 3.1, then travels along the east side of a powerline clearing, and 9
reaches the Powerline Right of Way Viewpoint (Resource No. 11, Map Sheet No. 2) at mile 3.7. 10
Hikers are granted limited vistas to the north and south along the powerline right-of-way as they cross the 11
clearing and reenter the woods. The Trail winds several switchbacks before intersecting with the 186-ft-12
long Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA Side Trail (Resource No. 12, Map Sheet No. 2) at mile 3.9. The 13
side trail leads 186 ft to the Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA (Resource No. 13, Map Sheet No. 2) 14
(Photos 8–10) at an elevation of 1,400 ft. The OUA consists of a shelter, five tent pads, several hammock 15
sites, a privy, and a bear pole. The shelter was constructed in 1999 by the PATC and accommodates 8 16
people. The shelter is a three sided, rectangular, one story, log building with a wood-frame bunk and 17
storage area. The building has a front gable roof clad in standing-seam metal and contains paired single-18
light fixed windows in the gable. A wood deck picnic area is in front of the shelter and protected by the 19
roof. The OUA’s water source is at the end of the 199-ft-long Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA Water 20
Source Trail (Resource No. 14, Map Sheet No. 2) which is located a mile 4.0 of the A.T. section and 21
extends south to a year-round spring. At mile 4.1, the Trail reaches MD Route 17 (Wolfsville Rd) 22
Parking Area Side Trail (Resource No. 15, Map Sheet No. 2) (Photo 12), which leads 725 ft south to a 23
parking area. Section 2 ends at the crossing of Wolfsville Road (1,400 ft elevation) ( PATC 2015a:67; 24
Decker 2020:139). 25
26
Section 3 27
28
Section 3 is an 8.6-mile-long portion of the ANST Maryland Segment between Wolfsville Road and 29
Interstate 70 (I-70). Section 3 follows a narrow ridge crest where the Treadway consists of mostly 30
3 SUP stands for special-use permit. The land is maintained as an open area as part of the A.T.
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Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
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Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 15
compacted earth with some rocky rutted stretches. The Section is notable for the expansive views at Black 1
Rock and Annapolis Rock. After crossing Wolfsville Road, the Trail ascends via switchbacks along a 2
steep and rocky portion of treadway. At mile 0.6, the A.T. reaches the ridge crest at an elevation of 1,800 3
ft and travels southwest on extremely rocky terrain beginning at mile 2.1. The Trail reaches South Mtn 4
Viewpoint 1 (Resource No. 16, Map Sheet No. 2) at mile 2.4. The viewpoint affords views to the east 5
over the forested slope of South Mountain and expansive fields below from talus slope. At a rocky point 6
of treadway and mile 3.2, the South Mtn Viewpoint 2 (Resource No. 17, Map Sheet No. 3) provides 7
open views like those at the South Mtn Viewpoint 1( PATC 2015a:69–73). 8
9
At mile 4.8, after passing a series of forest roads and non-A.T. side trail, the Trail intersects with the 10
Thurston Griggs Trail (Resource No. 18, Map Sheet No. 3), which descends 1 mile west and leads to a 11
trailhead and parking on White Oak Road. The Pogo Memorial Campsite OUA (Resource No. 19, Map 12
Sheet No. 3)4 is at mile 4.8 (1,600-ft elevation) and consists of campsites, a privy, and spring. The OUA 13
is located at the site of the former Black Rock Hotel. The Trail crosses Black Rock Creek, an intermittent 14
stream, at mile 4.9, and reaches the Black Rock Viewpoint Side Trail (Resource No. 20, Map Sheet 15
No. 3) at mile 5.4. The side trail extends 447 ft to the expansive views at the Black Rock Viewpoint 16
(Resource No. 21, Map Sheet No. 3) (Photo 13) at an elevation of 1,800 ft. The viewpoint grants 180-17
degree views to the west from a cliff ( PATC 2015a:72–73). 18
19
The Trail winds to the southeast and intersects with the Annapolis Rock Viewpoint Side Trail 20
(Resource No. 22, Map Sheet No. 4) at mile 6.4. The side trail descends sharply 0.2 miles west to the 21
Annapolis Rock Viewpoint (Resource No. 23, Map Sheet No. 4) (Photo 14), which provides sweeping 22
views to the west over forest in the foreground and rural development in the distance. Greenbriar Lake is 23
visible to the southwest. The viewpoint side trail connects to Annapolis Rock OUA Side Trail 24
(Resource No. 24, Map Sheet No. 4), which loops around to the Annapolis Rock OUA (Resource No. 25
25, Map Sheet No. 4). The OUA contains campsites, a privy, bear pole, access to a spring, and a 26
caretaker’s campsite. The Trail continues southwest, crossing a high point at a saddle in the ridge at mile 27
7.6 where cinnamon ferns carpet both sides of the treadway and the peak of Pine Knob rises to the east. 28
At mile 8.0, the Pine Knob OUA Side Trail (Resource No. 26, Map Sheet No. 4) (Photo 15) leads 0.1 29
miles north to the Pine Knob OUA (Resource No. 27, Map Sheet No. 4), and loops to rejoin the A.T. at 30
4 This OUA was established by the Mountain Club of MD and named in honor of Walter “Pogo” Rheinheimer Jr.
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Section 7 page 16
mile 8.1. The Pine Knob OUA is at an elevation of 1,400 ft and consists of a shelter (Photo 16), tent pads, 1
privy, and access to a spring. The shelter was built in 1939–1940 by the CCC and is a traditional lean-to, 2
consisting of a one story, rectangular, log frame building with a side gable roof clad in metal and a stone 3
foundation. The interior contains a wood deck bunk area and a stone-surfaced picnic area is covered by an 4
extension of the roof (Decker 2020:139). 5
6
From the Pine Knob OUA, the Trail descends over stone and log stairs (Photo 17) to a dirt road that is 7
surrounded by hickory and oak trees and cinnamon ferns. The Trail crosses an open area, reenters the 8
woods, and passes under the US Route 40 overpass (Photo 18) at mile 8.5. The Annapolis Rock (US 9
Route 40) Parking Area Side Trail (Resource No. 28, Map Sheet No. 4) leads 0.16 miles east to a 10
parking area on US Route 40, as the Trail turns sharply west to cross I-70 on the I-70 Footbridge 11
(Resource No. 29, Map Sheet No. 4) (Photo 19) at mile 8.6. The footbridge was constructed in 1972 to 12
create a safe crossing for the A.T. over the newly constructed interstate highway. It is a 150-ft-long, 13
concrete and steel bridge enclosed by a chain-link fence tunnel and marks the Section end ( PATC 14
2015a:73–74; Decker 2020:139). 15
16
Section 4 17
18
Section 4 extends 4.9 miles from I-70, through Greenbrier and Washington Monument state parks, to 19
Turner Gap. The Section is easy to hike and traverses a series of low hills. Highlights of the section 20
include lake access and views of the Washington Monument (described below). After crossing the I-70 21
footbridge, the Trail crosses Boonsboro Mountain Road diagonally at mile 0.1. It enters the woods and 22
travels southwest, gradually gaining elevation until mile 0.5, when it reaches the high point of Bartman 23
Hill. The Bartman Hill Side Trail (Resource No. 30, Map Sheet No. 4) extends 0.4 miles west from the 24
A.T. and descends to the Visitor Center at Greenbriar State Park. ( PATC 2015a:77–81). 25
26
The Trail crosses Boonsboro Mountain Road at mile 0.8 and goes over a series of hills to a high-voltage 27
powerline cut at mile 2.6. From the cut, the Trail ascends a loose, rocky talus slope to its intersection with 28
the Washington Monument Observation Tower Side Trail (Resource No. 31, Map Sheet No. 5) 29
(Photo 20) at mile 2.9. The side trail leads 232 ft southwest uphill to the Washington Monument (not an 30
A.T. resource) at an elevation of 1,500 ft. The Washington Monument (NR Listed 1972, NRIS No. 31
72000588) (Photo 21) is the first completed monument for George Washington. It was constructed in 32
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Section 7 page 17
1827 as a bell-shaped stone structure with an interior staircase leading to a viewing platform at the top. 1
The monument was restored by the CCC in 1934–1936. The Washington Monument Observation 2
Tower Viewpoint (Resource No. 32, Map Sheet No. 5) (Photo 22) provides expansive 360-degree 3
views overlooking South Mountain’s forested slopes and agricultural and rural development in the valleys 4
below. The tower’s lower viewing deck is oriented westward toward Antietam National Battlefield and 5
the open landscape surrounding the tower also affords views ( PATC 2015a:80–83). 6
7
From the Washington Monument, the Trail descends on a well-graded trail through Washington 8
Monument State Park (Photo 23) and crosses the park’s entrance road at mile 3.3 and Monument Road at 9
mile 3.5. and crosses through Turner’s Gap and the Fox’s Gap Historic District (NR Listed 2011, NRIS 10
No. 10000575). The Battle of South Mountain in September 1862 occurred in the gaps, with heavier 11
fighting occurring in Foxs Gap. At mile 4, the A.T. crosses two stone fences and descends via 12
switchbacks to the Dahlgren Field Viewpoint (Resource No. 33, Map Sheet No. 5) (Photo 24) at mile 13
4.8 in Turners Gap that provides picturesque views across open fields where fighting occurred and the 14
Church of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The church, also known as Dahlgren Chapel, was 15
constructed for Sarah Vinton Dahlgren (1825–1898) in 1881, spouse of Admiral John A. Dahlgren 16
(1809–1870). The nearby Old South Mountain Inn was her summer residence by the 1870s. Admiral 17
Dahlgren was the founder of the Dahlgren gun and served in the US Navy during the Civil War. The Trail 18
then passes Civil War interpretive wayside panels and monuments in the field. At mile 4.9, the A.T. 19
reaches the Section end at US Route 40 Alt. in Turners Gap at an elevation of 1,100 ft, diagonal to the 20
Old South Mountain Inn ( PATC 2015a:83). 21
22
Section 5 23
24
Section 5 is a 7.4-mile-long portion of the ANST Maryland Segment that extends from Turners Gap to 25
Crampton Gap. The Section has well-graded treadway and few elevation changes. After crossing US 26
Route 40 Alt. at Turners Gap, the Trail enters the woods parallel to a dirt road and descends through 27
forest. At 0.2 miles, the A.T. reaches the Dahlgren Backpacker Campground OUA (Resource No. 34, 28
Map Sheet No. 5) (Photo 25) in a small clearing within Greenbrier and South Mountain state parks. The 29
OUA is operated by South Mountain State Park for hikers and has a restroom building, tent sites with 30
pads and fire pits, a water treatment facility, water spigot, and bear pole. The Trail then skirts the west 31
side of a large field (Photos 26–27) and crosses Reno Monument Road at mile 1.0. The field was the site 32
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Appalachian National Scenic Trail
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Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 18
of heavy fighting during the Civil War Battle of South Mountain in September 1862. The Reno 1
Monument (Photo 28), which commemorates the site where Union Major General Jesse L. Reno was 2
mortally wounded during the Battle of South Mountain, is 50 yards east of the Trail, and multiple 3
interpretive and memorial panels and plaques mark the location ( PATC 2015a:88–89). 4
5
At mile 2.0 the Trail intersects with the Rocky Run OUA Side Trail (Resource No. 35, Map Sheet No. 6
5) (Photo 29), which descends 0.2 miles southwest to the Rocky Run OUA (Resource No. 36, Map 7
Sheet No. 5) (Photo 30). The OUA consists of two shelters, campsites, privies, and a spring. The first 8
shelter was built in 1941 by the CCC and was renovated in the 2000s. The shelter accommodates six 9
people and is a good example of a typical lean-to type shelter. It is a lean-to, consisting of a one story, 10
rectangular, log building with a side gable roof clad in metal and a stone foundation. The interior contains 11
a wood deck bunk area, and a stone-surfaced picnic area is covered by an extension of the roof (Decker 12
2020:138). The other shelter was built in 2008 by the PATC and accommodates 16 people. It is a three-13
sided, rectangular, one-story, front-gable, log building on concrete piers that contains a lofted wood-frame 14
bunk area. The roof extends over the wood-deck picnic area at the front of the shelter. Both gable ends 15
contain paired single-light fixed windows. The Trail crosses a paved road at mile 2.5, and ascends Lamb 16
Knoll, crossing the high point at mile 3.6 at an elevation of 1,800 ft. A non-A.T. side trail leads 50 yards 17
west to the true summit of Lambs Knoll where a modern communication tower has been placed ( PATC 18
2015a:89). 19
20
The Trail turns west and passes the White Rocks Viewpoint (Resource No. 37, Map Sheet No. 6) at 21
mile 3.8. With an elevation of 1,600 ft, the viewpoint affords views south along the forested ridge from a 22
quartzite cliff and a carving in the rockface reading “R.L. Rudy 1890” evidences the sites long use as a 23
scenic viewpoint. The 0.2-mile-long White Rocks Viewpoint Side Trail (Resource No. 38, Map Sheet 24
No. 6) descends from the viewpoint to Bear Spring. The Trail winds around the ridge crest and rejoins the 25
ridgeline in a straight line atop South Mountain. At mile 5.2, the A.T. reaches the Rohrersville Valley 26
Viewpoint (Resource No. 39, Map Sheet No. 6) that provides picturesque views of the valley that 27
extends from the base of the mountain. At mile 6.5, the A.T. crosses through the Crampton’s Gap Historic 28
District (NR Listed 2011, NRIS No.10000576), where the Battle of South Mountain in September 1862 29
occurred. The Trail intersects Crampton Gap OUA Side Trail (Resource No. 40, Map Sheet No. 6) 30
(Photo 31) at mile 7.0 and descends 0.27 miles northeast to the Crampton Gap OUA (Resource No. 42, 31
Map Sheet No. 6) at elevation 1,035 ft. The OUA side trail continues beyond the shelter, where the 32
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 19
Crampton Gap OUA Side Trail Bridge (Resource No. 41, Map Sheet No. 6) (Photo 32), a 20-ft-long 1
wood deck footbridge, extends to the OUA’s privy. The OUA consists of a shelter (Photo 33), campsites, 2
privy, bear pole, and spring. The shelter was built in 1939 by the CCC and is a typical lean-to, consisting 3
of a one story, rectangular, log building with a side gable roof clad in metal and a stone foundation. The 4
interior contains a wood deck bunk area, and a wood-deck picnic area is partially covered by an extension 5
of the roof (Decker 2020:167). The Trail enters Gathland State Park at mile 7.3 at the crossing of Gapland 6
Road (Photo 34). Gathland State Park (Photos 34–36), which is named for George Alfred Townsend, a 7
Civil War newspaper correspondent who wrote under the pen-name Gath. Townsend’s property was the 8
site of heavy fighting during the Battle of Crampton’s Gap, one of several engagements that were fought 9
during the Battle of South Mountain on September 14, 1862. The Trail passes the ruins of a ca. 1887 10
stone barn, a picnic pavilion, and parking lots. The Civil War Newspaper Correspondents Monument, 11
which Townsend erected to honor Civil War reporters, is at the crossing of Gapland and Arnoldstown 12
roads. The 50-ft-tall stone memorial tower is maintained under the jurisdiction of the NPS and marks the 13
end of Section 5 ( PATC 2015a:91). 14
15
Section 6 16
17
Section 6 extends 6.7 miles from Crampton Gap along the ridgeline of South Mountain and its western 18
rim to Weverton Road. The Section has minimal elevation changes and travels through mature forest 19
within Gathland and South Mountain state parks and a mix of state and federal lands. The Section begins 20
by crossing Gapland Road (900-ft elevation) and ascends 0.1 mile to an unmarked side trail that leads east 21
to the remains of earthen trenches dug during the Battle of South Mountain. At mile 1.4, the Trail passes 22
the Glenn R. Cavney Memorial, a red granite memorial plaque set into the ground approximately 10 ft 23
east of the Trail. Cavney was a dedicated A.T. maintainer who was killed in a car crash. His father 24
purchased a 4-acre tract for the Trail surrounding the memorial, which was dedicated to the memory of 25
his son in 1976 ( PATC 2015a:95). 26
27
At mile 1.7, the A.T. crosses Brownsville Gap Road at the site where two divisions under Confederate 28
Major General Lafayette McLaws crossed South Mountain on the way to seize Maryland Heights during 29
the during the Battle of Harper’s Ferry (September 12–15, 1862). As it follows the ridgeline, the Trail 30
maintains a straight corridor to mile 3.1, where it reaches Birch Tree Overlook Viewpoint (Resource 31
No. 43, Map Sheet No. 7), which affords views to the east over the forested South Mountain slope and 32
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 20
agricultural fields below. From the view, the Trail continues south to its intersection with the Ed Garvey 1
OUA Side Trail (Resource No. 44, Map Sheet No. 7) (Photo 37) at mile 3.7. The side trail steeply 2
descends 0.45 miles east to the Ed Garvey OUA (Resource No. 45, Map Sheet No. 7). The OUA 3
contains a shelter (Photo 38), tent sites, bear pole, composting privy, fire pit, and spring. It was 4
constructed in 2001 in memory of Ed Garvey, a former president of the PATC and author of the 5
Appalachian Hiker: Adventure of a Lifetime (1971), which contributed to the popularization of A.T. thru 6
hiking. The shelter is a two-story log building with a front-gable roof and has an open first story and a 7
sleeping loft and balcony accessed by a ladder. The Trail continues along the ridge and reaches the 8
Pleasant Valley Viewpoint (Resource No. 46, Map Sheet No. 7) at mile 5.3, which overlooks the valley 9
( PATC 2015a:95-97; Adkins 2015:37; Decker 2020:137). 10
11
The Trail follows the forested ridge (Photo 39) as it gently descends then intersects with the Weverton 12
Cliffs Side Trail (Resource No. 47, Map Sheet No. 8) at mile 5.8. The side trail leads 0.1 miles south to 13
the Weverton Cliffs Viewpoint (Resource No. 48, Map Sheet No. 8) (Photo 40), which offers sweeping 14
views from the rock outcropping overlooking the Potomac River to the south. A plaque memorializing 15
Goodloe Byron (see Section 7 below) is mounted on the cliff face. The Trail descends Weverton Cliffs on 16
a series of switchbacks (Photo 41) and exits the woods, crossing Weverton Road in a rural residential area 17
at mile 6.6. The Trail follows the south side of the road and passes a non-A.T. side trail that leads to a 18
parking lot. The Trail reaches the section end at the parking lot at mile 6.7 at an elevation of 400 ft ( 19
PATC 2015a:95–97). 20
21
Section 7 22
23
The3.3-mile-long Section is between Weverton Road and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (the Segment 24
end). The Trail travels along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal towpath, within the Chesapeake & Ohio 25
Canal National Historical Park (NR Listed 1966, NRIS No. 66000036) and Harpers Ferry National 26
Historical Park (NR Listed 1966, Boundary Increase 2016; NRIS No. 66000041, 16000238). The A.T. 27
travels adjacent to residential property in some locations and follows the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal 28
(Photos 42–44) on the north side of the Potomac River and is the one of the lowest and flattest sections of 29
the A.T. The canal is used for recreation now, with the towpath open to pedestrians and bicycles and 30
coaligned with the A.T. ( PATC 2015a:99–101). 31
32
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 21
The Section begins at the parking lot at an elevation of 400 ft at the base of Weverton Cliffs, enters the 1
woods briefly paralleling Israel Creek, and crosses US Route 340 under the road overpass at mile 0.2, and 2
travels parallel to an abandoned spur of the B&O Railroad for the next 0.2 miles. At mile 0.4, the Trail 3
enters the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, reaches an NPS gate, and crosses the 4
active CSX Railroad tracks at mile 0.4. At mile 0.5, the Trail crosses a causeway over the Chesapeake & 5
Ohio Canal (300-ft elevation), turns west, and follows the towpath to Harpers Ferry, with the CSX 6
railroad tracks to the north and the Potomac River to the south. At mile 2, the Trail crosses under the 7
Route 340 bridge near Sandy Hook and continues west along the towpath. At mile 2.7, the Trail passes 8
Canal Lock 32 that was built for the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in 1833. The 184.5-mile-long canal linked 9
Washington, DC, and Cumberland, Maryland and remained open to commercial navigation until 1924 ( 10
PATC 2015a:101). 11
12
The Trail passes under one train trestle and ascends stairs to cross the 0.2-mile-long, metal Goodloe 13
Byron Memorial Footbridge (Resource No. 49, Map Sheet No. 8) (Photo 45) at mile 3.1. The 14
footbridge is named for Congressman Goodloe E. Byron (1928–1978), a major supporter of the 15
Appalachian Trail. It was constructed in 1985 and is attached to an active railroad bridge (the 1894 B&O 16
Railroad Potomac River Crossing) that extends over the Potomac River between Harpers Ferry, West 17
Virginia, and Sandy Hook, Maryland, where the railroad travels through a tunnel built into the 18
mountainside. The railroad bridge was fabricated by the Pencoyd Iron Works and constructed in 1894. 19
The bridge affords views south of the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers. In 2019, a train 20
derailment heavily damaged the footbridge, and part of it was replaced in 2020. The Trail reaches the 21
segment end at Harpers Ferry at mile 3.3 (400-ft elevation) at the border of Maryland and West Virginia 22
Border within Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (PATC 2015a:102–103). 23
24
Statement of Integrity 25
26
The ANST Maryland Segment retains sufficient integrity of location, setting, design, feeling, and 27
association to convey its significance in the areas of Entertainment and Recreation, Conservation, and 28
Social History. Most of the A.T. treadway in Maryland is on protected lands owned in fee simple, 29
managed as “A.T. Lands,” within state and federal parks, forests, and protected lands, or on negotiated 30
rights-of-way through towns or over public roads and bridges. 31
32
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 22
Like the entire A.T., the ANST Maryland Segment has continued to evolve since its original construction 1
in response to natural forces and development, while remaining a physical manifestation of the original 2
Trail planning concept and design-build strategy for a continuous long-distance hiking path. The A.T. 3
route in Maryland has integrity of location within an unbroken protective corridor intentionally 4
established by the State of Maryland, the ATC, the PATC and other Trail-maintaining clubs, and the CCC 5
in 1933–1942. Finally, from 1968 to the present, the involved parties rerouted pieces of treadway that 6
remained on unprotected land to protected lands or relocated pieces within protected lands to improve the 7
hiker experience. 5 8
9
The ANST Maryland Segment possesses integrity of setting, allowing hikers to reach, travel through, and 10
experience the remote natural, wild, scenic, and cultural lands of the Appalachian Mountains. The route 11
provides numerous opportunities to encounter viewpoints and vistas of the natural landscape at numerous 12
mountain summits and along the mountain ranges and along fields and waterways––a key guiding design 13
criterion of the A.T.’s planners and builders. 14
15
The ANST Maryland Segment retains the paramount A.T. feeling of a continuous footpath through a vast 16
landscape and continues to fulfill its original purpose of providing human access to the wilderness with 17
minimal impacts to the natural environment from activities along its course. The ANST Maryland 18
Segment retains integrity of materials and workmanship, with many built resources, including shelters, 19
lean-tos, and bridges, maintained through replacement in kind or built using natural materials by 20
volunteers following ATC guidelines. The Segment clearly conveys its association with the outdoor 21
entertainment and recreation and land conservation sentiments in the United States that influenced its 22
construction and development. Rerouted and relocated portions are congruent with the original vision of 23
the Trail, and adjustments to the course of the Trail and its treadway do not detract from its themes of 24
significance. 25
26
5 As defined in the MPDF (Olausen et al. 2022), a reroute refers to portions of the A.T. moved onto publicly or
privately owned protected land. Public protected lands are forests, parks, and other areas assigned for conservation
and public use. Private protected lands are designated as conservation land. Relocations refer to changes to the A.T.
within the established protected land corridor typically to move pieces of deteriorated treadway to fresh ground or to
improve access to an OUA, viewpoint, or other Trail feature.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 23
APPALACHIAN NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL 1
MARYLAND SEGMENT NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT 2
RESOURCES LIST 3
4
Resource
No.6 Resource Name 7 Sub-Type/
Features 8
NR
Property
Type 9
PATC
Map No.
(MD/VA)
10
PATC
Sectio
n No.
(MD)11
NR
Map
Sheet
No.12
Photo
No.
1 ANST Maryland
Segment Treadway A.T. Route Structure All All All All
2 Pen Mar Park
Viewpoint Vista Site 5 1 1 2
3 High Rock Parking
Area Side Trail
Access,
0.23 mi long Structure 5 1 1 3
4 High Rock Viewpoint
Side Trail View, 186 ft long Structure 5 1 1
5 High Rock Viewpoint View Site 5 1 1 4
6 Raven Rock OUA Side
Trail
OUA,
0.13 mi long Structure 5 1 1
7 Raven Rock OUA
Shelter (2010),
campsites, privy,
spring
Site 5 1 1
8 Raven Rock Viewpoint
Side Trail View, 332 ft long Structure 5 1 2
9 Raven Rock Viewpoint View Site 5 1 2
10 Willard Property SUP
Viewpoint Vista Site 5 2 2 7
6 Resource Number is an assigned number for each countable resource, organized traveling southbound from the
Pennsylvania-Maryland border to the Maryland–West Virginia border within the Maryland Segment.
7 Resource Name for countable resources is that shown in the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and National
Park Service (NPS) Appalachian Trail Park Office data set, with minor edits to reflect information in the PATC’s
Appalachian Trail Guide: Maryland and Northern Virginia (Eighteenth Edition, 2015), and accompanying maps.
8 Sub-Type/Feature refers to the NPS and ATC data subtype within a resource type, information about specific
features, materials, measurements, and date.
9 NR Resource Type refers to how resources are classified for the purposes of the NR.
10 ATC Map No. refers to the corresponding maps to the 2015 PATC guidebook.
11 ATC Section No. refers to the seven Sections of the A.T. in Maryland as defined in the 2015 PATC guidebook.
12 NR Map Sheet No. refers to the eight map sheets that accompany this NR nomination. This map set shows the
boundaries of the nominated district and the location of all individual countable resources.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 24
Resource
No.6 Resource Name 7 Sub-Type/
Features 8
NR
Property
Type 9
PATC
Map No.
(MD/VA)
10
PATC
Sectio
n No.
(MD)11
NR
Map
Sheet
No.12
Photo
No.
11
Powerline
Right of Way
Viewpoint
Vista Site 5 2 2
12
Ensign Cowall
Memorial
OUA Side Trail
OUA, 186 ft long Structure 5 2 2
13 Ensign Cowall
Memorial OUA
Shelter (1999),
campsites, privy,
spring
Site 5 2 2 8–10
14
Ensign Cowall
Memorial OUA Water
Source Side Trail
Water source,
149 ft long Structure 5 2 2
15
MD Rte 17 (Wolfsville
Rd) Parking Area Side
Trail
Access,
0.14 mi long Structure 5 2 2 12
16 South Mtn Viewpoint 1 View Site 5 3 2
17 South Mtn Viewpoint 2 View Site 5 3 3
18 Thurston Griggs Trail Access,
0.96 mi long Structure 5 3 3
19 Pogo Memorial
Campsite OUA
Campsites, privy,
spring Site 5 3 3
20 Black Rock Viewpoint
Side Trail View, 455 ft long Structure 5 3 3
21 Black Rock Viewpoint View Site 5 3 3 13
22
Annapolis Rock
Viewpoint
Side Trail
View,
0.18 mi long Structure 5 3 4
23 Annapolis Rock
Viewpoint View Site 5 3 4 14
24 Annapolis Rock OUA
Side Trail
OUA,
0.35 mi long Structure 5 3 4
25 Annapolis Rock OUA
Campsites,
caretaker’s site,
privy, bear pole,
spring
Site 5 3 4
26 Pine Knob OUA Side
Trail OUA, 0.4 mi long Structure 5 3 4 15
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National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 25
Resource
No.6 Resource Name 7 Sub-Type/
Features 8
NR
Property
Type 9
PATC
Map No.
(MD/VA)
10
PATC
Sectio
n No.
(MD)11
NR
Map
Sheet
No.12
Photo
No.
27 Pine Knob OUA
Shelter (1939),
campsites, privy,
spring
Site 5 3 4 16
28
Annapolis Rock (US
40) Parking Area Side
Trail
Access
0.16 mi long Structure 5 3 4
29 I-70 Footbridge
Steel and concrete,
150 ft long, built
1972
Structure 5 3 4 19
30 Bartman Hill Side Trail Access,
0.4 mi long Structure 5 4 4
31
Washington Monument
Observation Tower
Side Trail
View, 232 ft long Structure 5 4 5 20
32
Washington Monument
Observation Tower
Viewpoint
Vista Site 5 4 5 21–22
33 Dahlgren Field
Viewpoint Vista Site 5 4 5 24
34 Dahlgren Backpacker
Campground OUA
Campsites,
bathroom facility,
water spigot,
bear pole
Site 6 5 5 27
35 Rocky Run OUA Side
Trail OUA, 0.2 mi long Structure 6 5 5
36 Rocky Run OUA
Two shelters (1941
and 2008),
campsites, privies,
spring
Site 6 5 5 30
37 White Rocks
Viewpoint View Site 6 5 6
38 White Rocks
Viewpoint Side Trail
View/water source,
0.2 mi long Structure 6 5 6
39 Rohrersville Valley
Viewpoint Vista Site 6 5 6
40 Crampton Gap OUA
Side Trail
OUA,
0.28 mi long Structure 6 5 6 31
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 7 page 26
Resource
No.6 Resource Name 7 Sub-Type/
Features 8
NR
Property
Type 9
PATC
Map No.
(MD/VA)
10
PATC
Sectio
n No.
(MD)11
NR
Map
Sheet
No.12
Photo
No.
41 Crampton Gap OUA
Side Trail Bridge
Wood deck bridge
on posts,
> 20 ft long
Structure 6 5 6 32
42 Crampton Gap OUA
Shelter (1941),
campsites, privy,
bear pole, spring
Site 6 5 6 33
43 Birch Tree Overlook
Viewpoint Vista Site 6 6 7
44 Ed Garvey OUA Side
Trail
OUA,
0.42 mi long Structure 6 6 7 37
45 Ed Garvey OUA
Shelter (2002),
campsites, bear
pole, privy, spring
Site 6 6 7 38
46 Pleasant Valley
Viewpoint Vista Site 6 6 7
47 Weverton Cliffs Side
Trail View, 0.1 mi long Structure 6 6 8
48 Weverton Cliffs
Viewpoint View Site 6 6 8 40
49 Goodloe Byron
Memorial Footbridge
Metal footbridge
attached to railroad
bridge, 0.2 mi long
Structure 6 7 8 45
1
2
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 8 page 27
_________________________________________________________________
8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria
(Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register
listing.)
A. Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the
broad patterns of our history.
B. Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.
C. Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of
construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values,
or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack
individual distinction.
D. Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or
history.
Criteria Considerations
(Mark “x” in all the boxes that apply.)
A. Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes
B. Removed from its original location
C. A birthplace or grave
D. A cemetery
E. A reconstructed building, object, or structure
F. A commemorative property
G. Less than 50 years old or achieving significance within the past 50 years
X
X
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 8 page 28
Areas of Significance
(Enter categories from instructions.)
ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION
CONSERVATION
SOCIAL HISTORY
Period of Significance
1930–2006
Significant Dates
1930 – ANST Maryland Segment route scouted
1932 – ANST Maryland Segment construction completed
2006 – reroute of Trail between Warner Gap Road and Wolfsville Road in 2002–2006 moves
the remaining major piece of the ANST Maryland Segment onto the protected A.T. corridor
Significant Person
(Complete only if Criterion B is marked above.)
N/A________________
Cultural Affiliation
N/A________________
Architect/Builder
N/A________________
Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that includes 1
level of significance, applicable criteria, justification for the period of significance, and any 2
applicable criteria considerations.) 3
4
The ANST Maryland Segment is eligible for inclusion in the National Register as an associated listing of 5
the Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail Multiple Property Documentation Form 6
(MPDF). It meets the requirements for listing under the ANST State Segment associated property type 7
and the historic context “The Appalachian Trail, 1922–Present” (Olausen et al. 2022). The ANST 8
Maryland Segment is significant under Criterion A at the national level in the areas of 9
Entertainment/Recreation and Conservation as an important component of the nation’s premier long-10
distance hiking trail and at the state level in the area of Social History for its association with hiking clubs 11
that were responsible for its construction and maintenance. The period of significance for the ANST 12
Maryland Segment extends from 1930, when the Segment was planned and construction began, to 2006, 13
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 8 page 29
when the process of moving the Trail onto a fully protected corridor was completed. The end date is 1
consistent with the Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail MPDF, which states that 2
the A.T. meets Criteria Consideration G for properties less than 50 years old due to the exceptional 3
importance of the A.T. as a historic recreational resource of enduring national significance. 4
______________________________________________________________________________ 5
Narrative Statement of Significance (Provide at least one paragraph for each area of 6
significance.) 7
8
9
CRITERION A – ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION 10
11
The ANST Maryland Segment is an important link of the entire A.T., connecting the Trail’s northern and 12
southern routes along the spine of the Appalachian Range. The construction of the ANST Maryland 13
Segment promoted long-distance and day- hiking in Maryland, especially along and in the vicinity of 14
South Mountain. This region was readily accessible to people in the valleys flanking the mountain and in 15
major metropolitan hubs of the region, including Baltimore and Washington, DC, and the ANST 16
Maryland Segment provided recreational opportunities previously unavailable. The segment’s 17
development aided in the establishment of organized hiking trail construction methods in the greater Mid-18
Atlantic and Southern regions, and served as a model for other trail systems. 19
20
Land Use and Settlement Along South Mountain Before the Appalachian Trail 21
22
Before European colonization, Native Americans established trails that extended north and south along 23
the slopes of South Mountain and the flanking valleys. In the 1720s and 1730s, European settlements 24
were established along the Potomac River and near the mouth of Antietam Creek. By 1732, British Lord 25
Baltimore, the first Proprietor of the Province of Maryland, had the land surrounding and including South 26
Mountain surveyed into parcels that were granted to settlers. Through the Treaty of Lancaster in 1744, the 27
Six Nations of the Iroquois relinquished their claim to lands in the region to the Colony of Maryland, 28
opening the area to unfettered European settlement. In 1765, British astronomers and surveyors Charles 29
Mason and Jeremiah Dixon defined a boundary line between Pennsylvania and Maryland, which 30
thereafter became known as the Mason–Dixon Line ( PATC 2015a:41–53; Adkins 2015:31–50). 31
32
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 8 page 30
By the end of eighteenth century, ferries across the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers at the south end of 1
South Mountain carried settlers through the Blue Ridge Mountains, and roads and paths crossed through 2
Crampton and Turners gaps. The original road through Turners Gap was constructed in 1755 and was 3
later incorporated into the National Road (Cumberland Road), which was authorized in 1806 as the 4
nation’s first federally funded road project and was designed to facilitate settlement of the Ohio River 5
Valley. Turner’s Gap is the site of the Old South Mountain Inn, which was built in the early eighteenth 6
century and is one of the oldest public houses along the A.T. The opening of the Chesapeake & Ohio 7
(C&O) Canal and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad along the Potomac River in 1834 sparked settlement at 8
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and other places at the south end of South Mountain ( PATC 2015a:41–53; 9
Strain 1993:3–63, 91–97, 130–135; Adkins 2015:31–50). 10
11
Agriculture was the chief pursuit of the settlers of the valleys flanking South Mountain. Fertile soils and 12
an ample supply of spring water along the mountain slopes provided the means to raise corn, rye, and 13
wheat and whiskey making became an important industry by the mid-eighteenth century. Some of the 14
area’s farmers and distillers participated in the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, an armed uprising against the 15
federal government’s decision to impose a tax on whiskey. Whiskey distilling flourished into twentieth 16
century, especially during Prohibition (1920–1933) when many locals participated in elaborate moonshine 17
production and transportation schemes ( PATC 2015a:45–48; Adkins 2015:31–50). 18
19
Outdoor Recreation on South Mountain Before the Appalachian Trail 20
21
The first substantial recreational development along South Mountain in Maryland was centered at Pen 22
Mar at the north end of the ANST Maryland Segment. In 1878 the Western Maryland Railroad 23
established a park there to promote and increase passenger train services into the region. Daily trains and 24
trolleys provided service to Pen Mar from Baltimore and Hagerstown, Maryland, and Waynesboro, 25
Virginia. By the early twentieth century, Pen Mar Park contained 7 hotels, approximately 100 boarding 26
houses, an amusement park, and a three-tiered observatory at the top of High Rock that provided excellent 27
views to the west of the valley. Nicknamed the “Coney Island of the Blue Ridge,” The park drew up to 28
5,000 people per day during the summer. During the 1930s, however, visitation to the park fell off due to 29
the economic effects of the Great Depression (1929–1939) and in 1943 the park closed. It was 30
subsequently acquired by Washington County and continues to serve as a public park, although the 31
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observatory and amusement rides are no longer extant ( PATC 2015a:45–51; Bates 1987:2–3, 16–17; 1
Adkins 2015:31, 46–50). 2
3
Recreational hiking to scenic viewpoints along South Mountain began in the late nineteenth century, but 4
did not become popular until the early twentieth century. The area was distant from the closest 5
metropolitan areas of Washington, DC, and Baltimore and much of the land was privately owned and 6
inaccessible by railroads or other forms of public transportation. The formation of organized outing clubs 7
of the type that had spearheaded the development of the extensive trail systems in the northeastern 8
Appalachian Mountains late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was slow to materialize in the South. 9
This began to change in the 1910s with the founding of Washington, DC’s Wildflower Preservation 10
Society (WPS) and the Red Triangle Club (RTC). Recreational outings sponsored by these clubs initially 11
focused on areas that were close to the city and easily reached by public transportation. The C&O Canal 12
Towpath, which extended northwest from the city to Harpers Ferry and beyond, and the city’s Rock 13
Creek Park along Sligo Creek in Washington, DC, became popular day hiking destinations. As interest in 14
hiking increase, the clubs organized longer overnight hiking excursions to the Appalachian Mountains in 15
Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia (Johnson 2017:16, 36, 68–69). 16
17
Planning the A.T. 18
19
In his proposal for “An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning” published in the Journal of 20
the American Institute of Architects in October 1921, Benton MacKaye included a map that depicted 21
the Trail route through the Mid-Atlantic region. MacKaye’s route in Maryland generally followed what 22
would eventually be developed as the ANST Maryland Segment, entering the state east of 23
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, and travelling along the crest of South Mountain to Harpers Ferry, West 24
Virginia (MacKaye 1921; Bates 1987:2–3, 16–17). MacKaye’s vision for the trail quickly drew 25
interest among the established hiking clubs in New England, New York, and New Jersey, but there 26
were at the time no organizations capable of building and managing the Trail from Pennsylvania 27
southward. In 1925, the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC, later the Appalachian Trail 28
Conservancy) formed as a collaboration of existing trail organizations with the overarching purpose of 29
constructing, maintaining, and protecting the entire proposed A.T. That same year, the ATC met to 30
discuss and plan the A.T. Among the topics discussed at the first annual meeting of the ATC held at 31
the Raleigh Hotel in Washington, DC, on March 2 and 3, 1925, was the development of an organized 32
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approach to building the Trail in the South. Two years later, ATC Chairman Judge Arthur Perkins was 1
instrumental in forming the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC, see Criterion A – Social 2
History), which was headed by hiking enthusiast Myron Avery and would become the chief 3
organization responsible for construction of the Trail in the South (Andrade et al. 2019; ATC 2000:5–4
7; Olausen et al. 2022). 5
6
The PATC’s initial mission was to manage scouting, building, and maintaining the A.T. from central 7
Pennsylvania, through Maryland, and to Rockfish Gap in central Virginia (Adkins 2009:115) Avery 8
became a driving force in publicizing the Trail and organizing local trail clubs that were instrumental in 9
the Trail's construction in the region, including the Maryland Appalachian Trail Club (MATC) and the 10
Roanoke Appalachian Trail (RATC) and Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail (NBATC) clubs in Virginia. 11
The PATC became well versed in scouting and building the Trail over mostly privately owned parcels, 12
because the Mid-Atlantic and Southern states in their region contained limited federal and state land 13
holdings along the Appalachian Mountain range in the 1920s and early 1930s (Adkins 2009:7, 115). 14
15
The PATC initially focused on scouting and building the ANST West Virginia–Virginia Segment 16
beginning in February 1928 with the marking and clearing of the approximately 45 miles of trail from 17
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, to Linden, Virginia (Johnson 2017:70–73). The Trail from Harpers Ferry 18
was routed to cross the Potomac River and Maryland–West Virginia border using the Bollman iron truss 19
bridge constructed in 1852 13 and then continue north through Maryland (Adkins 2009:11; Johnson 20
2017:96–97; PATC 1931:19). 21
22
Avery’s proposed route for the ANST Maryland Segment traveled from Pen Mar to Harpers Ferry along 23
South Mountain. However, Trail clubs in Pennsylvania disagreed with this proposed route and instead 24
wanted the Trail to travel along Tuscarora Mountain in their state, then follow the C&O Canal for 64 25
miles from Hancock, Maryland, to Harpers Ferry. Avery worked to gain the support of the Pennsylvanian 26
clubs and, by the spring of 1929, they supported Avery’s South Mountain route (Bates 1987:2–3, 16–17; 27
Johnson 2021:220–222). 28
29
13 A flood in 1934 damaged the bridge and hikers had to cross the river by boat. The Trail passed through Harpers
Ferry until 1936, when it was rerouted to cross the rivers farther east (see Historic Route and Reroutes) (Adkins
2009:11; PATC 1931:19).
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In 1929, Avery consulted Maryland State Forester F. W. Besley and City Forester of Frederick Cyril 1
Klein about scouting the potential ANST Maryland Segment route along South Mountain (Strain 2
1993:71; Johnson 2021:225). Besley, Klein, and other forest rangers scouted a route for the Segment from 3
Pen Mar to Weverton at the Potomac River during a four-day trip and marked the route with strings and 4
rags as flagging tape for later trail builders to follow. The route from Weverton was designed to coalign 5
with the C&O Canal to Harpers Ferry (Johnson 2021:225). 6
7
In 1978, the Frederick News recounted Besley’s explanation of the scouting trip: 8
9
The head man [Avery] called me and said that he wanted me to go out and blaze a trail 10
between Pen Mar and Weverton. I knew a little about blazing trails, having already laid 11
out the fire trails for the city watershed. I grabbed 3 men and the 4 of us headed for 12
Weverton. With a 2-lb. ax, I blazed trees on the right, while the others walked behind me 13
and blazed on the left side. That way it would be easier for the hikers to walk between the 14
marks. On the first day we made it to Gapland. The second day we blazed as far as the 15
Washington Monument which, at the time, was just a pile of stones. The third day we 16
were at Wolfsville, and the fourth day we reached Pen Mar. The park at Pen Mar was still 17
pretty active, so we decided to go around it. We figured that hikers wouldn’t care to walk 18
through an amusement park… (quoted in Strain 1993:71–72). 19
20
The scouted ANST Maryland Segment route along the ridge of South Mountain remained mostly 21
undeveloped and passed many culturally important places, including Civil War battlefields ( PATC 22
2015a:51).14 Much of the route was also across private land, which necessitated either official or 23
unofficial landowner permission to proceed and, in the mid-to-late twentieth century, large-scale 24
acquisition by the state to protect the A.T. (see Criterion C – Conservation below) (Johnson 2021:225; 25
Bates 1987:32–33). By the fourth annual ATC meeting in June 1930, the scouted Maryland route was 26
described as following South Mountain, along “a ridge uniform in height, but broken into easy sections 27
by highways.” The forest growth was “plenty and free from the desert of blight-killed chestnuts, which 28
mars the timber of the proposed Shenandoah National Park [in Virginia]” (quoted in Strain 1993:71). 29
14 According to the ATC (2015a:51), South Mountain’s ridge was used by escaped enslaved peoples in the early to
mid-nineteenth century when they traveled north along the Underground Railroad. Five men who raided Harpers
Ferry with John Brown also fled north along South Mountain’s ridge.
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Notes about the PATC’s progress for the 1930 annual meeting highlighted the construction of the ANST 1
Maryland Segment as one of three goals for the following year (Avery 1930; Bates 1987:16). 2
3
Developing the Original Route 4
5
In 1931 and 1932, the PATC, under the direction of Supervisor of Trails J. Frank Schairer, built the 6
ANST Maryland Segment during a series of club work trips. Schairer was also responsible for acquiring 7
landowner permission to build the Trail along its earlier scouted route. PATC weekend work parties, 8
consisting of both men and women, used axes, clippers, and saws to create an easily walkable path 9
(Johnson 2021:225–226; Bates 1987:32–33). During this work, “the trail was marked only by wan strips 10
of defunct sheet. Logs, thorny locusts, grapevine tangles, and blackberry thickets vanished before our 11
onslaught. Behind the rear guard stretched our ever-lengthening trail, blazed, marked, and cleared. Fresh 12
paint dripped from the blazes; fresh stubs poked through the trampled snow” (quoted in Strain 1993:72). 13
14
The PATC Bulletin included regular reports about Trail building, including a description of a December 15
1931 work trip involving 58 club members, including many female PATC members, who traveled in 17 16
cars to work on various sections of the ANST Maryland Segment. The workers were divided into six 17
groups, and 11 miles of continuous Trail north of Washington Monument (referred to as Monument Knob 18
in the 1930s) was cut and marked with painted blazes and markers. The area of the Segment had few 19
water sources, but two springs were identified and marked within that 11-mile section. After the section 20
was built, H. C. Anderson was assigned as overseer for the completed portion of Trail between Pen Mar 21
and Raven Rock Hollow (PATC Jan. 1932:Vol. I, No. 1). Intensive A.T. building was still underway in 22
Maryland, and as more sections of the Segment were completed in early 1932, Trail overseers would be 23
assigned accordingly to administer the maintenance along the A.T. (PATC Jan. 1932:Vol. I, No. 1; Strain 24
and Niedzialek 2000). 25
26
In the December 1932 issue of Appalachia, Avery described the construction of the ANST Maryland 27
Segment as 28
29
an experiment in mass trail construction. The route was carefully marked with string and 30
rags and then cut out on scheduled Trail Club trips. The Maryland section boasts of 31
nothing extraordinary but its many outlooks, excellence of route and ease of travel, 32
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pleasing forest growth, convenience and accessibility promise to make it one of the most 1
frequented sections of the Appalachian Trail. Its builders hold it in high esteem (quoted 2
in Strain 1993:72). 3
4
During initial A.T. construction efforts, the PATC used existing roads and paths to avoid the more labor-5
intense work of clearing routes through undisturbed forest when possible and the Trail had no 6
complicated treadwork. (Later, portions of the ANST Maryland Segment using roads were rerouted.) The 7
hope was that hikers would keep the lower vegetation cleared by walking on the path; however, the forest 8
of the Mid-Atlantic and South was quick to regrow and claim back the cleared spaces. The Trail was 9
placed on mountain crests where possible and purposely routed by special points of interests, scenic 10
views, and springs and other water sources (Bates 1987:10–11, 14, 18–19; Johnson 2021:104–105). 11
12
On March 20, 1932, during a Trail construction trip under the direction of Schairer, the PATC completed 13
building and marking the ANST Maryland Segment. PATC. Groups of PATC members had traveled by 14
bus to Crampton Gap and Weverton. Axes and long-armed clippers were used to clear the Trail, and the 15
route was marked with Trail markers and painted blazes (PATC July 1932:Vol I, No. 3). The ANST 16
Maryland Segment’s completion added to the nearly two-thirds (1,207 miles) of the 2,000 miles of the 17
entire A.T. that was constructed by this time (PATC 1934; ATC 1964:28–43). 18
19
Completed Original Route 20
21
The completed original (1932) route of the ANST Maryland Segment was 38.74 miles, approximately 22
2 miles shorter than the current route length of 41 miles, although the alignment differs only slightly. 23
Soon after the Segment’s completion, the PATC began to offer club hikes along the Trail, advertising in 24
the PATC Bulletin that the newly completed segment of the A.T. was well built and offered enjoyable 25
hikes along South Mountain and through historic and cultural sites, such as the site of the Civil War 26
Battle of South Mountain (PATC Apr. 1932:Vol. 1, No. 2). The ANST Maryland Segment has been 27
readily accessible since its completion. For example, its entire length is a 1- to 2-hour drive from 28
Washington, DC, or Baltimore. The Trail was (and still is) within 50–80 miles of urban and suburban 29
communities and used by many walking and tramping clubs in metropolitan Washington, DC, and 30
Baltimore. The PATC, MATC, and MCM have overseen the maintenance of the ANST Maryland 31
Segment (PATC 1934; Adkins 2015:31–34). 32
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1
The ANST Maryland Segment first appeared in the 1931 Guide to Paths in the Blue Ridge as traveling 2
south–southwest through Maryland from Pen Mar at the Pennsylvania border to Harpers Ferry at the West 3
Virginia border and was keyed as a scouted route, not yet constructed. Although the guidebook included 4
lengthy descriptions of the Pennsylvania and Virginia segments (Pennsylvania completed in 1932 and 5
West Virginia/Virginia completed in 1931), no description of the Maryland Segment is included until the 6
second edition in 1934 (PATC 1931:1–6, 10–11). This guidebook included maps, a description, and 7
detailed mileage logs for the ANST Maryland Segment (PATC 1934; Figures 1–2). The route as it existed 8
in 1933/1934 was between the Pennsylvania–Maryland border at Pen Mar and the Maryland–West 9
Virginia border at Harpers Ferry. The Segment was divided into seven sections, as it is today: travelling 10
south, Pen Mar to Raven Rock Hollow (5.49 miles); Raven Rock Hollow to the Smithsburg–Wolfsville 11
Highway (3.84 miles); Smithsburg–Wolfsville Highway to Myersville–Mt. Lena (Smoketown) Road 12
(8.25 miles); Myersville–Mt. Lena (Smoketown) Road to Turners Gap (5.15 miles); Turners Gap to 13
Crampton Gap (6.7 miles); Crampton Gap to Weverton Cliffs (6.35 miles); and Weverton Cliffs to 14
Chimney Rock in Harpers Ferry (2.96 miles) (PATC 1934:15). 15
16
The original route differs from the current route by only minor relocations and reroutes (see Early Trail 17
Reroutes below). The original route southbound began at the Pennsylvania–Maryland border at Pen Mar 18
and skirted Pen Mark Park between the Western Maryland Railroad tracks to the west and development to 19
the east. The Trail then ascended South Mountain, before it skirted the summit of Quirauk Mountain (part 20
of South Mountain) to the east. At High Rock at an elevation of 1,822 ft on Quirauk Mountain, hikers 21
could use a multi-story observation platform on a large outcropping to view the valley to the west. The 22
platform was removed in 1939, but its concrete foundation remnants and steps remain. From High Rock, 23
the A.T. continued its southward route along the mountain ridge, then descended into Raven Rock 24
Hollow. It coaligned with Raven Rock Road for a short distance in the hollow, crossed Little Antietam 25
Creek, and continued south to climb the east slope of Buzzard Knob. The A.T. crossed Warner Gap Road 26
and ascended to the ridge of South Mountain with multiple viewpoints along the ridge, including Black 27
and Annapolis rocks. After traversing Pine Knob, the Trail gently descended the knob to cross a 28
secondary road (location of present-day US Highway 40 and I-70) and railroad tracks (PATC 1934; 29
PATC 2015a; Adkins 2015:31–50). 30
31
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From the road crossing, the A.T. traversed Bartman Hill and traveled south to the Washington Monument 1
(referred to as Monument Knob in the 1930s), which was in disrepair and consisted of a pile of rubble by 2
the early 1930s. The CCC reconstructed the monument, and it reopened in 1936. From the monument, the 3
Trail skirted southeast, went through Dahlgren Field in Turners Gap, then crossed Foxs Gap. As it 4
climbed and traversed the ridge of South Mountain once more, the Trail afforded views from White 5
Rocks and continued south to Crampton Gap. Following the ridgeline, the A.T. climbed Weverton Cliffs 6
overlooking the Potomac River and Virginia to the south. The Trail then descended the mountain ridge 7
and cliffs and continued west along the C&O Canal towpath, as it does today. The A.T. reached the south 8
end of the Segment at the crossing on the toll road bridge and railroad bridge of the confluence of the 9
Shenandoah and Potomac rivers at Harpers Ferry (PATC 1934; PATC 2015a; Adkins 2015:31–50). 10
11
The PATC marked the original ANST Maryland Segment at the time of its construction with copper, 12
galvanized iron, and aluminum A.T. monogram markers nailed to trees, posts, and other vertical 13
materials. White-painted blazes supplemented the markers. Stone cairns were used to mark the Trail in 14
open spaces, and wood signs were used at main highway crossings. Blue blazes were used to mark side 15
trails (PATC 1934). The PATC assigned overseers to each section of the ANST Maryland Segment as it 16
was built. These Trail overseers were responsible for the general maintenance of the A.T., including 17
clipping back poison ivy, briers, weeds, and branches encroaching on the treadway. They also were 18
responsible for cutting and moving logs and branches that had fallen onto the Trail. They collected litter, 19
removed fireplaces illegally built by campers, and repainted blazes as necessary. Some sections of Tail 20
required only seasonal maintenance, but others required more frequent maintenance––sometimes two or 21
more times a month––during the spring. The PATC also hosted club work trips to conduct regular 22
maintenance along the ANST Maryland Segment, including a November 1932 trip for vegetation 23
management (PATC Jan. 1932:Vol. I, No. 1, July 1932:Vol I, No. 3, Oct. 1932:Vol. I, No. 4; Strain 24
1993:72). 25
26
Beginning in 1932, hikers along the ANST Maryland Segment relied mostly on non-A.T. overnight 27
accommodations. The PATC began planning where and how to build shelters and cabins along the 28
A.T. according to its (and later the ATC’s) standards for design and construction (see Criterion A – 29
Social History). In 1938–1941, the CCC built five shelters along the ANST Maryland Segment; three 30
of these (built in 1939–1941) are extant and are at the Pine Knob, Rocky Run, and Crampton Gap 31
OUAs. The two other shelters were the Devils Racecourse shelter (north of Raven Rock Hollow) and 32
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the Wolf shelter (east of MD Highway 17). In 1941, the PATC also incorporated the rentable Bear 1
Spring Cabin, which was donated to the club in 1939; it is south of White Rock and not an ANST 2
Maryland Segment NR resource. The cabin is still available for overnight use. Other overnight shelters 3
and campsites constructed in Maryland after the CCC’s and PATC’s initial efforts were placed where 4
shelters previously did not exist and to shorten the distance between preexisting shelters or to replace 5
the CCC-era shelters (Bates 1987:10–11, 14, 18–19; PATC 1931, 1934, 1938, 1941; Decker 2020; 6
PATC 2015a:51; Adkins 2015:40). 7
8
Early Trail Reroutes 9
10
As throughout the entire length of the A.T., the process of adjusting the Trail’s original route through 11
Maryland began shortly after its completion in 1932. However, unlike other state segments that required 12
substantial early rerouting of the Trail, the ANST Maryland Segment underwent minimal early rerouting, 13
and the Trail follows roughly the same route today as it did in the 1930s. Early rerouting in Maryland was 14
done primarily to improve hiking conditions and to move the Trail off motor roads and private lands 15
where owners objected to its presence.15 Changes were also made to accommodate day hikers as well as 16
multi-day and thru-hikers who used overnight facilities. According to some trail club members, an A.T. 17
maintainer had to be “one-third trail worker, one-third organizer of other trail workers, but three-fourths 18
diplomat among landowners” (quoted in Waterman and Waterman 1989:494). 19
20
Interstate and highway construction affected the ANST Maryland Segment beginning in the late 1930s 21
with the construction of US Route 40 (Baltimore National Pike), which extended east–west through the 22
state. On the 1938 and 1941 maps of the Trail, the highway is labeled as incomplete with the A.T. 23
crossing it as it traveled between Pine Knob and Bartman Hill. On the 1938 map, the Trail’s route was 24
slightly altered where it crossed the new highway from its location on the 1933 map (PATC 1933, 1938, 25
1941). The route in the same location was altered again in 1966–1969 to accommodate the construction of 26
I-70 between Pine Knob and Bartman Hill. The reroute consisted of shifting the Trail slightly, and in 27
1972 the extant A.T. footbridge over I-70 was constructed to carry the Trail over the highway (APPO 28
2022; PATC 1966, 1969, 1973). 29
30
15 The early reroutes were a variation of a reroute as defined in the MPDF, i.e., portions of the A.T. moved onto
protected land (Olausen et al. 2022).
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The ANST Maryland Segment’s south end, where it crosses the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers into the 1
ANST West Virginia–Virginia Segment, was rerouted several times by 1985. The first change occurred in 2
the late 1930s, when the A.T. was partially moved off the C&O Canal towpath and onto US Route 340 to 3
accommodate the Trail’s use of a toll bridge over the Potomac River into Harpers Ferry (PATC 1933, 4
1938, 1941). In 1948, the A.T. was rerouted off the toll bridge to cross the Potomac River on the 5
US Route 340 Sandy Hook Bridge in Maryland to the east. This reroute removed the Trail from Harpers 6
Ferry and moved the south end of the ANST Maryland Segment approximately 1 mile east. It also 7
shortened the Segment by approximately 1 mile where it coaligned with the C&O Canal towpath (Adkins 8
2015:16, 29–30; PATC 1938–1987). In 1979, negotiations began between the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad 9
and the PATC and state and federal agencies to establish a new crossing over the river and return the Trail 10
to Harpers Ferry. In 1985, construction of the Goodloe E. Byron Memorial Footbridge (the current south 11
end of the ANST Maryland Segment) along the railroad bridge over the Potomac River between West 12
Virginia and Maryland allowed the A.T. to travel through Harpers Ferry again (ATC 2000:53; Johnson 13
2021:144–145, 463). 14
15
In 1941 and 1950 other minor reroutes were made, including altering a small piece of Trail between the 16
Washington Monument and Turners Gap from a weaving route to a more direct route and moving part of 17
the Trail off a road. A second small piece of Trail was rerouted to the west to arc closer to the Rocky Run 18
shelter to improve access (PATC 1941, 1950). The Trail remained mostly in this slightly changed route 19
configuration until the late twentieth century, when state and federal land acquisition and Trail rerouting 20
began to create a protected A.T. corridor (see Criterion A – Conservation: A.T. Protected Corridor). 21
22
Role of the Civilian Conservation Corps 23
24
The Emergency Conservation Work (ECW) Act of 1933 created the CCC, one of the first and most 25
popular New Deal relief programs designed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration to 26
combat the effects of the Great Depression (1929–1941). The CCC put unemployed young men to work 27
on conservation and recreational projects in national and state parks throughout the country. From 1933 to 28
1942, the CCC had 64 camps and completed numerous projects in Maryland state parks and forests and 29
on NPS property, including the newly established Washington Monument State Park (established 1934, 30
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see below)16 (see Criterion A – Conservation and Criterion A – Social History). In the mid-1930s, the 1
CCC reconstructed the Washington Monument (originally built in 1827) under the direction of the NPS 2
and Maryland State Department of Forestry. On July 6, 1936, the monument was rededicated, and the 3
state park officially reopened. 4
5
The CCC also constructed roads, bridges, dams, ponds, campgrounds, shelters, and recreation areas, 6
planted trees, and combatted forest fires within state and federal lands. The CCC constructed three extant 7
A.T. shelters in Maryland: the Pine Knob, Rocky Run, and Crampton Gap shelters (Decker 2020; PATC 8
1938, 1941) and likely conducted trail maintenance along the ANST Maryland Segment during the late 9
1930s and early 1940s, as it did in other ANST state segments (The Living New Deal n.d.; PATC 10
2015a:50; MDDNR 2006). 11
12
CRITERION A – CONSERVATION 13
14
The ANST Maryland Segment is significant for the state-led efforts to create a protected corridor of land 15
for the Trail. In the early 1970s, after the designation of the A.T. as the first National Scenic Trail under 16
the National Trails System Act of 1968, Maryland was the second state, the first being New Jersey, to 17
enact legislation specifically directing state agencies to acquire land for the establishment of a protected 18
A.T. corridor. Through the work of state agencies and the Trail managing organization, and later 19
alongside the federal government, the ANST Maryland underwent a multi-decade acquisition process to 20
place the entire Segment on protected lands, necessitating limited Trail rerouting from its original 21
alignment along South Mountain. Notably, nearly the entire Segment is located within the South 22
Mountain State Park, which was established in 1984 for the purpose of protecting the A.T. 23
24
Land Conservation in Maryland Supporting the A.T. 25
26
The ANST Maryland Segment extends through forested and agricultural lands, where industries such as 27
whiskey distilling and ironmaking were also major elements of the economy. Beginning in the mid-28
eighteenth century, European settlers in the valleys of the mountains clear-cut the forests to open land for 29
agriculture and grazing lands. In the late seventeenth century, nearly 90% of the land that later became the 30
16 The Washington Monument is listed in the National Register (NRIS No. 72000588, listed 1972).
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Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
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state of Maryland was forested; by the end of the nineteenth century, Maryland’s forests covered only 1
35% of the state. In the late eighteenth to late nineteenth centuries, charcoal produced from lumber was in 2
high demand by the iron industry, and the significant loss of forests led to depleted wildlife habitat, soil 3
erosion, and forest fires. Waterways became polluted as industries dump waster and other materials 4
(MDDNR 2006; Adkins 2015; PATC 2015a:42–52). 5
6
State Conservation along the A.T. 7
8
As part of national trends in outdoor recreation and conservation in the late nineteenth and early twentieth 9
centuries, state agencies led many Maryland’s first efforts to protect its land and resources, with a focus 10
on forests and parks. In 1906, John and Robert Garrett, brothers and philanthropists, donated 11
approximately 2,000 acres of forest-stripped land in Garrett County under the condition that the state 12
establish a forestry program. This land became the Potomac–Garrett State Forest, and the donation marks 13
the beginning of the state’s Public Land System and its Board of Forestry. The following year, 14
philanthropist John Mark Glenn donated 43 acres of land in Catonsville to the Board of Forestry for the 15
Maryland’s first state park. In 1912, the state created Patapsco State Park and Fort Frederick State Park. 16
The Maryland Roadside Tree Law was passed in 1914 to plant and protect trees along roads and public 17
rights-of-way. In 1933–1942, the CCC was active in various development and conservation projects, 18
including tree planting, on state land. By 1935, Maryland had 650 commissioned forest wardens and 64 19
CCC camps within state parks and forests (MDDNR 2006). 20
21
The ANST Maryland Segment travels through mostly state lands, particularly state parks, including 22
Washington Monument State Park and Gathland State Park along South Mountain that overlap South 23
Mountain State Park. The Trail also skirts along the southeast boundary of Greenbrier State Park. These 24
parks were established after the 1932 completion of the original ANST Maryland Segment and 25
contributed to a protected A.T. corridor, which allowed the Maryland route to remain relatively unaltered 26
from its original layout. Washington Monument State Park was established in 1934 when the state 27
acquired the monument and 1-acre parcel surrounding it from the Washington County Historical Society. 28
The society had purchased the property in 1920 when the monument was a pile of rubble. The state’s 29
acquisition created an early protected corridor around the Trail and the Washington Monument, which is 30
an important cultural element and viewpoint. The CCC reconstructed the monument to its present-day 31
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Appalachian National Scenic Trail
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Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
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appearance, and the state park’s boundaries were later expanded to contain 191 acres (Strain 1993:184–1
191; PATC 2015a:49–50; MDDNR 2006; Parish 1972). 2
3
Gathland State Park at Crampton Gap was once the estate of George Alfred Townsend, who used the pen-4
name Gath during the Civil War. Townsend had the War Correspondents Memorial Arch constructed on 5
his property in 1896 as the first US monument dedicated to journalists killed in combat. In 1949, the state 6
acquired the estate and established the park, which encompassed the original, and encompasses the 7
present-day, A.T. route (PATC 1933–1962; MDDNR 2006; PATC 2015a:48–49; Strain 1993:91–108). 8
Greenbrier State Park was established in 1964 near where the A.T. skirts Bartman Hill, southwest of the 9
I-70 crossing. The park included small portions of the A.T. Route, further creating a protected state-10
owned corridor for the Trail (PATC 1950–1973; Strain 1993:193). 11
12
In 1972, the state created its Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as the unifying agency responsible 13
for conservation, preservation, and management of the state’s natural resources, including the state parks 14
and forests.17 In the mid-1970s, the DNR designated the A.T. as a Natural Environmental Area to mark its 15
early efforts to create a protected A.T. corridor. It already owned most of the land on South Mountain 16
ridge and some of the slope lands of the mountain and intended to acquire through state funding the other 17
parcels where the A.T. was routed on private land (see A.T. Protected Corridor below). The state next 18
designated the A.T. and 500 ft on either side of it as a Special Management Area, allowing the DNR to 19
oversee activities along much of the Trail in Maryland (MDDNR 2006; Strain 1993:78). 20
21
In 1984, Maryland established the linear South Mountain State Park, which extends nearly the entire 22
length of the ANST Maryland Segment. Unlike earlier established state parks in Maryland containing the 23
Trail, South Mountain State Park was established specifically to protect the “wilderness experience along 24
the Appalachian Trail” (Strain 1993:78; MDDNR 2006, n.d.). The creation of this park along the existing 25
route of the Trail allowed much of the original A.T. route to remain part of the ANST Maryland Segment, 26
unlike other ANST state segments where substantial rerouting of the Trail was needed to create a 27
protected A.T. corridor. 28
29
30
17 The Maryland Park Service manages the state parks, and the Maryland Forest Service manages the state forests
(MDDNR n.d.)
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Section 8 page 43
Federal Conservation along the A.T. 1
2
Many of the ANST state segments contain large swaths of federal lands, often a mix of national parks and 3
national forests, as part of the protected A.T. corridor. The ANST Maryland’s southern 3 miles are within 4
the C&O Canal National Historical Park and mostly coaligned with the canal’s towpath between locks 31 5
and 32. Since the A.T.’s construction, the ANST Maryland Segment has traveled along the canal’s 6
towpath, which has been a popular recreation resource. The towpath was constructed in 1828–1850 and 7
operated as a major transportation route between Washington, DC, and western Maryland until 1924, 8
when it closed. The federal government acquired the canal in 1938 and planned to create a recreation 9
area. After some work by the CCC along the canal, the project was abandoned due to flooding issues and 10
the start of World War II. In 1958, the entire towpath was cleared for hiking and a 12-mile-long bicycle 11
trail near Washington, DC. President Dwight Eisenhower designated the C&O Canal a national 12
monument in 1961, and President Richard Nixon designated it as a national historical park in 1971 13
(Mackintosh 1991; Johnson 2021:144–145). The initial federal acquisition of the canal and the 14
subsequent establishment of the national historical park officially placed the southern end of the ANST 15
Maryland Segment within federal lands and created a protected corridor for the Trail along the canal’s 16
towpath as it did since the original A.T. routing. 17
18
A.T. Protected Corridor 19
20
In 1938 and 1939, the Appalachian Trailway Agreement (ATA) between the NPS and the US Forest 21
Service (USFS) created a zone extending 1 mile on each side of the A.T. to protect it from road 22
construction and development and established a system of shelters for hikers on public land. Until the 23
mid-twentieth century, the management and protection of the A.T. was largely overseen by local and state 24
organizations, such as the PATC in the ANST Maryland Segment, in partnership with the NPS and ATC 25
(A.T. Project Office [ATPO] 1981, 1982). 26
27
After World War II, the ATC faced management challenges regarding the A.T., which prompted its 28
leadership to redouble efforts to establish greater protection of the corridor. Much of the Trail was in 29
disrepair from storm damage and neglect during the war. Some private landowners stipulated that the 30
A.T. be move off their property, which led to rerouting the A.T. in those areas. The expanding post-war 31
economy resulted in new highways, second (e.g., vacation) homes, communications towers, and land-use 32
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Section 8 page 44
activities that encroached on lands along the Trail’s route. A.T. maintainers realized that the zone created 1
by the ATA was insufficient to ensure long-term protection of the A.T. (Olausen et al. 2022). 2
3
In 1968, under President Lyndon B. Johnson, Congress passed the National Trail Systems Act (NTSA) 4
(82 Stat. 919; 16 U.S.C. 1241), which designated the entire A.T. as the Appalachian National Scenic 5
Trail—America’s first National Scenic Trail—and placed it under the management of the NPS as a unit of 6
the National Park System. The NTSA provided the federal government with the authority to acquire 7
(primarily through purchases, but also with donations) land to establish a permanent protected route and 8
corridor for the Trail. It also authorized formal agreements between federal and non-federal entities to 9
jointly operate, develop, and maintain the Trail (Foster 1987:154; Mittlefehldt 2010:643; Olausen et al. 10
2022). In 1978, Congress passed the Appalachian Trail Amendment of the NTSA, which provided 11
$90 million for the permanent protection of the A.T. and authorized the NPS to “engage in the protection 12
and acquisition” of land associated with and surrounding the Trail (Foster 1987:154; Olausen et al. 2022). 13
14
In the early 1970s, Maryland became the second state (New Jersey was the first) to pass legislation 15
specific to A.T. protection (see State Conservation Along the A.T. above). Congressman Goodloe Byron, 16
for whom the footbridge at the south end of the segment is named, was the primary supporter of the 17
legislation signed into law by Governor Marvin Mandell. It directed the state to acquire land (including 18
privately owned parcels) specifically to create a protected corridor for the A.T. Acquisition was overseen 19
by the PATC, including Ruth Blackburn (see biographical information below), in collaboration with the 20
state’s Department of Forest and Parks (Johnson 2021:376–377; Adkins 2015:46–48). By the mid-1970s, 21
land acquisition became more difficult because of “a patchwork of land ownership” in some areas along 22
South Mountain. Wood lots in these areas were owned by several hundred individuals; some of the land 23
was owned by the City of Hagerstown as its watershed; and some of parcels on the mountain were owned 24
by the state and federal governments (Strain 1993:81). 25
26
In 1973–1981, some rerouting of the ANST Maryland Segment was done to move the Trail off roads and 27
onto forested and protected lands. One change was moving the Trail between the Pennsylvania–Maryland 28
border and High Rock where hikers traversed boulder fields off the road between Pen Mar and High Rock 29
and onto its present-day corridor. The Dahlgren Backpacker Campground was established at Turners Gap 30
and, in 1973–1981, the Trail along Weverton Cliffs was relocated onto a more sustainable route of 31
switchbacks along the steep slope (PATC 1973–1981; Adkins 2015:46–48; Strain 1993:81; Johnson 32
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Maryland Segment
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Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 8 page 45
2021:376–377). In 1984, the state established South Mountain State Park from lands it owned along the 1
ridge and slopes of the mountain. The state park followed the approximately 40-mile-long route of the 2
Segment from the Pennsylvania–Maryland border to the Potomac River and NPS’s C&O Canal National 3
Historical Park (Strain 1993:78; MDDNR 2006, n.d.). 4
5
By 1993, approximately 20% of the land adjacent to the Trail within the ANST Maryland Segment was 6
still privately owned in parcels of a few acres each (Strain 1993:75). Establishing the remaining A.T. 7
corridor required a multi-decade process of various proposed and rejected plans of land acquisition and 8
Trail rerouting by the PATC and state and federal governments. In 1989, the State of Maryland issued a 9
draft A.T. land acquisition and relocation plan, with a final plan issued in 1991 that focused on the 10
outstanding land acquisitions and Trail reroutes along the ridge of South Mountain and to create a safer 11
crossing of the Trail at State Route 77 in Smithburg (between Raven Rock Hollow and Wolfsville Road). 12
Partially due to local opposition of the proposed rerouting, the state abandoned the plan with no proposed 13
alternative (Riechmann 1991; Meyer 1992). 14
15
By 1991, 31.6 miles of the 37.6-mile-long ANST Maryland Segment was on public lands, including four 16
state parks and one national park. The outstanding 6 miles contained over 160 small privately owned 17
parcels. Acquiring these parcels required the assistance of the federal government, under the A.T. Land 18
Acquisition Office, and the PATC’s Ruth Blackburn (Johnson 2021:440–442). Through a memorandum 19
of understanding (MOU), the State of Maryland and the NPS allocated $7 million to acquire the 20
remaining 6 miles of A.T. corridor along South Mountain (Riechmann 1991; Meyer 1992). By 1997, the 21
ANST Maryland Segment contained only 36 parcels of private land, and 12 of those parcels were in the 22
process of being acquired through federal eminent domain that year (Price 1997). In 1998, the NPS 23
announced its planned acquisition of an additional 42 acres along South Mountain’s ridge once owned by 24
Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence (News & Record 1998). 25
26
Minor Trail rerouting continued through the 1990s and into the early 2000s to fully place the ANST 27
Maryland Segment onto protected lands. In 1992–1995, the Trail between the Washington Monument and 28
Turners Gap was rerouted off a road and to its current alignment (PATC 1992, 1995). In 1998–2002, the 29
Trail between Raven Rock and Raven Rock Hollow was rerouted more directly over the ridge and away 30
from a secondary road. This reroute altered where the Trail crossed Raven Rock Road and Little Antietam 31
Creek, rejoining the earlier Trail route as it climbed Buzzard Knob to the south. The Hemlock Hill shelter 32
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Section 8 page 46
was replaced by the Cowall shelter on the northeast side of Wolfsville Road, and the Ed Garvey shelter 1
was constructed along the ridge of South Mountain in 2000–2001 (PATC 1998, 2002; PATC 2015a:96). 2
3
In 2002–2006, the Trail between Warner Gap Road and Wolfsville Road was rerouted onto a mix of state 4
and federal lands and federally protected lands, including agricultural land managed through a special use 5
permit (PATC 2002, 2006, 2009; APPO 2022). This reroute was the last major piece of the Trail within 6
the ANST Maryland Segment that remained outside the protected corridor. In 2006, the Segment was 7
entirely within a protected corridor, except for small road crossings and coalignments that are within the 8
corridor and unavoidable (PATC 2006, 2009; APPO 2022). 9
10
Land transfers and acquisitions have continued since 2006, as is common along the entire A.T. In 11
Maryland, these acquisitions are under the authority of the DNR’s Open Space Program. Most have been 12
small parcels and in places where the corridor was excessively narrow or where landowners with parcels 13
contiguous to the corridor have sold or donated their land for the Trail. Relocations continue within the 14
A.T. protected corridor to respond to land use changes and land control measures often related to erosion, 15
fire damage, flood damage, and plant and wildlife management. In 2013–2022, the Trail between Foxville 16
Road and the Cowall shelter was rerouted to the current alignment ( PATC 2015a:51–52; PATC 1987–17
2015; APPO 2022). 18
19
Management of the ANST Maryland Segment 20
21
Since 1984, when the US Department of the Interior formally delegated the daily responsibilities of 22
maintaining, managing, and monitoring the A.T. and its protected corridor; federal, state, and 23
private/public partner organizations have cooperatively managed the ANST Maryland Segment (APPO 24
2002). Currently, a MOU between the NPS; Maryland’s DNR, State Police, and Department of 25
Transportation; Washington County; and the ATC and the PATC determines management of the Segment 26
(APPO 2002). Through the MOU, the various signatories agree to work cooperatively to protect and 27
manage the A.T., and it stipulates their roles and responsibilities. The DNR is designated as the lead 28
agency in the state for the Trail within the State’s jurisdiction. The PATC has the responsibilities of 29
developing, operating, monitoring, and maintaining the Trail and its corresponding Trail corridor lands. 30
The other state agencies involved with the A.T. provide protection and management of the lands 31
containing the Segment in coordination with other managing parties (APPO 2002; PATC 2015a:36–37). 32
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Section 8 page 47
1
CRITERION A – SOCIAL HISTORY 2
3
The ANST Maryland Segment is significant for its association with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club 4
(PATC). In addition to the PATC, the Maryland Appalachian Trail Club of Hagerstown (MATC) and 5
Mountain Club of Maryland (MCM) were established in the state as a result of the ANST Maryland 6
Segment’s development and under the direction or through the influence of the PATC. These clubs 7
contributed to the reroutes/relocations and maintenance of the Trail and the development of organized 8
outdoor recreation in the state. The PATC remains the maintaining club of the ANST Maryland Segment 9
(see Criterion A – Entertainment/Recreation and Criterion A – Conservation). Brief histories of the 10
three clubs and significant individuals from them are discussed below. 11
12
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) 13
14
At the urging of ATC Chair Judge Arthur Perkins, the PATC was founded in 1927 in Washington, DC, to 15
build the A.T. along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the Pennsylvania border to the south end 16
of Shenandoah National Park (established 1926) in Virginia. Myron H. Avery, who was eager to initiate 17
A.T. construction in the southern Mid-Atlantic states, Perkins, J. Frank Schairer, and a few others 18
organized the PATC, and Avery was elected its first president.18 The club focused much of its early 19
efforts on building the ANST West Virginia and Virginia Segment; in 1928, it hosted the ATC conference 20
in Washington, DC, solidifying its role as a leading trail club in the South and as a developer of the A.T. 21
(ATC 2000:8; Niedzialek 2013; PATC n.d.a; Olausen et al. 2022; Johnson 2017:55; PATC 2015a:36–22
38). 23
24
Lacking the history of trail building and active hiking of trail club members in the Northeast, PATC 25
leaders learned by experimenting and applying time-tested techniques for building trail, making effective 26
blazes, and conducting seasonal maintenance, often with inexperienced work crews. In 1929, the PATC 27
published a manual on standards of trail construction and maintenance based on those of the New 28
England Trail Conference (NETC) and the American Mountain Club (AMC) and adapted to their 29
experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Avery reissued this document as the ATC’s trail manual, ATC 30
18 See ANST West Virginia/Virginia NR Nomination for biographical information about Avery.
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Publication No. 1, in 1931 and it became the leading source of information for establishing a protocol for 1
Trail building and maintenance (PATC 1931; PATC n.d.a; Olausen et al. 2022; Bates 1987:24; PATC 2
2015a:36–38; Andrade et al. 2019). 3
4
Many in the A.T. community lauded the PATC’s efficient trail building, and the club was one of the 5
largest and most productive trail clubs involved with the A.T. (Bates 1987:20; Johnson 2017:73). In 6
1928–1932, the PATC organized large work crews and constructed approximately 260 miles of the A.T. 7
from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, to Rockfish Gap in Shenandoah National Park (SNP) in 8
Virginia (Niedzialek 2013; PATC n.d.a; Olausen et al. 2022). During the first year, club members learned 9
that the Trail had to be continuously maintained to avoid successional vegetation growth. The forest in the 10
Mid-Atlantic region grew particularly fast, and the PATC formed an overseer system for Trail 11
maintenance, with Walter Jex as the first official Trail overseer, and he was responsible for the 18-mile 12
portion of Trail from Harpers Ferry to Bluemont, Virginia. Trail overseers were assigned to sections of 13
the ANST Maryland Segment as they were constructed in 1931–1932. After the ANST Maryland 14
Segment was complete in 1932, the PATC’s focus shifted to shelter building and minor rerouting of the 15
Trail (Johnson 2017:72; PATC 2015a:114; Andrade et al. 2019). 16
17
In 1931, the PATC had 272 members (159 men and 113 women). Women were instrumental in the work 18
trips along the A.T. and contributed greatly to the club and the overall A.T. construction and maintenance 19
and often made up at least half of the participants in club activities. Kathryn Fulkerson, who worked for 20
the Justice Department, served as the PATC’s general secretary from 1936 to 1942. Fulkerson and Marian 21
Lapp served as the first Trail overseers for the southern section of the ANST Maryland Segment between 22
Crampton Gap and Weverton Cliff. They later donated their Trailside house, known as Highacre, in 23
Harpers Ferry to the PATC (Loose 2020:20–24; 33). 24
25
The club organized many hikes before World War II; from 1946 to 1948, it held 20 hikes that spanned the 26
entire length of the PATC’s portion of the A.T. and pieces of the A.T. in the Northeast (Niedzialek 2013; 27
PATC 2015a:36–38). The PATC was also instrumental in the land acquisition efforts across their 28
managed portions of the A.T. and worked directly with the federal government on the project. As of 2015, 29
the PATC (headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, near Washington, DC) had more than 7,200 members, 30
making it the third largest Trail club that maintains the A.T.; the two largest are the Appalachian 31
Mountain Club in New England and the Green Mountain Club in Vermont. The PATC is responsible for 32
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Name of Property County and State
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maintaining 240 miles of the A.T. (in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia, including all 1
of the A.T. in SNP) and over 900 miles of non-A.T. trails. The club also operates a mountaineering 2
section, ski touring section, Shenandoah Mountain rescue group, and a trail patrol ( PATC 2015a:36–38; 3
PATC n.d.a; Andrade et al. 2019). 4
5
John Frank Schairer 6
7
Frank Schairer (1904–1970) was instrumental in the development of the ANST Maryland Segment and 8
the PATC. He was born in Rochester, New York, and was a Yale University-educated chemist who 9
earning his Ph.D. in 1928. He went on to be a leader in experimental mineralogy and petrology. After 10
moving to Washington, DC, in the 1920s, he joined the Wildflower Preservation Society (WPS), but 11
became dissatisfied with the club’s activities. He was part of the first meeting, and co-founder, of the 12
PATC in 1927 and served as its first treasurer and supervisor of trails. Schairer was also secretary of the 13
Maine Appalachian Trail Club and a member of the ATC’s Board of Managers (Sutherland 2012; Yoder 14
Jr. 1995:288–315). 15
16
Schairer played an important role in scouting, building, and maintaining of the A.T. in the Mid-Atlantic 17
and Southern regions and in Maine. Under his leadership, the PATC constructed and blazed 18
approximately 260 miles of the A.T., including the ANST Maryland Segment, in 1928–1932. In 1933, he 19
led efforts to build and blaze the A.T. along Mount Katahdin and in the 100-Mile Wilderness in the 20
ANST Maine Segment. Schairer’s contributions to the A.T. and PATC have been honored through the 21
naming of a PATC Trail Center Cabin in Elkton, Virginia, and a posthumous induction into the A.T. Hall 22
of Fame in 2012 (Sutherland 2012; Yoder Jr. 1995:288–315). 23
24
Ruth E. Blackburn 25
26
Ruth E. Blackburn (1908–2004) was a notable figure in the ATC and PATC and was crucial to their 27
collaborative Trail rerouting efforts in the late twentieth century, especially within Maryland. She joined 28
the PATC in the 1940s with her husband, Fred Blackburn. Both held offices in the ATC and PATC and 29
were recognized for their contributions at the local and national levels. In the 1970s, Ruth ran Trail 30
protection efforts in Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia and often led NPS survey teams. She 31
frequently conducted research in these three states for land and tax records and worked with landowners 32
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through whose land the A.T. traveled. Ruth became the chair of the ATC in 1981 and served for three 1
years. In 1981 and 1982, she testified before a Congressional committee to continue the Trail’s relocation 2
onto protected lands. In 1983, she was awarded the Conservation Service Award from the US Department 3
of the Interior for her work on the A.T. in the Mid-Atlantic region. Her hard work and success contributed 4
to the NPS’s decision to grant the ATC primary management of the A.T. in 1984. After her term as chair, 5
she served on ATC committees and as the primary overseer of the Bear’s Den Hostel in Virginia. Fred 6
Blackburn died in 1990 at age 88, and Ruth moved to Arizona to live with one of her sons. The PATC’s 7
Blackburn Trail Center OUA (a contributing resource to the ANST West Virginia–Virginia Segment) in 8
Round Hill, Virginia, was dedicated to her and Fred’s service to the PATC and A.T. (ATC 2000:35; 9
Brunton n.d.; Loose 2020:72–105). 10
11
Collaboration with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) 12
13
The ATC worked closely with the PATC in Trail building and maintenance in the mid-twentieth century, 14
largely due to Avery’s involvement in both groups for over 20 years and because the ATC’s Virginia 15
headquarters has been a major hub of A.T. activities since the 1930s. While Avery was its president, the 16
PATC hosted the annual ATC conferences several times at Skyland Resort in SNP (Johnson 2017:63; 17
Olausen et al. 2022; Adkins 2009:7). The ATC was the overarching organization for all the Trail clubs 18
and was the leader of partnerships between the NPS, USFS, and other entities. Even after Avery’s death 19
in 1952, the ATC worked closely with the PATC. The ATC’s headquarters are in Harpers Ferry, West 20
Virginia, and the NPS Appalachian Trail Park Office (ATPO) moved from Boston to Harpers Ferry in 21
1974 to be closer to the ATC headquarters. Its land-acquisition headquarters was established in 22
Martinsburg, West Virginia, by 1978 (ATC 2000:31–35; Olausen et al. 2022; Adkins 2015:18–22). 23
24
Maryland Appalachian Trail Club of Hagerstown 25
26
In April 1934, as a high school senior, Herbert Robertson, established the Maryland Appalachian Trail 27
Club of Hagerstown (MATC) after he learned about the A.T. from the PATC. Initial club membership 28
consisted of 28 people, and they conducted the first club hike soon after forming. Avery was instrumental 29
in establishing the MATC, and the club joined the PATC in its Trail building and maintaining activities 30
along the ANST Maryland and Pennsylvania segments in the 1930s (MCM n.d.; Strain 1993:74;Beck 31
1937). In 1984, revisions were made to the formal NPS-ATC Volunteers-in-the-Parks Agreement to 32
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include the MATC of Hagerstown as an ATC member club. At that time, the MATC maintained an 1
11.58-mile-long section of the ANST Maryland Segment under the direction of the PATC (NPS and ATC 2
1984). By 1993, the MATC maintained the 5.4-mile-long portion of Section 3 of the ANST Maryland 3
Segment between Wolfsville Road and Black Rock. The club never exceeded 200 members and thus was 4
small compared to other A.T. clubs such as the PATC and the Mountain Club of Maryland (MCM) 5
(Strain 1993:74). At some time in the 1990s to 2022, the club appears to either been integrated into the 6
PATC or disbanded. 7
8
Mountain Club of Maryland 9
10
The idea of creating a Maryland A.T. club began in the 1930s, when hiking enthusiasts and PATC 11
members from Baltimore decided they would rather conduct hikes in their local area instead of 12
commuting to Washington, DC. Preliminary meetings to create the club occurred in the summer of 1934, 13
and Orville Crowder (see below) led a hike on October 20, 1934, with a group of 27 men and women 14
along the A.T. route from Crampton Gap, in present-day Gathland State Park, to Weverton Cliffs. In 15
December 1934, Crowder led a meeting at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore to establish the club and 16
draft its bylaws and served as the its first president. The MCM was an affiliated club of the PATC; 17
members of each received the benefits of both (PATC 1936:21). 18
19
In 1935, the MCM was officially recognized as an A.T. trail clubs and has maintained portions of the 20
ANST Maryland and Pennsylvania segments since then. It first maintained the portion of the ANST 21
Pennsylvania Segment between Pine Grove Furnace and the Susquehanna River to the north. It has 22
maintained the northernmost 10 miles (Sections 1 and 2) of the ANST Maryland Segment (where the 23
Trail travels through Pen Mar Park from the Pennsylvania–Maryland border to Wolfsville Road) and 32 24
miles of Trail in the ANST Pennsylvania Segment in two sections, including its original portion of Trail. 25
The MCM schedules regular work trips for its volunteer Trail crews and club members, who often 26
perform general trail maintenance to improve or repair the treadway and repair or rebuild OUAs ( PATC 27
2015a:63–69; MCM 2022). 28
29
The club conducts an annual “Anniversary Hike” along the route of the first hike between Crampton Gap 30
and Weverton Cliffs. Every two years, the club has hosted a southbound marathon hike of the ANST 31
Maryland Segment. As of 2009, membership of the MCM exceeded 800 people, and the club remains an 32
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Section 8 page 52
active A.T. maintaining club, with Trail assignments along the southern portion of the ANST 1
Pennsylvania Segment (Strain 1993:74–75; Wiley 2019; MCM 2022). 2
3
Orville Crowder 4
5
Orville Wright Crowder (1904–1974), served as the MCM’s first president and was important to the early 6
development of the ANST Maryland Segment. He was born in Baltimore, and resided in both Baltimore, 7
and Harpers Ferry, in his later years of life. He attended City College in Baltimore. In 1933–1974, he was 8
a historian and guide for the C&O Canal Association and founded the MCM, World Nature Tours, and 9
World Nature Association. He served as the MCM’s president until 1938. 10
11
Crowder traveled extensively throughout the world and hiked to the highest elevation in each state within 12
the continental United States (The Evening Sun 1974; Williams 2009). He learned about the A.T. from a 13
friend about 1933. He joined the PATC and the ATC and worked on A.T. scouting and building trips. 14
Avery assigned him as a trail work leader for portions of the A.T. construction in 1933 and 1934. In 1937, 15
he became the third person to hike the entire length of the Trail (The Evening Sun 1974; Williams 2009). 16
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 53
______________________________________________________________________________
9. Major Bibliographical References
Adkins, Leonard M.
2009 Images of America – Along Virginia’s Appalachian Trail. Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, SC.
2015 Images of America - Along the Appalachian Trail: West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, SC.
Anderson, Larry
2002 Benton MacKaye: Conservationist, Planner, and Creator of the Appalachian Trail. Johns
Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.
Andrade, Melissa J., Steve Olausen, Virginia H. Adams, Michelle Johnstone, Gretchen M. Pineo
2019 Draft National Register Nomination, West Virginia/Virginia Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Segment. On file, The Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc., Pawtucket, RI.
2022 Draft National Register Nomination, Pennsylvania Appalachian National Scenic Trail Segment.
On file, The Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc., Pawtucket, RI.
Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC)
1920- Appalachia. Multiple Volumes. Appalachian Mountain Club, Boston, MA.
1942
Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC)
1931 Appalachian Trail Conference, Publication No. 1. Appalachian Trail Conference, Harpers Ferry,
WV.
1934 The Appalachian Trail, Publication No. 5. Second Edition. Appalachian Trail Conference,
Harpers Ferry, WV.
1939– Appalachian Trailway News. Appalachian Trail Conference, Washington, D.C. On file,
1985 Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
1964 The Appalachian Trail, Publication No. 5. Seventh Edition. Appalachian Trail Conference,
Washington, DC.
2000 Trail Years: A History of the Appalachian Trail Conference. Special Issue of Appalachian
Trailway News. Appalachian Trail Conference, Harpers Ferry, WV.
Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC)
n.d. Appalachian Trail Communities, Electronic resource,
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/conservation/a-t-community-program, accessed April
2022.
1986 Appalachian Trailway News. Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Washington, D.C.
–present
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 54
Appalachian Trail Park Office (APPO)
2002 Memorandum of Understanding for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in the State of
Maryland. Electronic document, https://www.patc.net/PATC/Library/Club-Documents.aspx,
accessed June 2022.
2022 GIS Data of the Appalachian Trail – Maryland. On file, APPO, Harpers Ferry, WV.
Appalachian Trail Project Office (ATPO)
1981 Comprehensive Plan for the Acquisition, Management, Development and Use of the Appalachian
National Scenic Trail. Prepared for the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service,
Harpers Ferry, WV.
1982 Appalachian National Scenic Trail Case Study Final Report. Prepared for the US Department of
the Interior, National Park Service, Harpers Ferry, WV.
Appalachian Trail Project Office (ATPO)
1981 Comprehensive Plan for the Acquisition, Management, Development and Use of the Appalachian
National Scenic Trail. Prepared for the US the US Department of the Interior, National Park
Service, Harpers Ferry, WV.
1982 Appalachian National Scenic Trail Case Study Final Report. Prepared for the US Department of
the Interior, National Park Service, Harpers Ferry, WV.
Avery, Myron H.
1930 Report of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club to the Fourth Annual Trail Conference Held at
Skyland, VA. – May. On file, Potomac Appalachian Club, Vienna, VA.
Bates, David
1987 Breaking Trail in the Central Appalachians – a Narrative. PATC, Washington D.C.
Beck, Ben
1937 Ten Days on the Appalachian Trail from Harper’s Ferry to Skyland. Maryland Appalachian Trail
Club, Hagerstown, MD.
Bolgiano, Chris
1998 The Appalachian Forest. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA.
Brinkley, Douglas
2016 Rightful Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America. Harper Perennial, New York,
NY.
Brunton, Chris
n.d. History of the Blackburn Trail Center. PATC. Electronic resource,
http://www.patc.net/PATC/Library/PATC_-_History/Blackburn_Trail_Center.aspx, accessed
June 2022.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 55
Cooper, Sarah L. and A. Eleanor Sewell (Editors)
1984 MCM First Person, 1934–1984. Mountain Club of Maryland, West Friendship, MD.
Decker, Sarah
2020 The Appalachian Trail: Backcountry Shelters, Lean-Tos, and Huts. Appalachian Trail
Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
The Evening Sun
1974 Obituary for Orville W. Crowder, Naturalist, At Age 70. 9 August. Baltimore, MD.
www.newspapers.com, accessed June 2022.
Foster, Charles H. W.
1987 The Appalachian National Scenic Trail: A Time to be Bold. Appalachian Trail Conference,
Harpers Ferry, WV.
Gross, Wayne E., ed.
2009 Guide to the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. Eleventh Edition. Keystone Trails Association,
Harrisburg, PA.
Johnson, Thomas R.
2017 History of the Appalachian Trail – Unpublished Manuscript. On file, Potomac Appalachian Trail
Club, Vienna, VA.
2021 From Dream to Reality: History of the Appalachian Trail. Appalachian Trail Conservancy,
Harpers Ferry, WV.
The Living New Deal
n.d. CCC and WPA in Maryland. Electronic resource, https://livingnewdeal.org/, accessed April 2022.
Loose, Gwenyth L.
2020 We Were There Too: Pioneering Appalachian Trail Women. Appalachian Trail Conservancy,
Harpers Ferry, WV.
MacKaye, Benton
1921 An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning. Journal of the American Institute of
Architects 9:325–330.
Mackintosh, Barry
1991 C&O Canal: The Making of a Park. US Department of the Interior, National Park Service,
Washington, DC. Electronic document, https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/parkhistories.htm#c,
accessed August 2022.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDDNR)
n.d. Maryland State Park History. Electronic resource,
https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/history.aspx#:~:text=The%20Maryland%20Park%20
Service%20operates,the%20Maryland%20Board%20of%20Forestry, accessed June 2022.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 56
2006 Celebrating our Past, Creating our Future – Celebrating the Centennial of Forestry and Parks in
Maryland, 1906–2006. Electronic resource,
https://dnr.maryland.gov/centennial/Pages/Celebrating-100-Years.aspx, accessed August 2022.
2022 South Mountain State Park.
https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/western/southmountain.aspxm accessed July 2022.
Meyer, Eugene L.
1992 No Easy Path Through MD. Washington Post. 30 March.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1992/03/30/no-easy-path-through-md/, accessed
June 2022.
Mittlefehldt, Sarah
2008 The Tangled Roots of the Appalachian Trail: A Social and Environmental History. Dissertation,
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.
2010 The People's Path: Conflict and Cooperation in the Acquisition of the Appalachian Trail.
Environmental History, Vol. 15, No. 4, October, pp. 643-669.
Mountain Club of Maryland (MCM)
n.d. History. Electronic resource, https://www.mcomd.org/about/history/, accessed July 2022.
2022 Who Maintains the Appalachian Trail? Electronic resource, https://www.mcomd.org/get-
involved/at-maintenance/, accessed June 2022.
National Park Service and Appalachian Trail Conference (NPS and ATC)
1984 Amendment to the NPS-ATC Volunteers-in-the-Parks Agreement. On file, PATC, Vienna, VA.
News & Record
1998 Park Service Plans to Add Land to Appalachian Trail. 21 July. https://greensboro.com/park-
service-plans-to-add-land-to-appalachian-trail/, accessed July 2022.
Niedzialek, Carol
2013 A Short History of the PATC. Electronic document,
http://www.patc.net/PublicView/About_PATC/History/PATC_History/Short_PATC_History/Pub
licView/Custom/Fee_Events/More_about_PAT/PATC_History_files/Short_History.aspx,
accessed March 2022.
Olausen, Stephen A., Virginia H. Adams, Jenny Fields Scofield, Quinn Stuart, and Kathleen M. Miller
2022 National Register Nomination, Multiple Property Documentation Form - Historic Resources of
the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. On file, The Public Archaeology Laboratory, Pawtucket,
RI.
Outerbridge, George W.
1939 ‘Maine to Georgia’ – All the Way. Appalachia, Vol. V No. 12, December, pp. 447–455.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 57
Parish, Mrs. Preston
1972 Washington Monument National Register Nomination, NRIS No. 72000588. Electronic file,
https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/fdf800f1-6c5c-45e9-953b-4551c7fd31fc/, accessed May 2022.
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC)
n.d.a About the PATC. Electronic document, http://www.patc.net/, accessed June 2022.
n.d.b PATC Shelters: A History. Unpublished manuscript. Copy on file at The Public Archaeology
Laboratory, Inc., Pawtucket, RI.
Var. Potomac Appalachian Trail Club Bulletin. On file, PATC, Vienna, VA.
1929 Trail Construction and Maintenance with Special Reference to the Appalachian Trail. Potomac
Appalachian Trail Club, Washington, DC.
1931 Guide to Paths in the Blue Ridge. First Edition. Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Washington,
DC.
1934 Guide to Paths in the Blue Ridge. Second Edition. Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Washington,
DC.
1942 We had Some Marvelous Times in the Old Days. Electronic document,
http://www.patc.net/PublicView/Custom/More_about_PAT/JF_Schairer_Interview.aspx,
accessed May 2022.
1933–2013 Maps of the Maryland Appalachian Trail. On file, PATC Archives, Vienna, VA.
2015a Appalachian Trail Guide: Maryland and Northern Virginia. Eighteenth Edition. PATC, Vienna,
VA.
2015b Appalachian Trail Guide: Maryland and Northern Virginia Maps. Eighteenth Edition. PATC,
Vienna, VA.
Price, Debbie M.
1997 Landowners Losing to Appalachian Trail Acquisition. Baltimore Sun. 29 January.
https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1997-01-29-1997029103-story.html, accessed June
2022.
Riechmann, Deb
1991 MD. Seeking Right Mix for Appalachian Trail. Washington Post. 29 December.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1991/12/29/md-seeking-right-mix-for-
appalachian-trail/, accessed June 2022.
Scherer, Glenn and Don Hopey
2013 Exploring the Appalachian Trail: Hikes in the Mid-Atlantic States, 2nd Ed. Stackpole Books,
Mechanicsburg, PA.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 58
Strain, Paula M.
1993 The Blue Hills of Maryland: History Along the Appalachian Trail on South Mountain and the
Catoctins. Potomac Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Vienna, VA.
Strain, Paula M. and Carol Niedzialek
2000 PATC’s Trails and Property, 1927–1999. Unpublished document. On file, Potomac Appalachian
Trail Club, Vienna, VA.
Sutherland, Robert
2012 Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Inductees for 2012. Electronic resource,
https://appalachiantrail.com/trail-mix/appalachian-trail-hall-of-fame-inductees-for-2012/,
accessed June 2022.
US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
1940 National Forests in the Southern Appalachians. United States Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C.
US Forest Service (USFS)
2011 Weeks Act Centennial 2011. Electronic resource, http://www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/weeks-act.html,
accessed April 2022.
Waterman, Laura, and Guy Waterman
1989 Forest and Crag. Appalachian Mountain Club, Boston, MA.
Wiley, Linda
2019 Mountain Club of Maryland: Working Hard at Having Fun! Maryland Natural Resource
Magazine. Vol. 22, No. 1, Winter Issue.
Williams, Patty
2009 Thank You, MCM: In Celebration of our 75th Anniversary. Mountain Club of Maryland, West
Friendship, MD.
Yoder Jr., H. S.
1995 J. Frank Schairer, 1904–1970. National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America –
Biographical Memoirs. Volume 66. National Academy Press, Washington, DC. Electronically
accessible, https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/4961/chapter/16, accessed June 2022.
___________________________________________________________________________
Previous documentation on file (NPS):
____ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 59
____ previously listed in the National Register
____ previously determined eligible by the National Register
____ designated a National Historic Landmark
____ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey #____________
____ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # __________
____ recorded by Historic American Landscape Survey # ___________
Primary location of additional data:
_____ State Historic Preservation Office
__X__ Other State agency
__X__ Federal agency
____ Local government
____ University
__X__ Other
Name of repository: Appalachian Mountain Club, Bretton Woods, NH; Potomac
Appalachian Trail Club, Vienna, VA
Historic Resources Survey Number (if assigned): N/A
______________________________________________________________________________
10. Geographical Data
Acreage of Property 4,337 acres
Use either the UTM system or latitude/longitude coordinates
Latitude/Longitude Coordinates (decimal degrees)
Datum if other than WGS84:__________
(enter coordinates to 6 decimal places)
A. Latitude: 39.719498 Longitude: -77.507681
B. Latitude: 39.690119 Longitude: -77.529191
C. Latitude: 39.692306 Longitude: -77.518693
D. Latitude: 39.652796 Longitude: -77.544618
E. Latitude: 39.642691 Longitude: -77.536388
F. Latitude: 39.630418 Longitude: -77.541467
G. Latitude: 39.635005 Longitude: -77.552339
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 60
H. Latitude: 39.627477 Longitude: -77.569004
I. Latitude: 39.572553 Longitude: -77.588515
J. Latitude: 39.573682 Longitude: -77.598098
K. Latitude: 39.563921 Longitude: -77.596548
L. Latitude: 39.553678 Longitude: -77.590122
M. Latitude: 39.533676 Longitude: -77.614900
N. Latitude: 39.497821 Longitude: -77.624588
O. Latitude: 39.487819 Longitude: -77.611755
P. Latitude: 39.470453 Longitude: -77.617233
Q. Latitude: 39.463051 Longitude: -77.630716
R. Latitude: 39.447636 Longitude: -77.621328
S. Latitude: 39.447851 Longitude: -77.636124
T. Latitude: 39.404033 Longitude: -77.637872
U. Latitude: 39.332425 Longitude: -77.675005
V. Latitude: 39.331688 Longitude: -77.687169
W. Latitude: 39.327917 Longitude: -77.680891
X. Latitude: 39.323427 Longitude: -77.692209
Y. Latitude: 39.323971 Longitude: -77.728444
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 61
ANST Maryland Segment Coordinate Map.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 62
Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property.)
The ANST Maryland Segment is a roughly linear feature with side trails through the Appalachian
Mountains in Maryland for approximately 41 miles. The route, boundary, and landownership categories
of the ANST Maryland Segment are shown on the accompanying Map Sheets 1–8 at a scale of 1 inch to
2,000 feet. These electronic GIS-based maps can be adjusted to a scale of 1 inch to 200 feet.
The National Register boundary of the ANST Maryland Segment is a maximum of 500 feet on either side
of the centerline of the A.T. treadway, and its official connected side trails, for a total maximum width of
1,000 feet, in the state of Maryland with end points at the Pennsylvania-Maryland state line (north) and
the Maryland-West Virginia state line (south). The maximum boundary applies in areas where the A.T.
runs through publicly (state) owned parks and forests, as well as lands that are federally owned and
managed as “A.T. lands.” The width of the boundary is less than 1,000 feet in areas where the Trail, or a
side trail, goes through lands that are not publicly owned or managed. The minimum boundary width is 4
feet, the standard width of the A.T. treadway and prism where the A.T. passes through privately owned
land not under NPS easement. The boundary is drawn to exclude any private land, not under easement,
that partially falls within the potential maximum 500-foot corridor. Throughout its length, the A.T.
boundary conforms to landownership categories, as follows (section numbers, names, and mileage are
consistent with PATC 2015a):
MD Section #1 PA–MD State Line to MD 491, 5.9 miles
• Begins at the PA–MD state line and the Mason-Dixon Line, travels generally southwest through a
corridor of mostly state land and federally protected land, extending through Pen Mar Park, then
through a corridor of federally protected lands to MD 491 (Raven Rock Road);
MD Section #2 MD 491 to MD 17, 4.1 miles
• Travels southwest through a federally protected corridor in forested terrain, turns west, traversing
agricultural fields, and through forests in a mix of federally protected and federal lands, and
proceeds to MD17 (Wolfsville Road);
MD Section #3 MD 17 to I-70, 8.6 miles
• Continues west/southwest along the forested ridge of South Mountain through a corridor of state
and federal land to the east side of Interstate 70;
MD Section #4 I-70 to US 40 Alt (Turners Gap), 4.9 miles
• Travels across I-70 on an A.T. footbridge within state protected land, travels southwest through a
forested corridor of mostly state land, crosses through Washington Monument State Park, and
crosses US 40 Alt in Turners Gap;
MD Section #5 US 40 Alt (Turners Gap) to Gathland Road (Crampton Gap), 7.4 miles
• Continues south through forested state and federal lands along South Mountain’s ridge, reaches
Gathland Road in Crampton Gap at the Gathland State Park;
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 63
MD Section #6 Gathland Road (Crampton Gap) to Weverton Road, 6.7 miles
• Continues generally southwest along the forested ridge through Gathland State Park and through
state and federal lands, then travels along switchback to the west along Weverton Cliffs to a
residential area;
MD Section #7 Weverton Road to Harpers Ferry, WV, 3.3 miles
• Continues generally west in a developed area, crosses US 340 and active railroad tracks, and
enters the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and travels west toward Harpers
Ferry along the Potomac River to the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, crossing
the river on the Goodloe Byron Memorial Footbridge, where the Trail, where the Trail reaches
the MD–WV state line.
Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected.)
The National Register boundary of the ANST Maryland Segment conforms to the boundary of the A.T. as
defined in the Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail MPDF (Olausen et al. 2022).
This corridor embodies established A.T. standards for both a simple footpath design and a natural and
scenic setting within lands that are federally owned and managed as “A.T. lands.” The maximum width of
the boundary on all public lands, including A.T. lands, is 500 feet on either side of the centerline of the
Trail, for a total width of 1,000 feet. In cases where the property line of a parcel of public land is less than
500 feet from Trail treadway, the boundary conforms to the limit of the publicly owned parcel. When the
Trail goes through privately owned lands or is collocated on publicly owned rights of way such as
bridges, sidewalks, roads, or other paths that were constructed for purposes other than recreational hiking,
the boundary is 4 feet wide (2 feet on either side of the centerline), the standard width of the A.T.
treadway and prism as further defined below. The 4-foot-wide boundary also applies to portions of A.T.
Side Trails that extend beyond the 1,000-foot (500 feet on either side) boundary of the main Trail.
______________________________________________________________________________
11. Form Prepared By
name/title: _Melissa J. Andrade, Architectural Historian; Jill Chin, Associate Architectural
Historian; Stephen Olausen, Executive Director/Senior Architectural Historian
organization: __The Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc. (PAL)________________
street & number: __26 Main Street________________________________________
city or town: Pawtucket________ state: _RI____ zip code:_02860____
e-mail_solausen@palinc.com___
telephone:_401.728.8780__
date: January 2023_
___________________________________________________________________________
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 64
Additional Documentation
Submit the following items with the completed form:
• Maps: A USGS map or equivalent (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's
location.
• Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous
resources. Key all photographs to this map.
• Additional items: (Check with the SHPO, TPO, or FPO for any additional items.)
Photographs
Submit clear and descriptive photographs. The size of each image must be 1600x1200 pixels
(minimum), 3000x2000 preferred, at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs
to the sketch map. Each photograph must be numbered and that number must correspond to
the photograph number on the photo log. For simplicity, the name of the photographer,
photo date, etc. may be listed once on the photograph log and doesn’t need to be labeled on
every photograph.
Photo Log
Name of Property: ANST Maryland Segment
City or Vicinity: See Section 1–6, page 3
County: See Section 1–6, page 3 State: MD
Photographer: Melissa J. Andrade and Jill Miller
Date Photographed: November 2–4, 2021
Description of Photograph(s) and number, include description of view indicating direction of
camera:
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 65
Photo 1 of 45. Mason-Dixon Line, north end of Maryland Segment, and border of Pennsylvania and
Maryland (Section 1), facing northwest.
Photo 2 of 45. Pen Mar Park Viewpoint (Section 1), facing northwest.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 66
Photo 3 of 45. A.T. and High Rock Parking Area Side Trail junction (Section 1), facing north.
Photo 4 of 45. High Rock Viewpoint (Section 1), facing west.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
Washington and
Frederick, MD
Name of Property County and State
Sections 9-end page 67
Photo 5 of 45. A.T. crossing Little Antietam Creek (Section 2), facing southeast.
Photo 6 of 45. Puncheons along Trail (Section 2), facing south.
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
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Photo 7 of 45. Willard Property SUP Viewpoint (Section 2), facing south.
Photo 8 of 45. Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA shelter (Section 2).
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Photo 9 of 45. Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA campsite (Shelter 2).
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Photo 10 of 45. Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA privy (Shelter 2).
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Photo 11 of 45. Trail near Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA (Section 2), facing east.
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Photo 12 of 45. MD Rte 17 (Wolfsville Rd) Parking Area Side Trail (Section 2), facing south.
Photo 13 of 45. Black Rock Viewpoint (Section 3), facing northwest.
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Photo 14 of 45. Annapolis Rock Viewpoint (Section 3), facing northwest.
Photo 15 of 45. Pine Knob OUA Side Trail (Section 3), facing north.
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Photo 16 of 45. Pine Knob OUA shelter (Section 3).
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Photo 17 of 45. Trail and representative stair construction (Section 3), facing east.
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Photo 18 of 45. Trail along Interstate 70 (Section 3), facing north.
Photo 19 of 45. I-70 Footbridge (Sections 3 and 4), facing west.
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Photo 20 of 45. A.T. and Washington Monument Observation Tower Side Trail (Section 4), facing north.
Photo 21 of 45. Washington Monument (Section 4), facing southwest.
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Photo 22 of 45. Washington Monument Observation Tower Viewpoint (Section 4), facing west toward
Antietam National Battlefield.
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Photo 23 of 45. Trail southbound through Washington Monument State Park (Section 4), facing
southeast.
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Photo 24 of 45. Dahlgren Field Viewpoint, Church of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on right
(Section 4), facing northeast.
Photo 25 of 45. Trail south of Dahlgren Field (Section 5), facing north toward Old National Pike crossing.
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Photo 26 of 45. Trail near Dahlgren Backpacker Campground OUA (Section 5), facing south.
Photo 27 of 45. Dahlgren Backpacker Campground OUA (Section 5).
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Photo 28 of 45. Major General Jesse Reno Monument at Reno Monument Road (Section 5), facing east.
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Photo 29 of 45. Trail toward Rocky Run OUA (Section 5), facing west.
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Photo 30 of 45. Rocky Run OUA shelter (Section 5).
Photo 31 of 45. Crampton Gap OUA Side Trail (Section 5), facing northeast.
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Photo 32 of 45. Crampton Gap OUA Side Trail Bridge (Section 5), facing north.
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Photo 33 of 45. Crampton Gap OUA shelter (Section 5), facing northeast.
Photo 34 of 45. National War Correspondents Memorial Arch (Section 6), facing southeast.
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Photo 35 of 45. Trail through Gathland State Park (Section 6), facing north.
Photo 36 of 45. Trail through Gathland State Park (Section 6), facing southeast.
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Photo 37 of 45. Ed Garvey OUA Side Trail (Section 6), facing east.
Photo 38 of 45. Ed Garvey OUA shelter (Section 6).
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Photo 39 of 45. Trail between Ed Garvey OUA and Weverton Cliffs (Section 6), facing north.
Photo 40 of 45. Weverton Cliffs Viewpoint (Section 6), facing west toward Harpers Ferry, WV.
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Photo 41 of 45. Switchbacks from Weverton Cliffs (Section 6), facing northeast.
Photo 42 of 45. A.T. coaligned with Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (Section 7), facing southwest.
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Photo 43 of 45. A.T. coaligned with Chesapeake & Ohio Canal along the Potomac River (Section 7),
facing west.
Photo 44 of 45. A.T. coaligned with Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (Section 7), facing east from north end of
Goodloe Byron Memorial Footbridge.
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Photo 45 of 45. Goodloe Byron Memorial Footbridge (Section 7), southern end of Maryland Segment,
facing northeast from Harpers Ferry, WV, overlooking the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah
rivers.
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Figures
Figure 1. 1933 Route of the A.T. in Maryland, North Half (PATC 1933).
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Figure 2. 1933 Route of the A.T. in Maryland, South Half (PATC 1933).
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in
accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.460 et seq.).
Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 100 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form
to the Office of Planning and Performance Management. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1849 C. Street, NW, Washington, DC.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form
This form is used for documenting property groups relating to one or several historic contexts. See instructions
in National Register Bulletin How to Complete the Multiple Property Documentation Form (formerly 16B).
Complete each item by entering the requested information.
___X____ New Submission ________ Amended Submission
A. Name of Multiple Property Listing
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
B. Associated Historic Contexts
(Name each associated historic context, identifying theme, geographical area, and chronological period for
each.)
The Appalachian Trail, 1921–Present
C. Form Prepared by:
name/title Stephen Olausen/Sr. Architectural Historian, Virginia H. Adams/Sr. Architectural Historian,
Jenny Fields Scofield/Architectural Historian, Quinn Stuart/Architectural Historian
organization The Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc. (PAL)
street & number 26 Main Street
city or town Pawtucket state RI zip code 02860
e-mail solausen@palinc.com
telephone 401-728-8780 date September 2016
D. Certification
As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify
that this documentation form meets the National Register documentation standards and sets forth requirements
for the listing of related properties consistent with the National Register criteria. This submission meets the
procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR 60 and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards
and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation.
_______________________________ ______________________ _________________________
Signature of certifying official Title Date
_____________________________________
State or Federal Agency or Tribal government
I hereby certify that this multiple property documentation form has been approved by the National Register as a
basis for evaluating related properties for listing in the National Register.
________________________________ __________________________________
Signature of the Keeper Date of Action
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
Table of Contents for Written Narrative
Create a Table of Contents and list the page numbers for each of these sections in the space below.
Provide narrative explanations for each of these sections on continuation sheets. In the header of each section,
cite the letter, page number, and name of the multiple property listing. Refer to How to Complete the Multiple
Property Documentation Form for additional guidance.
E. STATEMENT OF HISTORIC CONTEXTS ..................................................................................................... 1
Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................. 1
I. The Appalachian Trail From its Conception in 1921 to the Present ................................................................................ 1
A. Outdoor Recreation and the Hiking Club Movements in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries......... 1
B. Benton MacKaye and the Appalachian Trail Project, 1921–1924 ............................................................................. 5
C. Appalachian Trail Conference and the Extension of the A.T., 1925–1937 .............................................................. 13
Locating and Constructing the Appalachian Trail .................................................................................................... 16
The Civilian Conservation Corps and Completion of the Original Appalachian Trail ............................................. 19
D. Management of the Appalachian Trail, 1938–1967 ................................................................................................. 21
E. Creation of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 1968–1977 .............................................................................. 24
F. Land Acquisition and the National Trails System Act Amendments, 1978–present ................................................ 27
F. ASSOCIATED PROPERTY TYPES ............................................................................................................... 30
Appalachian National Scenic Trail (ANST) State Segment ............................................................................................. 30
Description .................................................................................................................................................................... 30
National Register Boundaries ....................................................................................................................................... 31
Contributing Resources within an ANST State Segment .............................................................................................. 31
A.T. Treadway .......................................................................................................................................................... 32
A.T. Side Trail .......................................................................................................................................................... 34
A.T. Bridges .............................................................................................................................................................. 34
A.T. Viewpoints ........................................................................................................................................................ 34
A.T. Overnight Use Areas ......................................................................................................................................... 36
Statement of Significance ............................................................................................................................................. 37
Period of Significance ................................................................................................................................................... 39
Registration Requirements ............................................................................................................................................ 39
Location .................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Setting ....................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Design ....................................................................................................................................................................... 41
Feeling ....................................................................................................................................................................... 41
Association ................................................................................................................................................................ 41
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
Abandoned Original Appalachian Trail Section ............................................................................................................... 42
Description .................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Significance Statement .................................................................................................................................................. 43
Period of Significance ................................................................................................................................................... 43
Registration Requirements ............................................................................................................................................ 43
G. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA .............................................................................................................................. 44
Maine Segment ................................................................................................................................................................. 44
New Hampshire Segment .................................................................................................................................................. 45
Vermont Segment ............................................................................................................................................................. 46
Massachusetts Segment ..................................................................................................................................................... 47
Connecticut Segment ........................................................................................................................................................ 47
New York Segment ........................................................................................................................................................... 47
New Jersey Segment ......................................................................................................................................................... 48
Pennsylvania Segment ...................................................................................................................................................... 49
Maryland Segment ............................................................................................................................................................ 50
West Virginia Segment ..................................................................................................................................................... 50
Virginia Segment .............................................................................................................................................................. 51
North Carolina and Tennessee Segments .......................................................................................................................... 52
Georgia Segment ............................................................................................................................................................... 54
H. SUMMARY OF IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION METHODS ..................................................... 55
I. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES .............................................................................................. 57
GLOSSARY OF TRAIL TERMINOLOGY ........................................................................................................ 76
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National
Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties,
and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the
National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 460 et seq.).
Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 250 hours per
response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and
reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief,
Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, PO Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; and the
Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reductions Project (1024-0018), Washington, DC 20503.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
1
E. STATEMENT OF HISTORIC CONTEXTS
Summary 1
The Appalachian Trail (“A.T.” or “the Trail”) is an approximately 2,184-mile-long continuous,
skyline hiking path that traverses scenic wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of
the Appalachian Mountains between Katahdin in Maine and Springer Mountain in Georgia. The
A.T. is significant at the national level as the nation’s oldest, best-known, and most popular multi-
state long-distance recreational hiking trail. It has a single historic context, the Appalachian Trail
from Conception to the Present, which is composed of six sections that document in chronological
order the important events, trends, and people that influenced the history of the Trail. The first
section, A. Outdoor Recreation and the Hiking Club Movements in the Late Nineteenth and Early
Twentieth Centuries, summarizes the evolution of the outdoor recreation movement that emerged
in the late nineteenth century in response to increasing urbanization in the Northeast and led to the
establishment of the nation’s first hiking clubs and the initial promotion of a long-distance hiking
trail in the Appalachian Mountains. The following three sections, B. Benton MacKaye and the
Appalachian Trail Project, 1921–1924; C. Appalachian Trail Conference and the Extension of the
A.T., 1925–1937; and D. Management of the Appalachian Trail, 1938–1967 discuss the
conception and construction of the original A.T. and its early use and management. The final two
sections, E. Creation of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 1968–1977 and F. Land
Acquisition and the National Trails System Act Amendments, 1978–present, focus on the federal
legislative effort to incorporate the A.T., along with a number of other prominent historic and
recreation trails, into a national trail system and subsequent amendments to the 1968 National
Trails System Act that provided funding for land acquisition to relocate vulnerable sections of the
A.T. onto a protected corridor of publicly owned lands.
I. The Appalachian Trail From its Conception in 1921 to the Present
A. Outdoor Recreation and the Hiking Club Movements in the Late Nineteenth and
Early Twentieth Centuries
The idea to develop a long-distance hiking trail along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains was
conceived during the American Progressive Era (late 1890s to early 1920s), a period of intense
social activism and political reform. During the successive administrations of Presidents Theodore
Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson a wide range of new federal laws and
programs were initiated to address societal ills, including political corruption, monopolistic
business practices, labor abuses and unrest, immigration, poverty, food safety, and public health
deficiencies. Progressive social scientists applied scientific methods in attempts to modernize
government, industry, finance, and education. Labor activists worked to implement reforms to
restrict child labor, implement shorter work weeks, reduce hazardous working conditions, and
1 Definitions of terms used to describe various aspects and features of the Appalachian Trail are included in the
“Glossary of Trail Terminology” at the end of this Multiple Property Documentation Form.
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
2
increase wages. Several reform movements that had their roots in the early nineteenth century,
including the temperance and women’s suffrage movements, culminated in the ratification of
amendments to the U.S. Constitution (Chambers 2000; Gould 1974).
The deleterious effects of industrialization and urbanization on people and the natural environment
were among the top concerns of the Progressives. The onset of the period occurred on the heels
of the proclamation by the head of the 1890 federal census that the traditional concept of the
American frontier no longer existed due to the coast-to-coast settlement of interior lands. In his
influential thesis delivered during a meeting of the American Historical Association during the
World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History,”
Frederick Jackson Turner posited that concept of the frontier, with its promise of abundant land
and opportunity available to anyone willing to risk everything on a new start, was the key factor
in shaping the American experience to that point and that its closure would profoundly alter the
character of future generations. Turner’s thesis was used by conservationists like the Sierra Club,
founded by John Muir in 1892, to lobby the U.S. Congress to create additional national parks
beyond those that existed at the time, including Yellowstone, established in 1872, and Yosemite,
Sequoia, and General Grant (now Kings Canyon) established in 1890. In 1906, Congress passed
the Antiquities Act, which gave the president the power to create national monuments on federally
owned or controlled lands of historic or scientific interest. President Theodore Roosevelt and his
immediate successors used the act to set aside millions of acres of forest, grass, and range lands in
federal preserves. Several states also began their own park systems for the purposes of preserving
wild landscapes and historic sites for the recreational enjoyment of their citizens (Landrum
2004:17–18; Lewis 2007:159–160).
Progressive reformers and social scientists added their voices to the preservation movement by
portraying wild lands as a place of refuge from the increasingly complicated demands of city life.
The number of people living in cities increased substantially during the Progressive Era, and by
the period’s end in the early 1920s more people lived in urban areas than in rural ones. This
massive population shift produced overcrowding and a host of attendant problems, such as poverty,
slums, industrial pollution, and sanitation issues, in many cities, particularly those in the heavily
industrialized Northeast. The monotonous repetition of factory work and many other forms of late
nineteenth-century employment added to the daily drudgery of urban life. For many reformers of
the period, the preservation of the forests, fields, and streams was vital to the health of the nation.
Even short periods spent outdoors in the wild could reintroduce the inherent values of nature,
renew spirits, and provide perspective and optimism that urban dwellers needed to face the
circumstances of their everyday lives in the city (Dulles 1965:202–203; Lewis 2007:160).
The importance of providing outdoor recreational programs to children living in urban-industrial
centers gave rise to fresh air programs, organized summer camps, and scouting. Christian-based
benevolent societies took the lead in the late nineteenth century in creating homes and camps in
the country where underprivileged city children could spend several weeks during the summer
away from their unhealthy urban environments. Scouting was developed in Europe and had its
origins in military survivalist training but was adopted in the United States to inculcate American
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
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ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
3
values and active participation in outdoor life over idle leisure. The Boy Scouts of America,
established in 1910, and the Girl Scouts of America, founded in 1912, both featured programming
that encouraged participation in outdoor sports such as hiking, camping, and canoeing as healthy,
character-building activities (Holt 1992:17; Macleod 1983:xi–xii).
Until the late nineteenth century the ability to travel for pleasure and participate in outdoor
recreation was largely confined to the wealthy. Labor reforms and the general economic prosperity
that was spurred by industrial development and corporate expansion created more leisure time and
discretionary income for a burgeoning American middle class. The nation’s extensive railroad
system put previously remote destinations within easy reach of metropolitan areas. The emergence
of the automobile in the early twentieth century gave Americans more freedom to decide how and
where they spent their free time. These economic and mobility factors made vacation travel
possible for greater numbers of Americans than ever before and produced a huge demand for resort
development in areas that offered contrast to urban surroundings (Aron 1999:46–47).
For a growing number of people, hiking and camping in the wild offered a preferred rugged
alternative to comfortable resort vacations. “Roughing it” recalled the self-reliance of the pioneer
settlers and fit neatly with the national infatuation with early American lifestyle that characterized
the Colonial Revival period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Appalachian
Mountains became a popular destination for sportsmen and recreational campers from
Northeastern cities. Railroad-sponsored promotional literature and guidebooks that featured
information about hiking and camping excursions were abundant by the 1880s. Sports Afield,
which was first published in 1887, was the first nationally distributed magazine to focus on
hunting, fishing, and camping. It was followed by two other successful magazines—Field &
Stream (1895) and Outdoor Life (1898)—with similar themes. After he assumed the U.S.
presidency in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt became a national figurehead for participation in what he
called the “strenuous life” through hiking, camping, and hunting in the wild (ATC 2012b:21;
Miller 1918; Stradling 2009:109).
The increasing amount of leisure time afforded by the shortening of work weeks during the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries allowed many urbanites the opportunity to pursue
recreation on a regular basis. This trend led to the proliferation of yachting, country, and outing
clubs that were founded to provide organized recreational opportunities close to home. Yachting
and country clubs were usually developed by the wealthy groups who purchased land and built
clubhouses and facilities for outdoor sporting activities such as boating, hunting, fishing, polo,
golf, and tennis. Outing clubs, which drew their membership primarily from the middle-class,
usually established offices or clubhouses in the city, but sometimes maintained no physical
clubhouse space at all. They functioned to bring together people interested in the social aspects of
organized outings to wild or rural areas where they could engage in specific recreational pursuits.
Bicycling, rod and gun, hiking, and mountaineering clubs were among the various types of outing
organizations that became popular during the period.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
4
The organized hiking movement that provided the impetus for the development of the A.T. traces
its roots to the establishment of the Appalachian Mountain Club in Boston in 1876. The oldest
non-profit conservation and recreation organization in the nation, the club was founded by noted
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) astronomer and physicist Edward C. Pickering to
“explore the mountains of New England and adjacent regions both for scientific and artistic
purposes, and in general to cultivate an interest in geographical studies” in New Hampshire’s
White Mountains. The club’s Tuckerman Ravine Trail to the peak of Mount Washington was
completed in 1879, making it one of the first recreational hiking trails constructed in the United
States. By the early 1920s, the club maintained more than 200 miles of trails in the mountains of
New Hampshire and Maine. It established a permanent clubhouse at 5 Joy Street in Boston in 1922
and had chapters in New York City; Worcester, Massachusetts; Manchester, New Hampshire;
Providence, Rhode Island; Meriden, Connecticut; and Asheville, North Carolina (Appalachian
Mountain Club [AMC] 2013a).
As the enthusiasm for hiking increased in the early twentieth century, a large number of clubs that
followed the AMC model were established in the Northeast. They included the Patterson
Ramblers, founded in 1904 in Haledon, New Jersey; the Dartmouth Outing Club, founded in 1909
at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire; the Green Mountain Club, founded in 1910 in
Burlington, Vermont; the Randolph Mountain Club, founded in 1910 in Randolph, New
Hampshire; and the Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club founded in 1916 in Reading,
Pennsylvania. Their missions typically included constructing and maintaining trails for group
hiking and hosting social events in the nearby mountains. A measure of the extent of the hiking
movement by that time was included in the New York Walking Book, which was published in 1923,
and enumerated more than 60 outdoor clubs and organizations that held regular hiking events in
the New York Metropolitan Area (Torrey et al. 1923:186–191).
Like other types of social clubs, many of the hiking organizations operated under bylaws and
charged nominal admission fees and yearly dues. They were selective in determining the makeup
and size of their membership. People who applied to join were usually invited to a hiking event
that served to introduce them to the existing members. Based on the outcome, a vote was held to
either accept or deny the application. The more popular clubs that restricted the number of
members often had long waiting lists of applicants. The early clubs were composed of white male
professionals who had the means and time to devote to recreational hiking. The AMC was
dominated by scientists and academics from New England universities and colleges. The
Dartmouth Outing Club comprised students and faculty at the college. The Blue Mountain Eagle
Climbing Club was exclusively male and limited its membership to 100 “community leaders” from
the area. With the growth of sentiment in favor of equal rights between the sexes, particularly
following the ratification of the nineteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution that gave women
the right to vote in 1920, women were increasingly invited to join hiking clubs. New York’s
chapter of the AMC, established in 1922, was expressly “organized to promote an outdoor and
social spirit among congenial people of both sexes.” The Georgia Appalachian Trail Club formed
in 1930 attracted a large number of affluent young single men and women and in 1932 adopted
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bylaws that included a provision that membership never be dominated by either sex (Foresta
1987:79–80; Wright 2005:27).
On December 15, 1916, many of the existing hiking clubs and representatives of several state park
and forest commissions attended the initial meeting of the New England Trail Conference (NETC).
The meeting was organized by James P. Taylor of the Green Mountain Club; Allen Chamberlain,
a journalist and former president of the Appalachian Mountain Club; and New Hampshire state
forester Phillip W. Ayers, who had been a leading proponent for the establishment of White
Mountain National Forest. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how the hiking groups might
begin to link existing trails to create a cohesive regional system. The attendees voted to establish
an organization bearing the conference name and hold regular meetings to promote its goals. The
NETC began a series of publications identifying best practices in trail construction and other
guidance that were later adapted for use on the A.T. (ATC 2000:2).
Among the ideas broached at the initial and subsequent meetings of the NETC was one that
envisioned the extension of the Northeastern trails to the southern Appalachian Mountains. Will
S. Monroe, a professor at Montclair State Normal School and president of the New York chapter
of the Green Mountain Club, proposed linking several trails in the Northeast to produce a
continuous trail from the Delaware Water Gap in New Jersey to the Long Trail in Vermont. The
Long Trail, which was begun in 1910 by the Green Mountain Club, was the nation’s first true long-
distance recreational hiking trail, stretching 273 miles through Vermont between its borders with
Massachusetts and Canada when it was completed in 1930. Albert M. Turner, field secretary of
the Connecticut State Park and Forest Commission, began exploring the practical possibilities of
constructing a “grand trunk” trail through the Appalachians in the late 1910s and reported on his
progress at several subsequent meetings of the NETC (Mittlefehldt 1999:53; Torrey et al.
1923:170–172).
B. Benton MacKaye and the Appalachian Trail Project, 1921–1924
While the members of the NETC were discussing the feasibility of building a long-distance trail
through the Appalachian Mountains, Benton MacKaye (1879–1975), a forester, planner, and
environmental and social activist, was developing plans for an ambitious experiment in regional
planning he called the Appalachian Trail Project (A.T. Project). In an article in the October 1921
issue of the Journal of the American Institute of Architects, MacKaye proposed the construction
of a long-distance hiking trail that would serve as a link between a series of utopian recreational-
and agricultural-based communities in the underutilized lands of the Appalachian Mountains.
These communities would provide restorative recreational opportunities for the workforce of the
eastern Unitied States, as well as employment for those who wished to settle in the region and
participate in communal camp life. MacKaye’s proposal drew the interest of member clubs of the
NETC, state and federal park and forest agencies, and MacKaye’s colleagues in the emerging
profession of regional planning, all of whom were instrumental in bringing the A.T. idea to its
fruition (MacKaye 1921; Torrey et al. 1923:172).
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MacKaye came of age at the beginning of the Progressive Era and he found inspiration in its ideals
when he began his professional career. He was born in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1879, but spent
most of his youth in rural Shirley Center, Massachusetts. His extended family included several
accomplished dramatic and literary artists and Progressive-minded thinkers. From an early age
MacKaye cultivated an interest in the outdoors and in “big ideas.” By the age of 14, he had begun
to explore the natural environment around his home. MacKaye later said that the notion of the A.T.
grew from his youthful hiking adventures in the Northeast and hearing geologist Major John
Wesley Powell speak about his historic 1869 expedition through the Grand Canyon (Anderson
2002; Fisher 1972:5).
MacKaye’s education, experiences, and circle of friends and acquaintances during his 20s and 30s
further shaped his intellectual approach and core values. During his undergraduate years at
Harvard University in the 1890s, he was introduced to the works of environmentalist George
Perkins Marsh, geologist Nathaniel Southgate Shaler, and landscape architects Frederick Law
Olmsted Sr. and Charles Eliot Jr. MacKaye hiked extensively in the White Mountains and Green
Mountains with companions that included his brother James and fellow Harvard student James
Sturgis Pray, who later became a prominent landscape architect and city planner. MacKaye’s
interest in forestry led him to enroll in Harvard’s School of Forestry and, in 1905, he became the
first student to graduate from the program (Anderson 2002:34–38).
Like many of his contemporaries who became involved in the wilderness conservation movement,
MacKaye was heavily influenced by the writings of Henry David Thoreau. As a young man he
read Walden (1854), Thoreau’s seminal thesis on the relationship between man and nature.
Inspiration directly related to his later involvement in the A.T. Project was drawn from Thoreau’s
The Maine Woods (1864) and the essay “Walking” (1862), which focused on the experience of
simple outdoor living. In his writing later in life, MacKaye often acknowledged his debt to
Thoreau. His long-time friend Lewis Mumford stated that MacKaye was “an avowed disciple of
Thoreau” and that the author’s influence on MacKaye’s thinking on the value of the environment
and landscape could not be overestimated (Anderson 2002:34–35; Mumford 1931:31).
After leaving Harvard, MacKaye worked as a surveyor and analyst with the newly established U.S.
Forest Service (USFS) headed by Gifford Pinchot. His interest in labor issues was developed
through a position with the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC, and a brief stint as a
journalist and editor at the Milwaukee Leader, a daily newspaper founded by the avowed socialist
Victor Berger. Through his time at Harvard and his various occupations, MacKaye cultivated an
extensive list of professional contacts that included leaders in the fields of city planning, landscape
architecture, social science, politics, and journalism. Many of MacKaye’s professional contacts
would later endorse his ideas for an Appalachian greenway. In 1915 he married Jessie H. (Betty)
Stubbs, a noted suffragist and women’s rights activist. About that time, MacKaye began working
on two projects that provided the basis for the major ideas he later presented in his proposal for
the A.T. (Anderson 2002:1–3, 150).
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In the mid-1910s, while participating in a joint study between the USFS and the U.S. Department
of Labor, MacKaye proposed a “new homestead principle” that would encourage the development
of experimental communities on federal forest lands. Loosely tied to the concepts of the English
garden city movement, the utopian scheme was designed to “connect the needs and potential of
both land and man.”2 These new federally controlled agricultural settlements would provide
employment through farming, grazing, mining, and lumbering on underutilized public lands. A
National Colonization Board would offer individuals or families long-term leases to develop farms
or ranches, provide comprehensive community plans for water and road infrastructure, and
administer working conditions and standards. Ohio Democratic Congressman Bill Crosser
introduced MacKaye’s “National Colonization Bill” in February 1916. The bill found support
among a few socially progressive legislators and city planning advocates, including Benjamin
Marsh and Elwood Mead, but was never brought to a vote in the House of Representatives
(Anderson 2002:91).
MacKaye’s other planning initiative focused on recreation in national forests. In “Recreational
Possibilities of Public Forests” in the October 1916 issue of the Journal of the New York State
Forestry Association, he proposed a nationwide scenic trail and waterway system that would
extend from the East Coast to the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys. Among the trail routes
suggested by MacKaye was one that would extend from New England south through the
Appalachian Mountains, the essential route he would later propose in his 1921 plan for the A.T.
Project. The article was based, in part, on a recent paper by his friend Allen Chamberlain, who had
been a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club since 1897 and frequently wrote hiking and
outdoor sports articles for the Boston Herald, Boston Post, Boston Transcript, and Appalachia.
Chamberlain’s paper suggested linking the trails of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Green
Mountain Club, and several college outing clubs in the region to form a long-distance trail from
Quebec, Canada, to northern New Jersey (Anderson 2002:99).
Over the next several years, while at the USFS, MacKaye continued to work on a variety of
proposals that tied forestry to labor and employment issues, including a new version of his
colonization bill designed for returning World War I veterans. In January 1918, as his radical
proposals for the colonization of the national forests grew increasingly at odds with USFS policies,
MacKaye requested and was granted a transfer to the Labor Department. That year he made a trip
to Canada to study initiatives concerning public lands, resources, and government-planned
communities. While in Ottawa he met with Scottish landscape architect and city planner Thomas
Adams, who had previously served as the executive secretary of Letchworth in Hertfordshire,
England, the world’s first garden city. Adams was then serving as planning advisor to the Ottawa
Commission of Conservation and had recently completed a report titled Rural Planning and
Development (1917), which became an influential thesis on community planning principles and
2 The garden city movement was based on ideas espoused by Ebenezer Howard in his To-morrow: A Peaceful Path
to Reform (1898). A garden city is a fully planned community that is designed to combine the best aspects of rural and
urban life. Garden cities made use of zoning to keep industrial and residential areas separate and were surrounded by
a permanent belt of rural land. All of the land in the city was in public ownership or held in trust for the community.
Howard’s ideas were adopted in towns throughout the world and had a major influence on future town planning.
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techniques. MacKaye later referred to the meeting as “the bridge to my regional planning efforts
in the 1920’s” (Anderson 2002:114).
After returning to Washington, DC, and with his term position with the Labor Department set to
expire in July 1919, MacKaye worked to complete his Employment and Natural Resources.
Influenced by Adams’ work, MacKaye proposed to end the practice of transferring public lands to
individuals and corporations. Those lands, he believed, could be better used to support federally
managed cooperative communities based on agricultural and timber production in well-managed
forests. While the report had no impact on federal land policy and was quickly forgotten, some of
the social engineering ideals and principles it contained formed the basis of his subsequent work
in the area of regional planning (Anderson 2002:114–119).
MacKaye suffered a severe emotional blow after the death of his wife, Betty, from an apparent
suicide in the spring of 1921. Afterwards, he retreated to the farm of his friend Charles Harris
Whitaker, in Mount Olive, New Jersey. Whitaker was an architectural critic and editor of the AIA
Journal and shared MacKaye’s socialistic political and economic views. That summer MacKaye
worked on proposals for three progressive regional planning projects: a six-point industrial survey
of Vermont, a survey of industrial localities throughout the Appalachian region, and a survey and
plan for an outdoor recreation system in the Appalachian Mountains. Intrigued by the latter
concept, Whitaker arranged a meeting on July 10, 1921, at the Hudson Guild Farm in Andover,
New Jersey, with architect and urban planner Clarence Stein, chairman of the American Institute
of Architects (AIA) Committee on Community Planning. MacKaye explained his concept for the
A.T. Project, and Stein and Whitaker contributed ideas that MacKaye incorporated into “An
Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning,” which Whitaker published in the AIA Journal
in October 1921 (Anderson 2002:144; McCullough 2012).
MacKaye intended to show how regional planning might be employed to solve what he called the
“problem of living” in American society. The problem, as he saw it, was primarily an economic
one in which the “high powered tension” of making a living in a competitive capitalistic economy
dominated the existence of most American workers. The situation was made worse by soaring
prices and unemployment as a result of the worldwide economic depression that occurred after
World War I. Antagonism between capital and labor and the monotonous drudgery that
characterized many occupations in both urban and rural areas produced additional stresses on the
physical and mental well-being of the workforce. MacKaye hoped to alleviate some of those
stresses by establishing a “strategic camping base” in the “wild lands” of the Appalachian
Mountains where workers could find respite from the “grinding-down process” of modern life
(MacKaye 1921).
The Appalachian Mountains represented the closest and most extensive outdoor resource available
to the urban population centers of the East, which contained more than half of the nation’s
population. People in that region were underserved by the “playgrounds” of the National Park
System, which, with the exception of Sieur de Monts National Monument (later Acadia National
Park) in Maine, were all located west of the Mississippi River and were inaccessible to most
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Easterners. The workforce and man hours necessary to develop the recreational potential of the
Appalachian Mountains could be drawn from the spare time that was available to workers in all
classes through vacations, unemployment, or underemployment. MacKaye calculated that each
worker had an annual average of two weeks of spare time and hoped to redirect the use of that time
from trivial, non-productive pursuits to purposeful recreation. If one percent of the workers
devoted their spare time to the one job of developing the recreational opportunities of the
Appalachians, it would equate to a full-time labor force of 40,000 individuals (MacKaye 1921).
The A.T. Project had four components. The first was the development of a 1,700-mile hiking trail
along the Appalachian Mountain skyline from Mount Washington in New Hampshire to Mount
Mitchell in North Carolina. MacKaye noted that the beginning of such a trail had already been
established through the efforts of hiking clubs in the Northeast. The Trail would be divided into
sections, preferably defined by lengths within the boundaries of each state. Responsibility for each
section was to be placed under the charge of a local group. MacKaye acknowledged that difficulties
would likely arise over the use of private property for the trail and that it “might be sometimes
necessary to obtain a State franchise for the use of rights of way.” Since it would take several years
to construct each section of the Trail, MacKaye believed that completed portions should
immediately be opened to local use and rigorously maintained to prevent its reversion from disuse.
“A trail,” he wrote, “is as serviceable as its poorest link.” When all the sections were completed
and joined into one continuous pathway, MacKaye thought the Trail should be placed under some
“sort of federated control,” but did not elaborate on the form of that organization (MacKaye 1921).
The second element of the A.T. Project was the development of shelter camps that would form the
Trail’s “equipment for use.” Like those previously established by the hiking clubs in the White
and Green Mountains, the shelter camps would be located within a comfortable day’s walk of one
another. All would be equipped with sleeping accommodations, and some would offer meals “after
the function of the Swiss chalets.” While he stressed the benefits of spending time in the woods,
MacKaye was conscious that most Americans did not want to “return to the plight of our
Paleolithic ancestors,” but wished to have the strength of progress and convenience without their
“puniness” or “fopperies.” MacKaye hoped that the blazing of the Trail and construction of camps
would be a volunteer effort conducted in the spirit of work as play. The entire enterprise was to be
undertaken without motives for profit and be “well-guarded––against the yegg-man and against
the profiteer” (MacKaye 1921).
The final two elements of the Project comprised the major utopian aspects of MacKaye’s plan.
Once the shelter camps were built, he envisioned that small “community groups” would naturally
grow up around them. These would be located on or near the Trail and consist of private domiciles
where people could live for indeterminate periods. The community group would hold title to all
the land, as much as 100 acres, and no lots would be sold to individuals. Use of the domiciles
would be made without profit. Overcrowding would defeat the purpose for which the communities
were created, so MacKaye proposed that demand should be met by establishing more, not larger
groups. The location of the community camps would form the “regional planning and architecture”
of the A.T. Project and their function would be to promote various forms of activity related to
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recreation, recuperation, and educational study. “The community camp should be something more
than a mere recreation ‘playground,’” MacKaye wrote, “it should stimulate every line of outdoor
non-industrial endeavor” (MacKaye 1921).
“Food and farm camps” constituted the final aspect of the A.T. Project’s development. Coming
later, after the establishment of the other elements, these cooperative agricultural and forestry
camps would provide the food and materials necessary to sustain the Trail as a self-sufficient
operation. They would be established as adjuncts of the community camps and offer long-term
employment opportunities for workers who wished to “work out by actual experiment a
fundamental matter in the “problem of living” by “getting ‘back to the land.’” MacKaye cited the
Hudson Guild Farm, where he, Stein, and Whitaker had met to discuss the A.T. Project, as an
example for the type of camp he had in mind. The Hudson Guild Farm was acquired by the Hudson
Guild of Chelsea, New York, a socially progressive neighborhood improvement organization that
grew out of the Settlement House movement in 1920 and was operated as a working camp where
urban residents could experience rural agricultural life. Another example was Camp Tamiment,
which was operated in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains by the People's Educational Camp
Society as a retreat for socialists and their families (MacKaye 1921).
MacKaye summed up his new approach to the problem of living by enumerating its several
benefits. Two weeks spent each year out in the mountains would provide the perspective and
“oxygen of optimism” to sustain workers “during the other fifty weeks down below.”
Contemplation of the awesome forces of nature would help put industry in its “true perspective––
as a means in life not an end in itself.” The availability of 40,000 jobs through the development of
the recreational opportunities in the Appalachians could help solve the nation’s unemployment
problem. The camp communities would form a refuge for those who chose to settle in the
mountains free from the “scramble of every-day worldly commercial life.” By serving as “a retreat
from profit,” the camp community would be a place where “cooperation replaces antagonism, trust
replaces suspicion, emulation replaces competition.” Participation in the scouting life might
provide an outlet for the primal militaristic instincts of man, which MacKaye believed were the
root cause of war: “Militarism has been made colorful in a world of drab. But the care of the
countryside, which the scouting life instills, is vital in any real protection of ‘home and country.’
Already basic it can be made spectacular. Here is something to be dramatized” (MacKaye 1921).
MacKaye’s A.T. Project proposal found a receptive audience among the members of the NETC,
and he was invited to present his proposal at a meeting of the Conference in December 1921. The
meeting was attended by professionals in the fields of city planning, architecture, landscape
architecture, and forestry who were interested in the community planning and wild lands
preservation aspects of the A.T. Project. Among the attendees were MacKaye’s long-time friend
James Sturgis Pray, landscape architect Arthur Comey, horticulturist Harlan P. Kelsey, and noted
city planner John Nolen Sr. After the meeting, Nolen wrote MacKaye that the A.T. “presents a
planning project of real significance,” and New Hampshire forester Philip Ayres commented, “The
interesting thing about your plan is that it is inherently likely to be carried out. The trend of the
times is likely to enforce it” (Anderson 2002:150–153; ATC 2012b:27–28).
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Momentum began to build for the A.T. Project following the 1921 NETC meeting. Stein and the
AIA Committee on Community Planning spearheaded a publicity campaign that involved
professional networking and newspaper coverage. MacKaye’s article was reprinted in brochure
form as A Project for An Appalachian Trail, with an introduction by Stein that lauded the A.T.
Project as a “new theme in regional planning” that was “not a plan for more efficient use of labor,
but a plan of escape.” The brochure was distributed to a list of reformers compiled by MacKaye.
The A.T. Project was also publicized by members of the hiking clubs that belonged to the NETC,
including journalists Allen Chamberlain and Raymond H. Torrey. Torrey wrote for the New York
Evening Post and, in a regular column called “The Long Brown Path,” described hiking and trail
building activities in and around New York. Along with Major William A. Welch, General
Manager of the Palisades Interstate Park, Torrey had founded the New York-New Jersey Trail
Conference (NY-NJTC) in 1920 to organize trail building activities in Harriman and Bear
Mountain state parks in New York (American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration
n.d.).
In 1922, NETC member groups identified about 350 miles of existing hiking trails in the Northeast
that could be linked together and incorporated into the A.T. Representing the AIA Committee on
Community Planning, MacKaye traveled extensively in the states along the Appalachian corridor
to promote the project. Among the most important purposes of the trip was to encourage the
formation of hiking organizations in the South, which did not have any organized hiking clubs like
those in the Northeast. In Washington, DC, MacKaye brought together a group of friends and
acquaintances to form the Appalachian Trail Committee of Washington, which was the precursor
of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club that would have a major impact on the development of the
Trail. He also met with hiking enthusiasts from other southern states who suggested locations for
the Trail. Paul M. Fink, a well-known hiker from Tennessee, greeted the idea of the A.T. with
enthusiasm: “Speaking from the viewpoint of a Southerner, this trail is needed, for we have no
routes for a long trip anywhere in our mountains, at least none marked either by signs or on maps,
and each tramper must lay his own itinerary” (Anderson 2002:160–161).
In December 1922, MacKaye reported in the Appalachian Mountain Club’s publication
Appalachia that the existing scattered trail networks across New England and New Jersey, along
with the portions that would be routed through publicly owned national forests in the South, which
at that time consisted of Nantahala (established [est.] 1907) in Georgia; Cherokee (est. 1920) in
Tennessee and North Carolina; Pisgah (est. 1916) in North Carolina; and Shenandoah (est. 1917,
renamed George Washington in 1932) in Virginia, constituted about one-third of the proposed
A.T. route. He noted that trail building was ongoing in all regions and that the “bright idea, is to
combine these local projects––to do one big job instead of forty small ones.” In January 1923,
MacKaye was again the featured speaker at a meeting of the NETC. By that time, MacKaye had
more fully developed the details of his original proposal, envisioning the Trail as the central
element of a publicly owned “super national forest.” The Trail could be built in sections and
managed by local organizations that would be joined together in a federation akin to the “original
Thirteen States of the Union.” He also stressed that the larger purpose of the A.T. Project was not
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merely to “cut a path and then say ‘Ain’t it beautiful!’” but to “open up a realm” or environment
of “trail and camp” that would provide “human access to the sources of life.” “The task at hand,”
he stated, “is an Appalachian Trail; the goal is an Appalachian Domain” (Anderson 2002:165;
ATC 1964:29).
In the spring of 1923, Clarence Stein formed the Manhattan-based Regional Planning Association
of America (RPAA). Along with MacKaye, charter members included Charles H. Whitaker;
cultural critic and author Lewis Mumford; architect Henry Wright; real estate promoter and
philanthropist A. M. Bing; economist Stuart Chase; and architects Frederick L. Ackerman, John
Irwin Bright, Robert D. Kohn, and Frederick Bigger. This group was later joined by architects and
planners Tracy Augur, Catherine Bauer, Russell Black, Robert Bruère, Joseph K. Hart,
Clarence A. Perry, and Edith Elmer Wood. The essential concept of regional planning was to view
development from a macro perspective that considered the social, economic, and geographic
implications of land-use decisions on a greater scale than a single town or city. While the
mainstream field of city planning focused on addressing the social, physical, and economic
challenges of developing metropolitan areas, the RPAA looked at broader regional issues such as
the availability of labor, power generation, water supply, and highways to link population centers
to one another. MacKaye’s A.T. Project presented an opportunity to put regional planning concepts
into practice and it was selected as the first project undertaken by the RPAA. The RPAA Program
Committee, which consisted of MacKaye, Mumford, Stein, and Chase, assumed control over the
A.T. Project from the AIA Committee on Regional Planning and defined a mission to reconnoiter,
survey, scout, and organize trail building within the Appalachian Mountains between Maine and
New Jersey. For the next two years, the RPAA was the driving force for the development of the
A.T. (McCullough 2012:28–29; Parsons 1994).
In October 1923, the members of the RPAA Program Committee attended a meeting co-sponsored
by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission and the NY-NJTC at the Bear Mountain Inn in New
York. The attendees included MacKaye, Stein, Mumford, Major William A. Welch, Raymond
Torrey, Allen Chamberlain, Albert Turner, Harlan Kelsey, the state foresters of New York and
New Jersey, and representatives of other hiking clubs. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss
the New York and New Jersey segments of the A.T., which stretched from the Hudson River south
to the Delaware Water Gap, and to walk the first completed sections. Torrey, Welch, and J. Ashton
Allis had scouted the first new section of the A.T. from the Ramapo River to Fingerboard Mountain
in Harriman and Bear Mountain state parks in the spring of 1922 and volunteers from the
Adirondack Mountain Club, which was founded in December 1922 for the purpose of constructing
and maintaining hiking trails in New York’s Adirondack Mountains, had completed the first
6 miles. During the meeting, Welch introduced a design for a uniform copper trail marker with
shared crossbars of the letters “A” and “T.” The group approved the design and it later served as
the basis for the official galvanized iron trail emblem that was adopted in 1931. New Jersey State
Forester C. P. Wilber reported that in addition to the completed section of trail in the Palisades
Interstate Park, progress had been made in marking the A.T. on existing hiking trails on Kittatinny
Mountain in Stokes State Forest. According to MacKaye, the meeting “did for the Hudson-
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Delaware section what the January NETC meeting did for the New England section” (Anderson
2002:165, 176–177; ATC 1964:29, 2012b:31; Torrey et al. 1923:172–173).
C. Appalachian Trail Conference and the Extension of the A.T., 1925–1937
While the member groups of the NY-NJTC and the NETC made progress toward developing the
A.T. by linking trails in the Northeast between 1922 and 1925, the lack of similar organized
activity elsewhere threatened to derail the A.T. Project. By 1925, it was clear that the early
enthusiasm for the Trail had died out and that a new organized approach was needed to encourage
its extension through the Mid-Atlantic and Southern regions. In early 1925, the RPAA contacted
Harlean James, the executive secretary of the recently formed Federated Societies on Planning and
Parks, to ask if she would take the lead in organizing a national meeting of individuals and
organizations interested in the A.T. Project. James, who also served as the executive secretary of
the American Planning and Civic Association and the National Conference on State Parks, had
extensive connections across the spectrum of national and state organizations interested in
recreational development. The first meeting of what was called the Appalachian Trail Conference
(ATC) was held at the Raleigh Hotel in Washington, DC, on March 2 and 3, 1925 and was attended
by an impressive array of key federal, state, and local agency representatives and influential
volunteers from local trail clubs in all A.T. regions (ATC 2000:6).
The stated purpose of the ATC was to organize “a body of workers (representative of outdoor
living and of the regions adjacent to the Appalachian Mountains) to complete the building of the
Appalachian Trail.” The ATC was to function as an umbrella organization to interact with
governmental agencies, promote standardized trail construction and design, and coordinate
activities among local trail clubs that were given responsibility for building and maintaining
segments of the A.T. in their regions. In his presentation, MacKaye described the projected route
and organization of the A.T., predicting that construction of the Trail could be completed within
15 months. Under the plans adopted at the meeting, the Trail’s “main line” would run an estimated
1,700 miles from Mt. Washington in New Hampshire to Cohutta Mountain in Georgia. Extensions
were proposed northward to Katahdin in Maine and as far south as Birmingham, Alabama.
“Branch lines” linking to other trails and states were projected in Vermont, New Jersey, West
Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. To the extent possible, the A.T. was to follow ridgelines
and traverse the tallest peaks to “attain highest clarity, of both atmosphere and mind.” The
proposed creation of Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah national parks, both of which
would be authorized by Congress the following year, were discussed as providing the opportunity
to construct some of the most scenic and challenging sections of the A.T. on protected federal
lands. To improve management of A.T. construction, the route was cut into five divisions: New
England; New York and New Jersey; Pennsylvania; the central Appalachian states from Maryland
through Virginia; and the southern Appalachian states from North Carolina to Georgia (ATC
1964:31, 2000:6–7, 2009c:5; Brown et al. 2008:11; Foresta 1987:79; Foster 1987:12; MacKaye
1921; Muench 1991:xii).
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
14
MacKaye also outlined a cooperative management structure that combined government
administration and volunteer maintenance and protection of the Trail through the ATC and its
member hiking clubs. MacKaye clarified the importance of the A.T. Project:
Its ultimate purpose is to conserve, use, and enjoy the mountain hinterland…. The
trail (or system of trails) is a means for making the land accessible. The
Appalachian Trail is to this Appalachian region what the Pacific Railway was to
the Far West––a means of ‘opening up’ the country. But a very different kind of
‘opening up.’ Instead of railway we want a ‘trailway’…as an escape from
civilization. The path of the trailway should be as ‘pathless’ as possible; it should
be the minimum consistent with practical accessibility (ATC 2000:6).
Other conference attendees spoke about environmental protection, creating tributary trails to
connect the A.T. and urban centers, traveling light on the Trail, and the need to protect the Trail
from encroachment as East Coast cities expanded. Among the speakers were Francois E. Matthes
of the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service (NPS) Director Stephen Mather. The key
outcome of the conference was a vote to establish a permanent non-profit organization called the
Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC). A 15-member executive committee was established, and a
provisional constitution was adopted. Major William Welch was elected chairman; Raymond
Torrey, treasurer; Harlean James, secretary; and Benton MacKaye, field organizer. The executive
committee of the ATC consisted of two members from each of the five regions and five at-large
members. The committee included influential individuals and representatives from the local trail
clubs and major participating organizations and federal agencies. By drawing members from the
local, state, and federal levels, the composition of the initial committee reflected the principles and
traditions of the A.T. Project, which has been variously described as an experiment in participatory
democracy, the cooperative management of natural resources, and a unique partnership between
the public and private sectors. The organizational structure of local groups connected by a modest
guiding central organization to work and play on the terrain they knew and loved for a common
goal was the key to the A.T.’s eventual completion and enduring success (Anderson 2002:189;
ATC 1964:29–30; 2000:6–7, 2012b:32–34).
MacKaye later declared the first meeting of the ATC a success in achieving its purpose of
organizing a body of workers to build the A.T. It also marked, however, the point when he and the
other members of the RPAA began to lose influence over the direction of the A.T. Project. While
MacKaye continued to perform his role as the ATC field organizer, much of his energy over the
next few years was devoted to finishing his book, The New Exploration: A Philosophy of Regional
Planning, which was published in 1928 and served as a manifesto in support of regional planning
and wild lands preservation initiatives. The RPAA dissolved in the 1930s, largely due to the
opportunities available to its members through work on federal housing projects and other
programs of interest that emerged as a result of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal
initiatives. In 1935 MacKaye co-founded the Wilderness Society and later became president of the
organization with the goal of protecting and inspiring Americans to care for wild places. By that
time, the ATC leadership had completely abandoned the utopian aspects of MacKaye’s A.T.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
15
Project in favor of the more practical goal of completing the Trail (Anderson 2002:186–189; ATC
1964:28, 2012b:34; MacKaye 1928; McCullough 2012; Sussman 1976:41–43).
In the three years after the initial ATC meeting in 1925, detailed planning and publicity for the
A.T. continued, but construction slowed considerably. In many areas, construction was hampered
by the remoteness of the Trail route, rugged nature of the landscape, and a lack of existing clubs
and volunteers. Welch’s heavy workload as chief engineer and general manager of the Palisades
Interstate Park Commission limited his attention to the ATC, and he relinquished his chairmanship
to G. Arthur Perkins in 1928. Perkins was a retired judge who had become a hiking enthusiast and
joined the Appalachian Mountain Club in his 50s. In 1925, he filled a vacancy as the ATC’s New
England representative and was voted to serve on the executive committee in 1926. That same
year, he began scouting trail routes in northwest Connecticut and in Maine. He was elected
supervisor of the overall A.T. Project at the second ATC meeting, held in 1928, and became
chairman of the ATC later that year. Perkins traveled extensively up and down the A.T. route
between Maine and Virginia, enlisting workers and forming trail clubs. He participated in scouting
the proposed extension of the Trail through Maine and personally led many work parties, including
one marking a trail down Katahdin’s Great South Basin in 1928. Under Perkins’ leadership large
sections of trail were constructed and opened in Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and
Pennsylvania. He subsidized trail building activities with his own money and paid for MacKaye’s
travel expenses on A.T. business trips (ATC 2000:7–9, 2012:34–35; Foster 1987:12; Waterman
and Waterman 1989:488).
One of Perkins’ most significant contributions to the A.T. was recruiting Myron H. Avery to the
project. A native of Lubec, Maine, a Harvard Law School graduate, and a one-time employee at
Perkins’ Hartford, Connecticut, law firm, Avery moved to Washington, DC, in the 1920s to take
an admiralty-law position with the federal government. An avid hiker, Avery was easily persuaded
to get involved in the A.T. Project. Within weeks of being approached by Perkins in 1927, Avery
formed the Washington, DC-based Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), which became the
model organization on which most of the A.T. clubs formed afterwards were based. From his initial
trip leading a group of friends in hiking and marking the first sections of the A.T. in northern
Virginia in 1927 until his death in 1952, Avery remained at the forefront of all planning and
pragmatic aspects of the A.T. He was a highly energetic and industrious trailblazer and devoted
himself to forming new clubs, recruiting volunteers, and plotting routes—including flagging,
cutting, constructing, blazing, and measuring them himself—to complete the Trail (ATC 2000:8–
9, 22–23, 2012b:37–38, 2013).
Perkins also instituted a regular meeting schedule for the ATC, which had not gathered since the
initial meeting in 1925. Sponsored by Avery’s PATC, the second ATC meeting was held in
Washington, DC, on May 19–20, 1928. Its purpose was to revive the dwindling progress on the
A.T. by clearly defining its goals and to encourage participation in the project. The members
authorized the rewriting of the ATC’s constitution to create a more formal organization for the
federation. Ratified the following year at an ATC meeting in Easton, Pennsylvania, the new
constitution included the institution of a 16-member Board of Managers, with a smaller executive
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
16
committee. Welch was elected honorary president of the ATC, but Perkins assumed the key role
for the Trail’s development through his election as chairman and trail supervisor. Ashton Allis of
the NY-NJTC was elected treasurer and Avery was named to the board and the executive
committee. The reworded purpose statement of the organization made clear that that the utopian
community aspects of MacKaye’s vision had been abandoned in favor of the more achievable goal
of completing the Trail solely for recreational enjoyment. The ATC’s mission going forward was
to “promote, establish and maintain a continuous trail for walkers, with a system of shelters and
other necessary equipment…as a means for stimulating public interest in the protection,
conservation and best use of the natural resources within the mountains and wild lands areas of the
East” (ATC 2000:8).
An estimated 500 miles of the A.T. was open to hiking by the time of the 1928 ATC meeting.
Nearly all of that mileage was in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, where the vast majority
of the preexisting trails and established hiking clubs were located. To catch up, Perkins and Avery
focused their efforts on the Southern sections of the Trail. By 1931, under Avery’s leadership, the
PATC completed 260 miles of trail between the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania and Rockfish
Gap in Virginia. Publicity for the A.T. and the progress being made by the PATC encouraged the
involvement of existing hiking groups and the formation of new organizations. Among the existing
groups that had formed during the initial excitement for MacKaye’s A.T. Project in the early 1920s
were the Carolina Mountain Club, which was founded in Asheville, North Carolina, in 1923 as a
spinoff of the Southern Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club and completed segments of the
A.T. in the North Carolina-Tennessee region. Another was the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club,
which was founded in 1924 and began building the stretch of the A.T. between Indian Gap and
Mount Guyot in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1928. New ATC clubs founded during
the early 1930s included the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club (1930), Natural Bridge Appalachian
Trail Club (1930), and the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club (1932). Once it gained momentum the
enthusiasm for the A.T. in the South produced significant results. As early as 1930, Avery had
remarked during a talk before the Appalachian Mountain Club that while it was the generally
accepted view that continuous marked hiking trails in the South were non-existent, “the rapid
development of the Appalachian Trail has created such a startling reversal of conditions that it is
probably true today that the extent of marked Appalachian Trail south of the Mason-Dixon Line
is greater than that in the North.” This was certainly true two years later when the Southern clubs
reported that their one-third share of the A.T. was completed (AMC 1930:199).
Locating and Constructing the Appalachian Trail
The construction of the A.T. was unlike any other project developed in the United States to that
time. On its face, once the utopian aspects of MacKaye’s original plan had been discarded, it was
a straightforward process of locating a route and marking and clearing a narrow footpath that was
meant to be as unobtrusive as possible. In practice, however, the job was far more complicated,
involving extensive negotiating with public officials and private landowners, building sections of
trail in remote and rugged areas, and organizing and training loosely affiliated volunteer groups
committed to assisting in the construction and maintenance of the Trail. More than three-quarters
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
17
of the A.T.’s ultimate length of approximately 2,184-miles was constructed from 1928 to 1937, a
period that included the most calamitous years of the Great Depression and a massive expansion
of federal involvement in recreational development and conservation through investment in
national and state parks. The public-private relationship that was part of the Trail’s development
since the early 1920s grew closer as the opportunities to locate the trail on publicly protected lands
increased.
After Perkins suffered an incapacitating stroke in 1930, the responsibility for completing the A.T.
fell to Avery, who was elected chairman of the ATC the following year. One of Avery’s first
priorities was to issue guidance to standardize trail construction practices. The sectional approach
to developing the A.T. produced variation in trail design and, with the mobilization of new and
inexperienced hiking clubs in the South, Avery decided it was prudent to issue guidance that would
apply along the entire length of the A.T. He produced the first Trail Manual for the Appalachian
Trail, which was officially adopted by the ATC in 1931. Most of the information for the manual
came directly from a previous PATC manual that Avery published in 1929, which in turn borrowed
heavily from trail construction guidance previously issued by the NETC and the Adirondack
Mountain Club in various publications in the 1910s (ATC 1931b:1; PATC 1929:1).
The ATC manual laid out a multi-phase process for locating and constructing the Trail and defined
quality standards for incorporation into the A.T. In enumerating the “first principles” of the Trail,
Avery made it clear that its “sole purpose” was to “afford pleasure and recreation” and that those
considerations should be paramount in selecting its route. Avery also made a distinction between
the traditional meaning of “trail” and the “Appalachian Trail.” A trail was a “route passable for
foot or horse travel but not for vehicles,” while the Appalachian Trail was “for foot travel only,
without improving the footway.” The initial phase of A.T. building involved the selection of a
prospective route using topographic maps and a field reconnaissance. Because the A.T. was “by
nature a sky-line trail,” it was to “connect as many high points, affording wide views of
surrounding country, and as many places of beauty, as lie within its course, consistent with
accessibility and practicable grades.” These ideals could not always be met, however, due to
practicalities and safety considerations. For instance, the Trail had to run where there was an ample
supply of water available to hikers. Bridging was expensive and time consuming, so the route over
wide water courses required the use of existing bridges. To the extent possible, the Trail was to
avoid swampy areas, edges and bases of bluffs where slides could occur, and grades more than 25
percent (ATC 1931b:1–2).
The methods for locating and constructing the Trail were defined in the manual, but a large amount
of discretion was given to the volunteers who did the work. Once the general route was selected,
a team usually consisting of an experienced leader and two assistants could proceed to locate its
specific route on the ground. Starting at the beginning of the segment, the three spread out and
walked forward to look for the best route. Grocer’s string trailed behind or rags tied to tree limbs
were preferred temporary markings that could easily be moved if the Trail needed to be relocated.
Once the Trail was satisfactorily located it could be blazed with more permanent markings. The
Trail path was then roughed and cleared. A trail was considered “cleared” when vegetation and
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
18
other obstructions had been sufficiently removed to allow a “hiker walking erect, with a backpack
and blanket roll” to “encounter no obstruction to any part of himself or his pack and…[to]…see
the footing a few steps ahead.” Marking and signing the Trail could commence during the clearing
process or after it was completed. Marking identified the route through standardized A.T. blazes,
trail markers, arrows, and cairns. Signage was installed at trailheads, forks, and crossings to supply
hikers with information. It was recommended that the signs start with the name “Appalachian
Trail” and include the objectives of the Trail section. A lettered arrow pointing the direction toward
and distance to the objective was to be included, along with the name of the organization
responsible for constructing and maintaining that section of the Trail. The section was considered
to be “Standard Appalachian Trail” only after it was properly cleared, marked, and signed in
accordance with the definitions and directions contained in the manual (ATC 1931b:2–6).
The ATC and its constituent groups had no legal authority to take land or otherwise compel
landowners to allow trail construction through their properties. It was therefore important to locate
the Trail on publicly owned national and state park, forest, and conservation lands to the greatest
practicable extent. The federal and state employees who managed those entities were almost
universally supportive of the A.T. Project and generally offered assistance in locating and
constructing sections within their jurisdiction. Fortunately for the ATC, the construction of the
Trail coincided with a substantial commitment by the federal and state governments in the eastern
United States to acquire and set aside land for conservation and park purposes. Trail development
in the South benefited from the establishment in the mid-1930s of Shenandoah National Park and
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which together contain more than 180 miles of the A.T.3
The Trail was also routed to take advantage of new national forests established during the period,
including Green Mountain in Vermont (est. 1932), Allegheny in Pennsylvania (est. 1923),
Mountain Lake (est. 1935, later renamed Jefferson) in Virginia, and Chattahoochee (est. 1936) in
Georgia, where the Trail’s southern terminus on Springer Mountain was established (Mittlefehldt
2008:80).
While the patchwork of publicly owned lands was extensive, long stretches of trail in between had
to be routed on private lands or along existing public roads. The 1931 ATC trail construction guide
cautioned that the use and permanence of the Trail on private lands, as well as the availability of
assistance to hikers in need, was often dependent on the “good will and cooperation of the owners
and residents along the route” and that “obviously such good will and cooperation should be
reciprocal.” The guide directed that private landowners were to be contacted after the Trail was
located, but before it was blazed, to explain the “nature and purpose of the trail” and gain their
“express permission” to run it through their land. This approach proved successful as most
3 Although some of the land for the national and state parks, forests, and preserves through which the original route of
the A.T. passed was acquired using the power of eminent domain or other practices that affected landowners found
objectionable, the original A.T. Project had no such authority. This held true until the passage of the National Trails
System Act in 1968 and the National Trails System Act Amendments in 1978 provided the federal authority and
funding for the establishment of a protected A.T. corridor. The acts included provisions for acquiring land through
condemnation when in the opinion of the Secretary of the Interior the land was vital to establishing the corridor and
all other options to acquire it had been exhausted.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
19
landowners along the route initially supported the Trail, often granting their ascent by handshakes
or an oral agreement. There were, however, instances where permission could not be obtained or
was later revoked, and the Trail was forced onto public roads and sidewalks. This was more
common in areas where trail use was heavy, and owners objected to damage, litter, or bad behavior
of hikers. The inability to effectively protect and maintain sections of the Trail on private land
ultimately led to the successful lobbying efforts to create a protected publicly owned corridor for
the Trail in the late twentieth century (ATC 1931b:1–2; Mittlefehldt 2008:80).
At the annual meeting of the ATC in 1934, the member clubs reported that 1,937 miles of the A.T.
had been completed. By that time, the southern terminus in Georgia had been reset to extend about
50 miles farther south from Cohutta Mountain to Mount Oglethorpe and the northern terminus was
established on Katahdin in Maine. The northern extension was more than 200 miles and
represented a particularly difficult section because of its remoteness and topography. For
expediency, some ATC leaders considered withdrawing the northern terminus to the original
Mount Washington point, but Avery refused to abandon the section through his native state. He
and other members of the PATC joined with some trail enthusiasts in Maine to form the Maine
Appalachian Trail Club (MATC) in 1935. The PATC members of the MATC traveled to the state
during the summers of the next few years to work on the Trail (ATC 1931b, 2000:7–9, 2012b:37–
38, 2013; Brown et al. 2008:2,11; Foster 1987:12; Muench 1991:xi–xii).
The Civilian Conservation Corps and Completion of the Original Appalachian Trail
The construction of the Maine trail segment, as well as other portions of the Trail, was substantially
aided by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) after the USFS and the ATC were successful in
placing the A.T. on the CCC’s agenda in 1935. Created under the Emergency Conservation Work
(ECW) Act of 1933, the CCC was one of the first and most popular of the New Deal relief
programs established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration to combat the effects of
the Great Depression (1929–1939). Its purpose was to provide work for unemployed young men
on public works projects, including conservation and recreation projects in national and state parks
throughout the country. The CCC was placed under the control of the U.S. Army and was operated
with military discipline in a camp structure. By the mid-1930s, overseers of the program became
aware of the potential for using CCC labor toward the development of the country’s city, state,
and national parks and the CCC shifted its focus from forest conservation to recreational
development. Subsequently, CCC project management was divided between the U.S. Department
of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior. Throughout the nine years in which the CCC
was active, the USFS retained supervision of 50 percent of the CCC camps in the country, while
the remainder were split among other federal entities. The establishment of the CCC coincided
with a reorganization of the executive branch by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and a massive
expansion of the National Park System in 1933. As part of the expansion, all the battlefields and
other historic monuments administered by the War Department and other agencies were
transferred to the NPS. The system continued to expand throughout the 1930s and nearly every
park in the system benefitted from CCC labor. When Congress ended the CCC program in 1942,
the Corps had employed more than 600,000 men in the construction of approximately 13,000 miles
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
20
of hiking trails, 8,000 associated pedestrian bridges, 3,470 fire towers, and 97,000 miles of forest
roads and had planted 3 billion trees throughout the United States (ATC 2000:10; Carr 1998:262–
263; Maher 2008:27–28; McClelland 1993:200–203; Jarvis 2009; Unrau and Williss 1983:n.p.).
The CCC completed more than half of the total mileage of the Maine trail segment. Camps were
established in Millinocket, Greenville, Flagstaff, and Rangeley. The CCC also improved
previously cleared trail, repainted blazes, cut previously blazed portions of the Trail, built side
trails to viewpoints and springs, and constructed shelters. A problematic canoe ferry across the
Penobscot West Branch at Nesowadnehunk Falls was avoided through the construction of a wire
cable bridge. The combined efforts of the MATC and CCC resulted in the development of 265
miles of the A.T. in Maine by the summer of 1936 (AMC 1936:120–122).
The CCC figured prominently in the development of sections of the A.T. in the South, particularly
in Virginia, where the construction of Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway required the
relocation of nearly 130 miles of the A.T. that the PATC and other clubs had recently completed.
The construction of Skyline Drive began in 1933, two years before the surrounding Shenandoah
National Park was established. The scenic auto route overlapped the A.T. for about 10 miles
between Thornton Gap and Skyland Resort, and CCC crews were assigned the task of
reconstructing the section on a new alignment. Construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which
was an extension of Skyline Drive designed to connect to the newly established Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, commenced in 1938. Once again, the CCC was involved in relocating
nearly 120 miles of the A.T. (Brown et al. 2008).
Examples of CCC work on the Trail that are listed in the National Register are the Mount Greylock
Summit Historic District (NR-listed 1998) in Massachusetts and the Washington Monument (NR-
listed 1972) in Washington Monument State Park in Maryland. CCC resources that contribute to
the Mount Greylock Summit Historic District include Bascom Lodge, Summit Garage,
Thunderbolt Ski Shelter, Notch Road, and systems of stone walls and stone culverts. The CCC
camp at Washington Monument State Park was established in 1934 and over the next two years
its workers rebuilt the park’s stone monument to George Washington that was originally erected
by citizens of nearby Boonsboro in 1827. The CCC also contributed to the surrounding state park
infrastructure by erecting shelters, a parapet wall, and picnic tables (Parish 1972; Parsons 1994).
Trail-specific resources constructed by the CCC include structures such as bridges, puncheons,
and corduroyed bog crossings that carried the Trail over obstacles. The CCC also constructed well
over 100 shelters and fire towers, the survivors of which are among the most distinctive buildings
and structures developed as part of the A.T. Before the CCC disbanded in 1942, its contributions
to the development of the A.T. had extended throughout most of the Trail route (McCahon 1985;
Maher 2008:72; Good 1999:155–156).
The construction of the auto routes in Virginia and the intervention of the federal government in
the development of the A.T. led to a permanent rift in the relationship between Avery and
MacKaye in 1935. The two had always held divergent opinions on what the A.T. should be, with
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
21
MacKaye holding out hope that some of its communal social aspects would be realized and Avery
working doggedly to complete it solely as a hiking trail. Avery and a majority of the other ATC
members supported the construction of Skyline Drive in the belief that it was important to maintain
a strong, positive relationship with the federal government, which was the only real hope for
securing the long-term future of the A.T. Although he had long been a proponent of federal
protection for the Trail, MacKaye, along with a number of other key ATC leaders, opposed the
road construction projects, arguing that automobile traffic and its attendant infrastructure would
compromise the setting of the A.T. The clash in personalities that had characterized the
relationship between Avery and MacKaye since the beginning was readily apparent in competing
articles each published on the subject of the auto roads and in private correspondence. After
Avery’s view won out, the two broke off communication with one another. MacKaye removed
himself entirely from involvement in the A.T., devoting much of his time in the coming years to
founding and promoting the Wilderness Society (ATC 2000:11, 2012b:60–65).
At the beginning of 1937, two sections of the Trail remained incomplete: one mile between the
Davenport Gap and the Big Pigeon River in Tennessee and two miles along a high ridge between
Sugarloaf and Spaulding mountains in Maine. The Tennessee section was completed in the spring
and, on August 14, 1937, a six-man CCC crew completed the Maine section, thereby opening the
A.T. to its full extent between Katahdin and Mount Oglethorpe (ATC 1931:7–9; Brown et al.
2008:2, 11; Foster 1987:12; Muench 1991:xi–xii).
D. Management of the Appalachian Trail, 1938–1967
At an ATC meeting in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, two months before the A.T. was completed, Avery
acknowledged the significance of the pending accomplishment with caution about its future
maintenance. “Rather than a sense of exultation,” Avery stated, “this situation brings a fuller
realization of our responsibilities. To say that the Trail is completed would be a complete
misnomer. Those of us, who have physically worked on the Trail, know that the Trail, as such,
will never be completed.” At that point Avery was probably more familiar than anyone else with
the A.T., having walked nearly its entire length at various times and having become the first “2,000
miler” on the Trail. He knew the Trail existed at the pleasure of hundreds of landowners––both
public and private––who at any time could choose to refuse access or force its relocation to make
way for other land uses. To secure protection for the Trail, Avery and other A.T. proponents
resurrected and transformed MacKaye’s idea for a super national forest into a concept for creating
a public recreational corridor called the “Appalachian Trailway” (ATC 2000:11–12).
The first targets of the Appalachian Trailway initiative were the sections of the A.T. on federal
lands. With Avery’s backing, Edward B. Ballard, a NPS field coordinator and Appalachian
Mountain Club member, spearheaded negotiations with the NPS and the USFS. On October 15,
1938, the agencies executed an agreement designating a one-mile protective zone on either side of
the A.T. in the national parks and forests. The agreement directed that new roads or other
incompatible development would not be allowed, and timber cutting was prohibited within
200 feet of the Trail. The A.T. would be relocated where necessary to keep it at least one mile
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
22
from roads, and construction of campsites, lean-tos, and shelters on land by the Trail was
authorized. At the time it was executed, the agreement applied to eight national forests and two
national parks containing about 875 miles of the A.T. 4 (ATC 1964:3, 2000:12; 2012b:73–76).
The NPS further assisted the ATC in striking similar agreements with the managers of state
reservations through which the A.T. traveled. Because the state parks and forests were smaller than
their federal counterparts, the protective buffer in those areas was generally limited to one-quarter
mile from both sides of the Trail. By 1940, Appalachian Trailway agreements were in place in all
states except Maine, where the only state-owned land was Baxter State Park, which was already
protected as a permanent state preserve. The progress made toward developing a protected corridor
for the Trail prompted the ATC to update its guidebooks and issue its first newsletter (the
Appalachian Trailway News) in 1939 (ATC 1964:37, 2000:12, 2012b:93; Foster 1987:13).
Despite the progress made in fostering the Appalachian Trailway concept, several events in the
late 1930s and early 1940s threatened the future of the Trail. In 1938, Congress authorized
construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile automobile road through the Blue Ridge
Mountains designed to connect Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park with Great Smoky
Mountains National Park. Although Avery had supported the construction of Skyline Drive in the
early 1930s, he was unhappy with the decision to build the parkway because of the impact it would
have on the newly completed A.T. The construction of the parkway required the relocation of
about 120 miles of the A.T., prompting Avery to comment that the parkway project was “the major
catastrophe in Appalachian Trail history.” Worries over the impending relocation of the A.T. in
the South were compounded by a September 1938 hurricane that rendered hundreds of miles of
the Trail in New England impassable. Additional gaps in the continuity of the Trail were caused
when some private landowners rescinded permission to cross their property (ATC 2000:12).
Maintenance of the Trail, including the work necessary to fully repair the hurricane damage, was
largely deferred during World War II. The last general ATC meeting before the war was held in
1941 and the meetings did not resume until 1948. Many of the A.T. leaders were enlisted in the
defense effort, and sections of the A.T. adjacent to sensitive military installations, power plants,
and strategic transportation routes were closed. One of the few maintenance programs was
undertaken by the New York Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club in 1942 to reforest
denuded stretches of the A.T. with 2,000 pine seedlings purchased at cost from the State of New
York. It was hoped that the reforestation idea would be adopted by other clubs to create cool
fragrant woods along lengthy bare sections of trail (AMC 1942).
After the war, the numerous challenges that the ATC faced in managing the A.T. prompted the
leadership to redouble efforts to establish greater protection over the corridor. Much of the Trail
was in disrepair, and parts in New England had not recovered from the 1938 hurricane. A robust
postwar economic expansion produced demand for new highways, ski resorts, second homes,
4 The eight national forests were Chattahoochee, Nantahala, Cherokee, George Washington, Mountain Lake
(Jefferson), Allegheny, Green Mountain, and White Mountain, and the two national parks were Great Smoky
Mountains and Shenandoah.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
23
communications towers, and timber cutting in the Appalachian Mountains. An Appalachian
Trailway News editorial in 1945 identified a large slate of impending postwar development
projects, warning that they would “vitally affect the few remaining wilderness areas we have in
the east.” It became apparent to the A.T. caretakers that the existing 1938 Appalachian Trailway
agreements were insufficient to ensure long-term protection of the A.T. (ATC 2012b:97).
In 1944, during discussions for the Federal-Aid-Highway Act of that year, Congressman David K.
Hoch of Pennsylvania, president of the Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club (BMECC),
introduced an amendment to authorize the establishment of a national system of foot trails that
would be 10,000 miles long and include the A.T. Although unsuccessful, the proposal introduced
the concept of total public ownership of the A.T. Avery supported the idea, writing in a 1946
edition of Appalachian Trailway News that “Any Trail route which is to survive must be in public
ownership...This objective, that of carrying the Appalachian Trail into public ownership, is the
primary and fundamental problem of the Conference” (ATC 2000:13; Foster 1987:13–14).
Failing health forced Avery to step down as chairman of the ATC in 1952. His successor was
Murray H. Stevens, a former chairman of the NY-NJTC; during his term, serious threats posed by
encroaching development forced the relocation of a number of Trail sections, some up to 150 miles
long. In his final report to the ATC in 1961, Stevens echoed both MacKaye and Avery when he
wrote, “I consider the only solution for the permanence of the Appalachian Trail as a ‘wilderness
footpath’ is in public ownership. The ever-increasing population and constant expansion of the
seaboard, with resultant growth in rural living and development, leaves no alternative. I would
propose a ‘green belt’ of public lands with the Trail acting as the spinal cord linking them together”
(ATC 1964:42, 2000:13, 30–31, 2012b:86; NPS 2007:3).
Stanley A. Murray of Kingsport, Tennessee, took over as ATC chairman in 1961 and served in
that position until 1975. Under his tenure, the organization was streamlined, and its offices were
moved to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, where they were staffed by the ATC’s first paid
employees. Murray guided the ATC in its push for federal protection of the A.T. and promoted
Avery’s green belt concept by proposing the creation of an “Appalachian Greenway,” to consist
of a “primitive” zone of mostly public land immediately adjacent to the A.T. and a “countryside”
zone that would extend up to 10 miles on either side composed predominantly of private lands
subject to local land-use controls. The greenway concept became the heart of the ATC’s efforts to
protect the viewshed along the Trail. Murray actively cultivated the support of individuals, groups,
and corporations to back the passage of federal legislation to protect the A.T. and encouraged states
along the route to work on their own protection efforts (ATC 2000:31–33).
The economic and social forces that had initiated the outdoor recreation movement of the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries evolved substantially during the immediate post-World
War II period to produce an unprecedented thirst among Americans for recreational opportunities.
The scenic beauty and abundant natural resources of the Appalachian Mountains made it a
recreational destination before the A.T. was completed, but its popularity escalated with the
nationwide promotion of parks, forests, and tourism and the increased leisure time and travel
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
24
flexibility that were available during the prosperous postwar period to more Americans than ever
before. The wholesale adoption of the automobile as the dominant form of transportation in the
United States fostered the outdoor movement by making previously remote areas accessible.
National parks were among the most popular destinations during the period and the massive
increase in visitation taxed the system, which had suffered from deferred maintenance during the
war years. The situation led NPS Director Conrad Wirth to propose and ultimately get funding
from Congress for the Mission 66 Program, which led to dramatic improvements throughout the
National Park System and raised general awareness of the importance of national parks and public
lands in American culture (Appalachian Trail Project Office [ATPO]1987:28–29; Dulles
1965:318–324).
Like the national parks, the A.T. experienced a significant increase in use after World War II. As
MacKaye had envisioned, the majority of Trail users accessed it for day excursions or short
camping trips and usually selected their hikes based on local proximity or some significant scenic
attraction. Longer hikes covering large sections of trail were relatively rare and the idea of hiking
the entire trail was slow to take hold. Earl V. Shaffer made the first documented thru-hike of the
A.T. in 1948. Shaffer undertook the hike as a therapeutic to the stresses he endured during his
service as a soldier in the South Pacific during World War II. In a diary that he kept during his
hike he noted that the trip “was planned and executed to have no exact schedule, but to be
completed in approximately four months.” Shaffer’s accomplishment was widely known in the
hiking community and helped to boost the popularity of the Trail. Over the next 20 years about 50
other hikers reportedly completed thru-hikes. In 1981, Shaffer’s diary was officially published by
the ATC under the title Walking with Spring (Emblidge 1996:92).
E. Creation of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 1968–1977
The events that eventually led to the protection of the A.T. occurred within the context of the
environmental and conservation movements of the second half of the twentieth century. The
inherent dangers of nuclear testing, pollution issued from American factories, and the widespread
use of chemical agents such as DDT were among the principal motivators for the development of
a national environmental movement. The Water Pollution Control Act of 1948, which approved
federal funding for state and local governments to ensure interstate water quality, was one of the
first major pieces of legislation passed by Congress to combat the ills of pollution. The following
year, Aldo Leopold established a new basis for evaluating environmental change in his widely read
A Sand County Almanac. Leopold proposed a new “land ethic” founded on an expanded definition
of community that included not only people and constructed elements like buildings and roads, but
also “soils, waters, plants, animals, or collectively the land.” He asserted that “a thing is right when
it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community.” Leopold had a
long association with Benton MacKaye that went back to their co-founding of the Wilderness
Society in 1935, and his work provided philosophical and scientific underpinnings for the nation’s
environmentalists, including those involved in trying to protect the A.T. (Merchant 2002).
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
25
The environmental movement expanded in the 1960s as concerns over quality-of-life issues
became the major drivers of growing environmental activism. In 1962, scientist Rachel Carson
published Silent Spring, which exposed the environmental impact of pesticides. Her work was
among those that influenced environmental legislation of the 1960s, including the Clean Air Act
(1962), the Wilderness Act (1964), and the Water Quality Control Act (1965). The Wilderness Act
(Public Law 88-577 [16 U.S.C. 1131–1136]) established a new legal definition of “wilderness”
and mandated the unimpaired preservation of federal lands covered by its provisions. Eight years
of debate by conservation advocates preceded the act’s passage. Section (c) of the act defined
wilderness in part as “...an area where earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man,
where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” The act further defined federally owned
wilderness lands to consist of areas that retain their “primeval character and influence, without
permanent improvements or human habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve
its natural conditions.” The act created the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS),
which initially consisted of all lands within the national forests that had been classified before
September 1, 1964, by the Secretary of Agriculture or the Chief of the Forest Service as
“‘wilderness’, ‘wild’ or ‘canoe’” lands. The secretaries of agriculture and the interior were tasked
with conducting a study to identify other lands within their jurisdictions that met the wilderness
definition. The findings of the studies were to be provided to the President of the United States
who, in turn, was to advise the Congress about his recommendations for wilderness areas to be
added to the NWPS. The Wilderness Act contributed to the ongoing national debate about the
definition of wilderness by setting a standard that excluded any noticeable signs of human
habitation or activity. While the act was not specifically directed at the A.T., lands protected as
wilderness under its provisions included many parcels containing the A.T. within national parks
and forests (Merchant 2002).
The growing popularity of the A.T. encouraged political backing for the ATC’s campaign to secure
its protection. In 1964, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin introduced Bill S.2862 because
of his belief that “there is no hope of maintaining the present 2,000-mile continuous foot trail
through a primitive environment close to our eastern cities without public protection of the route
and adjoining lands” (quoted in Foster 1987:15). Although the bill did not pass, it attracted the
attention of President Lyndon B. Johnson who, in a February 1965 message to Congress, remarked,
“In the back country, we need to copy the great Appalachian Trail in all parts of America.” Johnson
then directed Department of the Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, an experienced A.T. hiker, to
prepare a cooperative program to encourage a national system of trails. The ensuing report, Trails
for America (1966) prepared by the new Department of the Interior Bureau of Outdoor Recreation,
contained a special chapter on the A.T. written by agency specialist Donald Shedd with input from
Stanley Murray and other ATC officials (Foster 1987:15–16).
The Trails for America report established the basis for the National Trails System Act (NTSA,
Public Law 90-543 [16 U.S.C. 1241–1251]), which was signed into law by President Johnson on
October 2, 1968. The NTSA authorized the establishment of a national system of scenic, historic,
and recreational trails to “provide for the ever-increasing outdoor recreation needs of an expanding
population and in order to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
26
enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nation.”
The A.T. and the unfinished Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) were designated National Scenic Trails,
making them the initial two components of the new National Trail System.5 The A.T. was to be
administered by the Secretary of the Interior, while the responsibility for the PCT was placed with
the Secretary of Agriculture. The NTSA provided for the study of numerous other trail routes for
inclusion in the National Trails System and, since the passage of the act in 1968, 29 additional
scenic and historic trails have been added (Brown et al. 2008:11; Foster 1987:16–17; PCTA n.d.).
The enactment of the NTSA marked the culmination of more than a decade of advocacy by the
ATC, volunteers, and governmental managers to gain federal protection for the A.T. A provision
to establish advisory councils for all prospective trails resulted in the formation of the Appalachian
National Scenic Trail Advisory Council (ANSTAC). As with the advisory councils established for
other trails, the ANSTAC was authorized to exist for a period of 10 years. Its membership included
the heads of agencies with jurisdiction over lands through which the Trail passed, a representative
from each state on the Trail route, and one or more members appointed to represent private
organizations, including corporate and individual landowners and land users with a recognized
interest in the Trail. Congress included special provisions for the membership of the ANSTAC to
ensure that the ATC had adequate representation from the different regions traversed by the Trail.
The law directed the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a comprehensive plan for the
acquisition, management, development, and use of the A.T. within two years of the NTSA’s
passage. The Secretary of the Interior was granted broad authority to preserve and protect the A.T.,
including acquiring land through purchase, exchange, or donation and establishing scenic and
other protective easements. That authority also extended to initiating condemnation proceedings
when, in the Secretary’s judgement, “all reasonable efforts to acquire such lands or interest therein
by negotiation have failed” (ATC 2000:53; U.S. Congress 1968).
Management of the A.T. devolved from the Secretary of the Interior to the NPS and the Trail
became a unit of the National Park System. To administer the Trail, the NPS created the
Appalachian Trail Park Office (ATPO) at its Northeast Regional Headquarters in Boston. One of
the most significant provisions of the NTSA was the ability to execute formal agreements with
non-federal entities to “operate, develop, and maintain” the Trail. On May 13, 1970, the ATPO
and the ATC signed a Memorandum of Agreement recognizing the ATC’s role under Section 7(h)
of the NTSA, which encouraged volunteer citizen involvement in the planning, development,
maintenance, and management of national trails. Under the agreement, the NPS retained
responsibility for administering the A.T. in accordance with the NTSA, while the ATC was given
the authority to define policies and practices for management and stewardship and to coordinate
the activities of 31 of its member trail clubs, which continued to undertake the maintenance and
operation of the A.T. in their jurisdictional sectors. The agreement between the NPS and ATC
established a ground-breaking public-private partnership (ATC 2000:53–54).
5 Planning for the Pacific Crest Trail commenced in 1926 and construction began in the 1930s, but the 2,650-mile trail
through California, Oregon, and Washington was not completed until 1993.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
27
The passage of the NTSA of 1968 and the designation of the A.T. as a National Scenic Trail
boosted efforts to place the Trail within a permanently protected corridor. In 1968, 1,032 miles, or
roughly half the A.T., was located either on private land or roads, some of which were paved and
heavily used. To support the land acquisition program and establish the official route of the A.T.
as required by the NTSA, the NPS sponsored a flyover of the A.T. at 9,000 feet to take aerial
photographs of a continuous line of white panels that volunteers had laid out along the treadway.
Completed in 1970–1971, the resulting aerial photographs were used to prepare the official A.T.
route map that was published in the Federal Register on October 9, 1971. This action began a two-
year period during which state and local entities along the A.T. were to acquire the privately owned
corridor lands in their jurisdictions. Between 1971 and 1975, the NPS signed agreements with 10
of the 14 A.T. states that defined the terms of A.T. management on state lands and encouraged the
states to acquire new land for the corridor. Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, became the
administrative center for the A.T. after the ATC relocated its headquarters from Washington, DC,
in 1972 and the NPS ATPO moved there in 1974. (ATC 2000:53; 2012b:113–114).
The ANSTAC met annually from 1969 to 1975, but the progress of acquiring lands for the A.T.
protective corridor was slow. The USFS was only slightly more successful in its efforts to acquire
private tracts around the A.T. in the national forests. The popularity of long-distance hiking, or
“backpacking,” increased immensely during the 1970s as new durable, lightweight equipment
became available. More than 230 people traversed the whole length of the A.T. in the early 1970s,
compared to only about 10 in 1969 and less than two per year in the preceding years. By the end
of the 1970s, an estimated 2.5 million people a year visited the A.T., creating unanticipated issues
of overuse of the treadway and support facilities (ATC 2000:31, 52, 2012:82, 110; ATPO 1987:28;
Emblidge 1996:76–78; 92; Foster 1987:14).
F. Land Acquisition and the National Trails System Act Amendments, 1978–present
To speed up the land acquisition process and acknowledge the elevated importance of the A.T. in
American culture, Congress passed the Appalachian Trail Legislative Amendments to the National
Trails System Act (Public Law 95-248) in March 1978. Often referred to as the Appalachian Trail
Act, the legislation authorized $90 million for land acquisition along the A.T. At the time, more
than 600 miles of the A.T. were located on private property and another 200 miles on public roads
and highways. The legislation directed the NPS to acquire land along the A.T., wherever it did not
already pass through federally or state-owned land, to establish a permanent, protected, and
continuous A.T. corridor from Georgia to Maine. The authors of the NTSA amendments
envisioned 125 acres of protected land per mile figured on an average corridor width of 1,000 feet
(500 feet on either side of the center of the treadway) (ATC 2009e:5; Foster 1987:23–61; U.S.
Congress 1968).
The A.T. land protection program was successfully implemented under the leadership of David A.
Richie, who became deputy regional director of the NPS’s Northeast Regional Office in 1974, and
Charles Rinaldi, who headed the A.T.’s Land Acquisition Office established in 1978. The effort is
often cited as being the most complicated public-land acquisition program in U.S. history. The
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
28
first private land acquired under the new program was the Henry Beinart tract in Dutchess County,
New York, in 1978. While the goal was to gain government ownership in fee simple of the
properties, the complexities of dealing with landowners with a wide breadth of expectations and
desires prompted the leaders of the A.T. land acquisition program to experiment with a variety of
flexible and creative less-than-fee protection measures such as easements, development rights, life
interest and special use reservations, term estates, purchase and leaseback arrangements and,
occasionally, purchase and sellback provisions. About 20 percent of the property transactions
required some form of customized land transaction to meet the needs of specific property owners.
Negotiations at this fine-scale level of detail were possible due to the innovative assistance of local
volunteers in the A.T. community for both private and public property transactions. There were,
however, a number of cases where owners objected to what they saw as a federal incursion on their
personal property rights. Whenever such objections were raised, an alternative approach was
sought, but sometimes the Land Acquisition Office deemed it necessary to implement
condemnation proceedings. Especially from 1978 to 1990, there were a number of controversies
over the condemnation of land for the A.T. corridor that were reported by the local press, and some
cases ended up in federal court (ATC 2013a; Foster 1987:142–144).
The 1970 agreement in which the NPS delegated A.T. maintenance and many aspects of
management to the ATC was supplemented by a cooperative management system that was set
forth in the Comprehensive Plan for the Protection, Management, Development, and Use of the
Appalachian National Scenic Trail adopted by the Secretary of the Interior in September 1981.
The comprehensive plan, which was reaffirmed in 1987, defined the governing principles and
processes for the overall management and maintenance of the A.T. in light of its growing use and
various developmental projects that threatened its integrity. The plan was supplemented by local
management plans that provided more specific policy and program direction for the management
of particular sections of the Trail and by agreements that defined the roles and responsibilities of
the volunteer and governmental agencies involved in management of each trail section. Together,
these documents and agreements formalized and strengthened the volunteer-based system of
stewardship that has been an important aspect of the Trail’s history since it was conceived (ATC
2000:16; Birchard Jr. and Proudman 2000:131; Brown et al. 2008:3, 12; Foster 1987:23–61, 76–
77, 106–107, 115–122).
A pivotal moment for the A.T. occurred in November 1984 with the signing of Cooperative
Agreement No. 0631-81-01 by the NPS and the ATC. The event took place in Washington, DC,
at the headquarters of the American Institute of Architects, the organization that had published
Benton MacKaye’s seminal article in 1921. Secretary of the Interior William P. Clark and
ANSTAC Chairman Arthur W. Brownell were among those who witnessed the signing by NPS
Director Russell E. Dickenson and ATC Chairman Raymond E. Hunt. This landmark occasion had
far-reaching public policy implications by establishing a precedent for the formal delegation of
federal responsibilities for the management of public lands. At the conclusion of the ceremonies,
Dickenson noted, “Our signatures on this agreement evidence faith on the part of the Government
and private partners alike that extensive public lands can be safely entrusted to a private
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
29
organization.” Through execution of the agreement, the ATC and its 31 member clubs accepted
management responsibility for the A.T. corridor (Foster 1987:97, 157–158).
The most intensive period of land acquisition for the A.T. corridor occurred during the late 1980s.
Supported primarily by federal Land and Water Conservation Fund appropriations, the USFS,
NPS, and the A.T. states acquired land to establish a new protected corridor around a total of 1,480
miles of the Trail. By 2010, a total of 187,435 acres of this land had been acquired: 111,485 acres
by the NPS, 56,457 acres by the USFS, and 19,493 acres by the A.T. states. Combined with the
parts of the Trail that were already on publicly owned lands, the total area of the A.T. corridor
amounted to more than 250,000 acres (Birchard Jr. and Proudman 2000:131).
Currently, 99 percent of the A.T. is located on protected corridor lands. The 250,000 acres of the
A.T.’s protected corridor (a swath of land averaging about 1,000 feet wide) makes it one of the
largest units of the National Park System in the eastern United States. The trail passes through
more than 75 public land areas, including 6 units of the National Park System; 8 national forests
(which contain 1,015 miles, or 47 percent of the Trail); 2 National Wildlife Refuges; 3 Tennessee
Valley Authority properties; 1 Smithsonian Institution property; more than 60 state park, forest,
and game-management units; and several county and municipal properties. The corridor also
includes lands protected by conservation easements, agricultural security zones, preferential tax
assessment of farmlands, and other legal instruments (ATC 2012b:144, 158; Birchard Jr. and
Proudman 2000:131; Brown et al. 2008:3; National Parks Conservation Association [NPCA]
2010:1).
The unprecedented partnership and collaboration of public federal, state, and municipal agencies
with private organizations and individuals have been the cornerstone of A.T. conservation and its
success as a recreational hiking trail. From the Trail’s conception as an innovative vision of
regional planning and a volunteer-based initiative, volunteers affiliated with the ATC and its
member trail clubs have planned, constructed, rehabilitated, and maintained the footpath, as well
as a system of more than 250 shelters and associated facilities. The partners implemented a
pioneering approach to land acquisition and protection and to planning for the future of adjacent
lands. The A.T. operates on a decentralized, volunteer-based, cooperative management system that
has developed a unique constituency over time to care for this nationally significant public
resource. The ATC’s principal mission is to protect and promote the A.T. and the natural and
cultural resources that form the Trail’s environmental setting. In recognition of its increased focus
on land management, the ATC changed its name to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in 2005.
Today, the A.T. is managed by the NPS, USFS, ATC, numerous state agencies, 31 trail clubs, and
thousands of volunteers. An icon of conservation, even for those who have never set foot on the
A.T., the Appalachian National Scenic Trail remains one of our nation’s most valuable models of
cooperative partnership that preserves natural areas and provides outdoor recreation (ATC
2012b:158; Brown et al. 2008:3; Foster 1987:141–144; NPCA 2010:3; Sutter 1999:553).
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
30
F. ASSOCIATED PROPERTY TYPES
The associated property types eligible for National Register evaluation and registration under this
MPDF cover consist of the “Appalachian National Scenic Trail State Segment” (ANST State
Segment) and the “Abandoned Original Appalachian Trail (A.T.) Section” (Abandoned Trail
Section). The ANST comprises a single linear historic district that derives its primary significance
from being the nation’s oldest and best known continuous long-distance recreational hiking path.
However, because of its length, remoteness, and the multiple federal, state, and local public land
jurisdictions through which it passes, it is not feasible to survey and evaluate the entire district at
one time. The ANST State Segment property type allows for a phased approach to nominating the
district to the National Register by focusing on shorter state-length segments of the ANST. The
Abandoned Original A.T. Section property type allows for the nomination to the National Register
of intact parts of the original A.T. constructed before 1938 and Trail-related resources built by the
CCC before 1942 that have been abandoned due to Trail relocations.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail (ANST) State Segment
Description
An ANST State Segment is a part of the A.T. within a state between the borders of a neighboring
state or states. There are 14 ANST State Segments corresponding to the 14 states through which
the A.T. travels. From north to south, the segments are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia,
Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. All of the ANST State Segments with the
exception of Georgia and Maine, which contain the south and north termini of the A.T., border
other segments on both ends of their National Register boundaries. There are two instances where
two ANST state segments may be more appropriately documented and nominated using a single
National Register form. These consist of the North Carolina and Tennessee segments, where the
A.T. runs along the border between the states for a considerable stretch,6 and the Virginia and West
Virginia segments, where the A.T. crosses the border of the two states multiple times.
Each ANST State Segment is made up of a combination of resources consisting of the A.T.
Treadway, A.T. Side Trails, A.T. Bridges, A.T. Viewpoints, and A.T. Overnight Use Areas that
form the components of a long-distance hiking trail system.
The setting of the Trail consists of diverse features such as topography, geological formations,
vegetation, and water courses that were formed by natural forces over long periods of time. The
natural environment forms the major appeal of the Trail, which is to allow hikers the opportunity
to travel through the most extensive and scenic natural and wild lands available east of the
Mississippi River. Part of the character of the Trail landscape from Maine to Georgia is its diversity
of natural and spatial qualities. The A.T. passes through a broad range of ecosystems along sharply
6 The A.T. runs along the North Carolina–Tennessee border for 226.6 miles. Lengths of the A.T. within the two
states that are not along the border consist of 96.4 miles in North Carolina and 65.9 miles in Tennessee.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
31
undulating terrain that swells up to mountain peaks and drops into deep gorges accented by
waterfalls. Portions of the Trail are narrow and enclosed by thick undergrowth and dense, mature
forest. Woodland groves are often spatially intimate, while other portions of the Trail—those
through grass fields, atop rocky mountain peaks, or along pond edges—generate a feeling of vast
space through their openness.
The Trail also passes through a variety of cultural landscapes that reflect human interaction with
the land. These landscapes may consist of a single farmstead, a rural aggregation of farms, a town
center, a commemorative marker, or a park that evolved in a historic context distinct from the A.T.
The Trail was often intentionally routed to bring hikers to culturally significant areas in keeping
with the vision of the original planners to offer hikers opportunities to connect with both wilderness
and settlement areas.
National Register Boundaries
The National Register boundaries of an ANST State Segment vary in width according to their
location on public lands and adjacent private lands. Public lands are those that are owned in fee
simple or managed under a recorded easement or other legal agreement by federal, state, or local
public entities. These lands include those that were acquired by the National Park Service under
the Appalachian Trail Legislative Amendments to the National Trails System Act (NTSA
amendments) of 1968 (referred to hereafter as “A.T. lands”) and places where the A.T. travels
through national, state, or local parks, forests, or conservation lands. The maximum width of the
National Register boundary of an ANST State Segment on all public lands, including A.T. lands,
is 500 feet on either side of the centerline of the Trail, for a total width of 1,000 feet. This boundary
is justified by the goal established by Congress in the NTSA amendments to acquire at least 125
acres of land per mile with an average corridor width of 1,000 feet (500 feet on either side of the
center of the treadway) to protect the A.T. (see Section E.1.F.).
In cases where the property line of a parcel of public land is less than 500 feet from Trail treadway,
the National Register boundary conforms to the limit of the publicly owned parcel. When the Trail
goes through privately owned lands or is collocated on publicly owned rights of way such as
bridges, sidewalks, roads, or other paths that were constructed for purposes other than recreational
hiking, the National Register boundary is 4 feet wide (2 feet on either side of the centerline), the
standard width of the A.T. treadway and prism as further defined below. The 4-foot-wide boundary
also applies to portions of A.T. Side Trails that extend beyond the 1,000-foot (500 feet on either
side) boundary of the main Trail.
Contributing Resources within an ANST State Segment
Resources that contribute to an ANST State Segment consist of the A.T. Treadway, A.T. Side
Trails, A.T. Bridges, A.T. Viewpoints, and A.T. Overnight Use Areas. There are many other
properties located within or near the A.T. corridor that are listed or eligible for listing in the
National Register. The A.T. was specifically routed to pass by historic monuments, go through
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
32
historic battlefields, over historic bridges, or near historic hotels or stores that cater to hikers. Those
properties, however, are significant for reasons other than their association with the A.T. and are,
therefore, not eligible for nomination to the National Register under the historic contexts defined
in this MPDF cover. The extent to which the location of a historic property influenced the routing
of the A.T. should be discussed in the documentation prepared to nominate an ANST State
Segment or Abandoned A.T. Section, but the property is not counted as a contributing or non-
contributing resource. Similarly, non-historic buildings, sites, structures, and objects that were not
constructed as part of the A.T. but are located within the National Register boundary for an ANST
State Segment or Abandoned Trail Section are not counted as either contributing or non-
contributing resources.
Another class of properties that is excluded from being counted as either contributing or non-
contributing resources within an ANST State Segment or Abandoned A.T. Section district consists
of parts of the A.T. that are collocated on transportation structures, such as roads, bridges,
sidewalks, or other publicly owned paths that were built for purposes other than recreational
hiking. Where the Trail is collocated on public transportation structures it is almost always out of
necessity or because a more appropriate route is unavailable. Examples are highway bridges that
carry the Trail over a river, a section of Trail along a highway right of way, or a route that traverses
through a town on sidewalks. These sections are important links in maintaining the A.T.’s integrity
as a continuous long-distance hiking path, but do not follow the design standard for the Trail and
may possess significance under historical contexts that are not defined in this MPDF.
A.T. Treadway
The A.T. Treadway is the primary and most important contributing resource within all ANST State
Segments. It consists of the approximately 2,184-mile hiking path that was conceived primarily as
a “skyline track” along the crests of the Appalachian Mountains. The goal of its designers since
the earliest days of trail construction was to select terrain that offered the best hiking and to connect
as many tall peaks as practicable. It was, therefore, intentionally routed through rugged mountain
territory with substantial and frequent elevation changes that range from a low of 124 to a high of
6,625 feet above mean sea level, with the highest point at Clingmans Dome on the border of
Tennessee and North Carolina. Between the mountain peaks, the A.T. passes through a variety of
forests: from the boreal in Maine to the ancient hardwoods of the Great Smoky Mountains in
Tennessee and North Carolina. It also enters cultural landscapes, including scenic valley
settlements, pastoral farmlands, and historic towns, which add interest and diversity to the hiking
experience.
The A.T. Treadway is counted as one structure in each ANST State Segment district. It consists of
a cleared hiking path, or treadway, and a variety of constructed features that are designed to assist
the hiker in safely following the path. In wooded areas, the treadway consists of a 4-foot-wide by
8-foot-high prism that is cleared of vegetation to allow enough room for backpackers to pass. For
much of its route, the treadway is a compacted earthen path that was either worn naturally by hiker
foot traffic or improved through grading by A.T. design and construction crews. Variations occur
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
33
when the Trail runs over rock formations, where the treadway is defined by markers, or through
wetlands, where it may be carried by bog bridging. In some circumstances, particularly when the
A.T. passes through a town, the treadway is located on preexisting transportation structures, such
as sidewalks, roads, bridges, or some other pre-developed path that was not specifically
constructed as A.T. treadway.
Other integrated elements of the A.T. Treadway include stairs, footbridges, puncheons, and stiles
that exist to carry hikers over or around obstacles and retaining walls, cribs, and culverts that
protect the Trail from erosion or saturation. Usually small in scale, these features are designed to
be aesthetically compatible with the natural landscape. They are often constructed of raw, native
materials with intentionally simple, unornamented designs. Stairs made of spaced logs or rocks set
into the ground provide traction in steep areas and prevent the creation of ruts from foot traffic.
Footbridges allow passage over small streams or alongside slippery waterfalls or gorges and are
typically made of wood board or log tread and a log railing. Small bridges (less than 20 feet long)
are considered to be integral to the treadway and not separately countable. Exceptions may be
made for small bridges that possess significance for their design or have other important historical
associations. Bog bridging, made of slightly elevated wood planks or logs, enables passage through
wetland areas. Retaining walls and cribbing are typically constructed of dry-laid, native field stone
and are designed to prevent exposed portions of the Trail from collapsing or eroding. Logs are
occasionally used for the same purpose. Stone-capped drainage culverts divert water under and
away from the Trail.
Besides the worn path of the treadway, the primary navigational aid for hikers is the 2-inch by 6-
inch, vertical white painted blaze that identifies the route as the A.T. There are approximately
165,000 blazes on the Trail. Most are painted on trees, rock-surfaced portions of the footpath, or
boulders adjacent to the Trail. In open fields and other places where trees and rocks are not
available, the blazes may be located on posts that are placed for the purpose of marking the route.
A double-blaze, painted one above the other, either in a straight line or offset fashion, serves as a
warning to hikers that the Trail is changing direction. In alpine regions and other treeless areas
cairns made up of short piles of stones are used to mark the Trail route.
The blazes are supplemented by markers and signs that provide distances, directions, and other
types of information to hikers. Markers used to identify the A.T. are made of a 4-inch-square piece
of metal oriented in a diamond shape with one corner up and include the A.T. monogram printed
in black on a white background or on bare metal. The monogram consists of the letter “A” merged
with the letter “T” placed vertically below it. This symbol is encircled by text that reads
“Appalachian Trail Maine to Georgia.” Prior to 1968, this marker, known as the “A.T. diamond”
was typically made of galvanized steel. Approximately 3.75-inch-square copper markers with
embossed insignias or lettering that date from the early through mid-twentieth century may also
exist on the A.T. Another marker along the A.T. is the elliptical triangle (sometimes referred to as
the “pregnant triangle” because of its bulging sides) that was developed in the late 1960s to denote
the A.T. as a National Scenic Trail.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
34
A.T. Side Trails
An A.T. Side Trail is a short dead-end spur or loop trail that diverges from the mainline route of
the A.T. Side Trails are employed to bring hikers to important points of interest, such as waterfalls,
historic sites, A.T. Viewpoints, or trail facilities (e.g., picnic areas, shelters, cabins, water sources,
and privies). A.T. Side Trails are generally constructed to the same specifications as the main trail.
Side trails that contribute to ANST State Segments are maintained as part of the ANST system and
appear in the official guidebooks and maps published by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
(ATC).7 Each side trail is counted as one structure in an ANST State Segment district. The National
Register boundary for A.T. Side Trails that extend outside the boundary of main Trail is limited to
the width of the footpath, which is usually 4 feet wide.
A.T. Bridges
An A.T. Bridge is defined as a bridge structure of 20 feet or more in length that was specifically
built and is maintained as part of the ANST and carries either the main Trail or an A.T. Side Trail.
Bridges of shorter lengths may be eligible as contributing resources if they possess significance
for their design or engineering features. A.T. bridges were usually built to carry the Trail over
water courses or gorges. Most are relatively simple wood stringer and deck structures, but wider
spans required more elaborate designs, such as suspension or prefabricated metal truss bridges.
Some A.T. Bridges may warrant consideration under Criterion C in the area of Engineering or
Architecture. Highway bridges and other types of bridges that carry the A.T. but were constructed
for other transportation purposes are not eligible for listing under this MPDF cover.
A.T. Viewpoints
An A.T. Viewpoint is a specific location that is identified in official trail guidebooks and maps as
an ideal place from which to view an important scenic or cultural resource. Viewpoint locations
are essential components of the A.T. because they add diversity to the hiking experience, which
often involves long stretches in forest canopies where long-distance views are not available.
Contributing A.T. Viewpoints are directly on or immediately adjacent to the Trail or are accessible
via an A.T. Side Trail. Many Viewpoint locations may be alternatively referred to in A.T.
guidebooks as “Overlooks,” or “Points of Interest.” A.T. Viewpoints that are undeveloped spots
on the Trail or A.T. Side Trails are counted as sites. A.T. Viewpoints that are from constructed
resources, such as a fire tower or viewing platform, are counted as structures.
The nature of what is viewed from an A.T. Viewpoint can be classified as either a vista or a view.
A vista is a controlled prospect of a discrete, linear range of vision that is deliberately contrived
7 The Appalachian Trail Conservancy publishes 11 “guide sets” that consist of guidebooks and detailed maps showing
all segments of the A.T. from Maine to Georgia. These publications are referred to in this MPDF as the “official
guidebooks and maps” and form the basic tool for identifying significant side trails, viewpoints, and vistas, and A.T.
facilities that may qualify for listing as contributing resources within an ANST Segment. The most recently published
guide set should be used when preparing a segment nomination.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
35
and may be maintained by trimming vegetation or other means. Vistas are often in low-lying or
densely wooded areas where vegetation or topographic features frame a particular subject.
Common vista subjects are streams, ponds, gorges, dams, waterfalls, and notable cultural features.
Views are uninterrupted, wide-angle panoramas of broad scenic or cultural areas. They are often
had from spots on balds, open summits, ledge outcrops, lookout towers, open meadow and
farmland, along the banks of ponds, and at stream crossings. Views usually take in long-distance
scenery such as mountain ranges, wooded rolling hills, large lakes, farmland, or picturesque
townscapes.
The scope, extent, angle, and subject of vistas and views from a given A.T. Viewpoint may vary.
They may be open or partially screened, wide/panoramic or narrow/enclosed, seasonal or year-
round, and direct or indirect. Vistas and views may be oriented looking along the Trail or outward
from it toward distinct landforms or other elements in the foreground, mid-ground, or background,
and they will vary over time as trees grow or are blown over, broken down, or burned by weather
events, or are deliberately cut for view-clearing purposes.
Some A.T. Viewpoints consist of observation towers that provide enhanced, elevated views of the
surrounding area. The towers often sit atop high points or rocky outcroppings with unobstructed,
long-range views of the forest and other natural features. The most common towers are fire towers
constructed in national and state forests. Many of those structures were built in the 1930s by the
CCC. Fire towers are typically square in plan, taper toward the top, and include a roofed, open or
enclosed observation deck (also known as a cab). They vary in scale from approximately 20 to 70
feet high. Structural systems may consist of steel, log timber, or stone. Some towers have a steel
or timber X-braced open frame with a cab at the top and others are completely enclosed. Enclosed
towers are often constructed of stone, with the cab low to the ground. Since the towers are often
located on elevated, exposed sites, they may incorporate natural (stone or wood) materials and
design features intended to make them more aesthetically compatible with the natural environment.
Fire towers were often developed with accommodations for a live-in observer. These living
quarters are typically incorporated at the base of the tower structure, as part of the cab, or in a
separate cabin nearby.
There are also several observation towers that were built specifically for recreational observation
of scenery along the trail. The most unusual is located at the Trail’s highpoint at Clingmans Dome
in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Built by the National Park Service in 1959 as part of
the Mission 66 program, the reinforced concrete tower has a curvilinear pedestrian ramp that winds
around a central cylindrical column and terminates at a circular observation platform that provides
long-range views of the surrounding mountain scenery.
Although most observation towers along the A.T. were not originally built as Trail structures, they
may contribute to an ANST State Segment if they were used as Viewpoints during the period of
significance and are identified as being accessible to hikers in official A.T. guidebooks and maps.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
36
A.T. Overnight Use Areas
A.T. Overnight Use Areas are sites that were developed specifically to support the hiking
experience by providing shelter, water sources, and toilet facilities for overnight camping. In his
1921 article describing the A.T. Project, Benton MacKaye called them “shelter camps” and
referred to them as the “trail’s equipment for use.” An overnight use area within an ANST State
Segment may include campsites, shelters, cabins, and privies. They are generally located within
10 to 12 miles (a moderate day’s hike) of one another. Those that qualify for inclusion in an ANST
State Segment district are identified in the official guidebooks and maps covering the segment.
A.T. Overnight Use Area facilities have a simple rustic aesthetic designed to be visually
compatible with the natural landscape. They are, for the most part, constructed of raw, locally
available materials and are intentionally devoid of ornament or decorative surface treatments.
Common materials are rough or uncut, un-mortared stone; logs and wood boards; metal roofs; and
concrete footers. A.T. Overnight Use Areas are generally sited near a source of water and at least
200 feet from the Trail to minimize impacts to the setting and environment of the Trail. In cases
where an A.T. Overnight Use Area is located on an A.T. Side Trail that extends beyond the
National Register boundary of main Trail, the boundary is defined by a line of convenience
surrounding the immediate limits of the developed area.
Although it may be made up of a number of elements such as campsites, shelters, and privies, an
A.T. Overnight Use Area is collectively counted as one contributing site within an ANST State
Segment. This is necessary due to the ephemeral qualities of the facilities that often make up an
overnight use area. Meant to be as basic and unobtrusive as possible, facilities like campsites and
privies often get moved around, and shelters frequently need to be rebuilt due to damage from the
elements. A.T. Overnight Use Area facilities are further described as follows:
Campsites are designated places within the lands managed as part of the A.T. where hikers may
rest and erect tents for overnight stays.8 They are usually set a short distance off the main course
of the A.T. and connected by narrow access trails. They exist in compact areas of clearing that are
intentionally created or exist naturally and may be on flat or sloped ground. Campsites may include
space for one tent or be designed to accommodate a limited group of tents. These sites are typically
set back from the Trail in secluded spots within proximity of water sources.
Shelters are typically one-story, one-room, three-sided rectangular buildings with a completely
open wall or a wide, open bay on the facade. They are usually built in the form of a “lean-to” with
a single pitched, or shed, roof that extends outward over the opening to shelter a small picnic area
in front of the opening. Shelters are most commonly of log construction, but some stone and wood-
frame examples exist. Most have a wood floor and a simple, unornamented interior that may
include wood platform bunks. A.T. shelters are intended for overnight use, but also support day
8 Designated campsites are those designed to be used by visitors and authorized by the land manager thereon;
inappropriate, user-selected sites are often called “bootleg” and are illegal along much of the A.T.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
37
use by hikers for picnics, resting, and relief from storms. They are usually located near a water
source and have an associated privy nearby.
Cabins are one-story, enclosed buildings designed for overnight accommodations. They are most
commonly of log construction, but some wood-frame, stone, and concrete block examples exist.
Cabins typically have pitched (often gable) roofs and their orientation may be either side or front
gable. Cabins almost always have bunks and wood floors, and some have outdoor platforms or
covered porches.
Privies are compact wood-frame or log buildings with a shed or gable roof and no foundation. A
privy is an enclosure for an outdoor toilet consisting of a seat or bench located over a pit dug into
the ground or a frame structure for composting wastes, a technological advancement over
traditional pit privies now being used along the ANST. Privies are accessed from a single door on
the facade and typically have open vents at the top of the wall.
Statement of Significance
The A.T. is significant at the national level under Criterion A in the areas of Recreation and
Conservation and meets Criteria Consideration G for properties that have achieved exceptional
significance within the past 50 years. Significance in the area of Recreation is derived from the
Trail’s association with the national outdoor recreation movement that emerged in the late
nineteenth century and expanded considerably during the Progressive Era of the early twentieth
century. The idea for a long-distance hiking trail along the ridges of the Appalachian Mountain
Range was initially proposed in the mid-1910s but did not gain traction until Benton MacKaye’s
seminal treatise “An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning” was published in the AIA
Journal in October 1921. MacKaye proposed to solve the “problem of living” in the
urban/industrial states of the eastern United States by providing recreational relief to workers
through the development of a 1,700-mile footpath that would connect a series of communal
recreational and farming camps along the Appalachian skyline. Interest in the project among
MacKaye’s colleagues in the American Planning Association, hiking clubs in the northeastern
United States, and state and federal conservation agencies coalesced in 1925 when the Appalachian
Trail Conference (ATC) was formed for the purpose of organizing the construction of the A.T.
Over the next decade, MacKaye’s influence and the larger community planning aspects of his
original concept faded as ATC leaders, most notably Arthur Perkins and Myron H. Avery, assumed
control over the A.T.’s development and refocused the effort on completing it solely for
recreational hiking purposes. Although the blazing and construction of the Trail was primarily a
private volunteer effort, federal Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) projects contributed
significantly to the development of the Trail’s infrastructure. On August 14, 1937, the original
route of the A.T. was completed from Mt. Oglethorpe in Georgia to Katahdin in Maine.
The A.T. continues to provide a recreational retreat from the cities along the populous and
industrialized cities of the eastern United States where citizens can commune with nature and
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
38
escape the stresses of everyday life. This significance is apparent in the amount of use the Trail
has seen and continues to see from both thru-hikers and day-users and ongoing efforts of trail-
maintaining organizations to provide the best recreational opportunity for trail users. In addition,
the Trail has served as a model for other recreational trails within the United States and worldwide.
The A.T.’s significance under Criterion A in the area of Conservation and the justification for
meeting Criteria Consideration G are related to the recognition of its importance as a national
recreational resource in the mid-twentieth century and subsequent efforts later in the century to
secure its protection. By the early 1960s, the integrity of the A.T. was impacted by a variety of
factors, including lack of maintenance during the years of World War II, hastily selected routes
that incorporated large stretches of automobile roads, increasing disputes with private landowners,
and encroaching development. At the same time, the use of the Trail increased significantly as a
result of changing recreational patterns. In the mid-1960s, within the context of the emerging
environmental protection movement, advocates for the A.T. were successful in bringing national
attention to these problems and garnering support for federal protection. Those efforts led to its
designation as the first National Scenic Trail under the National Trails System Act (NTSA) of
1968.9 The NTSA made the A.T. a unit of the National Park System and established a program
intended to protect the portion (more than 50 percent) of the Trail that was not already on federal
or state conservation lands. The subsequent cooperative agreement between the NPS and the ATC
that was authorized by the 1968 act and signed in 1970 launched an unprecedented public-private
partnership for the preservation, maintenance, and management of the A.T.
The NTSA did not, however, provide the level of funding needed to acquire the massive amount
of land that was necessary to reroute threatened sections of the A.T. In 1978, the U.S. Congress
moved to correct that problem by amending the act to make the appropriations. The NTSA
amendments provided funding and authorizations, including the ability to obtain property through
condemnation, that made the ensuing complex and protracted land acquisition program possible.
As a result, nearly all of the A.T. is now located on protected public lands. In 1984, the unusual
public-private partnership that has always been a central aspect of the A.T.’s history was reinforced
when the NPS delegated the responsibility for managing public corridor lands to the ATC
(renamed the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in 2005). Since that time, the ATC has sought
opportunities to expand the zone of protection beyond the boundaries of publicly owned lands by
encouraging the integration of the Trail into local land-use plans. These activities hearken back to
the regional planning aspects of MacKaye’s original vision for the A.T. and, together with the
public lands acquisition program, have come near to establishing the protected “Appalachian
Greenway” that he envisioned.
Some ANST State Segments may possess significance under other criteria and areas of
significance. An example is the Virginia segment, where the CCC was particularly active in
relocating large portions of the original A.T. to make way for Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge
Parkway in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Resources associated with that effort may possess
9 The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail was also created by the National Trail System Act of 1968, but the trail
was unfinished at the time and was not officially completed until 1993.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
39
significance under Criterion C in the areas of Architecture and/or Landscape Architecture. Nothing
in this MPDF precludes the nomination of an individual ANST State Segment under additional
criteria or areas of significance as long as they are directly associated with the historical
development of the A.T. In that event, the documentation prepared to nominate an ANST State
Segment to the National Register must include historical contexts and statements of significance,
as appropriate, to justify the additional criteria and areas of significance.
Period of Significance
The individual ANST State Segments will have periods of significance that fall within the
overarching period of significance for the entire ANST, which extends from 1921, the year that
Benton MacKaye proposed the Appalachian Trail Project, to the present. The beginning date of
significance for an ANST State Segment will correspond to either the time in which A.T.
construction began in the state or the time when preexisting hiking trails officially became part of
the A.T. The end date of significance will correspond to the year in which the process to locate the
entire length of the Trail segment within a protected corridor was completed. This will usually
correspond to the date of the last land acquisition and reroute of the Trail that established the
unbroken protective corridor for the A.T. within a state segment as a result of funds for that purpose
made available through the NTSA Amendments in 1978.
Registration Requirements
To qualify for National Register listing, an ANST State Segment must be significant in the area(s)
of Recreation and/or Conservation and retain integrity in terms of its location, setting, design,
feeling, and association. An ANST State Segment will be eligible for listing when all of the A.T.
treadway along its route is located on protected public lands managed as “A.T. lands” or negotiated
rights of way through towns or over public roads and bridges, thereby producing a relatively stable
route that will not likely be subject to substantial changes in the future. The integrity of an ANST
State Segment should be assessed from the end date of its period of significance and meet the
following standards:
Location
The assessment of integrity of location will take into account the overall routing of the Trail at the
time of the last land acquisition that established the unbroken protective corridor for the A.T.
within the state. The route of the A.T. has been in constant flux ever since its construction began
in 1922 and is likely to continue to change in response to natural forces and developmental
pressure. Some changes, like those required to accommodate the construction of Skyline Drive
and the Blue Ridge Parkway in the late 1930s and the effort to reroute the Trail onto protected
lands in the late twentieth century, affected hundreds of miles of the Trail. Other changes that may
be measured in feet include relocations to skirt flooded areas or provide better routes over
obstacles. Slight relocations are common and are necessary to protect the key feature of the Trail
as a continuous hiking path. Such moves do not affect the integrity of the Trail’s location when
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
40
they occur within the National Register boundary of the segment in which they are located and do
not result in the abandonment of an important original constructed feature of the treadway such as
a stone staircase, retaining wall, or bridge. Similarly, there is no impact to the integrity of the Trail
when it is necessary to make minor changes to the route of the treadway where it runs through
towns or along public transportation routes. Examples of how a relocation may affect the integrity
of the Trail’s location are a movement that results in the abandonment of an original (pre-1938)
section or constructed feature of the treadway or interrupts a connection between the trail and
another contributing resource such as a A.T. Side Trail or A.T. Viewpoint. Reroutes of the Trail
may affect integrity of location if they result in moving the trail outside the National Register
boundary of an ANST State Segment.
Location is also important in assessing the integrity of contributing A.T. Viewpoints where hikers
have traditionally experienced important views along the Trail. An A.T. Side Trail that leads to a
contributing A.T. Viewpoint or A.T. Overnight Use Area is considered to retain integrity of
location even if its route has been slightly adjusted, as long as it maintains connection to or
association with the contributing resource.
Setting
The A.T.’s essential function is to provide a pathway to reach, travel through, and experience the
remote natural, wild, scenic, and cultural lands within the Appalachian Mountains. Views and
vistas are directly associated with the A.T.’s significance as a recreational resource, reflecting both
its original design intent as a skyline trail and contributing to the visitor experience by providing
some of the most satisfying and exhilarating moments of a hike. Creating access to views was a
paramount concern of the original and subsequent designers who routed the A.T. following the
simple guiding principle of placing “the land mass below the hiker.” The many contributing A.T.
Viewpoints along the Trail or A.T. Side Trails afford wide-angle panoramas that produce a sense
of perspective and awe at the enormity of a given scenic tableau. They are among the chief interests
of the hike, providing an opportunity to see forward to what lies ahead, study the features of the
surrounding landscape, and marvel at the great distance walked to reach the viewing location
(Birchard Jr. and Proudman 2000:3, 27).
Views typically occur at summits, along ridgelines, above cliffs, along stream corridors, and
adjacent to other water features and refer to the prospect created by a range of vision in the
landscape presented by the composition of other landscape characteristics and associated features.
Examples of landscape features within panoramic views are mountain ranges, river valleys, lakes,
and cultural landscapes.
The setting surrounding the Trail corridor, particularly that which is incorporated in the viewshed
of a contributing A.T. Viewpoint, is vital to an ANST State Segment’s ability to convey its
historical associations under Criterion A in the areas of Recreation and Conservation. Guidance
regarding setting found in the National Register Bulletin How to Apply the National Register
Criteria for Evaluation should be considered in assessing integrity. Importantly, the guidance
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
41
states that the relationships between physical and man-made features should be examined not only
within the boundaries of the property, but also between the property and its surroundings. For the
A.T., this is especially critical for assessing the setting surrounding mountaintop and ridge vantage
points and at the contributing A.T. Viewpoints’ locations. For sections of the Trail below the
ridgeline, the setting should retain natural scenery and/or cultural features that influenced the
routing of the Trail, such as undeveloped ponds, waterfalls, and gorges, and historic markers,
structures, and monuments.
Design
The key design characteristics related to the ANST’s historical significance as a recreational
resource are its great length, skyline routing, and limited constructed elements that are intentionally
blended into the surrounding setting so as to be as inconspicuous as possible. The Trail extends
unbroken for approximately 2,184 miles through the Appalachian Mountain Range and was
deliberately routed to connect as many high peaks as possible. The ideal of A.T. builders has
always been to select interesting routes and design the Trail so that it “wears lightly” on the land
and reflects rather than transforms the surrounding natural environment. These principles, as
upheld by the ATC trail design, construction, and maintenance manuals, are essential to
maintaining the Trail’s integrity.
Feeling
The feeling of an ANST State Segment is tied to the existence and protection of the overall
location, setting, and design characteristics of the Trail. It is expressed through the combination of
its physical features, primarily the A.T.’s intentionally primitive design as it blends into the wild,
natural, or cultural setting. The feeling of being on the A.T. is also found in the grandeurs of its
views and vistas; quiet and solitude that offers the chance for contemplation and respite from urban
life; and the community of thru-hikers and day hikers that choose to walk the A.T. because of its
location, setting, and reputation as the most famous of all American recreational hiking trails.
Association
The associative qualities of an ANST State Segment are measured by the extent to which the Trail
is able to convey its historical associations as the nation’s oldest and most historically significant
long-distance recreational hiking trail. While scale and professionalism of the management of the
A.T. has evolved over time, the essential thought and practice of locating, designing, constructing,
and maintaining the Trail have remained substantially the same. Some elements of Benton
MacKaye’s original vision for the Trail were realized in the Trail’s completion and its subsequent
preservation through the establishment of a protected A.T. corridor. The “first principles”
enumerated by Myron Avery in the original 1931 ATC manual (that the Trail is “by nature a
skyline trail” and that its sole purpose is to “afford pleasure and recreation”) continue to guide trail
design and construction today. Finally, the unique public-private partnership that has been an
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
42
element of the A.T.’s management from the beginning is still alive through the combined efforts
of the federal agencies, the ATC, and volunteers that oversee the Trail today.
Abandoned Original Appalachian Trail Section
Description
An Abandoned Original Appalachian Trail (A.T.) Section eligible under this MPDF is a piece of
the original A.T. route that is no longer part of the ANST system. Abandonment typically occurs
when a portion of the A.T. is rerouted to protected lands. Abandoned Original A.T. Sections must
be of substantial length (generally at least one mile) and possess design characteristics and
associated contributing resources similar to those that might be included in an ANST State
Segment. Abandoned Original A.T. Sections were constructed between 1922 and 1937 if they are
part of the initial A.T. creation, and up to 1942 if they were built by the CCC. Approximately half
of the original route of the A.T. has been relocated over time. Most relocations occurred after the
passage of the National Trails System Act of 1968 and the 1978 amendments that authorized the
relocation of the A.T. onto a protected public corridor. As a result of the massive undertaking to
relocate the A.T. onto publicly owned protected lands after the passage of the National Trails
System Act Amendments of 1978, a number of original abandoned A.T. sections may survive and
could warrant consideration for listing in the National Register for their association with the
historical themes identified in this MPDF.
The original A.T. included hiking trail alignments in a variety of settings: along existing roads,
across private land, and through protected natural landscapes. These locations reflected the
pragmatic approach used by the designers and builders of the original A.T., who were intent upon
completing the continuous footpath from Maine to Georgia as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Abandoned Original A.T. Sections express the subsequent shifts in trail route and the transient
nature of the A.T. due to a variety of environmental, physical development, economic, political,
and private landowner factors. Because nature is quick to reclaim trail that is not maintained, most
Abandoned Original A.T. Sections that survive are likely still active as hiking trails and may have
been incorporated into other trail systems that are managed by federal, state, or local entities.10
Abandoned Original A.T. Sections share the same features and associated contributing resources
as ANST State Segments, except they are no longer marked and signed as the A.T. The trail design
is compatible with A.T. standards and incorporates original treadway, trail prism, viewpoints, and
overnight use areas that may consist of shelters, campsites, cabins, privies, and bridges that were
constructed for the A.T., but are no longer associated with the Trail’s primary significance as a
continuous long-distance hiking trail. Because they are no longer associated with the A.T.,
Abandoned Original A.T. Sections cannot be included in an A.T. Trail Segment district and must
be nominated as a separate district. Due to the unknown number, location, extent, and nature of
Abandoned Original A.T. Sections, boundaries will need to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
10 Some abandoned sections remain within the A.T. corridor and may be eligible for listing as a contributing side trail
within an ANST Segment.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
43
Significance Statement
As the components of the original A.T., Abandoned Original A.T. Sections are significant under
Criterion A in the area of Recreation for the same reasons as the ANST Historic Segments. They
are associated with the outdoor recreation movement that emerged in the late nineteenth century
and the development of the A.T. after Benton MacKaye’s “An Appalachian Trail: A Project in
Regional Planning” was published in the AIA Journal in October 1921. Abandoned Original A.T.
Sections, dependent on the resources associated with the section and its date of abandonment, may
possess significance under other criteria and areas of significance. For instance, sections that
exhibit outstanding examples that reflect the work of the CCC may possess significance under
Criterion C in the areas of Architecture and/or Landscape Architecture. Nothing in this MPDF
precludes the nomination of an individual Abandoned Original A.T. Section under additional
criteria or areas of significance. The documentation prepared to list the section in the National
Register will need to include appropriate historic contexts and statements of significance to justify
the additional criteria and areas of significance.
Period of Significance
The period of significance for the Abandoned Original A.T. Section property type extends from
the date it was completed until the date it was abandoned. Completion dates for the original A.T.
range from 1922 to 1937. Completion dates for resources that might be eligible for their association
with the original A.T. and the CCC extend through 1942.
Registration Requirements
To qualify for National Register listing, an Abandoned Original A.T. Section must have been part
of the original trail route constructed between 1922 and 1937, or up to 1942 if built by the CCC,
and identified on A.T. maps of the period. It must be of substantial length (generally at least one
mile) and reflect the design principles, including associated contributing resources, and the natural
and/or cultural landscape setting that make them readily identifiable as a former piece of the A.T.
It must retain integrity of the characteristics that define the A.T. as a recreational hiking trail and
be able to convey the design qualities and intent of the original A.T. planners and builders. It must
continue to afford hikers a memorable experience of hiking along a narrow spine through scenic
natural and cultural lands.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
44
G. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA
The geographical area for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail MPDF encompasses the
approximately 2,184-mile Appalachian Trail (A.T.) and associated protective corridor that
averages approximately 1,000 feet wide (500 feet on either side of the center of the treadway) and
contains more than 250,000 acres of land. This area was created after the 1978 Appalachian Trail
Amendments to the National Trails System Act of 1968, with boundaries as listed and drawn in
the NPS Geographic Information System (GIS) data. The corridor extends (north to south) through
the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia.
The A.T. corridor lies within a larger universe of 7,597,289 acres of protected land delineated in
the GIS data as all land surrounding the A.T. that is owned or managed by any of the partners.
The following description of the A.T. is an overview of its location, characteristics, and key
features by state. Each state description includes a summary of A.T. resources that is intended to
provide an idea of the scope of potential historic properties along the A.T. A comprehensive field
survey will be needed within any portion of the A.T. corridor that is proposed for listing in the
National Register under this MPDF. The fieldwork should verify the existence of historic features,
location within the A.T. corridor, condition, and integrity.
Maine Segment
The Maine Segment extends for 281 miles from its north terminus at the summit of Katahdin
within Baxter State Park southwest to the New Hampshire border. Maine has the third longest
portion of the A.T. among the 14 states it passes through and has steep, rocky, undulating terrain
with 36 major peaks. Expansive views from summits include panoramas of surrounding mountains
with sizable lakes at their bases. Sections of the Trail along ridgelines and adjacent to lakes have
a feeling of vast openness. Several gorges and waterfalls along the Trail contribute to its natural
scenic quality.
The character of the A.T. in Maine varies as its course progresses from north to south through
Piscataquis, Somerset, Franklin, and Oxford counties. The northern 114 miles of the Trail, from
Katahdin Township near Millinocket to the town of Monson, ascends the peaks of the White Cap
and Barren-Chairback ranges and passes by several of the largest lakes along the A.T. At 5,267
feet, Katahdin is the highest point in Maine, the sixth highest in New England, and is surrounded
by the 209,501-acre forest preserve that was established as Baxter State Park wilderness preserve
in the 1930s. Maine’s legendary “hundred-mile wilderness” begins at the Abol Bridge near the
south edge of the park and is considered to be the longest, most remote section of the A.T. because
of its distance from the nearest town. Portions of the “hundred-mile wilderness” are crossed by
access roads used for commercial logging. From Katahdin, the A.T. continues south toward
Nahmakanta Lake and the west branch of the Pleasant River. Among the most striking natural
features of the A.T. in Maine is Gulf Hagas, a slate canyon carved by the Pleasant River. Gulf
Hagas is accessible via a side trail and was acquired by the NPS as part of the A.T. corridor as a
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
45
scenic attraction because of its precipitous 400-foot vertical walls, five waterfalls, and distinctive
rock formations. A stand of white pine trees known as the Hermitage Preserve and a former blast
furnace associated with the Katahdin Iron Works are within the Gulf Hagas area.
The hundred-mile wilderness ends in Monson, where the central, 54-mile section of the A.T. in
Maine begins. The A.T. continues to the east end of Bigelow Mountain and reaches its lowest
elevation with a long walk along the Piscataquis River. After crossing the Kennebec River, it
passes through the Carry Ponds area to the Moxie Bald and Pleasant Pond mountains. The southern
113 miles of the A.T. through Maine is defined by significant elevation changes. This section rises
up 20 high peaks above an elevation of 3,000 feet. Bigelow, Crocker, Sugarloaf, Spaulding, and
Saddleback mountains reach approximately 4,000 feet, forming a rigorous course of steep climbs
and descents. As the A.T. approaches New Hampshire, it runs near the Rangeley Lakes and
through the Androscoggin River Valley. The road crossing of the A.T. within Grafton Notch State
Park is used to access the Trail’s most difficult mile through Mahoosuc Notch in the Mahoosuc
Mountain Range. This section of rugged terrain is characterized by boulders and caves that hang
over the A.T. treadway, requiring hikers to climb and crawl their way along the path. The A.T.
exits Maine in Riley Township near Carlo Col (ATC 2012a).
New Hampshire Segment
The New Hampshire Segment extends for 160.9 miles from the south end of the Mahoosuc
Mountain Range, southwest through Coos and Grafton counties to Vermont. More than two-thirds
of the A.T. in New Hampshire crosses through White Mountain National Forest, which was
established in 1918 and currently encompasses more than 800,000 acres. The forest consists of
hardwood and coniferous trees. Rocky, barren ridges divided by deep valleys with swift streams
contribute to the A.T.’s rugged quality in New Hampshire. Long sections of the A.T. run along
ridges above the tree line (4,200 feet), providing for sweeping views of the White Mountains .
Alpine bogs and open ledges are common in these areas of high elevation. The A.T. passes over 8
major mountain summits in New Hampshire and includes difficult sections where climbing is
required. Wet, swampy sections with puncheons (wood log or plank path) and footbridges are also
prevalent.
The New Hampshire Segment travels south from the Maine border through the unincorporated
town of Success to the incorporated town of Shelburne, where it crosses the Androscoggin River.
Upon entering the White Mountain National Forest, the A.T. continues through the Carter-Moriah
Range past Carter Dome and drops down to the AMC’s northernmost Carter Notch Hut, then up
to Wildcat Mountain and down to Pinkham Notch before ascending through the Great Gulf
Wilderness to the Presidential Range. New Hampshire’s highest peak, and the highest in New
England, the 6,288-foot Mount Washington, is located near the center of this range and is often
frequented by hikers visiting other natural attractions within the White Mountain National Forest
outside of the A.T. The Presidential Range flanks the deep valley of the Great Gulf, which
encompasses Spaulding Lake in the bowl of a glacial cirque with a 1,100- to 1,600-foot-high
headwall. From there, the A.T. continues down to Crawford Notch State Park on the Crawford
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
46
Path and crosses the low side of Wiley Range.11 To the south, the A.T. passes through the
Franconia Range over the 5,249-foot summit of Mount Lafayette to Franconia Notch State Park
and Kinsman Ridge, after which it exits the White Mountains. The south end of the A.T. in New
Hampshire passes through the town of Hanover near Dartmouth College, then descends to the
Connecticut River and enters Vermont. The river lies at a 400-foot elevation and forms the
boundary of the two states. This section of the A.T. winds through settled areas of Hanover, New
Hampshire, crosses the river, then crosses under Interstate 91 in Norwich, Vermont, before
returning to the forest (ATC 2012a).
Vermont Segment
The Vermont Segment extends for 149.8 miles from the Connecticut River southwest through
Windsor County, then generally south through Rutland and Bennington counties with a short
elbow into Windham County at Stratton Mountain, until it reaches the northwest corner of
Massachusetts. Within Vermont, the A.T. is part of a large network of trails created during the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in large part due to the work of the Green Mountain Club.
A substantial portion of the A.T. in the state passes through the Green Mountain National Forest
(399,151 acres, established 1932) and the southernmost 105 miles coincide with the Long Trail,
which was built during the 1910s and 1920s. The landscape through which the Vermont Segment
of the A.T. travels changes from intimate woodland spaces to bucolic pastures as one treks through
dense verdant tunnels of vegetation and tall pine forest broken up by mountain ponds, open
meadows, and abandoned roads. Forest regrowth that occurred subsequent to fires, floods, and
historic periods of intensive logging has contributed to the lush, green-carpeted quality of the
Vermont woodlands. Outside of the rugged, granite Green Mountain Range, the terrain in the
region is moderate, requiring periods of strenuous hiking.
The northern third of the A.T. in Vermont through the Connecticut River Valley to Sherburne Pass
follows a ripple of steep hills and low-lying swaths of hardwood forest, rather than a continuous
ridgeline. The A.T. enters the state in the town of Norwich, continues up to Mosely Hill (1,180
feet) and crosses the White River and Interstate 89 near the town of White River Junction. It
incorporates logging and settlement roads on its way to Vermont Route 12 (882 feet), then extends
through the Ottauquechee River Valley to Gifford Woods State Park. This portion of the Trail has
views of former farms with features such as stone walls and cellar holes adjacent to its course. The
A.T. turns south when it reaches the Green Mountain National Forest and joins the Long Trail at
the “Maine Junction” in Willard Gap before extending through the Coolidge Range, which
includes Killington Peak at an elevation of 4,235 feet. The Green Mountain National Forest is a
wooded ridge that contains Glastonbury Mountain (3,748 feet) and Glastonbury Wilderness in its
southern half. From the Glastonbury area, the A.T. descends along a rock staircase to Harmon Hill
and down to the Hoosic River to the Massachusetts border.
11 The Crawford Path was established in 1819 and is one of the oldest continuously used trails in the United States.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
47
Massachusetts Segment
The Massachusetts Segment extends south through Berkshire County for 90.3 miles, from the
southern terminus of Vermont’s Long Trail through the foothills of the Green Mountains and the
Berkshire Highlands to the Taconic Mountains. The course of the A.T. bows slightly east, then
bends west and continues straight south near the Connecticut border. Within Massachusetts, the
A.T. passes through four state forests, one state park, and the Hoosic River Valley. The
Massachusetts Segment’s generally moderate terrain and frequent intersections with highways and
roads make it particularly well-suited for day hikes. It is popular among visitors attracted to the
region for its quaint, scenic qualities and abundance of nearby cultural activities.
The A.T. enters Massachusetts in the Clarksburg State Forest and ascends the state’s highest peak,
Mount Greylock (3,491 feet) within the Mount Greylock State Reservation, which encompasses
13,500 acres and has a 70-mile trail system. The Bascom Lodge is located along the A.T. at its
summit. From there, the A.T. continues through the Hoosic River Valley following the Hoosic
River, a tributary of New York’s Hudson River. Outside the valley, the terrain is often level and
swampy. The south terminus of the A.T. in Massachusetts is in the Taconic Mountains at the north
side of Bear Mountain, which straddles the state’s border with Connecticut. Glacial deposits of
large boulders are common along this section of the Trail (ATC 2010a).
Connecticut Segment
The Connecticut Segment extends 48.9 miles on an arc through the northwest corner of the state
in Litchfield County and touches the tip of Fairfield County before continuing into New York.
Waterfalls and networks of brooks accent dense woodlands. Sweeping views from elevated points
along the A.T. are defined by the green spine of the Taconic Mountains and by the Housatonic
River Valley. Cleared fields and small clusters of buildings at village centers are often nestled
within the hilly landscape. The terrain through Connecticut is easy to moderate, with a long, low-
lying walk along the Housatonic River.
After leaving Massachusetts, the A.T. ascends to the 2,316-foot summit of Bear Mountain, then
descends into a valley through the town of Salisbury. Panoramic views from Bear Mountain exist
in all directions; Mount Greylock, 50 miles away, is visible to the northeast in clear weather. The
trail passes through the Housatonic State Forest, Robbins Swamp Wildlife Area, and between Kent
Falls and Macedonia Brook state parks. It reaches the Housatonic River at Cornwall Bridge (but
does not cross there) and passes through the land of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation at its south
end (ATC 2010a:124–130).
New York Segment
The 89.5-mile New York Segment begins at the Connecticut border, runs southwest through
Dutchess and Putnam counties, then along the border of Westchester, Rockland, and Orange
counties, and through the south part of Orange County to the New Jersey border. This segment is
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
48
defined by its location within the picturesque Hudson River Valley and flanking highlands. It
comprises the lowest-lying portion of the entire A.T. The Hudson River is the only glacial fjord
located along the A.T. Low, barren, and rocky summits of gneiss swell up to 1,500 feet on either
side of the broad, fertile valley. Views within the valley are expansive, while many vistas from
densely forested sections of the Trail evoke a feeling of remoteness. Although the New York
Segment of the A.T. traverses relatively low elevations compared with other segments, the terrain
can be challenging, requiring hikers to scramble over rocky glacial deposits, traverse woodland
ridges and groves, and cross swampy areas. Wooded areas contain substantial amounts of
regrowth, hemlocks, and hardwoods. The New York Segment extends through four state parks,
through portions of the Palisades Interstate Park, and past five lakes and ponds. It is part of a
network of 1,300 miles of trails spanning from the Catskill and Taconic mountains to the Delaware
Water Gap; many of these trails are overseen by the NY-NJTC, the local ATC affiliate.
The A.T. crosses the border of Connecticut and New York three times in an 11-mile section within
the Taconic Mountains. It continues along the edge of Great Swamp in the town of Pawling and
near the Taconic State Parkway, and then enters the Hudson Highlands. After passing through
Clarence Fahnestock State Park, the A.T. meets the Hudson River. The A.T. makes a dramatic
original-route crossing over the river on the historic, 2,332-foot-long Bear Mountain Bridge,
opened in 1924, and reaches its lowest point just south of the bridge at an elevation of 124 feet.
From there, the A.T. continues into Harriman and Bear Mountain state parks along a portion of its
original route, constructed in 1923. To the south, the A.T. follows the ridgeline of Bellvale and
Bearfort mountains, passes Greenwood Lake, and continues through Sterling Forest State Park to
New Jersey (ATC 2011c).
New Jersey Segment
The New Jersey Segment extends 72.2 miles through Passaic, Sussex, and Warren counties in New
Jersey, from the Hudson River Valley to the Delaware River. Views and terrain share similar
characteristics to the New York Segment of the A.T., with a range of open areas and intimate,
forested spaces, but at a higher elevation. The course of the A.T. travels along woodland ridges,
through multiple valleys, and past bucolic agricultural landscapes. The Manhattan skyline is also
visible in the distance from a few outcroppings. New Jersey marks a notable change in the geology
along the A.T.: The mountain contours change from the worn and rolling ranges to the north to
form long, linear ridges that flank striking, wide valleys.
The A.T. enters the north tip of New Jersey within the south end of the Hudson Highlands, referred
to as the New Jersey Highlands. It continues west along the north border of the state through the
Abram S. Hewitt State Forest and Wawayanda State Park, where it passes near a nineteenth-
century farm estate. This section encompasses a series of steep, green ridges. The A.T. extends
through the Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge to the northwest of the park and is one of two such
refuges along the course of the Trail. The Wallkill Valley marks the end of the New Jersey
Highlands. Agricultural lands are prevalent within the Wallkill and Vernon valleys, which are part
of the Great Valley of the Appalachians that extends southward into Tennessee. The A.T. rises up
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
49
to High Point State Park, then turns abruptly and runs southwest along the stony, level crest of the
Kittatinny Ridge through the Stokes State Forest and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area. The south end of the A.T. in New Jersey passes through Worthington State Forest to the
Delaware River, which forms a part of the state’s border with Pennsylvania. Panoramic views of
the Kittatinny Ridge exist at the 60-foot-high Catfish Fire Tower near the south end of the New
Jersey Segment (ATC 2011c).
Pennsylvania Segment
The Pennsylvania Segment extends for 229.7 miles southwest from the Delaware Water Gap in
New Jersey to Pen Mar in Maryland and winds through 12 counties (Monroe, Northampton,
Carbon, Lehigh, Schuylkill, Berks, Lebanon, Dauphin, Perry, Cumberland, Adams, and Franklin)
and 57 townships. This long section of trail has dramatic open views of distinctive valleys and
gaps cut through the Appalachian Mountains by several rivers. The north two-thirds of the A.T. in
Pennsylvania runs along long stretches of ridge crest and dips abruptly into gaps until it reaches
the Susquehanna River. The green, rounded peaks of the ridgeline in the Delaware Water Gap and
angular outcroppings of quartzite, shale, siltstone, and limestone contribute to this section’s scenic
character. South of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, the A.T. crosses the narrowest point
of the Great Valley of the Appalachians. This section of trail is defined by open views of expansive
agricultural valleys framed by scalloped peaks. Within the state, the A.T. crosses three major
rivers, passes through three state parks and one state forest, and runs adjacent to two lakes.
The A.T. enters Pennsylvania at the Delaware Water Gap (within Delaware Water Gap National
Recreation Area) and ascends 1,100 feet toward the gently planed summit of Mount Minsi, the
sandstone eastern edge of Blue Mountain. Views of the Delaware River, which winds around the
base of Mount Minsi and forms the New Jersey border, are prevalent. The trail rises and falls
through Totts, Fox, Wind, Smith, and Little gaps, then continues through an open rocky area before
beginning a sharp descent toward the Lehigh River. From there, the A.T. travels along 30 miles of
ridge trail, dips down to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, and ascends to the “Pinnacle,” which is
considered to be one of the best viewpoints on the A.T. in the state. Views from the Pinnacle span
a broad agricultural valley with pointy mountain ridges rising approximately 1,000 feet above.
Caves and rock outcroppings at the Pinnacle contribute to its attraction. The A.T. follows
ridgelines near Windsor Furnaces then drops down to the Schuylkill River at the town of Port
Clinton. It continues along the ridge of Blue Mountain for another 30 miles until Swatara Gap,
then crosses St. Anthony’s Wilderness (a local name, not a formally designated wilderness area)
and descends to the Susquehanna River. The south end of the A.T. in Pennsylvania affords long-
distance views from atop Cove Mountain at Hawk Rock and crosses Blue Mountain again before
entering the Cumberland Valley, the 12-mile-wide narrow point of the Great Valley of the
Appalachians. The A.T. continues through Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Michaux State Forest,
and Caledonia State Park near abutting agricultural land and suburban development. It exits
Pennsylvania in the South Mountain Range, which is characterized by its knobby, plateau-like
shape and more angular band of quartzite bedrock known as White Rocks (ATC 2009b).
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
50
Maryland Segment
The Maryland Segment extends 39.8 miles southwest through the Blue Ridge Mountains along the
boundary of Washington and Frederick counties. This part of the A.T. offers easy to moderate
hiking along the narrow ridgeline of South Mountain until it reaches the low-lying Potomac River
on its route to Harpers Ferry in West Virginia. Mature hardwood forest covers the mountain. Oak
and hickory trees are particularly common. The footpath alternates between soft and smooth to
bumpy terrain and passes through three state parks. The elevation of the A.T. typically ranges from
about 930 to 1,880 feet, but descends to lower elevations as the Trail enters the Potomac River
Valley. Views from rock outcroppings are of the rolling forests and small lakes below.
The A.T. enters Maryland at the Mason-Dixon Line and Pen Mar (an unincorporated village,
county park, and former amusement park established by the Western Maryland Railroad). The
Trail rises up a portion of Quirauk Mountain, along the most difficult section of the route through
Maryland, where it has extensive views from High Rock. The subsequent 4-mile section between
Raven Rock Hollow and Wolfsville Road has relatively even terrain. The A.T. continues along the
vertically stacked slab outcroppings of Black Rock Cliffs and Annapolis Rock, where there are
views of green foothills and Greenbrier Lake below. An easy hiking section of the A.T. extends
into low hills through Washington Monument and Greenbrier state parks before reaching Turner’s
Gap. From there, it ascends approximately 800 feet along the south part of the ridge to the summit
of Lamb’s Knoll at 1,772 feet. It continues through Gathland State Park to Crampton Gap as a
crest trail through mature forest. Views of the Potomac River Gorge begin at Weverton Cliffs,
from which the course of the A.T. descends. It follows the towpath of the Chesapeake & Ohio
Canal National Historical Park parallel to the river at about 350 feet and crosses the river on the
Goodloe Byron Memorial Footbridge, which extends to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (ATC 2008).
West Virginia Segment
The West Virginia Segment runs south from Maryland along the northeast edge of West Virginia
in Jefferson County at the state’s border with Virginia. It winds back and forth over the border, but
a total of 7 miles of trail are within West Virginia. The parts of the A.T. in West Virginia follow
along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with views of the parallel Shenandoah River below.
The Goodloe Byron Memorial Footbridge carries the A.T. over the Potomac River from Maryland
into West Virginia at the river’s confluence with the Shenandoah River. Jefferson Rock, within
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, serves as a viewing point of this scenic river junction. The
A.T. has mild terrain to Keys Gap and passes through Harpers Ferry National Historical Park,
which houses the A.T. NPS office. The Trail follows the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains on an
original section of trail built by the PATC in 1927–1928. The A.T. crosses the Shenandoah River
and U.S. Route 340 in West Virginia and continues as an undulating crest trail from Keys Gap to
Snickers Gap in Virginia (ATC 2008).
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
51
Virginia Segment
The 548-mile-long Virginia Segment makes up approximately one-quarter of the entire length of
the A.T. The Trail enters Virginia at Loudoun and Clarke counties, where 25 miles of its course
follow the state’s boundary with West Virginia. It exits Virginia through Grayson, Smyth, and
Washington counties. Much of the route in Virginia is graded to mitigate steep rises, but it includes
sections of rugged footpath and courses along old roads and railroad beds. A large portion of the
A.T. in the state is a ridge crest trail that descends into various gaps and valleys. In northern
Virginia, the Trail follows along the typically narrow ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which
are generally covered with dense forests of oak and hickory, although a few summits have more
open rocky cliffs and balds. The Blue Ridge Range broadens south of Rockfish Gap where there
are multiple, scattered mountains with high gaps and steep 3,000-foot descents into valleys. After
briefly cutting over the Allegheny Front at the New River, the southern end of the A.T. in Virginia
rejoins a section of the Blue Ridge Mountains that continues as an undulating rocky plateau. The
ridge trail is intended to bypass minor summits that do not possess year-round views of the
surrounding mountains, valleys, and rivers. Views from the A.T. in Virginia include dark, mature
forest; fern or grass-covered groves; rippled green river valleys; jagged outcroppings; and
agricultural fields.
Almost all of the A.T. in the state is within nationally protected parks and forests. The A.T. in
Virginia extends through Shenandoah National Park (est. 1935), George Washington National
Forest (est. 1917), Jefferson National Forest (est. 1936), the Mount Rogers National Recreation
Area (est. 1966) and the Skyline Drive National Historic Landmark District. Construction of
Skyline Drive (1930–1942) and the Blue Ridge Parkway (1935–1983), which begins at the south
end of Skyline Drive in Rockfish Gap and extends 469 miles into North Carolina, used long
sections of the original route of the A.T. in Virginia. The following description of the A.T. in
Virginia is divided by regions covered in the ATC trail guides, including Northern, Central, and
Southwest Virginia, and Shenandoah National Park (ATC 2008, 2009d, 2010b, 2011a).
The northern 57 miles of the A.T. in Virginia pass through five wind and water gaps and along the
edge of the historic summer resort community at Snickers Gap. This section follows side ridges
and extends into wooded hollows from Crescent Rock to Ashby and Manassas gaps before
crossing Interstate 66. From there, the A.T. traverses a former mountain top farm over slopes of
High Knob, then descends to the west of Chester Gap. It continues through woods and fields at
Harmony Hollow on the west side of the Blue Ridge Mountains until reaching Shenandoah
National Park (ATC 2008).
Shenandoah National Park begins in the town of Front Royal, continues south to the town of
Waynesboro, Virginia, and encompasses a 107-mile section of the A.T. This portion of the A.T.
was constructed by the CCC from 1933 to 1937 after the construction of Skyline Drive displaced
the original route of the Trail. More than 50 mountain peaks exist within the park and the elevation
ranges from 600 to 4,050 feet above sea level. Upon entering the park, the A.T. extends 27.7 miles
from Front Royal to Thornton Gap, where dense woods generate a sense of remoteness. Views are
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
52
typically of the mature forest and rock outcroppings. Here the A.T. is graded and ascends the Blue
Ridge Mountains. It reaches Compton Gap (2,415 feet) and Gravel Springs (2,666 feet), then
continues to Little Hogback (3,083 feet), before it descends into Elkwallow Gap (2,759 feet). The
A.T. rises up Pass Mountain to Thornton Gap, where it intersects Skyline Drive. From Thornton
Gap to Swift Run Gap, the A.T. extends for 34.4 miles along the highest section of ridge crest in
the park and crosses the summit of Stony Man Mountain at 3,837 feet. The south end of the park
is the least developed. This portion of the A.T., from Jarman Gap to Rockfish Gap, runs along the
main crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains and frequently crosses Skyline Drive. The route has
panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. The A.T. exits Shenandoah National Park at Calf
Mountain (2,974 feet) and crosses Interstate 64 slightly north of Rockfish Gap (ATC 2009d).
The central section of the A.T. in Virginia shares a narrow ridge with the Blue Ridge Parkway at
Rockfish Gap. From there, the Blue Ridge Mountains widen into a broader band of peaks and the
A.T. diverges from the parkway across outlying summits. The A.T. passes through the Pedlar
Ranger District of George Washington National Forest from Rock Gap to the low-lying James
River, then enters the Glenwood Ranger District of Jefferson National Forest and runs through
Blue Ridge Parkway lands for 9 miles. North of the city of Roanoke, the A.T. descends into the
portion of the Great Valley of the Appalachians in Virginia between the Blue Ridge Mountains to
the east and the Allegheny Plateau to the west. It continues through the Eastern Divide Ranger
District of Jefferson National Forest and into the New Castle Ranger District (ATC 2010b).
The southwest section of the A.T. in Virginia begins at the New River near the town of Pearisburg,
where the river thrusts through a narrow section of the Allegheny Front. This 167-mile portion of
the A.T. follows long crests atop steep, rocky, and wooded ridges above fertile agricultural valleys.
It extends along the sinuous crest of Pearis and Sugar Run mountains between the New River and
the watershed of Dismal Creek, then ascends to Glade Mountain and over Locust Mountain. The
A.T. continues along the ridge of Brushy Mountain for 30 miles. After passing the edge of Burke’s
Garden, an agricultural community located in a distinct, green, crater-like landform created by a
ring of surrounding mountains, the Trail turns east and descends into the Great Valley at the
headwaters of the Tennessee River near Interstate 81. It continues across the Middle Fork of the
Holston River (a tributary of the Tennessee River) to the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area.
This area encompasses a portion of the Balsam Ridge, which is part of the Blue Ridge Plateau.
From there, the A.T. descends to cross the South Fork of the Holston River, then rises again into
the Blue Ridge Mountains’ Iron Mountain Range. It traverses a series of high peaks in the Iron
Mountain Range, including Pine, Stone, Whitetop, and Straight mountains. After dropping down
to Laurel Creek, the A.T. climbs to Feathertop Ridge on Iron Mountain and descends into the town
of Damascus, where it leaves the New River watershed and enters the Tennessee River watershed.
The A.T. exits Virginia on the Holston Mountain ridge at the Tennessee border (ATC 2011a).
North Carolina and Tennessee Segments
The A.T. winds for approximately 298 miles along the west edge of North Carolina and the
northeast corner of Tennessee. From Virginia, the A.T. enters Tennessee along the border of
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
53
Johnson and Sullivan counties and continues through Carter County. It follows the shared
boundary of North Carolina and Tennessee and then moves away from the state line in Swain
County, North Carolina. It continues south through Graham, Swain, Macon, and Clay counties
before entering Georgia. The A.T. in North Carolina and Tennessee has moderate to difficult
terrain and long sections of ridge crest trail that are often at elevations above 5,000 feet. Limited
road access and long distances between resupply points make the Trail feel remote. Panoramic
views of broad mountain ranges and deep valleys are common along sections of ridge trail,
especially from summit balds. This portion of the A.T. runs along the main spine of the
Appalachian Mountains, through the Cherokee, Pisgah, and Nantahala national forests, and Great
Smoky Mountains National Park
The north end of this section of the A.T. is within a series of ridges east of the Tennessee Valley
that is known as the Roan Highlands. The A.T. exits Damascus, Virginia, on Holston Mountain at
the western edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. From there it continues as a graded trail through
the Cherokee National Forest and skirts by Watauga Lake. After passing through Laurel Fork
Gorge along a logging road, the A.T. ascends into the Roan Highlands, where there are expansive
views of the surrounding mountains from steep, grassy balds.
The middle section of the A.T. in North Carolina and Tennessee runs along the border of the two
states along a high crest at the west end of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The main ridge of the
Appalachians, which includes the Roan Highlands and Bald, Great Smoky, and Unaka mountains,
is cut by deep river gorges. The A.T. follows the ridge of the Bald Mountain Range for several
miles between Sams Gap and Davenport Gap, with brief points of respite at Meadow and Heath
balds. It extends over Roan Mountain (6,285 feet) to Unaka Mountain, Big Bald, and Devil Fork
Gap. The elevation of the A.T. through the Bald Mountains drops at the crossing of the French
Broad River in Hot Springs, North Carolina, and at the Pigeon River near Waterville, North
Carolina. South of the French Broad River, the A.T. has panoramic views from the 4,629-foot
summit of Max Patch Mountain.
The south end of the A.T. in North Carolina and Tennessee extends for 72 miles through Great
Smoky Mountains National Park from Pigeon River to the Little Tennessee River. This section of
the A.T. was constructed by the CCC in the 1930s. Summits within the park are 5,000 to 6,000
feet above sea level. Much of the land in the area was never developed or used for logging and is
biologically diverse, with five different types of forest. The only road crossing of the A.T. within
the park is at Newfound Gap. Slightly south of there, the A.T. reaches the highest point in the park
at the 6,643-foot peak of Clingmans Dome. The section of trail south of Clingmans Dome between
Doe Knob and Fontana Dam was relocated in 1946–1947 and crosses Tennessee Valley Authority
property. After crossing the Fontana Dam on the Little Tennessee River, the A.T. leaves the high
ridge between the two states and cuts across the Appalachian Mountains to the eastern slope of the
Blue Ridge Plateau, where it descends along a side ridge to Fontana Lake, the valley of the Little
Tennessee River. It continues over a series of high summits within the Nantahala National Forest
in North Carolina, including the Wayah Bald (5,342 feet) and Standing Indian (5,499 feet)
mountains before reaching Bly Gap at North Carolina’s border with Georgia.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
54
Georgia Segment
The Georgia Segment is located entirely within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest and
extends for approximately 76 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains from Bly Gap to
Springer Mountain. The A.T. turns west after entering Georgia and runs southwest. It generally
follows the border of Towns and Union counties on the northwest side of the Trail and Rabun,
Habersham, White, and Lumpkin counties on the southeast side. The A.T. extends through the
south tip of Fannin County and the east edge of Gilmer County. This section of the A.T. consists
of a closely spaced series of low ridges that have minimal net change in elevation but form a
moderate to difficult hiking course because of their roller coaster-like quality. Most of the summits
are 3,000 to 3,500 feet above sea level, but some rise to more than 4,000 feet. Long-distance views
of this undulating mountainous area are common from rocky outcroppings along the ridge.
The A.T. enters Georgia slightly north of Route 76, then passes Dicks Creek Gap. Some of the
most strenuous climbs along the A.T. in Georgia occur in the 16.7-mile stretch between Dicks
Creek and Unicoi gaps. The A.T. ascends the 4,420-foot Tray Mountain and passes through
Tesnatee and Neels gaps before reaching the summit of Blood Mountain. It descends into Gooch
Gap and continues toward Justus Creek, then rises up Justus Mountain. Almost all of the A.T. in
Georgia north of Gooch Gap is in its original location. Several sharp ascents and drops occur in
the last stretch of the A.T. between Hightower Gap and Springer Mountain, which marks the end
of the Appalachian Mountain Range. The south terminus of the A.T. is at the 3,782-foot summit
of Springer Mountain, where an overlook provides views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the
surrounding landscape has rolling terrain (ATC 2011b).
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
55
H. SUMMARY OF IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION METHODS
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail (ANST) MPDF was compiled using a variety of
information sources, including notably those from the National Park Service (NPS), the
Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), and the
National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). No comprehensive survey of the historic
resources within the A.T. corridor has been completed to date. The primary source of information
for historic resources along the A.T. is a list of “contributing elements” within the A.T. corridor
prepared by NPS historian Robert Grumet in 2002, as updated by the NPCA with 2008 data from
the ATC. The updated list appears in a 2009 NPCA compilation and assessment of the A.T., “The
Appalachian National Scenic Trail & What Came Before – A Cultural Resource Special Report”
(Jarvis and Sherman 2009). This compilation of information using existing records about cultural
resources associated with the entire A.T. and the non-A.T. lands and viewsheds surrounding the
A.T. identifies more than 1,200 components that may contribute to the A.T.’s national significance,
such as shelters, CCC camps, viewpoints, improved roads, bridges, impoundments, buildings,
monuments, towers, railroad grades, and the ruins of a moonshine still.
Copies of nominations for properties identified as being in the A.T. corridor that are listed or
determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register) and
National Historic Landmarks (NHL) were obtained, as well as surveys and eligibility evaluations
of the A.T. Present-day and historical trail guides, maps, and maintenance manuals developed by
the ATC and its 31 member organizations were consulted for information about individual
components, features, and characteristics of the A.T. and corridor. In addition to trail maps, the
NPS Geographic Information System (GIS) data for the A.T. corridor provided information on
corridor boundaries and some information on historic resources within the corridor.
Additional information on historic resources was collected from publications of the ATC, notably
Trail Years: A History of the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC 2000) and The Appalachian
Trail: Celebrating America’s Hiking Trail (ATC 2012b). ATC publications and Appalachian
Mountain Club bulletins provided primary information about construction, relocations, and
maintenance. Published secondary sources (e.g., books, journal articles, and websites) provided
information about the A.T. and include The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, a Time to Be Bold
(Foster 1987), Forest & Crag: A History of Hiking, Trail Blazing, and Adventure in the Northeast
Mountains (Waterman and Waterman 1989), and Benton MacKaye: Conservationist, Planner, and
Creator of the Appalachian Trail (Anderson 2002).
The historic contexts were developed following a review of information about the A.T.’s design
and history in primary historical documents and previous reports that present a historic context
framework for all or portions of the A.T. Publications were consulted that address national themes
and events that shaped the A.T., such as community and regional planning, the wilderness and
conservation movements, naturalistic landscape and architecture design, and outdoor recreation.
The thematic organization of historic contexts reflects the continuity of the A.T.’s physical form
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
56
and enduring legacy as a carefully designed and maintained extraordinary outdoor recreation and
conservation resource.
Stephen Olausen and Virginia Adams of the Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc. are the primary
authors of the Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail Multiple Property
Documentation Form. Elizabeth Igleheart, NPS Northeast Region’s National Register Coordinator
(now retired) served as project manager. Other professionals provided invaluable technical
assistance and direction to the project, including APPA staff members Rita Hennessy, Casey Reese
and Jessica Bundy; National Register program staff members James Gabbert and Paul Lusignan;
ATC staff member Robert Proudman; Maine and ATC board member Dave Field; Olmsted Center
for Landscape Preservation Historical Landscape Architect Margie Coffin-Brown; Historic
Architecture, Conservation and Engineering Program Historic Architect Susan Hollister; Maine
Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Kirk Mohney; Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation
Office National Register Coordinator Keith Heinrich; NPS Southeast Region National Register
Coordinator Cynthia Walton; and NPS National Capitol Region National Register Coordinator
Kathryn Smith.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
57
I. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES
American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration
n.d. Raymond Torrey. Electronic document,
http://www.aapra.org/Pugsley/TorreyRaymond.html, accessed December 3, 2013.
American Scenic and Historical Preservation Society
1917 Scenic and Historic America: Official Bulletin of the American Scenic and Historical
Preservation Society. New York, NY.
Anderson, Larry
2002 Benton MacKaye: Conservationist, Planner, and Creator of the Appalachian Trail. Johns
Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.
Appalachian Mountain Club
1920–
1942 Appalachia. Multiple Volumes. Appalachian Mountain Club, Boston, MA.
1922a Appalachia Bulletin, October 1922. Appalachian Mountain Club, Boston, MA.
1922b Guide to Paths in the White Mountains and Adjacent Regions. Fifth Edition. Appalachian
Mountain Club, Boston, MA.
2013a AMC History. Electronic document, http://www.outdoors.org/about/history.cfm,
accessed February 20, 2013.
2013b. Timeline of Huts. Electronic document,
http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/huts/125thanniversary/amc-huts-timeline.cfm, accessed
February 20, 2013.
Appalachian Mountain Club Connecticut Chapter (AMCCC)
2013 History of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut. Electronic document, http://www.ct-
amc.org/trails/index.shtm, accessed March 22, 2013.
Appalachian Mountain Club Berkshire Chapter (AMCBC)
2007 AMC Berkshire Chapter. Electronic document, http://amcberkshire.org/, accessed March
22, 2013.
Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC)
n.d. Instructions to Appalachian Trail Workers, Publication No. 11. Second Edition.
Appalachian Trail Conference, Washington, DC.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
58
1931a Appalachian Trail Conference, Publication No. 1. Appalachian Trail Conference,
Harpers Ferry, WV.
1931b Trail Manual for the Appalachian Trail. Appalachian Trail Conference, Washington, DC.
1931–
1969 Appalachian Trail Guides. Multiple Editions. Appalachian Trail Conference, Harpers
Ferry, WV.
1934 The Appalachian Trail, Publication No. 5. Second Edition. Appalachian Trail
Conference, Harpers Ferry, WV.
1935 Trail Manual for the Appalachian Trail, Publication No. 1. Third Edition. Appalachian
Trail Conference, Washington, DC.
1940 Trail Manual for the Appalachian Trail, Publication No. 1, Fourth Edition. Appalachian
Trail Conference, Washington, DC.
1942 Guide to the Appalachian Trail in Maine and Supplements. Fourth Edition. Appalachian
Trail Conference, Washington, DC.
1951 Trail Manual for the Appalachian Trail, Publication No. 1. Fifth Edition. Appalachian
Trail Conference, Washington, DC.
1964 The Appalachian Trail, Publication No. 5. Seventh Edition. Appalachian Trail
Conference, Washington, DC.
1966 Trail Manual for the Appalachian Trail, Publication No. 1. Sixth Edition. Appalachian
Trail Conference, Washington, DC.
1979 Appalachian Trail Fieldbook Maintenance and Rehabilitation Guidelines for Volunteers.
Appalachian Trail Conference, Washington, DC.
2000 Trail Years: A History of the Appalachian Trail Conference. Special Issue of
Appalachian Trailway News. Appalachian Trail Conference, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2003 Appalachian Trail Fieldbook: Maintenance and Rehabilitation Guidelines for
Volunteers. The Appalachian Trail Conference, Harpers Ferry, WV.
Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC)
2007 Trail Assessment Pocket Guide. Version 1.1. Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Harpers
Ferry, WV.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
59
2008 Appalachian Trail Guide to Maryland and Northern Virginia with Side Trails.
Seventeenth Edition. Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2009a Appalachian Trail Guide: Tennessee – North Carolina. Thirteenth Edition. Appalachian
Trail Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2009b Appalachian Trail Guide: Pennsylvania. Eleventh Edition. Appalachian Trail
Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2009c The Official Appalachian Trail Guide to Maine. Fifth Edition. Appalachian Trail
Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2009d Appalachian Trail Guide to Shenandoah National Park with Side Trails. Thirteenth
Edition. Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2009e ATC. Corridor Stewardship Field Book, A Guide for Corridor Monitoring and
Maintenance for Volunteers. Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2010a Appalachian Trail Guide: Massachusetts - Connecticut. Twelfth Edition. Appalachian
Trail Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2010b Appalachian Trail Guide: Central Virginia. Second Edition. Appalachian Trail
Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2011a Appalachian Trail Guide: Southwest Virginia. Fifth Edition. Appalachian Trail
Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2011b Appalachian Trail Guide: North Carolina - Georgia. Fourteenth Edition. Appalachian
Trail Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2011c Appalachian Trail Guide: New York – New Jersey. Seventeenth Edition. Appalachian
Trail Conservancy, Harpers Ferry, WV.
2012a Appalachian Trail Guide: New Hampshire – Vermont. Appalachian Trail Conservancy,
Harpers Ferry, WV.
2012b The Appalachian Trail. Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., New York, NY.
2013a History. Electronic document, http://www.appalachiantrail.org/about-the-trail/history,
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1967 Wilderness: The National Forests . . . America’s Playgrounds. U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, DC.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
74
United States Forest Service (USFS) Southern Research Station
2009 Appalachian National Scenic Trail Pilot Survey. On file, National Park Service,
Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Harpers Ferry, WV. Electronic Document,
http://www.nps.gov/appa/parkmgmt/upload/Appalachian%20Trail%20Pilot%20Visitor%
20Count%20Survey%202009.pdf, accessed June 2, 2013.
Unrau, Harlan D., and G. Frank Williss
1983 Administrative History: Expansion of the National Park Service in the 1930s. National
Park Service Online Books. Electronic document,
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books//unrau-williss/adhi.htm, accessed January
30, 2014.
Vermont Bureau of Publicity
1913 Vermont: The Land of Green Mountains. Vermont Office of Secretary of State, Essex
Junction, VT.
Wallach, Bret
1991 At Odds with Progress: Americans and Conservation. University of Arizona Press,
Tucson, AZ.
Warren, Louis S. (editor)
2007 American Environmental History. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA.
Waterman, Guy, and Laura Waterman
1989 Forest & Crag: A History of Hiking, Trail Blazing, and Adventure in the Northeast
Mountains. Green Mountain Club, Inc., Waterbury Center, VT.
Wiemann, Barbara L.
2013 Formation and Early Years, An Allentown Hiking Club History. Electronic document,
http://www.allentownhikingclub.org/?job=reader&id=2, accessed March 22, 2013.
Wilderness.net
n.d. Arthur Carhart. Electronic document, http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/carhart, accessed
December 3, 2013.
n.d.b Howard Zahniser: Author of the Wilderness Act. Electronic document,
http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/zahniser, accessed December 3, 2013.
Wilson, Betty
1978 Appalachian Trail in New Jersey Determination of Eligibility for the National Register of
Historic Places. On file, New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office, Trenton, NJ.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
75
Wirth, Conrad L.
1980 Parks, Politics and the People. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK.
White, Robert P.
1935 Report on Construction of Appalachian Trail East from Mt. Kephart, Public Works
Project FP 149.8. On file, National Park Service, Denver Service Center, Denver, CO.
Wills, Karen
2000 “Review of: Story Line: Exploring the Literature of the Appalachian Trail by Ian
Marshall.” Journal of American Studies 34 (1): 181–182.
Wood, Loren
2013 Beautiful Land of Sky, John Muir’s Forgotten Eastern Counterpart, Harlan P. Kelsey.
iUniverse Publishing.
Wright, Frank
2005 “Anchor of the Deep South, Part 1.” A.T. Journeys November–December 2005.
Electronic document, http://joomla.georgia-atclub.org/publications/GATC-
DeepSouthAnchor2_120105.pdf, accessed March 22, 2013.
2006 “Anchor of the Deep South, Part 2.” A.T. Journeys January-February 2006. Electronic
document, http://www.georgia-atclub.org/publications/GATC-
DeepSouthAnchor_120105.pdf, accessed March 22, 2013.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
76
GLOSSARY OF TRAIL TERMINOLOGY
The following terminology is used in defining and referring to elements of the A.T. throughout
this document and refers only to
Abandoned Original A.T. Section: One of two property types defined in this MPDF, this term
applies to National Register eligible sections of the original route of the A.T. that have been
abandoned and are no longer part of the ANST system. An eligible Abandoned Original A.T.
Section is one that is generally at least one-mile-long and retains design elements and associated
contributing resources that identify it as a former section of the original A.T.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail Segment: One of two property types defined in this MPDF,
this term applies to a segment that extends the length of one of the 14 states that the Appalachian
National Scenic Trail (ANST) runs through. Exceptions occur at the north and south termini of the
Trail in Maine and Georgia, respectively. Contributing resources within an ANST Historic
Segment include the A.T. and the buildings, sites, and structures that allow it to function as a
recreational hiking trail.
A.T. Bridge: A bridge structure of 20 feet or more in length that was specifically built and is
maintained as part of the ANST and carries either the main Trail or an A.T. Side Trail.
A.T. Corridor: The A.T. corridor is a linear swath that is 1,000 feet (ft) wide, extending out 500
feet on either side of the center of the treadway. This 1,000-foot-wide corridor is moveable as a
function of where the treadway is at any given time but always embodies established A.T.
standards for a simple footpath design and a natural and scenic setting. The A.T. corridor is
encompassed within the A.T. lands. The A.T. corridor serves as the boundary for eligible
associated properties to be listed in the National Register under the Appalachian National Scenic
Trail MPDF, as discussed in Section F. Associated Property Types.
A.T. Lands: Lands managed by the ATC under the cooperative agreement with the NPS as the
A.T. protective area, including the A.T. corridor.
A.T. Overnight Use Area: Sites that were developed specifically to support the hiking experience
by providing shelter, water sources, and toilet facilities for overnight camping.
A.T. Side Trail: A short dead-end spur or loop trail that diverges from the mainline route of the
A.T. Side Trails are employed to bring hikers to important points of interest, such as waterfalls,
historic sites, A.T. Viewpoints, or trail facilities.
A.T. Treadway: The primary and most important contributing resource within all ANST State
Segments. It consists of the approximately 2,184-mile hiking path that was conceived primarily as
a “skyline track” along the crests of the Appalachian Mountains.
NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No.
1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Resources of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, NC, TN, GA
Name of Multiple Property Listing State
77
A.T. Viewpoint: The physical location or vantage point from which a view or vista is experienced.
These significant locations typically occur along the main treadway, often from bald or open
summits, high mountain meadows, wide open farmland, and at stream crossings. They may also
be called-out in trail guidebooks and designated as “Overlooks” or “Points of Interest.”
Relocated Trail Section: A treadway moved within the existing A.T. corridor or sometimes
within existing A.T. lands. Trail relocation is an ongoing A.T. management and maintenance
process that occurs because of erosion or other natural events that make the existing treadway
unusable, particularly if a higher quality, more scenic alternative is available (the “Optimal
Location”). Before the 1978 National Trails System Act amendments that authorized federal land
acquisition of the corridor, relocations were most often required when landowners asked that the
Trail be removed from their properties.
Rerouted Trail Section: A portion of the A.T. that has been moved onto protected land acquired
after 1937.
Scenery: The general appearance of a place; all the features that give character to a landscape.
(Random House Webster’s College Dictionary. New York: Random House, Inc. 2001.)
Trail Prism: A 4-foott-wide by 8-foot-high rectangular cleared area surrounding the treadway.
The ATC adopted a “Clearing Standard” in its Appalachian Trail Fieldbook Maintenance and
Rehabilitation Guidelines for Volunteers of August 1979: “The trail shall be kept clear of
vegetation and obstructions that unnecessarily impede foot travel. It shall be cleared to such a
width and height that a hiker with a pack can walk the Trail without difficulty” (ATC 1979:137).
Views: The expansive or panoramic prospect of a broad range of vision, which may be naturally
occurring or deliberately contrived. Providing access to views of natural and cultural landscapes
is a fundamental purpose and experience of the A.T. that is underscored in both its route and its
design. Views typically occur at summits, along ridgelines, above cliffs, along stream corridors,
and adjacent to other water features. Examples of landscape features within panoramic views are
mountain ranges, river valleys, lakes, and cultural landscapes.
Vistas: The controlled prospect of a discrete, linear range of vision, which is deliberately contrived
and maintained. Examples of maintained vistas are framed views to monuments, ridges, waterfalls,
gorges, and other notable cultural and natural features. A particular trail alignment or vegetation
management may be necessary to preserve a vista.
Map #6
(Maryland, South Half)
Map #5
(Maryland, North Half)
CARROLL
COUNTY
FREDERICK
COUNTY
HOWARD COUNTY
MONTGOMERY
COUNTY
WASHINGTON
COUNTY
ADAMS COUNTY
FRANKLIN
COUNTY
FULTON COUNTY
CLARKE COUNTY
LOUDOUN
COUNTY
BERKELEY
COUNTY
JEFFERSON
COUNTY
MORGAN COUNTY
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 0 24
Miles
Sheet Overview
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Maryland Segment
National Register Historic District
MD
PA
VA
WV
K
MarylandMaryland
PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
LEGEND
NOTES
Sheet order follows Trail North to South
SOURCES
NPS APPA
ATC 2019
DRAWN BY
PAL
July 2022
County Boundary
ATC Map
National Register Map Sheet
National Register District Boundary
(Maryland Segment)
WestWest
VirginiaVirginia
VirginiaVirginia
!
!
!
8 - Raven Rock OUA
2 - Pen Mar Park Viewpoint
5 - High Rock Viewpoint
1 - ANST Maryland Segment Treadway
4 - High Rock Viewpoint Side Trail3 - High Rock Parking Area Side Trail
7 - Raven Rock OUA Side Trail
6 - Devils Racecourse Trail
CATOCTIN
MOUNTAIN
PARK
Sheet 1 of 11
Appalachian National Scenic TrailMaryland SegmentNational Register Historic District
K
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
PENNSYLVANIA
WESTVIRGINIA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0 1,000 2,000
Feet
1 inch = 2,000 feet
LEGEND
NOTES
See Resources List in Section 7 for
detailed information
Sheet order follows Trail north to south
SOURCES
NPS APPA
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Potomac Appalachain Trail Club
Maryland State Historic Preservation
Offices
DRAWN BY
PAL
July 2022
!
National Register
District Boundary
(Maryland Segment)
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Resource
Side Trail Resource
Federal Land
Federally Protected Land
State Land
State Protected Land
Conservation Land
Private Land
G:\Projects\4021 NPS Appalachian Trail MD Segment\Production\Mapping\Maps GIS\MD NR District Map.mxd | 7/13/2022.Guidebook Map #
!
!
!
!
!
!
14 - Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA
17 - South Mtn Viewpoint 1
10 - Raven Rock Viewpoint
11 - Willard Property SUP Viewpoint
12 - Powerline Right of Way Viewpoint
15 - Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA Water Source Side Trail
13 - Ensign Cowall Memorial OUA Side Trail
9 - Raven Rock Viewpoint Side Trail
16 - MD Rte 17 (Wolfsville Rd) Parking Area Side Trail
Sheet 2 of 11
Appalachian National Scenic TrailMaryland SegmentNational Register Historic District
K
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
PENNSYLVANIA
WESTVIRGINIA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0 1,000 2,000
Feet
1 inch = 2,000 feet
LEGEND
NOTES
See Resources List in Section 7 for
detailed information
Sheet order follows Trail north to south
SOURCES
NPS APPA
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Potomac Appalachain Trail Club
Maryland State Historic Preservation
Offices
DRAWN BY
PAL
July 2022
!
National Register
District Boundary
(Maryland Segment)
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Resource
Side Trail Resource
Federal Land
Federally Protected Land
State Land
State Protected Land
Conservation Land
Private Land
G:\Projects\4021 NPS Appalachian Trail MD Segment\Production\Mapping\Maps GIS\MD NR District Map.mxd | 7/13/2022.Guidebook Map #
!
!
!
!
!
!
17 - South Mtn Viewpoint 1
18 - South Mtn Viewpoint 2
22 - Black Rock Viewpoint
20 - Pogo Memorial Campsite OUA
21 - Black Rock Viewpoint Side Trail
23 - Annapolis Rock Viewpoint Side Trail
19 - Thurston Griggs TrailJOHNS
NEIKIRK
CLINE
CHESAPEAKE
CONFERENCE II
FAZENBAKER
RODGERS
CHESAPEAKE
CONFERENCE I
Sheet 3 of 11
Appalachian National Scenic TrailMaryland SegmentNational Register Historic District
K
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
PENNSYLVANIA
WESTVIRGINIA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0 1,000 2,000
Feet
1 inch = 2,000 feet
LEGEND
NOTES
See Resources List in Section 7 for
detailed information
Sheet order follows Trail north to south
SOURCES
NPS APPA
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Potomac Appalachain Trail Club
Maryland State Historic Preservation
Offices
DRAWN BY
PAL
July 2022
!
National Register
District Boundary
(Maryland Segment)
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Resource
Side Trail Resource
Federal Land
Federally Protected Land
State Land
State Protected Land
Conservation Land
Private Land
G:\Projects\4021 NPS Appalachian Trail MD Segment\Production\Mapping\Maps GIS\MD NR District Map.mxd | 7/13/2022.Guidebook Map #
!
!
!
!
28 - Pine Knob OUA
24 - Annapolis Rock Viewpoint
26 - Annapolis Rock OUA
30 - I-70 Footbridge
27 - Pine Knob OUA Side Trail
29 - Annapolis Rock (U.S. 40) Parking Area Side Trail
23 - Annapolis Rock Viewpoint Side Trail
25 - Annapolis Rock OUA Side Trail
31 - Bartman Hill Side Trail
GREENBRIER
STATE PARK
EASTERDAY
Sheet 4 of 11
Appalachian National Scenic TrailMaryland SegmentNational Register Historic District
K
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
PENNSYLVANIA
WESTVIRGINIA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0 1,000 2,000
Feet
1 inch = 2,000 feet
LEGEND
NOTES
See Resources List in Section 7 for
detailed information
Sheet order follows Trail north to south
SOURCES
NPS APPA
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Potomac Appalachain Trail Club
Maryland State Historic Preservation
Offices
DRAWN BY
PAL
July 2022
!
National Register
District Boundary
(Maryland Segment)
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Resource
Side Trail Resource
Federal Land
Federally Protected Land
State Land
State Protected Land
Conservation Land
Private Land
G:\Projects\4021 NPS Appalachian Trail MD Segment\Production\Mapping\Maps GIS\MD NR District Map.mxd | 7/13/2022.Guidebook Map #
!
!
!
!
!
37 - Rocky Run OUA (Shelter 2)
37 - Rocky Run OUA (Shelter 1)
33 - Washington Monument Observation Tower Viewpoint
34 - Dahlgren Field Viewpoint
38 - White Rocks Viewpoint
35 - Dahlgren Backpacker Campground OUA
32 - Washington Monument Observation Tower Side Trail
36 - Rocky Run OUA Side Trail
HARDY / HOLT
Sheet 5 of 11
Appalachian National Scenic TrailMaryland SegmentNational Register Historic District
K
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
PENNSYLVANIA
WESTVIRGINIA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0 1,000 2,000
Feet
1 inch = 2,000 feet
LEGEND
NOTES
See Resources List in Section 7 for
detailed information
Sheet order follows Trail north to south
SOURCES
NPS APPA
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Potomac Appalachain Trail Club
Maryland State Historic Preservation
Offices
DRAWN BY
PAL
July 2022
!
National Register
District Boundary
(Maryland Segment)
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Resource
Side Trail Resource
Federal Land
Federally Protected Land
State Land
State Protected Land
Conservation Land
Private Land
G:\Projects\4021 NPS Appalachian Trail MD Segment\Production\Mapping\Maps GIS\MD NR District Map.mxd | 7/13/2022.Guidebook Map #
!
!
!
!
43 - Crampton Gap OUA
38 - White Rocks Viewpoint
40 - Rohrersville Valley Viewpoint
42 - Crampton Gap OUA Side Trail Bridge
41 - Crampton Gap OUA Side Trail
39 - White Rocks Viewpoint Side Trail
HARDY / HOLT
ANTIETAM NB
Sheet 6 of 11
Appalachian National Scenic TrailMaryland SegmentNational Register Historic District
K
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
PENNSYLVANIA
WESTVIRGINIA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0 1,000 2,000
Feet
1 inch = 2,000 feet
LEGEND
NOTES
See Resources List in Section 7 for
detailed information
Sheet order follows Trail north to south
SOURCES
NPS APPA
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Potomac Appalachain Trail Club
Maryland State Historic Preservation
Offices
DRAWN BY
PAL
July 2022
!
National Register
District Boundary
(Maryland Segment)
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Resource
Side Trail Resource
Federal Land
Federally Protected Land
State Land
State Protected Land
Conservation Land
Private Land
G:\Projects\4021 NPS Appalachian Trail MD Segment\Production\Mapping\Maps GIS\MD NR District Map.mxd | 7/13/2022.Guidebook Map #
!
!
!
46 - Ed Garvey OUA
44 - Birch Tree Overlook Viewpoint
47 - Pleasant Valley Viewpoint
45 - Ed Garvey OUA Side Trail
Sheet 7 of 11
Appalachian National Scenic TrailMaryland SegmentNational Register Historic District
K
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
PENNSYLVANIA
WESTVIRGINIA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0 1,000 2,000
Feet
1 inch = 2,000 feet
LEGEND
NOTES
See Resources List in Section 7 for
detailed information
Sheet order follows Trail north to south
SOURCES
NPS APPA
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Potomac Appalachain Trail Club
Maryland State Historic Preservation
Offices
DRAWN BY
PAL
July 2022
!
National Register
District Boundary
(Maryland Segment)
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Resource
Side Trail Resource
Federal Land
Federally Protected Land
State Land
State Protected Land
Conservation Land
Private Land
G:\Projects\4021 NPS Appalachian Trail MD Segment\Production\Mapping\Maps GIS\MD NR District Map.mxd | 7/13/2022.Guidebook Map #
!
!
!
49 - Weverton Cliffs Viewpoint
50 - Goodloe ByronMemorial Footbridge
48 - Weverton Cliffs Side Trail
CHESEPEAKE AND
OHIO CANEL NATIONAL
HISTORICAL PARK
HARPERS
FERRY NHP
POTOMAC
CONSERVANCY
CHESAPEAKE
AND OHIO
CANAL NHP
Sheet 8 of 11
Appalachian National Scenic TrailMaryland SegmentNational Register Historic District
K
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
PENNSYLVANIA
WESTVIRGINIA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0 1,000 2,000
Feet
1 inch = 2,000 feet
LEGEND
NOTES
See Resources List in Section 7 for
detailed information
Sheet order follows Trail north to south
SOURCES
NPS APPA
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Potomac Appalachain Trail Club
Maryland State Historic Preservation
Offices
DRAWN BY
PAL
July 2022
!
National Register
District Boundary
(Maryland Segment)
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Resource
Side Trail Resource
Federal Land
Federally Protected Land
State Land
State Protected Land
Conservation Land
Private Land
G:\Projects\4021 NPS Appalachian Trail MD Segment\Production\Mapping\Maps GIS\MD NR District Map.mxd | 7/13/2022.Guidebook Map #
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
MEMORANDUM
To: Washington County Historic District Commission
From: Meghan Jenkins, GISP, GIS Coordinator - Historic District Commission Staff
Date: May 25, 2023
Subj: Residential New Construction Permit/Garage-Carport, 2023-01727
Staff Report and Analysis
Property Owner: NEAL MATTHEW R &, NEAL SHELLEY K
Applicant: Matthew Neal
Location: 21550 LEITERSBURG SMITHSBURG Road
Tax Account ID: 09013911
Map/Grid/Parcel/Lot: 26/14/401/1
Legal Description: LOT 1 1.23 ACRES21550 LEITERSBG-
SMITHSBGROAD
Zoning: RV; A(R) Refer to Map
Rural Village: Leitersburg (MHT-C) Historic Rural Village
Project Description: 900 sq. ft. finished space detached two story two
car garage with 457 sq. ft. unfinished space on
second floor with exterior 24 sq. ft. landing and
steps to grade, concrete slab, frame construction,
pre-engineered trusses,
Huntsberger, Gary A., Lot 1
Applicable Law and Review Criteria:
The HDC is enabled through Article 20 of the Zoning Ordinance for Washington County, MD.
Specifically Section 20.3.a states: "The Commission shall act upon all applications as required by
Section 20.6, Historic Preservation district, Section 5D.4, Rural Village District and Article 20A,
Antietam Overlay District of this Ordinance."
The HDC shall consider only exterior features of a structure that would affect the historic, archeological,
or architectural significance of the site or structure, any portion of which is visible or intended to be
visible from a public way. It does not consider any interior arrangements, although interior changes
may still be subject to building permit procedures.
1. The application shall be approved by the HDC if it is consistent with the following criteria:
A. The proposal does not substantially alter the exterior features of the structure.
B. The proposal is compatible in character and nature with the historical, cultural, architectural,
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
or archeological features of the site, structure, or district and would not be detrimental to
achievement of the purposes of Article 20 of the County Zoning Ordinance.
C. The proposal would enhance or aid in the protection, preservation and public or private
utilization of the site or structure, in a manner compatible with its historical, archeological,
architectural, or cultural value.
D. The proposal is necessary so that unsafe conditions or health hazards are remedied.
E. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating
Historic Buildings and subsequent revisions are to be used as guidance only and are not to
be considered mandatory.
2. In reviewing the plans for any such construction or change, the HDC shall give consideration to
and not disapprove an application except with respect to the factors specified below.
A. The historic or architectural value and significance of the site or structure and its relationship
to the historic or architectural value and significance of the surrounding area.
B. The relationship of the exterior architectural features of the structure to the remainder of
the structure and to the surrounding area.
C. The general compatibility of exterior design, scale, proportion, arrangement, texture, and
materials proposed to be used.
D. Any other factors, including aesthetic factors, that the Commission deems to be pertinent.
3. The HDC shall be strict in its judgment of plans for those structures, sites, or districts deemed to
be valuable according to studies performed for districts of historic or architectural value. The
HDC shall be lenient in its judgment of plans involving new construction, unless such plans
would seriously impair the historic or architectural value of surrounding structures.
For Rural Villages, additional review criteria for applications are listed in Section 5D.5 Architectural
Review of the Zoning Ordinance and include:
1. The exterior appearance of existing structures in the Rural Village, including materials, style,
arrangement of doors and windows, mass, height and number of stories, roof style and
pitch, proportion.
2. Building Size and Orientation
3. Landscaping
4. Signage
5. Lighting
6. Setbacks
7. Accessory structures
Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation
9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials,
features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated
from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and
massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.
10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be undertaken in such a manner that,
if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment
would be unimpaired.
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Guidelines for New Construction and Accessory Buildings
1. New construction should be sited to avoid demolition of contributing structures.
2. The design of new construction or new accessory buildings should be compatible with the form,
height, scale, proportions, materials and details of the adjacent contributing structures or landscapes.
3. Consideration of the ratio of built versus open space of the site or the adjacent landscape should be
given.
4. Existing setbacks, landscaping or site grading of adjacent historic resources should be preserved
when siting new construction if those characteristics contribute to the historic site or its landscape. This
includes circulation routes, fences, walls, and yards, etc.
5. Locate new construction and new accessory buildings so that the existing significant visual and
special characteristics of the property are maintained.
6. Locate new construction and new accessory buildings so that significant viewsheds are maintained or
enhanced.
7. See also Key Themes. (p. 57)
Staff Report:
This project is in the Leitersburg Historic Rural Village which is located primarily at the intersection of
Leiter Street and Leitersburg Smithsburg Road. Leitersburg is on the National Register of Historic Places
and Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties and was last surveyed in 2003 (WA-I-174) The survey
includes 147 contributing buildings, 5 sites and 3 structures for a total of 155 historic resources. There
are 72 non-contributing resources including the property of the project. The district construction
characteristics include brick, stone, wood and concrete exteriors with roofing of asphalt, metal or slate.
The architectural styles include vernacular, federal, Greek revival and more. The period of significance
is 1815-1926 and it qualifying criteria for the National Register are Criteria A (association with events)
and Criteria C (Distinctive construction).
The project is located at the low point between two hills in Leitersburg Smithsburg Road near the
southern edge of the Rural Village resource boundary. There are contributing resources surrounding
the property of varying construction types. The main house on the property is set back approximately
150 feet from the Leitersburg Smithsburg Road. The proposed construction of a 2 story brick garage
approximately 30 feet by 30 feet is directly behind an existing in-ground pool on the property with a
fence which will partially block the construction from view at the road. The materials indicated for
construction are consistent with the existing house on the property as well as characteristic materials
of the rural village.
Staff Analysis:
The project proposes an accessory building of similar construction to other buildings within the rural
village therefore the evaluation criteria of the Zoning Ordinance including appearance, scale, and size
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
all appear to be followed. The proposed construction also follows the applicable SOI guidelines since
there is no disturbance and minimal impact to existing or nearby contributing resources due to the
siting of the new construction to the rear of the existing house. This causes minimal visibility from
Leitersburg Smithsburg Road. For similar reasons, the project appears consistent with the local Design
Guidelines for new construction.
Staff Recommendation:
Recommend approval of the Residential New Construction Permit/Garage-Carport, Permit Number
2023-01727, located in Leitersburg Historic Rural Village for the reasons stated in the Staff Analysis.
Respectfully Submitted,
Meghan Jenkins, GISP
Historic District Commission Staff
Attachments:
• Photos provided by Staff
• Map showing location of construction
• Permit Submission Packet
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Picture 1, View from Mid Driveway
Picture 2, End of Driveway/Side of Pool Fence
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Picture 3, Area for construction
Picture 4, Pool Fence with area of construction to left of photo
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Picture 5, From Leitersburg Smithsburg, Front of Home
Picture 6, @ end of driveway looking toward Leitersburg center
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Picture 7, @ end of driveway away from Leitersburg center
Left Side Elevation
Scale: 1/4" = 1'
Front Elevation
Scale: 1/4" = 1'
Right Side Elevation
Scale: 1/4" = 1'
Rear Elevation
Scale: 1/4" = 1'
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Construction Notes
1. General Contractor shall be responsible to meet all state and local codes as required.
2. General Contractor shall be responsible to field verify all dimensions prior to
fabrication of any work.
3. Grades shown are approximate only. Field verify conditions, elevations and property
lines and setbacks prior to any work.
4. All wood headers will be constructed as such: Install 2 - 2x12 above all exterior
window and door openings (unless otherwise specified)
5. Owner shall be responsible to select all final colors and finishes
6. Contractor shall provide access panels or doors with frame to all attic spaces
7. All exterior walls shall be covered with an air infiltration barrier (house wrap) as
required
8. Contractor shall be responsible to install any additional framing, beams posts, and/or
headers not shown for a structurally sound building as required.
9. All engineered wood trusses and LVL beams shall be certified by the manufacturer
and/or by a registered engineer in the state of MD
BUILDING CONTRACTOR/HOME OWNER
TO REVIEW AND VERIFY ALL DIMENSIONS,
SPECS, AND CONNECTIONS BEFORE
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CODE: SEC.2701
MECHANICAL SYSTEM CODE: SEC.2801
PLUMBING SYSTEM CODE: SEC.2901
To the best of my knowledge these plans are drawn to
comply with owner's and/ or builder's specifications and any
changes made on them after prints are made will be done at
the owner's and / or builder's expense and responsibility. The
contractor shall verify all dimensions and enclosed drawing.
Eby's Drafting and Design is not liable for errors once
construction has begun. While every effort has been made in
the preparation of this plan to avoid mistakes, the maker can
not guarantee against human error. The contractor of the job
must check all dimensions and other details prior to
construction and be solely responsible thereafter.
1/28/2023
HOME OWNER: Mr. Matt Neal
PROJECT
ADDRESS: 21550 Leitersburg Smithsburg
Road
Hagerstown MD
Square Footage: Garage: 802 sq. ft.
Attic Space: 457 sq. ft.
3049DH306810080100803049DH 3068UP
4"3'-4"10'2'-8"10'3'-4"4"
30'
4"CL 4'-6"24'-10"4"4"CL 22'-2"7'-2"4"4"CL
7'-2"CL
15'7'-2"4"30'30'30'28'-4" X 28'-4"
GARAGE
First Floor Layout
Scale: 1/4" = 1'
3'-7"10'-2"2'-6"10'-2"3'-7"
30'30'30'3'-3"3'-2"23'-7"
30'
28'-0" X 28'-0"
GARAGE
Foundation Layout
Scale: 1/4" = 1'30683040DHS1S1
CROSS SECTION 1
29'-7 1/2"
CL
14'-8"14'-8"29'-7 1/2"4'-2 1/2"6'-4"6'-4"16'-1"29'-4"12'6'11'-4"28'-8 1/2"
CL 14'-8"14'-8"29'-4"Second Floor Layout
Scale: 3/16" = 1'
15ld. felt paper
Architectural Shingles
7/16" OSB roof sheathing with H clips
Pre-Engineered Roof Trusses placed on 24" Centers
Truss Clips/Hurricane straps to be installed on all trusses
All truss bracing to be installed according to engineering
details supplied by manufacture
Window/Door Headers: 2 - 2x12spf
(Leave Space for Insulation)9'-5 1/8"5'-0 1/2"9'-1 1/8"12" POURED CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALL
4" BRICK LEDGE, 2" SLAB LEDGE
Garage Slab to be poured min. of 4" Thick
Slab to be poured over 6 Mill plastic (Vapor Barrier)
Slab to have 6x6 Wire Mat over 4" stone Base
2x6 exterior wall
Studs @ 16" on center
7/16" osb sheeting
Vapor Barrier (House Wrap)
Brick Veneer
R-21 Fiberglass Batt Insulation
Anderson double hung windows
Low-e glazing
Aluminum Drip Edge
Pre-Finished, seamless aluminum gutter
2x6 sub-fascia with aluminum trim
Vented vinyl soffit
8" x 20" Footings
2 - #4 Continuous Rebar
Footings to be 30" Below Grade (Min)
Continuous Footer Drain to Daylight
Footer Drain to be installed in Stone Bed (#57)
Rosin Paper placed over stone bed before Backfill Cross Section
Scale: 3/8" = 1'
18" x 12" Pier Footing
Min. 30" below Grade
36" High Railing
Pickets to be 4" Center to Center
Decking Materials to be determined
2x10 Pressure Treated Joist @ 16" On Center
2x18pt Ledger Board to be Installed Using
1/2" Galv. Carriage Bolts @ 16" On Center
Galv. Joist Hangers to be Installed
Flashing to be installed behind Ledger Board
2 - 2x10 Pressure Treated Beams
6x6 Pressure Treated Posts
1/2" Galvanized Carriage Bolts
Deck Detail
Scale: 3/8" = 1'
36" High Railing
Pickets to be 4" Center to Center
2x12PT Stair Joist @ 16" Centers
2x6pt Decking
7 3/4" Rise (Max)
10 3/4" Run (Min)
Opening to be no greater than 3 1/2"
Close off stair openings as necessary
Stair Detail
Not to Scale
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HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
MEMORANDUM
To: Washington County Historic District Commission
From: Meghan Jenkins, GISP, GIS Coordinator - Historic District Commission Staff
Date: May 25, 2023
Subj: Non-Residential New Construction Permit/Commercial, 2023-00893
Staff Report and Analysis
Property Owner: FIRE CO LEITERSBURG VOLUNTEER,
Applicant: JOHNSON RIDGE LLC
Location: 21431 LEITER Street
Tax Account ID: 09017186
Map/Grid/Parcel/Lot: 0026/0014/0143/6
Legal Description: LT6 1/2 LT7 90X24021431 LEITER STFIRE STATION
Zoning: Rural Village
Rural Village: Leitersburg (MHT-C) Historic Rural Village
Project Description: 576 sq. ft. one story pole building on concrete slab to be
used for storage, (1) 9' overhead door, pre-engineered
roof trusses, pole construction with metal roof and metal
sides,
Leitersburg Volunteer Fire Company
Applicable Law and Review Criteria:
The HDC is enabled through Article 20 of the Zoning Ordinance for Washington County, MD.
Specifically Section 20.3.a states: "The Commission shall act upon all applications as required by
Section 20.6, Historic Preservation district, Section 5D.4, Rural Village District and Article 20A,
Antietam Overlay District of this Ordinance."
The HDC shall consider only exterior features of a structure that would affect the historic, archeological,
or architectural significance of the site or structure, any portion of which is visible or intended to be
visible from a public way. It does not consider any interior arrangements, although interior changes
may still be subject to building permit procedures.
1. The application shall be approved by the HDC if it is consistent with the following criteria:
A. The proposal does not substantially alter the exterior features of the structure.
B. The proposal is compatible in character and nature with the historical, cultural, architectural,
or archeological features of the site, structure, or district and would not be detrimental to
achievement of the purposes of Article 20 of the County Zoning Ordinance.
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
C. The proposal would enhance or aid in the protection, preservation and public or private
utilization of the site or structure, in a manner compatible with its historical, archeological,
architectural, or cultural value.
D. The proposal is necessary so that unsafe conditions or health hazards are remedied.
E. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating
Historic Buildings and subsequent revisions are to be used as guidance only and are not to
be considered mandatory.
2. In reviewing the plans for any such construction or change, the HDC shall give consideration to
and not disapprove an application except with respect to the factors specified below.
A. The historic or architectural value and significance of the site or structure and its relationship
to the historic or architectural value and significance of the surrounding area.
B. The relationship of the exterior architectural features of the structure to the remainder of
the structure and to the surrounding area.
C. The general compatibility of exterior design, scale, proportion, arrangement, texture, and
materials proposed to be used.
D. Any other factors, including aesthetic factors, that the Commission deems to be pertinent.
3. The HDC shall be strict in its judgment of plans for those structures, sites, or districts deemed to
be valuable according to studies performed for districts of historic or architectural value. The
HDC shall be lenient in its judgment of plans involving new construction, unless such plans
would seriously impair the historic or architectural value of surrounding structures.
For Rural Villages, additional review criteria for applications are listed in Section 5D.5 Architectural
Review of the Zoning Ordinance and include:
1. The exterior appearance of existing structures in the Rural Village, including materials, style,
arrangement of doors and windows, mass, height and number of stories, roof style and
pitch, proportion.
2. Building Size and Orientation
3. Landscaping
4. Signage
5. Lighting
6. Setbacks
7. Accessory structures
Please note that HDC Policy No.2021-01: Review of Pole Buildings does not apply due to Review
Guidelines 2.c requiring HDC review on all pole buildings associated with a commercial use.
Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation
9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials,
features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated
from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and
massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.
10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be undertaken in such a manner that,
if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment
would be unimpaired.
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Guidelines for New Construction and Accessory Buildings
1. New construction should be sited to avoid demolition of contributing structures.
2. The design of new construction or new accessory buildings should be compatible with the form,
height, scale, proportions, materials and details of the adjacent contributing structures or landscapes.
3. Consideration of the ratio of built versus open space of the site or the adjacent landscape should be
given.
4. Existing setbacks, landscaping or site grading of adjacent historic resources should be preserved
when siting new construction if those characteristics contribute to the historic site or its landscape. This
includes circulation routes, fences, walls, and yards, etc.
5. Locate new construction and new accessory buildings so that the existing significant visual and
special characteristics of the property are maintained.
6. Locate new construction and new accessory buildings so that significant viewsheds are maintained or
enhanced.
7. See also Key Themes. (p. 57)
Staff Report:
This project is in the Leitersburg Historic Rural Village which is located primarily at the intersection of
Leiter Street and Leitersburg Smithsburg Road. Leitersburg is on the National Register of Historic Places
and Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties and was last surveyed in 2003 (WA-I-174) The survey
includes 147 contributing buildings, 5 sites and 3 structures for a total of 155 historic resources. There
are 72 non-contributing resources including the property of the project. The main building on the
property used to be a 1940’s gas station that was remodeled into the current fire hall. The district
construction characteristics include brick, stone, wood and concrete exteriors with roofing of asphalt,
metal or slate. The architectural styles include vernacular, federal, Greek revival and more. The period
of significance is 1815-1926 and its qualifying criteria for the National Register are Criteria A
(association with events) and Criteria C (Distinctive construction).
The project is located along Leiter Street approximately 650 feet northeast of the main square of
Leitersburg. As you face the fire hall building there is a vacant lot to the right of the fire hall owned by
the fire company and to the right of that is another non-contributing structure at 21423 Leiter Street.
To the left of the fire hall is another non-contributing structure (21433 Leiter Street) and to the rear of
the fire hall is the Ruritan Community Park. There are contributing structures to the Leitersburg Historic
Rural Village across Leiter Street from the fire hall.
The proposed pole building construction type is to be located to the rear of the existing fire hall. In the
area of construction there is existing pavement and training apparatus related to the fire hall. The pole
building is to be constructed of metal siding and metal roofing and used for storage. There will be a 9’
roll up door to access the structure.
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Staff Analysis:
The project will result in a pole building, which has less disturbance and permanency than other
construction types due to the framing members being buried in the ground rather than a full
foundation. The proposed location of the building is to the rear of the fire hall and therefore minimally
visible from the contributing structures which are on the opposite side of Leiter Street in the vicinity of
the project. The properties directly adjacent are non-contributing and therefore would have minimal
impact as is preferred by both the SOI Guidelines and local Design Guidelines. The application appears
consistent with the applicable criteria in the Zoning Ordinance as well.
Staff Recommendation:
Recommend approval of the Non-Residential New Construction Permit/Commercial, Permit Number
2023-00893, located in Leitersburg Historic Rural Village for the reasons stated in the Staff Analysis.
Respectfully Submitted,
Meghan Jenkins, GISP
Historic District Commission Staff
Attachments:
• Photos provided by Staff
• Map showing location of construction
• HDC Policy No.2021-01: Review of Pole Buildings
• Permit Submission Packet
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Picture 1, Parking Area Existing Conditions
Picture 2, Parking Area Existing Conditions
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Picture 3, View of Firehall looking from Leiter Street
Gregory Smith, Chair Vernell Doyle
Lloyd Yavener, Vice Chair Michael Lushbaugh
Ann Aldrich Courtney Lowery
Edith Wallace Jeffrey A. Cline, BOCC Rep HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION OF WASHINGTON COU NTY, MARYLAND
WWW.WASHCO-MD.NET
100 West Washington Street, Suite 2600 | Hagerstown, MD 21740 | P: 240.313.2430 | F: 240.313.2431 | TDD: 7-1-1
MEMORANDUM
TO: All Interested Parties
FROM: Historic District Commission
DATE: December 2, 2021
SUBJECT: HDC Policy No. 2021-01: Review of Pole Buildings
Purpose
This memorandum will serve as a policy for the review of permit submittals involving pole buildings to
the Historic District Commission (HDC). This policy will apply to review of accessory structures
categorized as pole buildings in the permit application for areas of HDC review such as the Historic Rural
Villages, Historic Preservation Overlay, Antietam Overlay and any additional areas under HDC review.
The areas for review and review types for the HDC are outlined in the Washington County Zoning
Ordinance Section 20.6-Historic Preservation, Section 5D.4-Rural Village and Section 20A-Antietam
Overlay.
Definitions
For the purpose of this policy the following definition(s) shall apply:
Pole Building is an accessory structure that involves posts as a framing member buried in the ground to
support the weight of the walls and roof.
Review Guidelines
1. Construction of pole buildings in the Antietam Overlay or Rural Village zoning districts that are
designated as farm buildings are not subject to HDC or staff review per Article 20 of the zoning
ordinance.
2. Permit applications for construction of pole buildings that will require HDC review:
a. Construction of pole buildings in the Historic Preservation Overlay
b. Construction of a pole building, associated with a residential use, on a property or
portion of property which DOES contribute to Historic Rural Village.
c. Construction of pole buildings in any of the areas reviewed by the HDC that are
associated with a commercial use.
3. Permit applications for construction of pole buildings that may be designated to staff for review
on behalf of the HDC:
a. Construction of a pole building, associated with a residential use, on a property or
portion of property which does NOT contribute to the Historic Rural Village.
b. Construction of a pole building which is a direct replacement (size, location, materials)
on a property or portion of property which DOES contribute to the Historic Rural Village
4. If Staff: (1) is uncertain whether or not the application meets the criteria for staff review or (2)
does not support the approval of the permit application, or (3) determines that the application
does not meet the criteria for staff review, the application will be placed on the next available
Commission meeting agenda.
5. Any reviews completed by staff will be reported to the Commission at its monthly meeting.
Procedures
1. The applicant will file for the building permit with the Division of Permits and Inspections which
will then be routed for review to the HDC. All application requirements of the Division of Permits
and Inspections and those listed in the Zoning Ordinance under the respective zoning category
must be met for review to proceed.
2. If the application fits with the guidelines for staff review, staff will endeavor to review and act
within ten (10) business days from the date the application is deemed complete and routed for
review.
3. If the application meets the appropriate guidelines for staff review, staff will issue a letter of
support for the permit.
4. If the application does not meet the appropriate guidelines for staff review, staff will schedule
the application for the next available HDC agenda.
This policy was adopted by the Historic District Commission at their regular meeting on December 1,
2021.
Record #Type MIHP#Record
Status
Task Name Comments
Historic District
Commission The HDC reviewed this project for comment at their May 3 meeting.
Historic District
Commission Updated by Script from EPR.
Task Name Comments
Historical Review MIHP numbers listed on this permit are previously demolished and have been for significant time. No
HDC review required as part of this permit.
Historical Review
Task Name Comments
Historical Review Due to commercial use, this does not fit into the staff review criteria for a pole building. Scheduled for the
June 7 HDC meeting.
Task Name Comments
Historical Review Concrete pad is going where an existing building and pavement is located. This permit is more of a
replacement rather than "new" based on the plans. HDC does not need to review this permit.
Historical Review
Task Name Comments
Historic District
Commission
1. Should consider buffering through FC easement placement or appropriate site design buffering.
2. Consider HP zoning overlay when determining subdivision potential for later submission.
Task Name Comments
Historical Review Updated by Script from EPR.
Task Name Comments
Historical Review Property is in Leitersburg and new construction would be reviewed by the HDC. Scheduling for the June
2023 meeting.
Task Name Comments
Historic District
Commission
The Historic District Commission reviewed these plans at their May 3rd meeting and had no additional
comments regarding the proposed activity.
Historic District
Commission Updated by Script from EPR.
Historic Review Activity 04/20/2023 thru 05/24/2023
Open Date Date Assigned Location Description Workflow Info
Status Date
Note 04-May-23
Revisions Required 04-May-23
Days in Review:10
SP-23-004 Site Plan I267 In Review 01-Feb-23
2023-00626 Non-Residential Signs
Permit I517; I518 Review 06-Feb-23
24-Apr-23 17939 MASON DIXON ROAD
HAGERSTOWN, MD 21740
SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR TWO
COMMERCIAL WAREHOUSES
Folder Status
22-May-23 SP-22-025 10510 VIDA
DRIVE, LOT 2
150 SQ. FT. DOUBLE SIDED ILLUMINATED FREE
STANDING SIGN THAT HAS LOGO ON IT AND
LED MESSAGE BOARD, DIGITAL MENU BOARD,
DRIVE-THRU CLEARANCE BARS, 50' FLAG POLE
CHICK-FIL-A - FSU #05187 - SHARPSBURG PIKE
Folder Status Status Date
Note 22-May-23
Passed - Info 22-May-23
Days in Review:0
Status Date
Note 24-May-23
Days in Review:1
2023-00893 Non-Residential New
Construction Permit Review 16-Feb-23
2023-00894 Non-Residential New
Construction Permit Review 16-Feb-23
23-May-23 LOR 21431 LEITER STREET
576 SQ. FT. ONE STORY POLE BUILDING ON
CONCRETE SLAB TO BE USED FOR STORAGE, (1)
9' OVERHEAD DOOR, PRE-ENGINEERED ROOF
TRUSSES, POLE CONSTRUCTION WITH METAL
ROOF AND METAL SIDES,
Folder Status
23-May-23 LOR 21431 LEITER STREET
300 SQ. FT. CONCRETE PAD FOR EMERGENCY
GENERATOR
LEITERSBURG VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY
Folder Status Status Date
Note 24-May-23
Passed - Info 24-May-23
Days in Review:1
Status Date
Complete 09-May-23
Days in Review:46
PC-23-001 Preliminary Consultation I336 In Review 14-Mar-23
2023-01715 Residential Addition-
Alteration Permit III071 Approved 24-Mar-23
24-Mar-23 12440 BURKHOLDER LANE
HAGERSTOWN, MD 21740
APPLICATION IS FOR THE ASSOCIATED
PRELIMINARY CONSULTATION AND SWCP
ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
BURKHOLDER PROPERTY. THE INTENT OF THE
DEVELOPMENT IS TO BUILD AN ACCESS ROAD
THAT TIES INTO THE ROAD SECTION CURRENTLY
UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT THE NORTH POINT
Folder Status
04-May-23 S-01-052 20313 LOCUST
GROVE ROAD, LOT 5
650 SQ. FT. INTERIOR RENOVATIONS TO
INCLUDE RENOVATING KITCHEN AREA,
REMODEL MASTER BATH, RAISE CEILING
HEIGHT IN MASTER BATH AND MASTER
BEDROOM BY 2-FT. REPLACE SINGLE WINDOW
Folder Status Status Date
Passed - Info 04-May-23
Days in Review:0
Status Date
Note 02-May-23
Days in Review:7
2023-01727 Residential New
Construction Permit Review 27-Mar-23
SP-23-011 Site Plan I392 In Review 03-Apr-23
25-Apr-23
S-95-051 21550
LEITERSBURG SMITHSBURG
ROAD
900 SQ. FT. FINISHED SPACE DETACHED TWO
STORY TWO CAR GARAGE WITH 457 SQ. FT.
UNFINISHED SPACE ON SECOND FLOOR WITH
EXTERIOR 24 SQ. FT. LANDING AND STEPS TO
GRADE, CONCRETE SLAB, FRAME
Folder Status
06-Apr-23
17137 BLACK STALLION
LANE
HAGERSTOWN, MD 21740
THE PROJECT IS LOCATED AT 17137 BLACK
STALLION LANE IN HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT CONSISTS OF THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A SOLAR FACILITY,
COMMUNITY ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM
WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 26.0 ACRES OF
EXISTING AGRICULTURAL LAND. THE
Folder Status Status Date
Approved 04-May-23
Approved 10-May-23
Days in Review:34
Task Name Comments
Historical Review Updated by Script from EPR.
Historical Review Maugansville RV is not an adopted RV. No HDC review required for this area. Sent no review contact
letter.
Task Name Comments
Historical Review
Upon closer review the structure is not individually listed on the MIHP nor is it contributing to Park Hall.
Its not in a Rural Village with full review either so the HDC does not need to review this demolition
permit.
Historical Review Updated by Script from EPR.
Task Name Comments
Historical Review Property is in the boundary for Turner's Gap NR area, not an HDC review area for new construction.
Property is not included in contributing. No HDC review required.
Historical Review Updated by Script from EPR.
Task Name Comments
Historical Review Updated by Script from EPR.
Historical Review Demolition is under the review sqft threshold for HDC and the new construction is not in an area for
design review. Sending no review contact letter.
Task Name Comments
Historic District
Commission
Property has an MIHP point however the structure is clearly listed as a lesser example and the Rural
village itself is not listed. This was likely required documentation for a grant application for the structure.
No pictures or detailed description are included. HDC review isn't necessary and no additional notes on
the plat are necessary.
Historic District
Commission Updated by Script from EPR.
Task Name Comments
Historic District
Commission
Informed customer of cemetery on the property and asked for updated plot plan to ensure it wasn't to be
disturbed. Customer indicated no disturbance is planned and drew location of cemetery. Also informed
them of MIHP on site and provided link to the document. Added email chain and customers provided
plan to the parcel documents. No HDC review is required for this type of permitting activity on this parcel.
Task Name Comments
Historical Review project is interior fit out of existing space. No historic resources remaining and therefore no review by
HDC necessary.
Historical Review Updated by Script from EPR.
Status Date
Passed - Info 02-May-23
Note 02-May-23
Days in Review:12
2023-02019 Residential Addition-
Alteration Permit Approved 12-Apr-23
2023-02135 Residential New
Construction Permit Review 18-Apr-23
20-Apr-23 LOR 14109 MAUGANSVILLE
ROAD
INTERIOR RENOVATIONS AND ADDITION TO
EXISTING TWO FAMILY DWELLING APARTMENT
TO INCLUDE 266 SQ. FT. ONE STORY ADDITION
ON CONCRETE SLAB TO LEFT OF DWELLING TO
BE USED AS A BEDROOM, 90 SQ. FT. ONE STORY
ADDITION ON CONCRETE SLAB TO BE USED AS A
KITCHEN, INTERIOR RENOVATIONS TO INCLUDE
Folder Status
09-May-23 S-22-031 4380 LOCUST
GROVE ROAD
DEMOLITION OF 2,332 SQ. FT. SINGLE FAMILY
DWELLING INCLUDING FOUNDATION AND
REPLACE WITH A 6,959 SQ. FT. FINISHED SPACE
TWO STORY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON FULL
PARTIALLY FINISHED (1,638 SQ. FT.) WALK OUT
BASEMENT TO BE USED AS A RECREATION
ROOM, HOME OFFICE, WET BAR, AND FULL
BATHROOM, GAS FIRE PLACE, ELEVATOR,
Folder Status Status Date
Note 10-May-23
Passed - Info 10-May-23
Days in Review:1
Status Date
Note 02-May-23
Passed - Info 02-May-23
Days in Review:0
2023-02192 Residential Addition-
Alteration Permit Approved 19-Apr-23
2023-02236 Residential Addition-
Alteration Permit II0171 Approved 23-Apr-23
02-May-23 LOR 6156 OLD NATIONAL
PIKE
672 SQ. FT. DETACHED TWO CAR GARAGE ON
CONCRETE SLAB TO REAR OF DWELLING, POLE
FRAME CONSTRUCTION, PRE-ENGINEERED
TRUSSES, ELECTRIC
Folder Status
02-May-23 LOR 20148 COOL HOLLOW
ROAD
DEMOLISH EXISTING 25 SQ. FT. FRONT PORCH
AND REPLACE WITH 138 SQ. FT. COVERED
FRONT PORCH ON CONCRETE SLAB, HIP ROOF
WITH RAFTERS
Folder Status Status Date
Passed - Info 02-May-23
Note 02-May-23
Days in Review:0
Status Date
Note 09-May-23
Passed - Info 09-May-23
Days in Review:1
S-23-018 Preliminary-Final Plat III178 In Review 05-May-23
2023-02538 Zoning Certification II0322 Review 05-May-23
08-May-23
2303 DARGAN SCHOOL
ROAD
SHARPSBURG, MD 21782
SUBDIVIDE A 2.19 ACRE LOT OFF AROUND AN
EXISTING HOME LEAVING 10.07 ACRES IN THE
REMAINING LAND. ZONED RV AND EC
Folder Status
18-May-23 LOR 20230 DOGSTREET
ROAD
ZONING CERTIFICATION FOR ANIMAL
HUSBANDRY FOR (6) HORSES, (11) CHICKENS
BEING HOUSED IN (4) PROPOSED 160 SQ. FT.
RUN-IN SHEDS AND A 400 SQ. FT. CHICKEN
COOP
HANS, MERWIN
Folder Status Status Date
Passed - Info 23-May-23
Days in Review:5
Status Date
Note 24-May-23
Passed - Info 24-May-23
Days in Review:2
2023-02569
Non-Residential
Addition-Alteration
Permit
I440 Review 08-May-23 22-May-23 11116 MEDICAL CAMPUS
ROAD, SUITES 141 & 143
7,987 SQ. FT. TENANT FIT-OUT TO INCLUDE,
OFFICES, EXAM ROOMS, SOILED HOLDING
ROOM, BREAK ROOM, (2) PROCEDURE ROOMS,
SUPPLY STORAGE ROOM, NURSES STATION,
CHECK-OUT SEATING AREA, CHECK IN/OUT
AREA, IT RACKING AREA, STERLIZERS AREA,
INTAKE AREA, STORAGE ROOM, RESTROOMS,
Folder Status
Task Name Comments
Historic District
Commission
Plan is modification of existing site plan; disturbance is proposed in an area that is already
disturbed/graded previously with baseball facilities. No full structure demolition is proposed and it's not
in a design review area. For these reasons staff will not be taking this to the HDC.
Historic District
Commission Updated by Script from EPR.
Task Name Comments
Historical Review HDC does not need to review the interior changes for this building nor are exterior changes reviewable.
MHT does have review for some of these buildings and review is left up to them.
Historical Review Updated by Script from EPR.
Task Name Comments
Antietam Overlay
Zone Review
Antietam Overlay
Zone Review
Property is located in the AO2 with no additional overlays or HDC review areas. AO2 is commercial/non
res review only so no HDC review is required for this permit.
Activity Count:18
Complete Note Passed - Info
0 2 2
0 2 1
0 1 1
1 0 0
0 1 1
0 4 5
0 2 1
0 2 1
0 0 1
1 14 13
SP-23-016 Site Plan I014 In Review 08-May-23 10-May-23 17525 KELLETT DRIVE
HAGERSTOWN, MD 21740
REVISION TO PREVIOUSLY APPROVED SITE PLAN
- COUNTY REFERENCE NO. SP-21-034
Folder Status Status Date
Note 23-May-23
Passed - Info 23-May-23
Days in Review:13
Status Date
Note 23-May-23
Passed - Info 23-May-23
Days in Review:0
2023-02596
Non-Residential
Addition-Alteration
Permit
Review 09-May-23
2023-02690 Residential Addition-
Alteration Permit Review 15-May-23
23-May-23 SP-07-052 14310 CASTLE
DRIVE, BUILDING 304
CHANGE IN USE FROM EDUCATIONAL FACILITY
TO HAIR SALON, 394 SQ. FT. TENANT FIT OUT IN
EXISTING BUILDING TO INCLUDE NEW
BULKHEAD IN HAIR SALON AREA, HAIR CUT
STATION, HAIR WASH STATION, COLOR MIXING
STATION, AND NAIL STATION, WAITING AREA,
BREAKROOM, RESTROOMS AND MECHANICAL
ROOMS ARE EXISTING, ZONING CERTIFICATE
Folder Status
22-May-23 LOR 17539 SNYDERS
LANDING ROAD
INSTALL ROOF MOUNTED 12.80 KW SOLAR
ARRAY SYSTEM CONSISTING OF (16) PANELS ON
DWELLING AND (16) PANELS ON DETACHED
GARAGE
Folder Status Status Date
Passed - Info 22-May-23
Note 22-May-23
Days in Review:0
Review Activities Summary
Application Type Application Number Approved Revisions Total
Non-Residential Addition-Alteration Permit Total 0 0 2
Non-Residential New Construction Permit Total 0 0 2
Non-Residential Signs Permit Total 0 0 1
Preliminary Consultation Total 0 0 1
Preliminary-Final Plat Total 0 0 1
Residential Addition-Alteration Permit Total 0 0 5
Residential New Construction Permit Total 0 0 2
Site Plan Total 1
Total 1 1 18
1 3
Zoning Certification Total 0 0 1