Visit the Catoctin Trail, starting from any point in the listing below, and virtually hike from place to place on the trail — click on the up arrow () to hike toward the northern-most trailhead, or click on the down arrow () to hike toward the southern-most trailhead; the up and down arrows are located at the top of each Catoctin Trail page.
Find the places in the listing below on the map to the left marked by large red dots.
In 1765 this place was an agricultural area known as "Log Town." In time, that name shifted to Gaithersburg, after a local landholder and businessman, Benjamin Gaither. He operated a store that included the Forest Oak Post Office, which was named for a large tree in town. This tree, which fell down in 1997, was the inspiration for the city's current logo and flag.
So much has changed since the nineteenth century! Now Gaithersburg is the fourth largest incorporated city in Maryland, after Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville. It's the location of major employers, such as NIST and IBM. Its historic downtown, known as "Olde Towne," features many historic buildings, including the train station complex. Would you like to learn more about the story of Gaithersburg?
Railroad History: Gaithersburg grew, especially around the B&O railroad station built in 1884 and designed by Ephraim Francis Baldwin who designed so many ornate railroad stations in Maryland. The station featured two buildings: the main Station House and a Freight House. They were purchased by the city in 1984 and refurbished, winning preservation awards and being designated in the National Register of Historic Places. The Station House continues in use today, including a MARC Train ticket counter, a coffee-shop, and a waiting room. The Freight House has been repurposed as the Gaithersburg Community Museum (see below), which includes rolling stock outside (steam engine, caboose, and commuter rail car). The museum features dynamic and interactive exhibits and photos showing off Gaithersburg's past. Step outside, and you will be able to connect the historical pictures of the past with Gaithersburg's modern present. This museum is not only appropriate for children, but adults find it fascinating, and there are some great places for little kids to play. This museum weaves it's learning magic in partnership with the Gaithersburg Historical Association.
(Click here to jump down to see the museum and the trains.)
Astronomy History: The historic Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory is little known today outside of Gaithersburg, but in its day it was part of a brave international scientific project to measure wobble in the earth's polar axis of rotation, and the findings of the project are relevant even today for navigation and GPS. In 1899 it was established as one among six observatories in different countries around the world at the same latitude (i.e., distance from the north pole). After a distinguished career, it was decommissioned in 1982, because automation made human observation no longer necessary. In 1989 the observatory and grounds were designated in the National Register of Historic Places. Today it is owned by the city and operated for the benefit and learning of its citizens.
(Click here to go to the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory page.)
Originally this building, located right by the tracks, was used for storing freight hauled on the B&O Railroad. It has now become the nucleus of the Gaithersburg Community Museum, a resource for the whole family, and the whole community. Note that this transportation and history museum includes both the Freight House and also the rolling stock (train cars on rails) behind the Freight House.
The Gaithersburg Community Museum, along with the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory (see below) are overseen by Nansie Wilde, Community Facility Manager, who works hard to keep Gaithersburg history alive.
With today's Gaithersburg and today's railroad right outside the door, this museum offers educational and entertaining exhibits and programs to explore the long history of the city and railroad. Like any good museum it offers a museum shop, and is attractive to both adults and children to learn. You can see Nansie Wilde (in red) near the door explaining the museum to a visitor. The exhibits include a historic school room, a Gaithersburg bank, and a store with historic merchandise on exhibit. This is a fun place for visitors of all ages,.
(Click here to see some of the museum's hands-on and interactive displays guaranteed to spark interest and imagination.
And also — you definitely will want to visit the museum's Facebook page for the schedule of special events held in the museum, such as Storytime Station for young kids, and Museum After Hours for adults.
This museum does not rest on its laurels, but continuously plans new educational and interesting opportunities to offer to the public. Here Ms. Wilde and her Program Coordinator Karen Lottes are working on planning an exciting new program, having just finished running the highly successful Gaithersburg Eclipse Party at the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory (see the telescope exhibit immediately below).
One of the most recent exhibits is this historic telescope, which was part of an international scientific study to measure the precession (wobble) of earth's polar axis of rotation. This is the original telescope used in the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory. The telescope was moved to a NASA facility, before returning home to Gaithersburg to be viewed in this wonderful museum. Click here to get in your car and visit the grounds of the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory not too far a drive from the museum. You might also be interested in the evening "Skywatching" programs at the Observatory.
Right outside the backdoor of the museum is this Bay Window caboose, the C&O #904152 Chessie Class C-27A, made by the Fruit Growers Express company in the early 1980s. After it was retired functionally as a caboose, it played a part in promoting railroad safety. Now that it is parked by the museum, this caboose isn't just for admiring from the outside, but you and your children can go inside, where it's always playtime. Click here to join the kids inside the caboose.
Ironically, the caboose is not the end of the rolling-stock. Right behind the caboose is the museum's Budd Car, which was a self-propelled diesel powered commuter car made by the historic Budd Company. This car carried commuters, for example to work and back, and the seats could be flopped from sitting in one direction to sitting in the other direction for the return trip, without having to turn around the train. These trains were used for short inter-city routes, but also sometimes for somewhat longer routes. Click here to enjoy a guided tour of the inside of the Budd Car, led by Louise Bradford. When you visit the museum, she would be happy to take you or your group on your own guided tour. There are also scheduled programs held in here, including Museum After Hours: check the museum's Facebook page for the schedule of the varied and interesting special events, such as movie night with a scary train theme.
Nestled cozily between the Station House and the Freight House museum is the lovely little Gaithersburg History Park, which features plaques explaining Gaithersburg history and peonies from the garden of the Schwartz family, which lived in what is now City Hall.
When you visit this park, you get a great view of the steam engine parked next to the museum. Sadly, you cannot climb aboard it, but you can examine it closely by the side of the track, and appreciate that muscular looking machine. This steam engine, the #14, was manufactured by Alco-Schenectady in 1918 as an 0-8-0 engine, meaning it had no front or back wheels to stabilize it, but it did have eight drive wheels; early in its life it was refitted with two front wheels, making it a 2-8-0 engine. The Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad acquired the engine in 1950 to haul coal. Click here to get a better view of this engine's hulking muscles and mighty wheels.
If all that adventure gets you and your children hungry, you can go to Java Junction for tasty sandwiches in the Station House, and then eat and rest in the historic train passenger waiting room.
From the door of the Gaithersburg Community Museum you can look out see the Gaithersburg Olde Towne of today as well as the railroad of today! As you and the whole family explore the interactive exhibits, you can hear the CSX and Amtrak rumbling past the museum. Local history is full steam ahead. All Aboard!
Suppose you can’t afford to visit the “Holy Land,” Roman Catacombs, or Lourdes in southern France, but you know that seeing any of those holy places for yourself would be a faith building experience. Well, here is the answer: visit the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, DC. There you can find not only the beautiful Franciscan Monastery church, where services are held daily, but also re-creations of the catacombs, which were refuges and burial places of early Roman Christians, accurate re-creations of “Holy Land” sites both inside the church and out in the lovely gardens, and also a re-creation of the grotto of Lourdes where the peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous, had visions of the Virgin Mary. You can see all of these and more right here in Washington, DC.
The Franciscan order of monks was founded by a man, Francis of Assisi (who became Saint Francis of Assisi), who promoted an ascetic life of poverty and who wanted to rebuild the spiritual strength of the Catholic Church. He received approval in 1209 from Pope Innocent III for his mission, and worked tirelessly to achieve it, gaining followers who followed in his footsteps.
Here he is shown with a child and doves, both of which are frequent art motifs when depicting Saint Francis, to portray his gentleness.
Saint Francis is also often represented in art holding the baby Jesus, lilies of purity, and a book of learning. Creating and running organizations was not his greatest strength, but rather he was inspirational to so many people, and he succeeded in inspiring people who were good organizers and managers to establish multiple orders of friars who experienced great successes throughout the Christian world. There are now Franciscan monasteries throughout the world, and especially in the near east, where they have a mandate to maintain Roman Catholic holy sites and they help the poor.
The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land was the child of Father Godfrey Schilling, O.F.M., who along with the Very Reverend Charles A. Vassani, envisioned a “holy land in America” in the late nineteenth century. Father Schilling’s vision was achieved during the course of two decades, during which time he traveled in the “holy land” to take pictures and photographs of holy sites to ensure accurate reproduction.
The church, called The Memorial Church of the Holy Sepulcher, was consecrated in 1924, built on a hill that was called “Mount Saint Sepulcher.” The church was designed by the famous architect Aristide Leonori, in the neo-Byzantine style, resembling the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. The statue to the right of the flag pole is that of Father Godfrey Schilling.
The church is surrounded by a cloistered walkway, which includes small chapels with mosaics commemorating episodes in the life and death of Jesus. In this chapel, we see a mosaic of Christ praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The Monastery grounds contain replicas of shrines in the “Holy Land,” a Lourdes grotto, and a replica of the Portiuncola chapel, where Saint Franscis started his work of rebuilding the Catholic Church, first by rebuilding the chapel. The Franciscan Monastery itself (at left), where the monks live, is in the neo-Romanesque style, and is attached to the church.
The Memorial Church of the Holy Sepulcher is entered from the west side (facing Quincy Street, NE. Over the door is the likeness of Jesus, to the left of Jesus is the Tau Cross, and to the right is the Jerusalem (or Crusader’s) Cross.
You, may, if you wish, visit the following galleries to see and learn more about this amazing resource, the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, right here in Washington, DC.
Thousands Turn Out for a Huge Party in Gaithersburg, Maryland …
The Excitement of an Eclipse!
A blow-out party was held August 21st on the grounds of the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory, just two blocks from Maryland 355, to celebrate the science and spectacle of an eclipse of the sun by the moon as it crossed over the United States. The eclipse itself ran between about 1:30 and 4:00 in the afternoon, but the excitement started much earlier, and covered much more ground in science as well as educational amusement for both children and adults.
This Solar Eclipse Party was sponsored by the Gaithersburg Community Museum, and planning was done by Karen Lottes, Program Coordinator at the museum. The Party was a success in large part because everyone jumped into the effort and provided something. The museum invited the Rockville Science Center to join their party, and the Center generously participated and provided volunteers and support. The excitement of the party was enhanced by STEM activities (see "Learning Science" below), and many were provided by the NISE Network in their Earth-Space Science Toolbox.
Note: The above picture shows actual projections on a piece of paper of the eclipsed sun at periods of time between 1:40pm and 2:30pm. The projections were provided by a small inexpensive telescope and a piece of white paper clipped to a "Where's Waldo" book. It was provided by an inventive party-goer, working on their own, and ensured that anybody who happened to walk by could view the eclipse projected on the paper: a very democratic approach to eclipse viewing.
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Eclipse Viewing Safety Glasses — Hundreds of people came extra early to get special glasses to enable them to directly see the eclipse safely. Over 800 pairs of such glasses were available, and a long line of expectant eclipse watchers waited to get theirs. (Most of the glasses were provided free by the NASA Heliophysics Division.)
It wasn’t long before the line of hopeful watchers expanded from hundreds to thousands. This picture shows the line before too many had shown up. Not long later, that line was going out the entrance gate. It was estimated that the crowd reached 3,500 adults and children who participated in the event and, it was hoped, even learned something.
Eclipse Viewing For Everyone — In spite of the huge number of eclipse-viewing glasses handed to the party goers, there were simply not enough glasses for everyone. Thankfully, the people attending the party were generous with each other and shared the glasses among themselves. There were also alternatives to the glasses. Dick Rhorer (shown here) and Malcolm Jennings volunteered to work together to set up telescopes with special filters for viewing the sun. These telescopes were hugely popular.
(Click here to see all the options available at the party for eclipse viewing.)
Not missing the total eclipse — Events from the total eclipse were fed live to the Gaithersburg party, in case anyone thought they were missing out by not traveling hundreds of miles to see the full eclipse.
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Learning Science — This party was not just about gawking at a spectacle. There were also opportunities to learn about science. Here kids saw how the earth revolves around the sun, held in place by gravity. Some of them wanted to know what gravity was: the question is the beginning of knowledge. In this picture, you can see the little green earths (marbles) revolving around the sun in the middle (the larger ball), which creates a gravity well, pulling objects toward it.
(Click here to see all the learning opportunities at the party..)
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Spontaneous Solar Exhibits — Some of the most interesting things there demonstrated ingenuity in using sunshine. In this picture, the pizza box with reflective lid held open with a stick demonstrated a solar oven, with the heat held in by clear plastic. It was just sitting there, quietly cooking hot dogs for someone’s lunch. Sitting next to the solar oven, was a great device, using a small telescope and a white sheet to project an image of the sun. In this way, many people at once could watch the spectacular event taking place. Other ways of viewing the eclipse allowed only one person at a time to view it.
This is the Utica Mills Covered Bridge, not far from the Hunting Creek Fisheries. It was built over Fishing Creek from part of the Devilbiss Covered Bridge that had been over the Monocacy River in Frederick County and that had been washed away in 1889 in the disastrous Johnstown Flood. Over the years it has been repaired and refurbished numerous times.
This is not a bridge, but I saw it on Utica Road on the way to the covered bridge. It is part of a national, and even international, movement to promote literacy, organized by the non-profit Little Free Library, where you can get information to start your own Little Free Library, or find one in your area.
This is the Roddy Road Covered Bridge, which also has a oral tradition of a role during the Civil War. Damage caused by a truck in 2016 shows in the photo, which has resulted in the bridge being closed until it can be fixed.
The Catoctin Mountain Range in Maryland, which is one of the most wonderful recreational treasures within driving distance of Washington, DC. People in the area of course use it for hiking, but also in certain places for camping, for trail-biking, for fishing, and even for boating and swimming. The southern end of this mountain range begins in the south just west of Frederick, MD, and runs about 30 miles north, roughly parallel to South Mountain, which is more to the west, and roughly parallel to MD-15, which is just east of it. On both sides it is surrounded by productive farm land. Over its length, it comprises a ridge that dips a few times into passes. It runs through four parks, as follows from north to south:
Catoctin Mountain Park, a national park with numerous recreation opportunities and which is popular for hiking and camping. It includes the popular east-side Catoctin Mountain Extended Loop Trail. The Loop Trail visits highlights such as Chimney Rock, Wolf Rock, Thurmont Vista, Blueridge Summit Overlook, and Hog Rock. The west-side is dominated by the Catoctin Trail, but also offers hose-back riding, camping, and getting close to nature. [Click here to see the sites in Catoctin Mountain Park (NPS)].
Gambrill State Park, which includes several well blazed looping trails in addition to the non-looping Catoctin Trail. The looping feature of these trails is nice … you can park at the trailhead, and follow the loop trails right back to the trailhead. Some of the trails are limited to foot traffic, while others also offer the excitement of mountain biking. [Click here to see the sites in Gambrill State Park].
Strictly speaking, this mountain range does continue south into Virginia, but at much lower elevations and with fewer notable hiking opportunities to explore.
The Catoctin Trail … Each of the four separate parks include many hiking trails. Additionally, there is one long trail, which is a wonderful resource, the Catoctin Trail, maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC). This trail is 26.6 miles long, and the northern end is just three miles from the Appalachian Trail on South Mountain. In addition to hiking and mountain biking, the trail is also the site for the annual 50K Catoctin Trail Run, which runs out-and-back from the Gambrill Tea Room to the Manor Area Visitors Center.
This photo journey provides you with an opportunity to virtually “hike” this trail in either direction. [Click here to see the sites and virtually hike the Catoctin Trail].
) to hike toward the northern-most trailhead, or click on the down arrow (
) to hike toward the southern-most trailhead; the up and down arrows are located at the top of each Catoctin Trail page.
