Explore the iron furnace’s ruins and tour the Collier’s Log House (ca. 1810). The furnace was in blast by 1776, and bombshells from Catoctin helped secure victory at Yorktown.
Highly skilled workers, both enslaved African Americans and European immigrants, toiled to make all manner of iron products, including stoves, firebacks and kettles. Surrounding the furnace, the company town boasted iron ore pits, more than sixty-five houses, slave quarters, an Episcopal church, a school, and a company store.
The furnace supported this vibrant community until 1903, when rising costs and new technology forced operations to cease. Today, the village of Catoctin Furnace serves as an enduring example of American culture before, during, and after the Revolutionary War and portrays the importance of industry in America.
Thurmont begins at the foothills of the Catoctin Mountains, and is a community that is rich in history, and natural resources to be enjoyed by all!
Thurmont is a designated Maryland Main Street sharing this prestigious award with only twenty-five other communities in the State of Maryland. Businesses, shops and restaurants are unique, one-of-a-kind and locally owned where you will find a familiar face.
Special events are an important part of Thurmont’s tradition while also having fun! Whether it is the annual summer concerts in Memorial Park, art shows along the Thurmont Trolley Trail, Main Street strolls, or artisan fairs, this is a reflection of Main Streets philosophy-Experience, Explore, Enjoy! Parking is available.
Experience The Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area and National Scenic Byway as it stretches 180 miles from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania through Frederick County, Maryland and ends at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Within this National Heritage Area there are more than 10,000 listings on the National Register of Historic Places, including nine presidents’ homes, 20 historic Main Street communities, 13 National Parks, and hundreds of African and Native American historical sites.
The Journey is, indeed, Hallowed. Take the Journey to Where America Happened! Thurmont is proud to be a scheduled stop on The Journey Through Hallowed Ground.
Cunningham Falls State Park features a 43-acre man-made lake as well as its namesake Cunningham Falls, a 78-foot cascading waterfall. This waterfall is the largest cascading waterfall in the state!
Bring the family to enjoy camping, hiking, hunting, swimming, picnicking, playgrounds, boating, fishing, and of course enjoy the sounds and sights of Cunningham Falls. Big Hunting Creek also flows through the park and is noted as being one of Maryland’s premier trout fishing streams. The park consists of 5,000 acres; with the William Houck Area and the Manor Area being the two developed areas.
The William Houck area has a 43 acre lake and trail to the Falls; Manor area includes the Catoctin Furnace and the Scales and Tales Aviary.
Also located at the base of the park is the Catoctin Mountain Furnace, an iron furnace dating from the 1770s that shows evidence of early settlement and industry in the area.
For approximately 50 years Thurmont was the “end of the line” for a trolley system that traveled from Frederick to Thurmont. After the final trip in 1954 the tracks were removed and the once bustling trail fell into disrepair. In 2004 the Thurmont Lions Club took on the insurmountable task of refurbishing the abandoned trolley trail into a useful hiking and biking trail.
After a lengthy planning and approval process and extensive fundraising, the actual refurbishing began in June 2006 with the official dedication in 2007. The project took more than 850 hours of labor volunteered by members of the Thurmont Lions and other interested residents.
The end result is a one-mile graded hiking/biking trail, between East Main Street and East Moser Road, featuring four newly constructed bridges, stabilized stream banks correcting serious erosion problems, and more than 1,800 tons of stone.
Further aesthetic improvements were completed in 2007 and again in 2009 with the addition of picnic tables, benches, trash receptacles and plantings, and in 2017 the Trolley Trail was paved.
These murals represent a community project for the Thurmont Lions Club 'Make a Difference Day' in 2013. The murals are painted on the former Thurmont Trolley Sub Station. The vision just kept growing which lead the Thurmont Lions Club to paint more murals in 2014, and reach out to the community for financial support.
This project quickly became a collaboration with the Thurmont Masonic Lodge, private donors, the town of Thurmont, and the State of Maryland DHCD grant program enabled more murals to illustrate the beauty and culture of Thurmont. Artist Yemi captured days gone by and modern day Thurmont as well.
The murals sit aside the former Trolley car for Thurmont which made it last run February 20, 1954. Bring a picnic lunch and sit alongside the Trolley car and view the murals too!
On July 31, 1929, Deputy Sheriff Clyde L. Hauver was fatally wounded in a raid on the Blue Blazes Still. It was a large commercial operation, a "steamer" still. More than 25,000 gallons of mash were found in 13 vats of 2,000-gallon capacity each. Police eventually tracked down several suspects, and two moonshiners were convicted in connection with the murder after several days of conflicting testimony. Tales of a double-crossing informant, a love triangle, arson, and other rumors spread throughout central Maryland. What exactly happened remains a mystery.
Today another still sits on the banks of Distillery Run. It's quite different than the set up found that day. The new Blue Blazes still is more typical of the smaller moonshine still of an earlier day. Even more different -- visitors are welcome -- not challenged.
Taste the fruits of Thurmont's Catoctin Mountain! Visit Catoctin mountain Orchard & Pryors Orchard! Take home family-owned, and local grown fruits, produce, and baked goods from.
Serving outside only at this time! Maryland's First Winery-Distillery-Brewery! Conveniently located along Rt.15, Come for a taste - Stay to Enjoy!
Springfield Manor features a convenient and prominent historic setting. Ambiance & tranquility grace the 130 private estate. The 1765 Manor and ballroom are ideal for weddings, intimate parties and corporate events of up to 300 seated guests. An expansive lavender farm brings visitors from all over. The restored bank barn houses the distillery, tasting room & the coming soon tap room.
Events are frequently hosted in the barn & on the outdoor patios. Live music and food allow guests to linger and enjoy the mountain backdrop and bucolic setting offered from the terraces.
Serving outside only at this time! Enjoy wine tastings with a breathtaking scenic view. Guests are welcome to enjoy their own picnic overlooking the vines and the Catoctin Mountains.
No reservations are required, but if you are in a group of 6 or more, please let us know in advance so that we can accommodate you.
Friendly dogs are welcome outside of the tasting room, and must remain on a leash at all times.
Serving outside only at this time! At Links Bridge Vineyards, their goal is to combine meticulous viticulture and skillful winemaking to create the best wines that can be made from grapes grown here on our farm near Utica, Maryland.
Our hope is that, with a little luck, the wines we produce will be always good, often very good, and sometimes even great!
While in Thurmont travel through Roddy Road Covered Bridge & Loy’s Station Covered Bridge.
Just a few minutes down the road you will find Utica Covered Bridge.
Click here for more information on Covered Bridges in Thurmont.
Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo provides an atmosphere to get closer to wildlife! The Preserve and Zoo is located on 25 beautifully wooded and landscaped acres and gardens meeting the needs of animals who jump, swim, fly, roar and tweet to greet you.
Endearing Sun Bears, energetic Lemurs from Madagascar, Kangaroo and Dingo from “down under” and some of the rarest and most entertaining monkeys in the world await you. Feed the dozens of free flying ducks and geese wandering among our ponds. More adventuresome? African Lions, Asian Tigers, South American Jaguar, Arctic Wolves, American Alligators and oriental Sun Bears all live and breed on our grounds. Delve into the depths of Africa, Asia and the America’s on our Wildlife Safari Adventure within a breathe of two ton Buffalo snorting up the steps of your Safari carrier. Laugh as the gawky camels and amazing Zebra keep pace with your Safari driver. Magnificent hoofed animals from around the globe enjoy a pet and feeding opportunity from the safe confines of your Safari vehicle. Your family will enjoy a once in a lifetime experience!
