Washington County, MD, Historical Society

Washington County, MD, Historical Society The WCHS is an organization devoted to the preservation and promotion of Washington County’s history.

The Washington County Historical Society, founded in 1911, is an organization devoted to the preservation and promotion of the history and culture of Washington County, Maryland. The Washington County Historical Society operates the Miller House Museum, an 1825 townhouse located in downtown Hagerstown. The museum gives visitors a look at life for one of Hagerstown's elite families during the 19th

century. It also maintains exhibits that highlight important events in Washington County history. The Miller House is also home to the kinship Family Heritage Research Center, a library and archives devoted to regional genealogical research. kinship's collections include books, documents, photographs, audio and film, as well as a number of online databases. In addition, kinship offers consultations with our staff genealogist every Wednesday afternoon.

This week on "Get to Know our Board of Directors Monday" the spotlight is on Steve Hummel! This week, we are pleased to ...
06/22/2026

This week on "Get to Know our Board of Directors Monday" the spotlight is on Steve Hummel!

This week, we are pleased to introduce Steve Hummel, a member of the WCHS Board and Finance Committee. With a lifelong interest in local history and a 44-year career in banking, he developed a deep appreciation for the stories that shaped Washington County. After retiring he worked with Fulton Bank to ensure that a collection of Historical artifacts from the former Hagerstown Trust Company building was donated to the WCHS for preservation. Since then, he has continued to support the Society through his service on the Finance Committee. He enjoys sharing his knowledge of local history, learning more about our community's past, and helping preserve it for future generations.

Thank you for all your support and hard work that you have done for the Historical Society Steve!

Today the WCHS will be closed in observance of Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th of each year to commemorate the end o...
06/19/2026

Today the WCHS will be closed in observance of Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th of each year to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.

Juneteenth has been celebrated since 1866, sometimes called Freedom Day and Emancipation Day. Its origin began on June 19, 1865, when enslaved Texans learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after the Confederate Army surrendered to the Union Army at Appomattox on April 9, 1865.

Juneteenth is one of the longest celebrated African American holidays in the United States. In Washington County, MD, black residents of the county have celebrated Freedom Day and Juneteenth (a term adopted in the 1890s), gathering at such local landmarks as the John Brown Farm near Sample's Manor. Local celebrations have been hosted by families, African American schools in Hagerstown, church groups, and the Black Elks (IBPOEW)...and the holiday continues to be celebrated in Washington County today.

Photograph from the Austin History Center (Link: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth124053/)

On Wednesday, we were happy to be invited over to Williamsport’s Library to introduce games from the 1800s and 1900’s.If...
06/18/2026

On Wednesday, we were happy to be invited over to Williamsport’s Library to introduce games from the 1800s and 1900’s.

If you missed out on Wednesday and are interested in joining next time, we will be doing another event with our games at Smithsburg Library on July 15th at 4:00 pm! Be sure to attend if you're interested in learning about games your ancestors have participated in!

Happy International Picnic Day! Washington County residents have long enjoyed picnics, such as the Henneberger family ph...
06/18/2026

Happy International Picnic Day! Washington County residents have long enjoyed picnics, such as the Henneberger family photographed while on a picnic ca. the 1890s. This photo (PH7713) from the Henneberger Family Collection is a cyanotype print in beautiful shades of blue.

Do you have a favorite place in Washington County to picnic? We would love to hear about it in the comments!

Thank you to everyone who attended last Friday's Culture & Cocktails, "The Weather Gods Curse the Gettysburg Campaign," ...
06/16/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended last Friday's Culture & Cocktails, "The Weather Gods Curse the Gettysburg Campaign," with Dr. Jon Nese and Jeffrey Harding.

Many, many thanks to Jon and Jeff as they led attendees through a fascinating look at how intense and unparalleled weather affected the Battle of Gettysburg, as well as meteorological practices of the time and first-hand accounts. Their years of work and dedication to sharing this aspect of the battle's history was wonderful to hear.

We had a great night learning about this history with our attendees, WCHS members, volunteers, staff, and board members who were present! Wonderful appetizers and refreshments by Tara's Table, and many thanks to board members Laura Lane-Unsworth and Elizabeth Paul for bartending. We look forward to seeing you at our July C&C!

Introducing "Get to Know Our Board of Directors Monday!" Behind every museum, event, and preservation effort is a group ...
06/15/2026

Introducing "Get to Know Our Board of Directors Monday!"

Behind every museum, event, and preservation effort is a group of dedicated members who help keep the Washington County Historical Society alive.

This week, we are pleased to introduce Laura Lane-Unsworth, Vice President and incoming President of the Washington County Historical Society. Laura became involved because of her passion for preserving historic structures, and she enjoys connecting with others who share an appreciation for local history. One of her special interests is the history of Washington County's spring houses, and she and her husband are currently remodeling a 1760 spring house. Laura loves learning more about stories that shape our community, and she encourages everyone with an interest in history to attend, volunteer, or become a member because there is always a place for new faces at the WCHS.

Become an active member of the Washington County Historical Society, and you too can say you're helping preserve this co...
06/10/2026

Become an active member of the Washington County Historical Society, and you too can say you're helping preserve this county's history!

As a WCHS member, you will benefit from reduced ticket fees for events such as Culture and Cocktails, access to our member newsletter The Legacy, free Miller House Museum tours, and many more exciting opportunities here at the Miller house.

To become a member today, just click the link below where you'll see a variety of our membership plans.

Link to WCHS: https://washcohistory.org/become-a-member/

🩺 It’s National Call Your Doctor Day!While no longer practicing, the last owner of the Miller House was Dr. Victor Mille...
06/09/2026

🩺 It’s National Call Your Doctor Day!

While no longer practicing, the last owner of the Miller House was Dr. Victor Miller Jr., a well-known Hagerstown physician. Unfortunately, Dr. Miller isn’t taking any calls right now, but our exhibit at the Miller House features several vintage medical tools he used throughout his career, along with photographs and documents connected to his life and practice.

So instead of calling your doctor, come visit the Miller House Museum and learn about one of Hagerstown’s notable physicians and former owners of the Miller House!

✨Meet Jarod Robertson, WCHS Summer Intern✨Jarod Robertson currently attends Shippensburg University as a History major w...
06/08/2026

✨Meet Jarod Robertson, WCHS Summer Intern✨

Jarod Robertson currently attends Shippensburg University as a History major with a concentration in Public History. He grew up in Ailey, Georgia, before moving to the Hagerstown area.

Jarod's summer projects include cataloging historical documents from the WCHS Collection. This information will then be available online for people to search. Jarod will also support daily operations at the Miller House and setting up for events. One project Jarod will be supporting is setting up a new curating space and storage area for artifacts. Jarod's goals during his internship include learning more about filing systems in archives as well as how to operate and manage an archive that is open to the public.

Address

135 W Washington Street
Hagerstown, MD
21740

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

Telephone

(301) 797-8782

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Washington County, MD, Historical Society posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Washington County, MD, Historical Society:

Shortcuts

Share

Category