Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Frederick
Halfway between the battlefields of Gettysburg, PA, and Antietam, Frederick, with its
handsome 50-square-block historic district, resembles an almost perfect cliche of a mid-
sized city.
adult/child $6.50/4.50; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, from 11am Sun)
gives a fascinating, sometimes
gruesome look at the health conditions soldiers and doctors faced during the war, as well
as important medical advances that resulted from the conflict.
Hollerstown Hill B&B
( 301-228-3630;
www.hollerstownhill.com
; 4 Clarke Pl; r $135-145;
)
has four pattern-heavy rooms, an elegant billiard room and friendly, know-
ledgeable hosts.
The bouncy
Brewer's Alley
( 301-631-0089; 124 N Market St; burgers $9-13, mains
$18-29; 11:30am-11:30pm Mon & Tue, to midnight Wed & Thu, to 12:30am Fri & Sat,
noon-11:30pm Sun; )
is one of our favorite places in town, for several reasons. First, the
beer: homemade, plenty of variety, delicious. Second, the burgers: enormous, half-pound
monstrosities. Third, the rest of the menu: excellent Chesapeake seafood and Frederick
county farm produce. Finally: the beer. Again
Frederick is accessible via
Greyhound
(
301-663-3311;
www.greyhound.com
)
and
MARC trains
(
301-682-9716)
located across from the visitor center at 100 S East St.
Antietam National Battlefield
The site of the bloodiest day in American history is, ironically, supremely peaceful, quiet
and haunting, uncluttered save for plaques and statues. On September 17, 1862, General
Robert E Lee's first invasion of the North was stalled here in a tactical stalemate that left
more than 23,000 dead, wounded or missing - more casualties than America had suffered
in all her previous wars combined. Poignantly, many of the battlefield graves are in-
scribed with German and Irish names, a roll call of immigrants who died fighting for
their new homeland. The
visitor center
( 301-432-5124; State Rd 65; 3-day pass per per-
son/family $4/6; 8:30am-6pm, to 5pm off-season)
sells a range of books and materials, in-
cluding self-guided driving and walking tours of the battlefield.
Cumberland
At the Potomac River, the frontier outpost of Fort Cumberland (not to be confused with
the Cumberland Gap between Virginia and Kentucky) was the pioneer gateway across
