Maryland Panhandle - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 986

Many of the spires you see today in Frederick were built a decade or so before the Civil War, when Frederick was already
more than 100 years old.
12. Antietam National Battlefield
Wooded hilltops and murmuring streams belie the horrors that unfolded on this notorious
battlefield throughout the hours of September17, 1862—the bloodiest day of conflict in
any American war. On that fateful day, during the first Confederate invasion of the North,
forces of the North and South clashed at three different sites: in a cornfield, along a sunken
road (later dubbed Bloody Lane), and on a graceful dib. The confrontations resulted in no
tactical gain or loss for either side—no loss, that is, except for the 23,000 men who lay
deadorwoundedaroundthesmoldering,smokingbattleground.Youcanlearnallaboutthe
somber event at the modern visitor center and perhaps take a driving tour of the historic
battlefield.
From Sharpsburg follow Rte. 34 northeast to Crystal Grottoes, a cavern with walkways
that snake through intriguing underground limestone formations. Boonsboro, a bit farther