Brief History Of Brunswick
Brunswick is situated in the south western edge of Frederick
County, Maryland. It is forty-five miles up the Potomac River
from our nation's capitol, and six miles east of Harpers Ferry.
Courthouse records show that it was part of an original 3,100
acre land grant from George II King of England. This was granted
August 10, 1753, to John Hawkins. The land was Known as "Merry
Peep O Day" because the sun could be seen in the early
morning directly over beautiful Catoctin Mountain.
On November 7, 1780 Clement Hollyday deeded the tract to Leonard
Smith. Smith that year laid out the first part of the town
, four lots, for members of his family. The 1780 plat shows
201-1/2 acres made up the town. In 1837 John McPherson bought
the town., plus two islands in the Potomac River.
The name Potomac means "gathering place" in Indian
language. Here the tribes met to barter and trade, from all
corners of the east and midwest.
There were seven ferries operated across the river to Virginia,
until a large wagon bearing ferry, operated by Jacob Waltman
Jr. began operation in 1861, to slow the invasions of the
Union Army in the beginning of the Civil War.
The town had many names over the years. Brunswick received its
present name from the B&O Railroad, in 1890. It had been
called by the following names: Buffalo Wallow, so named by
the Indians, because the buffalo wallowed in the muddy flats
(Present day Rt. 17). In 1728 it was called "Coxson Rest" titled to a
small land plot, used as a trading post by Abraham Pennington,
the first known settler. "Eels Pot" or Eel Town,
was used because Indians built stone walls in the river and
made fish traps. Eels were in such large schools, the catch
was plentiful.
"Potomac Crossing" was an often used name to supply commodities
to the Virginia communities. " Tankersville" was used
in 1778 , because the northern most corner to the tract of 17,000
acres was owned by the Earl of Tankersville . Leonard Smith named
it "Berlin" in 1780. Because of another Berlin on Maryland's
Eastern Shore, the U.S. Postal Service took away the name and called
it "Barry" in 1832. The town Kept this name until 1890,
when the railroad named it BRUNSWICK, because of the many residents
living here who came from Brunswick, Germany, to work on the railroad,
The original town was situated between the tracks of the B&O
Railroad, and the C&O Canal. Both the B&O Railroad
and the C&O canal came to the town the same year, 1834.
In 1907 the B&O Railroad yards were completed, East bound
and West bound to make up trains. This yard was the largest
and busiest such railroad yard in the world.
Today Brunswick is a city with more than 5000 residents. It
is a major stop on the Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) Train
line to Washington, D.C. Many professional people reside here.
The town has modern facilities for its citizens: a fire company
and Ambulance service, fine schools and churches, doctors
and dentists, a modern library, a new community center, several
parks, fishing and boating on the Potomac River, C&O Canal
towpath, many public service organizations, and a fine museum
with one of the largest model train layouts on the east coast.
The Veteran's Day Parade and
Brunswick Railroad Days are held in
November, are the city's two largest events, attracting many visitors.
Brunswick is one of the few communities in the USA that continues
to celebrate a day in honor of our veterans.
Thanks to the Brunswick's History Commission for our history
information.
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