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Photo credit: E. Wallace, 10/2004

Boonsboro Historic District

Inventory No.: WA-II-981

Other Name(s): Boones Berry Town; Margaretsville; Boonsborough

Date Listed: 12/23/2005

Location: Boonsboro, Washington County

Category: District

Period/Date of Construction: 1792-1959

Resources: 383 (288 contributing, 41 non-contributing)

Description: The town of Boonsboro is nestled against the wet side of South Mountain, just northwest of Turner's Gap on Alternate Route 40 the former National Road. It is a historically a linear town, its primary orientation along the Main Street or Alt. Rt. 40 corridor. The westward running Potomac Street (MD 34), the historic turnpike to Sharpsburg, and St. Paul Street to the east forms the primary cross street. Additional development occurred during the first decades of the 20th century along the Hagerstown-Boonsboro Electric Railway corridor on the north end of town, and around Shafer Park and the Boonsboro Cemetery after 1940. Historically, commercial businesses along the National Road (Main Street) catered to travelers with numerous taverns and hotels, and a variety of commercial craftsmen. Boonsboro of the early 21st century is generally a residential town with religious institutions representing several denominations and only a few scattered specialty businesses remaining in the historic town center area. The Boonsboro Historic District includes 562 contributing elements. Most of the late 18th and early 19th century development in Boonsboro occurred along Main Street, then part of a principal market road between Williamsport, Hagerstown, Frederick, and Baltimore. They are mainly of log, frame, or brick construction, with a few stone buildings interspersed. Residential buildings within the oldest section of town are primarily simple vernacular forms exemplified by the many 1- and 2-story, 3 bay log and brick houses. The larger stone and brick houses demonstrate Georgian or Federal influence with their 5 bay, central entrance symmetry. Many of the plain vernacular buildings were embellished during the period of the 1860s-1980s with Italianate, Gothic, or Queen Anne architectural elements such as brackets, gables, or towers and/or decorative trim. Nearly all buildings received a front porch with Queen Anne or Gothic trim or in the later Colonial Revival style. The majority of the buildings appear to date from the 1820-1850 period coinciding with peak use years of the National Road. Most houses near the town center are three, four, or five bays wide. Many have more than one front door suggesting combined residential and commercial use. In the early and mid 19th century, commercial and residential entrances were not particularly distinguishable from one another. A number of late 19th and early 20th century storefronts were added. The large and substantial brick and stone buildings located on the town square form the center of much of Boonsboro's earliest architecture. These buildings functioned variously as inns or hotels, a female seminary, a large merchandising house, and occasionally as dwellings. They are 5-7 bays in length with two or more entrances. There is a significant group of smaller Federal or Greek Revival-influenced brick structures from the 2nd quarter of the 19th century, with Flemish bond facades, 6/6 windows with jack arches, and formal doorways with transoms and sidelights. These date from the era when the turnpike from Baltimore to Cumberland was upgraded and became part of the National Road. Later (c. 1840-50) versions with a vague Greek Revival influence use 5-course common bond on the primary facade. The 1870-1900 period was one of continued prosperity, with additions and enhancements to existing buildings. Between 1910 and 1940 resulted in the signature mix of American Foursquare and Bungalow houses, and a few Colonial Revival and Dutch Colonial Revival styles, as well as Colonial Revival embellishments to existing structures. The 1940s-50s involved infill development of small efficient house designs intended by the FHA to provide the most space for the least cost. Other features of the district include the c. 1855 Boonsboro Cemetery laid out in a 19th-century curving plan with a number of exceptionally artistic gravestones, and the office/depot of the Hagerstown-Boonsboro Electric Railway and its right-of-way along the west side of N. Main Street.

Significance: The Boonsboro Historic District is historically significant for its association with the development of Western Maryland following the opening of the National Road in the early 19th century. The road linked rural Washington County with the port of Baltimore as well as points to the west, and was an important influence on the agricultural, economic, and commercial development of the region throughout the 19th century. Boonsboro's location along the National Road, adjoining Turner's Gap through South Mountain, was strategically important during the American Civil War, and throughout the conflict the town experienced the passage of thousands of troops and accommodated the wounded soldiers left to the care of townspeople. Its growth through the first half of the 20th century, associated with another transportation corridor, the Hagerstown-Boonsboro Electric Railway branch line, is clearly apparent in the architectural character of the areas that were annexed into the town during that period. The Boonsboro Historic District derives additional significance as an excellent example of a type of linear development characteristic of town plans in the region in the 19th century, and for the wide variety of architectural types and styles represented by its component buildings, which chronicle the town's development from its founding in 1792 through the mid 20th century. The period of significance, from 1792-1959 tracks the continuous growth and evolution of the town through the date by which the district had substantially achieved its current form and appearance.

District Resources (383) (288 contributing, 41 non-contributing)

From associated listing in National Register nomination form. C = Contributing, NC = non-contributing, blank = not evaluated.

Address	Status	Resource Name and MIHP (if any)
Cemetery Lane (west side of S. Main Street and south side of Potomac Street)	C	WA-II-977 -- Boonsboro Cemetery
Center Street	C
8 High Street	C
20 High Street	C
21 High Street	C
22 High Street	C
28 Hight Street	C
Lakin and Center Street (4 Lakin Avenue)	C
101 Lakin Avenue	C
102 Lakin Avenue	C
103-105 Lakin Avenue	C
104 Lakin Avenue	C
107 Lakin Avenue	C
108 Lakin Avenue	C
109-111 Lakin Avenue	C
112 Lakin Avenue	C
113 Lakin Avenue	C
116 Lakin Avenue	C
117 Lakin Avenue	C
119 Lakin Avenue	C
120 Lakin Avenue	C
121 Lakin Avenue	C
122 Lakin Avenue	C
125 Lakin Avenue	C
127 Lakin Avenue	C
130 Lakin Avenue	C
133 Lakin Avenue	C
134 Lakin Avenue	C
135 Lakin Avenue	C
136 Lakin Avenue	C
138 Lakin Avenue	C
139 Lakin Avenue	C
141 Lakin Avenue	C
N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	Park Drive
N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	Electric Railway depot/Ice Co. office
N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-982 -- World War I Monument
1 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-769 -- McHenry's (The Hatch)
1-5 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-770 -- Boone Hotel (Eagle Hotel, Mountain Glen Hotel, Commercial Hotel)
2-4 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-853 -- U.S. Hotel
2-6 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
5-7 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
6-8 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
7-9 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-771 -- Fitz' Place
8-10 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
9-11 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
10-12 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-855 -- Boonsboro Liquors
11 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
12-14 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
13-15 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
14-16 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
15-19 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
16-18 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
19 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-774 -- Boonsboro Public Library
20 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-848 -- Boonsboro Hardware
20 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
21 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
21-23 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
22 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
23-25 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
24 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
24-26 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
26 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
27 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-763 -- IOOF Hall
27 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
28 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
29 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
29-31 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
30-32 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
30-32 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
31-33 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
36 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
36-38 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
37 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
39-41 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
40 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
40-42 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
41 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
43 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
44 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
45-47 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
46 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
49 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
50 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
59-61 Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
64 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-867 -- Trinity Evangelical and Reformed Church
65 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
66 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-868 -- Trinity Evangelical and Reformed Church Parsonage
67 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
69 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
101 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-781 -- The Heavenly Shop
101 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
102-104 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
103-105 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
108 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
109 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-783 -- Bast Furniture
109 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
110 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
112 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
112 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
113 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-784 -- Boonsborough Museum of History
113 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
114-116 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
115 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
115 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
116 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
118 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
119 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
119 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
120 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
120 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
121 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
121 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
122-124 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
134 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-878 -- Mount Nebo United Methodist Church
136 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
140-142 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
144 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
146 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
200 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
204 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
206 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
206 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
208 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
209 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
210 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
210 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
213 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
214 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
214 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-830 -- True Value Hardware
215 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
215 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
217 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
220 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
221 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
221 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
227 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-790 -- VFW Building
227 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
229 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
229 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
234 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
236 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
237 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
239 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
241 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
243-245 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
300 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
301 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
302 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
303 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
305 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
305 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
307 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
308 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-829 -- Thomas & Sons, Inc.
309 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
310 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
311 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
312 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	Cronise Market
314 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
315 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
316 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
318 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
319 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
320 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
323 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C	WA-II-478 -- Bowman House+G2893
327 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
330 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
331 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
332 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
333-335 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
337 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
400 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
404 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
409 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
412 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
414 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
416 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
418 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
419 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
420 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
421 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
422 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
423 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
424 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
425 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
427 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C
4 McKeldin Drive	C
5 McKeldin Drive	C
7 McKeldin Drive	C
8 McKeldin Drive	C
10 McKeldin Drive	C
12 McKeldin Drive	C
13 McKeldin Drive	C
14 McKeldin Drive	C
Park Drive	C
Park Drive	C
3 Park Drive	C
4 Park Drive	C
7 Park Drive	C
108 Park Lane	C
4 Park View	C
6 Park View	C
8 Park View	C
10 Park View	C
Potomac Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-932 -- Trinity Evangelical Reformed Church (United Church of Christ)
7 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
14 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
15 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
19 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
23 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
27 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
28 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
34 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
35 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
36 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
101 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
105 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
106 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
107 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
110 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
111 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
112 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
114 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
115 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
118 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
122 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
123 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
124 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
202 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
203 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
206 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
207 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
211 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
212 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
217 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
220 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
221 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
224 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
225 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
230 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-915 -- Public School No. 7 (Old School Fabrics)
236 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
238 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C
Potomac Street (north/side)	C	Post Office
2 Saint Paul Street	C	WA-II-940 -- First Christian Church
3 Saint Paul Street	C
5 Saint Paul Street.	C	First Hose Co. of Boonsboro
6-10 Saint Paul Street	C
11 Saint Paul Street	C	WA-II-959 -- Boonsboro Municipal Building
12 Saint Paul Street	C
14 Saint Paul Street	C
15-17 Saint Paul Street	C
16 Saint Paul Street	C
21 Saint Paul Street	C
22 Saint Paul Street	C
26 Saint Paul Street	C
34 Saint Paul Street	C
35 Saint Paul Street	C
36 Saint Paul Street	C
37 Saint Paul Street	C
40 Saint Paul Street	C	WA-II-948 -- Weldon
50 Saint Paul Street	C
60 Saint Paul Street	C
101 Saint Paul Street	C
102 Saint Paul Street	C
104 Saint Paul Street	C
105 Saint Paul Street	C
106 Saint Paul Street	C
108 Saint Paul Street	C
109 Saint Paul Street	C
111 Saint Paul Street	C
112 Saint Paul Street	C
3 Young Avenue	C
5 Young Avenue	C
8 Young Avenue	C
9 Young Avenue	C
10 Young Avenue	C
11 Young Avenue	C
14 Young Avenue	C
15 Young Avenue	C
17 Young Avenue	C
18 Young Avenue	C
19 Young Avenue	C
20 Young Avenue	C
21A Young Avenue	C
22 Young Avenue	C
24 Young Avenue	C
25 Young Avenue	C
27 Young Avenue	C
28 Young Avenue	C
alley behind 35 and 37 Saint Paul Street	NC
1012 Boon Place	NC
32 Center Street	NC
114 Center Street	NC
214 Center Street	NC
230 Center Street	NC
31 High Street	NC
33 High Street	NC
39 High Street	NC
Lakin Avenue	NC	Church
128 Lakin Avenue	NC
132 Lakin Avenue	NC
140 Lakin Avenue	NC
N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC	F&M Bank
N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC	Laundromat
N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC	Alex's Gas Station
N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC	St. James Catholic Church
N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC	Hagerstown Trust Bank
224 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC
226-230 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC
233 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC
300? S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC
411 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC
413 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC
417 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	NC
6 McKeldin Drive	NC
11 McKeldin Drive	NC
15 McKeldin Drive	NC
10 Park Drive	NC
117 Potomac Street (MD 34)	NC
214 Potomac Street (MD 34)	NC
9 Saint Paul Street	NC	WA-II-960 -- International Order of Red Men Hall
31 Saint Paul Street	NC
56 Saint Paul Street	NC
107 Saint Paul Street	NC
110 Saint Paul Street	NC
201 Sinnesen Drive (back half of lot with 214 Potomac Street)	NC
West corner of alley, Saint Paul Street (south/side)	NC
2 Young Avenue	NC
12 Young Avenue	NC
23 Young Avenue	NC
12 High Street	C/NC
16 High Street	C/NC
34 High Street	C/NC
36 High Street	C/NC
110 Lakin Avenue	C/NC
124 Lakin Avenue	C/NC
126 Lakin Avenue	C/NC
131 Lakin Avenue	C/NC
22 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
33-35 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
51-53 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
55-57 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
104-106 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
107 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
108 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
114 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
118 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
141 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC	WA-II-744 -- The Lilacs on Rose Hill
150 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
202 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
241 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
312 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
321 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
322-324 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
326 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
334 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
408 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)	C/NC
Park Drive	C/NC	WA-II-976 -- Shafer Memorial Park (Boonsboro Park)
6 Park Drive	C/NC
102 Park Lane	C/NC
18 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C/NC
20 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C/NC
24 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C/NC
30 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C/NC
100 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C/NC
102 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C/NC
119 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C/NC
120 Potomac Street (MD 34)	C/NC
18 Saint Paul Street	C/NC
23 Saint Paul Street	C/NC
27 Saint Paul Street	C/NC
30 Saint Paul Street	C/NC
41 Saint Paul Street	C/NC
42 Saint Paul Street	C/NC
100 Saint Paul Street	C/NC
1 Young Avenue	C/NC
4 Young Avenue	C/NC
7 Young Avenue	C/NC
13 Young Avenue	C/NC
26 Young Avenue	C/NC
223 S. Main Street (Alt. US 40)
237 N. Main Street (Alt. US 40)		WA-II-792 -- Itnyre House, site
47 Saint Paul Street
5 Stouffer Avenue		WA-II-975 -- Lakin Farmhouse