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Photo credit: Nicole Diehlmann, 03/2009

Sharpsburg Historic District

Inventory No.: WA-II-723

Other Name(s): Sharpsburgh; Sharps Burgh; Sharpesburgh; Sharpes Burgh

Date Listed: 12/24/2008

Location: Sharpsburg, Washington County

Category: District

Period/Date of Construction: 1763-1958

Resources: 313 (208 contributing, 54 non-contributing)

Description: Sharpsburg is located in southern Washington County, about three miles from the Potomac River, on the alignment of an 18th century road, now Maryland Route 34. The Sharpsburg Historic District covers the entire town plus a small amount of adjoining property adjacent to the town boundary, as well as Mountain View Cemetery, the town’s burying ground established in 1883. The town is laid out in a grid pattern with two streets, Main and Mechanic, crossing at a central square. Sharpsburg is one of only three towns in Washington County with a public square. The others are Hagerstown, the county seat, and Leitersburg. Established in 1763, Sharpsburg consists of a series of rectangular lots, each approximately 100 by 200 feet, facing onto Main Street (MD Route 34), an early road that led from Frederick, Maryland into Virginia (now West Virginia). Mechanic Street led north toward Hagerstown (then Elizabeth Town) and south to the Antietam Iron Works and on to Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia). Near the southwest quadrant of this intersection lies the Great Spring, which supplied water for the town for many years. The extant buildings range in age from the late 18th century to the present day. The character of the town is residential with most of the buildings being houses, along with assorted support buildings. In addition to dwellings the town has six churches, four of them active, an elementary school built in 1936 with more recent additions, and a former American Legion hall built in 1949. A two-story Italianate style Masonic Hall occupies the southeast corner of the square, with the Classical Revival-influenced IORM building containing the Town Hall and library next door. The Masonic building has commercial space with original storefronts on the first floor. Many of the town lots have been split in half with 50-foot fronts, leaving the streetscape fairly densely built along the main street. The oldest buildings are log, stone, or braced frame, with brick buildings dating from about 1820 and later. Later balloon frame buildings and more recent materials such as concrete block represent the late 19th and early 20th century. Surface materials, in addition to stone and brick, range from original wooden sidings from various periods to asphalt (“Insul-brick”), aluminum and vinyl siding.

Significance: The Sharpsburg Historic District is historically significant for its role during the American Civil War Battle of Antietam or Battle of Sharpsburg, as it was known in the South. Although much of the September 17, 1862 battle raged on the farm fields east of Sharpsburg, the town itself formed the Confederate rear with frequent artillery and small arms fire ripping across roofs and embedding into exterior walls of buildings. Both the Lutheran and Episcopal churches were used by snipers and were heavily damaged during the battle. After the battle those same church buildings and many houses in town were used to house first Confederate wounded prior to their retreat across the Potomac River into Virginia on the 18th of September, and then later became Union hospitals. Having been founded in 1763, the Sharpsburg Historic District derives additional historical significance for its association with the 18th century settlement of the then-western-frontier of Maryland and its role in the development of the lower Antietam Creek area as an agricultural and transportation center. The town of Sharpsburg served as a social and commercial hub for the surrounding agricultural region, and for travel and commerce on the C&O Canal. The Sharpsburg Historic District is also architecturally significant for a remarkably intact and cohesive collection of houses, churches, and other buildings chronicling the town’s development from the initial settlement period through the mid 20th century. Sharpsburg is well known for its impressive stock of Georgian-inspired stone houses. There are also several early-19th century Federal-style brick houses that anchor the town square. The town’s streetscapes are comprised of vernacular interpretations of Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, and Colonial Revival architectural styles. An unusually large proportion of the buildings in Sharpsburg are of log construction.

District Resources (313) (208 contributing, 54 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)
E. Antietam Street	C
102 W. Antietam Street	C
103 E. Antietam Street	C
105 W. Antietam Street	C
107 W. Antietam Street	C
108 E. Antietam Street	C
109 E. Antietam Street	C
109 W. Antietam Street	C
111 W. Antietam Street	C
113 E. Antietam Street	C
114 W. Antietam Street	C
115 E. Antietam Street	C
115 W. Antietam Street	C
116 W. Antietam Street	C
116 E. Antietam Street	C
117 W. Antietam Street	C
119 W. Antietam Street	C
123 W. Antietam Street	C
123 E. Antietam Street	C
200 E. Antietam Street	C
201 W. Antietam Street	C
205 W. Antietam Street	C
205 E. Antietam Street	C
206 E. Antietam Street	C
207 W. Antietam Street	C
209 W. Antietam Street	C
211 W. Antietam Street	C
212 W. Antietam Street	C
215 W. Antietam Street	C
223 W. Antietam Street	C
225 W. Antietam Street	C
227 W. Antietam Street	C
231 W. Antietam Street	C
233 W. Antietam Street	C
At rear of 103 E. Antietam Street lot	C	Big Spring
102-108 W. Antietam Street (between 102 and 108 W. Antietam Street)	C
227 W. Antietam Street (rear lot-P.532)	C
W. Chapline Street	C
E. Chapline Street	C	German Reformed Cemetery
105 W. Chapline Street	C
107 W. Chapline Street	C
109 E. Chapline Street	C
110 E. Chapline Street	C	Clipps Mill
110 W. Chapline Street	C
111 W. Chapline Street	C
111 E. Chapline Street	C
112 E. Chapline Street	C
114 E. Chapline Street	C
114 W. Chapline Street	C
115 E. Chapline Street	C
116 E. Chapline Street	C
116 W. Chapline Street	C
118 W. Chapline Street	C
121 E. Chapline Street	C
201 W. Chapline Street	C
202 E. Chapline Street	C
204 E. Chapline Street	C
204 W. Chapline Street	C
205 W. Chapline Street	C
206 E. Chapline Street	C
207 W. Chapline Street	C
208 W. Chapline Street	C
209 W. Chapline Street	C
213 W. Chapline Street	C
214 W. Chapline Street	C
215 W. Chapline Street	C
216 W. Chapline Street	C
217 W. Chapline Street	C
220 W. Chapline Street	C
221 W. Chapline Street	C
223 W. Chapline Street	C
225 W. Chapline Street	C
226 W. Chapline Street	C
305 W. Chapline Street	C
306 W. Chapline Street	C
307 W. Chapline Street	C
309 W. Chapline Street	C
311 W. Chapline Street	C
W. Chapline Street & Mechanic Street (Parcel 325)	C
S. Church Street	C
103 N. Church Street	C
106 S. Church Street	C
108 S. Church Street	C
109 S. Church Street	C
120 N. Church Street	C
202 N. Church Street	C
204 N. Church Street	C
205 S. Church Street	C
N. Hall Street	C	First Methodist Church and Cemetery
102 S. Hall Street	C
106 N. Hall Street	C
107 S. Hall Street	C
108 N. Hall Street	C
206 S. Hall Street	C
207 S. Hall Street	C
212 S. Hall Street	C
105 S. Hall Street (Parcel 619)	C
111 E. High Street	C	WA-II-702 -- Tolson's Chapel; Black A.M.E. Church
113 E. High Street	C
215 W. High Street	C
E. High Street & S. Church Street	C	WA-II-699 -- Former Black School
E. Main Street	C	Mountain View Cemetery
E. Main Street	C	Lutheran Cemetery and Church
111-113 W. Main Street	C
220 E. Main Street	C
301 E. Main Street	C
305 W. Main Street	C
327 W. Main Street	C
100 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-542 -- Kretzer's Market
100 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-541 -- Grove-DeLauney House
101 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-718 -- Osborne Funeral Home
101 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
103 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-719 -- Sharpsburg Bank; Joseph C. Hays House
103-105 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
105 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-720 -- Joseph C. Hays House
108 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
109 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-500 -- William Chapline House
110-112 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
111-113 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
112 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
114 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
114 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
115 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
115 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
116 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
116 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
117 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
119 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-504 -- Christ Reformed Church
120 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
121 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
121 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
122 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
123 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-710 -- Church of the Brethren
123 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
124-126 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
125 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
125 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-507 -- Wesley Chapel
127 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
127-129 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
128 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
128 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-550 -- Kretzer Homestead
129 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
130 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
133 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
135 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
137 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
139 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
144 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-531 -- Pete's Tavern
201 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-514 -- Jacob Highbarger House (Hays-Highbarger-Roulette House)
201 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-680 -- Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
202 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
203 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
204 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
205 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
206 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
207 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
207 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
209 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
209 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C	WA-II-517 -- St. Paul's Episcopal Church
211 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
211 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
212 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
214 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
215 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
215 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
216 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
216-218 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
219 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
220 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
221 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
221 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
223 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C
224 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
226 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
227 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
228 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
229 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
230 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
231 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
232 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
236 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
300 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
301 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
309 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
311 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
312 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
313 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
316 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
317 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
320 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
321 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
326 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
330 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C
104 N. Mechanic Street	C
104 S. Mechanic Street	C	WA-II-597 -- American Legion, Antietam Post
105 S. Mechanic Street	C
107 S. Mechanic Street	C
110 S. Mechanic Street	C
111 S. Mechanic Street	C
112 S. Mechanic Street	C
113-115 S. Mechanic Street	C
117 S. Mechanic Street	C
119 S. Mechanic Street	C
127 S. Mechanic Street	C
201 S. Mechanic Street	C
202 S. Mechanic Street	C
207 S. Mechanic Street	C
N. Mechanic Street & E. Chapline Street	C
102 E. Antietam Street	NC
112 E. Antietam Street	NC
114 E. Antietam Street	NC
121 W. Antietam Street	NC
207 E. Antietam Street	NC
208 E. Antietam Street	NC
219 W. Antietam Street	NC
101 E. Chapline Street	NC
104 W. Chapline Street	NC
105 E. Chapline Street	NC
110 1/2 W. Chapline Street	NC
115 W. Chapline Street	NC
118 E. Chapline Street	NC
119A E. Chapline Street	NC
119B E. Chapline Street	NC
203 W. Chapline Street	NC
208 E. Chapline Street	NC
211 W. Chapline Street	NC
212 E. Chapline Street	NC
214 E. Chapline Street	NC
216 E. Chapline Street	NC
218 E. Chapline Street	NC
218 W. Chapline Street	NC
222 W. Chapline Street	NC
224 W. Chapline Street	NC
S. Church Street	NC	WA-II-698 -- Old Odd Fellows Hall
S. Church Street	NC
201 S. Church Street	NC
208 S. Church Street	NC
104 N. Church Street (MD 65)	NC
204 S. Hall Street	NC
E. High Street	NC
E. High Street	NC
E. High Street	NC
103 W. High Street	NC
107 E. High Street	NC
109 W. High Street	NC
115 E. High Street	NC
205 W. High Street	NC
213 W. High Street	NC
130 E. Main Street	NC
204 E. Main Street	NC
225 E. Main Street	NC
299A E. Main Street	NC
324 W. Main Street	NC
332 W. Main Street	NC
105 N. Mechanic Street	NC
201 N. Mechanic Street	NC
203 S. Mechanic Street	NC
208 S. Mechanic Street	NC
209 S. Mechanic Street	NC
106 N. Potomac Street	NC
110 S. Potomac Street	NC
unnumbered lot attached to Parcel 533	NC
107 E. Antietam Street	C/NC
108 W. Antietam Street	C/NC
110 W. Antietam Street	C/NC
111 E. Antietam Street	C/NC
119 E. Antietam Street	C/NC
120 W. Antietam Street	C/NC
200 W. Antietam Street	C/NC
206 W. Antietam Street	C/NC
217 W. Antietam Street	C/NC
221 W. Antietam Street	C/NC
301 W. Antietam Street	C/NC
Burnside Bridge Road	C/NC	WA-II-151 -- Avey-Stransky House
112 W. Chapline Street	C/NC
113 W. Chapline Street	C/NC
117 E. Chapline Street	C/NC
119 W. Chapline Street	C/NC
210 E. Chapline Street	C/NC
229 W. Chapline Street	C/NC	WA-II-641 -- Joseph Chapline II House
303 W. Chapline Street	C/NC
308 W. Chapline Street	C/NC
111 N. Church Street	C/NC
200 N. Church Street	C/NC
206A and B S. Church Street	C/NC
107 N. Hall Street	C/NC
E. High Street	C/NC
Main and Church Street	C/NC
299 E. Main Street	C/NC
308 W. Main Street (also known as 310 W. Main Street)	C/NC
106 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC	WA-II-543 -- Sharpsburg Community Hall (Town Hall, I.O.R.M.)
107 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC	WA-II-715 -- Good-Reilly House (Chapline-Edwards-Bender House)
118-120 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
122 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
131 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
132 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
133 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
138 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
145 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
200 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
200 E. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC	WA-II-703 -- Piper House
205 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
213 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
222 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
234 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
302 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
318 W. Main Street (MD 34)	C/NC
105 N. Mechanic Street	C/NC
106 S. Mechanic Street	C/NC
108 S. Mechanic Street	C/NC
114-116 S. Mechanic Street	C/NC	WA-II-602 -- House on South Mechanic Street
108 N. Potomac Street	C/NC
17525 Shepherdstown Pike	C/NC	Sharpsburg Elementary School