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Avenues of History: From Colonial America to Camp David

Program Number: 17350RJ
Start and End Dates:
6/30/2013 - 7/5/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Sharpsburg, Maryland
Price starting at: $599.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: History & Culture Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 15; 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian; Low Fat; Low Salt; Gluten Free    

Discover within the Potomac River Basin marks left by Americans from Native American trails to presidential retreats. Visit a stone fort and a trading post to learn about remnants of 18th-century America, and join a cartographer and geologist on a journey through the area’s geological development. Civil War historians narrate visits to strategic locations, and while at the Camp David Museum discuss the influence of presidential retreats on local history.




Highlights

• Several experts discuss how the geography of this area intertwined with people to affect numerous aspects of our national history.
• Walk several Civil War battlefields with an experienced instructor to understand the more brutal struggles of the war.
• Experience the beauty of the countryside in the numerous serene and historic locations: from presidential lodges to canals and forts.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to three miles over uneven terrain, gravel, grass.




Date Specific Information

6-30-2013

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Coordinated by Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center.




Sharpsburg

Sharpsburg lies east of the Potomac River near one of its tributaries, Antietam Creek, made famous by the pivotal Battle of Antietam during the American Civil War. Sharpsburg is part of Maryland’s Washington County, which attracts history fans with its numerous Civil War sites and nature buffs with its many national, state and local parks.
Accommodations
Modern lodge with natural spring, pavilion, fireplace, campfire circles. Classes, lodging, meals under one roof. Alcohol prohibited.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Paul McDermott
Paul McDermott has taught geography and cartography at schools including George Mason and the University of Maryland. His research interests include the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, on which he co-produced a four-map series. Paul was the academic consultant for two US Postal Service Stamps — The Louisana Purchase and the Earth Day 1972. He has been a visiting scholar to the Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, and is a consultant to the Lewis and Clark Rediscovery Project in Montana.
 
Karen Gray
Karen Gray worked for 20 years creating educational adventures for the Smithsonian in the mid-Atlantic region. In 2001, she moved Hagerstown because of her love for Western Maryland and Washington County's position midway along the C&O Canal's 184.5 miles. She took interest in the canal while hiking the towpath in 1977 and has been walking in the park and researching the history of the canal and the Potomac route west ever since.
 
Roger Swartz
Roger Swartz is a graduate of Albright College and Lehigh University. He has presented 18th-century living history programs at the Smithsonian and Mount Vernon Estate, and is also an instructor in the continuing education programs at Harrisburg Area Community College, Elizabethtown College, Frederick Community College and Hagerstown Community College. His published works include “Frankstown: Anatomy of an Ambush,” and “Field of Honor: The Battle of Fort Freeland, July 28, 1779.”
 
Jeff Driscoll
Jeff Driscoll is a graduate of Washington and Lee University who has had a lifelong passion for history. He spent some 25 years in independent school education and has worked as an Interpretive Ranger at the Gettysburg National Military Park. Jeff also served five years as director of education for the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites. He leads groups on enriching explorations of Antietam, Harpers Ferry and South Mountain.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center
  Sharpsburg, MD 5 nights
 Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center
Type: Conference Center
  Description: 220 acres of rolling meadows and woodlands create a sanctuary for wildlife and people. A sunny deck, ample chairs and benches provide relaxation in a natural setting.
  Contact info: 16869 Taylors Landing Road
PO Box 369
Sharpsburg, MD 21782 USA
phone: 301-223-8193
web: www.shepherdsspring .org
  Room amenities: Rooms are equipped with desk, chair, lamps, futon, dresser. Alarm clocks are available, upon request.
  Facility amenities: Hiking trails, Access to C &O Canal Tow path, Wireless satellite internet service. A half olympic size outdoor pool is available during June, July and August.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Additional nights prior: $45 Additional nights must be booked directly with Shepherd's Spring and are based on availability. Please call 301-223-8193 to inquire.
  Check in time: 3:00 PM
  Additional nights after: $45 Additional nights must be booked directly with Shepherd's Spring and are based on availability. Please call 301-223-8193 to inquire.
  Check out time: 12:30 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
3:30 PM. You will be staying at Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center that night.
  End of Program:
12:30 PM. You will be staying at Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Unlimited on site free parking
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Sharpsburg, MD
  Nearest city or town:  Sharpsburg
  Nearest highway: Interstates I-81 and I-70
  Nearest airport:  BWI, IAD or Reagan National
  From End of Program
  Location: Sharpsburg, MD
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Sharpsburg

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Hotel Shuttle
Shepherd's Spring
phone: 301-223-8193
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$75, discounts for additional persons
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

1 1/2 
 

Distance:

 

75 miles
   

Airport transportation provided to and from BWI, IAD, and Washington Reagan. Regional airport at Hagerstown, MD transportation available for $20 per person. Please call ahead to schedule pick-up service. 301-223-8193
 

Sharpsburg

 

From Train Station

 
 

Service:

 

Hotel Shuttle
Shepherd's Spring
phone: 301-223-8193

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$45
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

30 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

22 miles
   

AMTRAK service to Martinsburg, WV. Please call ahead to schedule pick-up. 301-223-8193 An alternative pickup from the Washington DC Union Station is to take the DC Metro System Red Line to Shady Grove and arrange for our shuttle to pick you up there. It is a 45 minute ride on the Red Line to the Shady Grove stop. Please call 301-223-8193 if you need assistance.
 

Baltimore MD, Frederick MD,

 

From Bus Terminal

 
 

Service:

 

Hotel Shuttle
Shepherd's Spring
phone: 301-223-8193
Advanced Reservations Required

   

Please call ahead to schedule pick-up . 301-223-8193
 
Driving Directions
  From Baltimore/ Washington Area Take I-70 West to the Route 65 interchange in Hagerstown (Exit 29.) Travel South on Route 65 for 7.1 miles to Taylors Landing Road - turn right onto Taylors Landing Rd. Travel about 3 miles crossing a railroad track, past houses, along a twisting road. Drive along side the dry canal bed. Pass 2 more houses on the left, continue to the top of the hill. Look for a big sign on the left that says "Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministries Center Church of the Brethren." Turn left onto the paved driveway. The lodge is 7/10th of a mile from the end of the driveway.
  From Pennsylvania Travel South on I-81 to I-70 East, to Rt. 65 South. Then follow the above directions from where it says "Travel South on Rt. 65 for 7.1 miles..."
  From Virginia - East Take I-495 to 270N to Frederick. Take I-70 W to Route 65, and then follow above directions from where it says "Travel South on Rt. 65 for 7.1 miles..."
  From Virginia - West Go North on I-81 to I-70 east, to Rt. 65, and then follow above directions from where it says "Travel South on Rt. 65 for 7.1 miles..."
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: After checking in, join us for an orientation of Shepherd's Spring and an overview of the program. A presentation on the region's geology and its affects on history will conclude the evening.
(Sunday, June 30)
   
 Arrive To: Check In and registration will be held from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the lobby of the Shepherd's Spring lodge.
 Dinner: Enjoy a buffet style dinner with a salad bar, followed by dessert, in the Shepherd's Spring lodge dining room.
 Evening: We welcome you to our facility, staff will orient you to Shepherd's Spring and provide an overview of the program. Professor Mc Dermott will then present "Potomac Valley Geology" which will explore how the landscape created this unique "avenue" in history.
   
Accommodations: Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Numerous presentations will explore topics from Native American trails to the Iron Horse in how America moves Westward. Follow in the footsteps of history as you walk along the C&O canal and learn of the cooperation between canal and railroad.
(Monday, July 1)

Note: The C&O Canal walk entails approximately 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile walking on level packed and cleared, but unpaved (possibly muddy), ground.
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a hot buffet style breakfast along with fresh fruit and cereal selections in the Shepherd's Spring lodge dining room.
 Morning: Learn about how how the earliest Americans used the natural landscapes for trade, warfare, and transportation. Then after a time for a fresh air break. Delve into how he Potomac Valley was further explored and developed by surveyors such as George Washington. Seek to understand how early colonists saw the expansion of the Nation through this unique geographic "avenue" during thess presentations.
 Lunch: Enjoy lunch with a salad bar in the Shepherd’s Spring lodge dining room.
 Afternoon: Discover how several forms of transportation converged in this area to grant the entire nation a gateway west. This look will include how the National Road, C&O Canal, and several area railroads effected our nation's history of expansion. Then follow in the footsteps of Canawlers and their mules as we take a walk along the C&O canal towpath at the Cushwa Basin in Williamsport. In this short walk alone see a canal boat lock, canal boat basin, historic bridges, and a stone canal aqueduct.
 Dinner: Enjoy a buffet style dinner with a salad bar, followed by dessert, in the Shepherd's Spring lodge dining room.
 Evening: Witness the duel between the Railroads and the Canal as they battled for narrow transportations lanes. Through an interactive slide show using numerous historic photographs learn how the Canal and Railroad competed and cooperated to move coal - the nation's fuel in the 19th century. This presentation will be led by Randy Anderson.
   
Accommodations: Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: This day explores the wide variety of places where people stopped along their way through this "avenue". Visits to a basin along the C&O Canal, a Revolutionary War fort, and a President's Retreat fill the day.
(Tuesday, July 2)

Note: This day has numerous walks, all on level and cleared ground. Approximately 2 miles of walking will be covered by the end of the day. Stairs must be taken to access several parts of today's destinations. There may be several points at which docents or guides may anticipate that guests stand for several minutes.
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a hot buffet style breakfast along with fresh fruit and cereal selections in the Shepherd's Spring lodge dining room.
 Morning: Explore Fort Frederick - a French and Indian War era stone fort - with park staff and our own historian. Journey on to Oldtown, site of the Michael Cresap House. This small settlement served as home, outpost, river corssing, and trading post when Western Maryland was still the American frontier. Conclude the frontier history of the area with a visit to America's first "Gateway West", the "Queen's City", historic Cumberland. In Cumberland you can discover the Terminus of the C&O Canal, former site of George Washington's Headquarters, the main station of the old Western Maryland Railroad, and more.
 Lunch: Enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch at Oldtown, Md. where the site of an important Shawnee river crossing existed and later the Cresap trading post. Currently it is the Site of the only privately owned toll bridge crossing the Potomac River.
 Afternoon: Continue the journey with a guided visit to one of the area's former Presidential Retreats. Then we conclude our day's journey by traveling through the Sideling Hill cut -- a mountain cut along I-68 that allows for great geological observation and dramatically shortened the time to travel west by road.
 Dinner: Enjoy a buffet style dinner with a salad bar, followed by dessert, in the Shepherd's Spring lodge dining room.
 Evening: Discover the plants and animals that call the Appalachias home through a presentation of the flora and fauna of this region. Some are unique to this area, other have invaded from far away, but all now dwell here.
   
Accommodations: Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: War time invades the "avenue" - learn how Civil War battles and World War II munitions kept this geographic region a center of history. A afternoon free of programming allows for some exploration of your own.
(Wednesday, July 3)

Note: Prepare for a morning of walking if you wish to explore Harpers Ferry. Harpers Ferry is a historic town situated on a steep hill side; side walks may be uneven due to natural paving stones and stairs are often utilized throughout the town due to its topography.
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a hot buffet style breakfast along with fresh fruit and cereal selections in the Shepherd's Spring lodge dining room.
 Morning: The paths to progress -- in American expansion, industry, human rights, and war -- all converge at Harpers Ferry. We'll explore the many facets of history found in this one town during a scenic and educational walk led by one of historians. After learning of this town's visits by notable figures such as George Washington, Merriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, John Brown, "Stonewall" Jackson, Frederick Douglas, and W.E.B. Dubois spend time to discover it on your own through numerous museums and a historic commercial district. Also, take the chance to explore one of the current "avenues" that crosses through Harper's Ferry by visiting the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters.
 Lunch: Enjoy a picnic lunch laid out by our staff at Harpers Ferry National Park.
 Afternoon: On our travels back from Harpers Ferry we'll make stops at Gathland State Park, former home of writer George Alfred Townsend, and Washington Monument State Park. Both state parks were mountain passes crossed by the armies of the North and South during the Civil War and currently cross by Appalachian Trail hikers. Take witness to all the history, grandeur, and vistas that these sites have to offer (including our nation's first monument to George Washington) while under our historian's guidance.
 Dinner: Enjoy a buffet style dinner with a salad bar, followed by dessert, in the Shepherd's Spring lodge dining room.
 Evening: Railways, canals, and roads open up to skyways during World War II. The second world war would result in mobilizing all of Hagerstown toward airplane manufacturing for the military. This would add yet another spoke to the "hub city" of Hagerstown keeping the geographic "avenue" busy with a new sort of traffic.
   
Accommodations: Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Enjoy guided walks to numerous Civil War battlefields, imagining the struggles people faced as they struggled and fought across the landscape. Our evening meal will be at a restaurant near Camp David where a special guest will join us.
(Thursday, July 4)

Note: Numerous short walks pervade as stops are made at each battlefield. The ground is often uneven. Expect to walk up to 3 miles by the end of the day.
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a hot buffet style breakfast along with fresh fruit and cereal selections in the Shepherd's Spring lodge dining room.
 Morning: Experience the hilly terrain and imagine the struggles of men as our historian guides you through the Civil War battle of Antietam.
 Lunch: Enjoy a buffet style lunch with a salad bar in the Shepherd's Spring lodge dining room.
 Afternoon: The experience of observing how the efforts of men were tempered by the lay of land culminates as our historian takes us to the Civil War battlefield of Monocacy. This battle is an example of how terrain can turn the tide of war -- both sides using this "avenue" as a means of surprising the other while a valiant strategic defense of a river crossing save's nation's capital from Confederate occupation.
 Dinner: Enjoy a buffet dinner at the Cozy restaurant in Thurmont, MD and be sure to visit the Camp David room with Presidential memorabilia while there.
 Evening: A surprise visitor joins us after dinner to give her perspective on Presidential living.
   
Accommodations: Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Consider what the future holds for this "Avenue of History" during a our visit to Shepherdstown, W.Va.
(Friday, July 5)

Note: Some walking and standing.
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a hot buffet style breakfast along with fresh fruit and cereal selections in the Shepherd's Spring lodge dining room.
 Morning: Visit Shepherdstown, West Virgina to learn about its past and present role in shaping this region as a center of development, education, recreation, and research.
 Lunch: Enjoy a buffet style lunch with a salad bar in the Shepherd’s Spring lodge dining room.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Sharpsburg, MD Hagerstown Aviation Museum
Through a series of photographs, models and other materials, the museum highlights the more than 70 uear history of aviation and aviation- related manufacturing in the Hagerstown area. Climb into a Cessna 150, and also fly a simulator! Admission fee. For additional information, visit www.hagerstownaviationmuseum.org
  Pry House Field Hospital Museum
An extension of the Civil War Museum of Medicine located in Frederick. The Pry House is on the Antietam Battlefield and was used as a field hospital following the battle. Admission fee. For additional information, visit www.civilwarmed.org
  Washington County Museum of Fine Arts
An accredited museum with a world class collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts. Free - donations accepted For additional information, visit www.wcmfa.org
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


Roads to Antietam


Author: John Schildt


Description: The story of the armies marching to battle in September 1862 and what that experience was like for the men in the ranks and the civilians along the routes. Clouds of dust, marching men, the rumble of wagons, and the late summer heat and haze added to the noise and confusion of hundreds of units snaking their way up from Virginia and the camps around Washington, DC. Soldiers from the North and South wondered where they were going as they marched along the roads of Maryland. None of them could anticipate their bloody meeting in the fields around Sharpsburg, MD on the banks of Antietam Creek. This book depicts the feelings and actions of those who participated in those stirring events of the Maryland Campaign



Crossroads of War; Washington County, Maryland in the Civil War


Author: Roger Keller


Description: "Crossroads of War" brings into sharp focus a cross-section of little known happenings of both civilians and the military. "Lutie" Kealhofer, of Hagerstown, glories in meeting Lee, Longstreet and Pickett near her home in 1863 only days before Gettysburg; Young Leighton Parks visits General Lee and is given a ride on his horse, Traveller, and Mrs. Howard Kennedy nurses young Oliver Wendell Holmes back to health after Antietam. These are eye witness accounts of moments in Washington County history, a piece of the fabric that is altogether American History.



The Potomac A Nation's River


Author: Arnout Hyde, Jr/ Ken Sullivan


Description: The Potomac is history's river, flowing through time as surely as it flows down from the mountains of West Virginia and across the green rolling countryside of Virginia and Maryland. George Washington, John Brown, Thomas Jefferson, Clara Barton and Captain John Smith walked its banks and crossed its waters, and much of the American story was written within its environs. A spectacular pictoral trip along the Potomac River.



The C & O Canal Companion


Author: Mike High


Description: A complete guide to the history of the C &O Canal National Park and its attractions - from cycling and canoeing to hiking the towpath and exploring natural wonders.



The Grand Idea: George Washington's Potomac and the Race to the West


Author: Joel Achenbach


Description: A fun read with lots of history and information about George Washington.





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