MARYLAND
US 11 remains in Terra Mariae for only 13 short miles.
WILLIAMSPORT
Williamsport was named for Continental Army officer and Revolutionary War hero from Maryland General Otho Holland Williams. After the war, he helped lay out the town of Williamsport. The Chesapeake and Ohio (C & O) Canal passes directly through Williamsport and is a major feature of the town. The canal, which operated from 1831-1934, connects Washington DC with Cumberland Maryland. Williamsport is home to the C & O Canal National Historic Park, Lock 44, a railroad Lift Bridge, the Conococheague Aqueduct and a Bollman Iron Truss Bridge. The Williamsport (Cushwas Basin) Visitor Center in town lays out the historic context.
US 11 here is the descendent of an early Native American trail between New York and the Carolinas, subsequently followed by tens of thousands of European settlers and pioneer families. This became part of the Great Wagon Road from Philadelphia though the Appalachian Valley to Virginia and North Carolina. Evan Watkins established a ferry across the Potomac River here in 1744, and the first portion of modern US 11 to be constructed was the bridge over the Potomac River at Williamsport, which was completed in 1909. Although currently closed to the public, the historic home Tammany in Williamsport built in the 1780’s is named in honor of “St. Tammany” whom we met in south Louisiana as our northern journey on US 11 began.
HALFWAY
The town lies halfway between Williamsport and Hagerstown. The town is less than 20 minutes from the historic Antietam National Battlefield, which is worth a detour.
HAGERSTOWN
Hagerstown was founded in 1762 by German immigrant and local settler Jonathan Hager, who named the settlement originally "Elizabethtowne" in honor of his wife Elizabeth. The name was changed to Hager's Town in 1814. During the 19th century, the Western Maryland, Baltimore and Ohio (B & O), and Cumberland Valley railroads all passed through or served the city. These converging rail lines appeared as spokes on a wagon wheel, giving the moniker “The Hub City” to Hagerstown. Historic sites in the city include the Hager House, the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, the Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum, the Hagerstown station and the Hagerstown Aviation Museum. The Heavy Metal Playground is a recreational facility that allows visitors to operate real, heavy construction equipment. Crystal Grottoes Caverns nearby in Boonsboro (13 miles/25 minutes) is Maryland's only show cave. An old alignment of US 11 goes through downtown Hagerstown, US Highway 40 crosses US 11 here, and US 11 passes UNDER a runway of the Hagerstown airport north of town. If you’re hungry, Colonial Sports Bar and Grill on US 11 has been serving Maryland crabs and crab pretzels since 1985 and Cafe Roma Ristorante, also on US 11 near the airport, provides authentic Southern Italian fine dining. If you are hungry AND want to see another giant crab, visit Chic’s Seafood at 300 Summit Ave, just off of US 11. Olympia Candy Kitchen is located in a remodeled gas station on US 11 and has been providing signature chocolates since 1903.
ROUTE OF US 11
US 11 has crossed the even numbered US Highways 90, 80, 70, 60, 50 and now 40 in Hagerstown. US 30 and US 20 are pending (US 10 only involves 4 states in the middle of the country and we will not cross that one). Our next state is Pennsylvania, named in 1681 by King Charles II of England to honor Admiral Sir William Penn, the father of Quaker founder William Penn. The name combines “Penn” with the Latin word “sylvania” (meaning “woodlands” or “forest”). While Penn suggested Sylvania, the King added “Penn” to recognize the Admiral’s service. King Charles II granted the land to William Penn to settle a 16,000 pound debt to his father, the Admiral.
We will travel 248 miles through Pennsylvania before reaching our northernmost US 11 state, New York.