Forms and Documents

Please read all instructions carefully prior to completing the form. Once the form is complete print, sign, and return to The Division of Planning and Permitting, Historic Preservation Office, 30 North Market Street, Frederick, MD 21701.

• Frederick County Register of Historic Places Nomination Form
• Frederick County Register of Historic Places Nomination Form Instructions
• Historical District Tax Credit Application Form
• Routine Maintenance List
• Administrative Approval Guidelines
• Application for Administrative Approval for Certification of Appropriateness
• Certificate of Appropriateness Application

Historic Preservation Plan - Adopted June 12, 2007

Historic Preservation Ordinance

Frederick County Register of Historic Places Guidelines

Other Related Links

Catoctin Mountain Scenic Byway Plan

Civil War Heritage Area Management Plan

• Historic National Road
• National Register

Historic Designations

Why Designate Historic Resources?

Historic buildings and sites serve as important visual and tangible links to our heritage.  Designation helps us protect and share our history and instill a sense of pride within our community.  Designation also benefits the local economy by attracting visitors and buyers looking for unique historic homes and commercial properties.

What are the types of historic designations?

There are three types of designations for historic sites - local, state, and federal.  Individual historic sites and entire districts may receive just one type or a combination of multiple designations.  The Frederick County Code (Section 1-23-6) has a process for designating Local Historic Resources, which can include either individual sites or a collection of properties.

The Maryland Historical Trust (the State Historic Preservation Office) manages the Maryland Inventory of Historic Places and the State designation process.  The National Park Service manages the National Register of Historic Places and the National designation process.

How does property become designated to the County Register?

The Frederick County Code Section 1-23-6 explains the local historic designation process.  The property owner, an individual with the property owner’s written consent, or a group of property owners can nominate a property or district for local historic designation.

The nomination and any supporting material would be presented during an official public hearing of the HPC.  If the HPC recommends historic designation, the request goes to the County Council.  The County Council has the final authority for designating a historic property or district.

Local Historic Resource Nomination Application

Application Instructions

Requests by property owners, or representatives of property owners, for the review of resources for local historic designation in Frederick County must be accompanied by this completed application form (View PDF).  Paper copies of the application are also available at the Division of Planning and Permitting (30 N. Market Street).

Filing Requirements and Timeline

Applications for local historic designation may be submitted to the Division of Planning and Permitting (30 N. Market Street) weekdays, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.  Digital submittals also will be accepted via email.

The Historic Preservation planner will notify the applicant that the submission has been received, review the material, and notify the applicant if further information is required.  All sections of the application must be provided.  Upon deeming the application complete, staff will notify the applicant that the application has been accepted.  Site visits with the HPC members will be scheduled, as well as a public hearing before the HPC.  The nominated property must be posted 14 days prior to the date of the HPC public hearing.

If the HPC determines that further information or discussion is required, the public hearing may be continued to the next meeting.  The HPC may recommend the nomination be sent forward to the County Council, or the HPC may make a finding that ends the nomination process.

Frederick County Register of Historic Places

The Frederick County Register of Historic Places (Register) is an important tool to provide public recognition and measures of protection for historically significant properties in Frederick County. Properties are designated to the Register through a nomination process which includes evaluation and determination of eligibility for listing by the Historic Preservation Commission, and further review and adoption by the Frederick County Council.

How to Designate A Historical Resource

To learn more about designating a historic resource, review the Frederick County Register of Historic Places Nomination Form Instructions or contact County Staff.  To designate a resource to the Register, complete the Frederick County Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.

Properties Designated to Frederick County’s Register of Historic Places:

• Elisha Beall House (Boxwood Lodge)
• Smith’s Store and Residence
• Whiskey Ridge
• Howard Marvin Jones House
• Linganore Farm
• Petersville Methodist Episcopal Church
• Newton Schaeffer House (Charles Huseman House)
• Thornbrook

Elisha Beall House (Boxwood Lodge)

Urbana Vicinity (Private Property)

The Elisha Beall House, also known as Boxwood Lodge, was built in at least 3 stages beginning about 1810 and ending about 1830. The L-shaped stone house has a twentieth-century sun porch on the east side. The property includes several surviving outbuildings. A stone smokehouse and a stone building, which possibly served as a slave quarter, date to about 1810-1830. A frame stable/carriage house was erected about 1890. Several barns north of the house and other buildings were also associated with the farmstead but are now separately owned. Elisha Beall (1745-1831 or 1838) built the house, replacing a log structure on the property possibly erected prior to 1744 by Elisha’s father, Nathaniel Beall. Elisha Beall was born in the log building. Elisha became a wealthy planter who owned many slaves and generally led a privileged lifestyle. In the 1930s, the stone house was used as a tourist home intermittently under the name Gray Stone Inn. The name Boxwood Lodge became associated with the property in the 1940s. The Elisha Beall House was nominated to the County Register by the owner, Monocacy Land Company, L.L.C., and was officially listed on October 5, 1999.

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Smith’s Store and Residence

Urbana Vicinity (Private Property)

Smith’s Store and Residence is a brick structure built in 2 sections about 1830-1840. The original residence section is a 2-story dwelling with a rear wing on the east side. A 1-and-1-half-story commercial building adjoins the dwelling. The store and residence have separate entrances. The store’s double doors are still in place but are not currently in use. Thomas A. Smith, the tenant of the residence and the storekeeper, purchased the property in 1863. In the same year, the post office for Urbana was transferred to Smith’s Store from Cockey’s Store. In 1864, Smith had a narrow escape from raiding Confederate troops who took Smith and his assistant postmaster captive. The assistant was killed during the incident, according to a contemporary newspaper account. Smith continued to run the store for another 20 years, erecting a stable and other outbuildings on the property, none of which still stand. Later, the store was operated by Beverly U. Feinour until 1897. Having been a private residence for most of the twentieth century, the property was returned to commercial use in early 2000. Smith’s Store and Residence was nominated to the County Register by the owner, the Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc., and was officially listed on October 5, 1999.

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Whiskey Ridge 

Libertytown Vicinity (Private Property)

Whiskey Ridge consists of a brick house and frame-and-stone bank barn built between 1852 and 1858 by William Jones, Sr. (1782-1869). The name Whiskey Ridge refers to a larger tract mentioned in an 1820 deed, which included this farm and several other properties in the area. The house has an original rear ell extension and 5 bays on its main elevation with a newly installed portico roof over the central doorway. In the 1970s, an extensive remodeling resulted in an originally freestanding log building, probably a smokehouse, being moved and attached to the south elevation of a new addition. In 2000, the current owner redesigned the roofline of the addition and built new additions, including a sun porch on the north elevation. Other modern additions within the designation boundary include a swimming pool and pool house, a gazebo, and a newly erected log building using salvaged logs. Also planned for construction is a new garage. The Swisser style barn, or bank barn, has a concrete-block milk house and a loafing shed, both added during the property’s use as a dairy farm in the early and mid-twentieth century. Whiskey Ridge was nominated to the County Register by the owners, Wayne and Karen Six, and was officially listed on October 3, 2000.

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Howard Marvin Jones House

Petersville Vicinity (Private Property)

The Howard Marvin Jones House is a brick Foursquare dwelling with Colonial Revival exterior details. A popular house form in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Foursquare consisted of a basically square floor plan with 4 main rooms on the first floor, a hipped or pyramidal roof, and usually 1 or more dormers. The exterior decoration often reflected a variety of historical styles. The Howard Marvin Jones House has Palladian-inspired, 3-part windows in its dormers, a strong Colonial Revival element. The dwelling was built in 1913-14 by Dr. Samuel Claggett (1873-1914), who died shortly after the house was completed. Howard Marvin Jones (1874-1955) purchased the property in 1920 and raised a family of 8 children there. He was a magistrate in Brunswick and also dealt in real estate. The property remained in the Jones family until 1981. The Howard Marvin Jones House was nominated to the County Register by the owners, Joan Porter and Michael Wozny, and was officially listed on January 2, 2001.

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Linganore Farm

Frederick Vicinity (Private Property)

Linganore Farm is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The main dwelling is a large 2-story, L-shaped brick house dating from the 1850s-60s. The house displays the influence of the Greek Revival and Italianate styles. Outbuildings include the ruins of a brick smokehouse and a stone root cellar. A 2-story brick secondary house that appears to date from the early nineteenth century also stands on the property. Linganore Farm represents the heritage of agriculture and grain milling in Frederick County. The property served as the location for mills and a distillery, with at least 1 mill present by 1808. The main house was likely built shortly after 1858 during the ownership of Aaron Anders and John Reifsnider. In 1891, Henry C. Brown purchased the farm and converted it to a summer resort known as the Linganore Hills Inn, which could accommodate 45 guests. Linganore Farm was nominated to the County Register by the owners, Ivan and Norma Nottingham, and was officially listed on May 8, 2001.

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Petersville Methodist Episcopal Church

Petersville Vicinity (Private Property)

The Petersville Methodist Episcopal Church is a 2-story building of local sandstone construction. Designed in the Greek Revival style, the structure features a front gable and 2 Doric columns at the central entrance. Former Maryland governor Francis Thomas originally constructed the building as a town hall around 1850. Governor Thomas, then owner of much of Petersville, resided at the nearby family estate, Montevue. The town hall perhaps functioned as a political gathering place as well as the social center for the rural population. The building has a colorful history of adaptive use. It was converted to a Methodist Episcopal Church in 1860 and to a Reformed Church in 1900. More changes occurred in 1938, when the church became a residence. While each adaptation resulted in dramatic interior alterations, the exterior has remained remarkably unchanged. The Methodist Episcopal Church was nominated to the County Register by the owners, Joan Porter and Michael Wozny, and was officially listed on November 13, 2001.

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Newton Schaeffer House (Charles Huseman House)

Buckeystown Vicinity (Private Property)

The Newton Schaeffer House is located in the Buckeystown National Register Historic District. The 2-story frame dwelling was built about 1896. This late Victorian-period house features Colonial Revival and Carpenter Gothic detailing. Newton R. Schaeffer, a local carpenter and builder in the Buckeystown area, constructed the house for himself and his family on a corner town lot. The dwelling was typical of those Schaeffer had been building in the area but lacked the characteristic gingerbread trim that he often used as an embellishment. In 1911, Schaeffer erected an addition on the back of his house. Reportedly used for the Buckeystown telephone exchange, the addition was accessed from an outside porch. Schaeffer’s daughter Ada, assisted by several other local women, operated the exchange in an upstairs room. The operators provided telephone service twenty-4 hours a day. The Newton Schaeffer House was nominated to the County Register by the owners, Samuel and Ellen Pucciarelli, and was officially listed on August 20, 2002.

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Thornbrook

Thurmont Vicinity (Private Property)

Thornbrook is an Italianate country "cottage" that was constructed in 2 sections: a frame section erected about 1860 and a brick addition built in 1869. The dwelling is an example of the vernacular adaptation of Italianate-inspired romantic cottage architecture, espoused in the pattern books of Andrew Jackson Downing and others. The first owner of Thornbrook was Professor George Henry Miles (1824-1872), poet and professor at nearby Mount Saint Mary’s College. Miles joined the faculty in 1858, teaching English literature. Thornbrook was reportedly built by Miles’ father-in-law, William Tiers, following Miles’ marriage to Adeline Tiers. During the Civil War, Miles (under the pseudonym Earnest Halpin) wrote "God Save the South," the first song to be published in the Confederacy. The words were set to music by Charles W. A. Ellerbrock, the arranger of "Maryland, My Maryland." Miles entertained numerous college and intellectual visitors at his home. Thornbrook was nominated to the County Register by the owners, Linda Franklin and Owen Schwartz, and was officially listed on May 12, 2003.

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The Frederick County Rural Roads Program

The Frederick County Rural Roads program was created to protect the scenic and historical qualities of gravel roads in rural areas of the county and to provide for their continued maintenance.  There are currently 83 miles of rural roads in the program. In 2021, the County Executive appointed the Frederick County Rural & Scenic Roads Advisory Committee to review the existing program and develop an enhanced program that better meets community needs.

Photo: Sigler Road south of Jefferson is a designated Frederick County Rural Road. Character-defining features include a narrow road bed, gravel surface, and a mix of mature trees, shrubs, and groundcovers.

Meetings & Events

Upcoming Meetings

Advisory Group Meeting
October 13, 2021 at 4:30 pm
Virtual
Agenda   |   Challenges and Opportunities Discussion
To listen the meeting or provide comments, please use the Public Input Phone Number with the information below.
Phone Number:1-855-925-2801
Code: 2981

Next Meeting:
Advisory Group Meeting
October 27, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Virtual 

Previous Meetings

Advisory Group Meeting
September 22, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Agenda   |   Minutes
Video

Advisory Group Meeting
September 8, 2021 at 4:30 pm
Virtual
Agenda | Minutes
Video

Rural & Scenic Roads Advisory Committee

• Tiffany Ahalt
• Tom Barse
• Jim Bonneville
• Ron Burns
• Howard Looney
• Sam Castleman
• Susan Hanson
• Darius Mark
• Peter Pearre
• Barbara Wyatt
• Jeff Yocum
• Dave Ziedelis

Grant Availability

Rural Historic Preservation Grant Program

The Frederick County Rural Historic Preservation Grant Program helps fund rehabilitation, restoration, and preservation of historic properties located in the unincorporated areas of the county.  Grants from the program are designed to preserve, protect, and enhance rural historic properties.

Application & Instructions

APPLICATION PERIOD WILL OPEN DECEMBER 1, 2020

• Rural Historic Preservation Grant Program Application 
• Rural Historic Preservation Grant Program Application Instructions

Virtual Grant Workshops

The next grant workshop will be held for those interested in applying.

• Monday, January 11, 2021 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

All workshops will be hosted online via WebEx.  Registration is required.  For participation links and dial-in numbers, please complete the registration form.

Rural Grant Presentation

Contractor Lists

Lists of preservation contractors are maintained by Preservation Maryland and The Maryland Association of Historic District Commissions.  Links to these lists are below:

• PreserveList
• Maryland Association of Historic District Commissions Consultant and Contractor Directory

Recovering Identity Project

Frederick County Cultural Resources Survey & Historic Context Statement

Upcoming Meetings

Monday, October 18, 2021
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Agenda
Virtual
Broadcast live on FCG TV
Public Portal: Listen Live, provide public comments, or leave a voicemail
Call In: 1-855-925-2801, Enter Code 8040 and follow prompts

Overall Project Summary

African American Resources Cultural and Heritage Society (AARCH) and Frederick County Government (FCG) are embarking upon the preparation of the first countywide African American Historic Context Statement and Cultural Resource Survey. This project will be completed in several phases as grant funding becomes available.  The first phase of this project has been awarded $50,000 through the Maryland Historical Trust’s Non-Capital Grant program.

 PHASE 1

Recovering Identity: Northern Frederick County Cultural Resource Survey

The Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc. (CFHS), African American Resources Cultural and Heritage Society (AARCH), and Frederick County Government (FCG) have partnered to complete the first phase of the cultural resource survey project. This phase will identity and record extant structures and cultural landscapes associated with African Americans north of Lewistown, east of the Washington County border, west of the Monocacy River, and south of the Pennsylvania border. Beginning with the preparation of a comprehensive historic context statement, the grant will fund architectural survey, inventory, and recordation of previously undocumented African American buildings and landscapes resulting in the preparation of 15 new Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties (MIHP) forms and updating of existing forms.

A team of historians, architectural historians, and emerging professionals will be completing this project over the next year in close collaboration with CFHS, AARCH, and FCG. The Historic Context Statement developed for this region of the County will establish a framework for the evaluation of significant architectural, historical, and cultural resources and can be used as the basis for additional historic resource surveys in the future.

How to Participate

Do you have information about the African American history of Frederick County that you’d like to share? There are several ways you can participate:

1. Attend a public forum 
2. Submit a Public Information Form (see below)
3. You can also contact the County directly to share information: Historic Preservation Planner – Amanda Whitmore, at RecoveringIdentity@frederickcountymd.gov or 301-600-1147 

Public Information Submittal Form

Please use the following links to submit public Information with a written or digital form:

• Print Form: Public Comments Sheet
• Digital Form: Public Comments Sheet

Project Timeline

The project team began researching in February 2021. The entire project is expected to be completed by June of 2022. The draft historic context statement should be completed by the Fall of 2021 with draft MIHPs and Survey Report ready by February 2022. Please continue to check back for more information about meeting dates, times, and formats. 

• December 2020: Grant award announced 
• February 2021: Census, Moravian Diary, and map research began
• May 24, 2021: Virtual Public Forum at 7 p.m. Watch the archived video of the public forum here.
• Spring and Summer 2021: Team will continue historical research, review public input, begin preparing the historic context statement, and begin to perform reconnaissance architectural survey 
• Summer/Fall 2021: Community outreach meetings
• October 18, 2021: Virtual Public Forum at 7 p.m. Watch the live stream and provide public comment.
• Fall 2021: Finish draft of historic context statement and process survey data 
• Winter 2021: Prepare MIHP forms and survey report 
• April 2022: Community outreach meeting to inform citizens of results (specific date TBD) 
• June 2022: Submit final files and reports to the Maryland Historical Trust 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a Historic Context Statement, and what is it used for?

A Historic context Statement is a written document that establishes a framework for evaluating historic properties. It describes the broad patterns of historical development of a community that are represented through its buildings and other aspects of its built environment. A Historic Context Statement is an important planning tool. It helps decision makers and others determine which properties in a community merit recognition as historical resources, and are often used as the foundation for historic resource surveys.

How is a Historic Context Statement structured?

A historic context statement can be organized around a series of broad contexts and themes that are represented through the built environment of a community. A focused narrative discussion is developed for each context and theme. The document also identifies property types associated with each context and theme, as well as eligibility standards and integrity considerations that should be met for these property types to be eligible as historical resources.

What is an architectural survey?

An architectural survey begins with background research of the study area, followed by field work for data collection. Once surveyors are in the study area, they photograph the structures and setting to be included in the survey and record information such as the architectural style of the building, materials used in construction, and the condition of the resource. From there, surveyors will determine which properties to intensively document by reviewing archival records and local history documents. For additional information regarding architectural survey work in Maryland, please visit Maryland Historical Trust’s website.

Who will be preparing the Historic Context Statement and Survey documentation?

Edie Wallace, an independent historian with extensive experience writing context statements and completing architectural survey work, will be the primary preparer of the historic context statement. A critical content reader, yet to be identified, will review the historic context statement. John Murphey, an independent architectural historian also with extensive experience completing multi-property architectural surveys, will be conducting the architectural reconnaissance survey and completing the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties forms. An emerging professional in the architectural historian field will be assisting Mr. Murphey. Ms. Wallace and Mr. Murphey are highly qualified and meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards.

What are the benefits of this project to the community?

The overall project will provide information about the African American presence and history in Frederick County that will be utilized in further documentation and research. The information gained will be used to build special education and outreach programs that share the history and places. It may lead to property owners nominating their site to the County or National Register of Historic Places, making those designated sites eligible for funding incentives while providing guidance for preservation or restoration of those sites. Surveys also serve as a starting point to incorporating our historic resources into the future development and planning of the area.   

How long will the entire project take?

It is expected to take nearly a year and a half to complete. Grant funding was awarded to Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc. in December 2020 and the project kicked off in February 2021.  More information about the project schedule is provided on AARCH’s website.

Will my property be designated as part of this process?

No. No properties will be formally designated as part of this project. Designation is a completely separate process that is voluntary and subject to public notification, participation, and review.

Can I get involved?

Yes! We encourage everyone to share their knowledge of Frederick County African American history. More information about how to participate is proved on AARCH’s website.

I have more questions. Who should I contact?

Please contact the County’s Historic Preservation Planner, Amanda Whitmore, at RecoveringIdentity@frederickcountymd.gov for additional questions related to the project.