Small Town History: Thurmont

Thurmont is located in Frederick County between the city of Frederick and the Mason-Dixon Line. The town of 6170 people calls itself the “Mountain Gateway” for its location at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Thurmont has two main sections. The historical Main Street area is set away from Route 15, which cuts through the town. The industrial area is more visible from the highway, but those who exit will be rewarded by this charming town.

Thurmont started as Mechanicstown in 1751. The earliest landholders were John Weller, Jacob Weller, and Lorenz Krieger. The name stemmed from settlers moving out of Dutch Pennsylvania and Southern Maryland to the fertile orchard valleys in the region. Fruit orchards and wheat farms dominated the landscape, as opposed to the tobacco plantations of Southern and Eastern Maryland. Mechanicstown was a crossroads for farmers selling their produce, eventually leading to many craftsmen settling at the marketplace.

Thurmont was fairly quiet for the next 100 years. Mills sprung up along the banks of Hunting Creek, which falls down from Catoctin Mountain through the town. Despite the Civil War raging just north in Gettysburg, troop movement through Thurmont was minimal. Some soldiers were stationed above the town to guard critical mountain passes, but there were never any battles fought.

As with many Maryland small towns, the post-war era introduced the railroad. Thurmont became connected to larger markets like Hagerstown, DC, and Baltimore. The town grew as local craftsmen could now sell their goods to more people. The Catoctin Iron Furnace smelted iron for railroading, introducing industry to the craftsmen and farm-oriented town.

Railroads also brought vacationers from cities to the fresh mountain air of Thurmont. Sporting clubs dotted the mountainside, and the area was especially known for its trout fishing. Middle and upper class families came to Thurmont in the summer to escape the smog-covered, congested streets of the cities. The area was especially popular with DC politicians.

In 1894, Mechanicstown voted for a name change due to similar-sounding towns in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Proposed names included Beaufort, Eastmont, Glenmont, Monduru, Fern Glen, and Blue Point, but the winner was Blue Mountain City. However, the name was rejected by the post office due to the presence of a Blue Mountain Station nearby. Thus, Thurmont was chosen. The name comes from German and Latin roots that when combined mean “Gateway to the Mountains,” a nickname that stands to this day.

The steep sides and clean creeks of the Blue Ridge Mountains drew moonshiners to the Thurmont area in the Prohibition Era. In fact, what is Catoctin Mountain Park today had one of the highest densities of illegal distillers in the country in the early 20th Century.