Join us on November 10th at 10:00 a.m. at Monocacy Battlefield National Park when we explore this site where Union troops lost a battle but saved the Nation’s Capital.
We’ll explore the interactive museum in the visitor center, less than 20 miles from Poolesville in nearby Frederick. Then we will travel by car to sites where the action took place with a park ranger who will provide narration about what happened there in the summer of 1864. Enjoy the beauty of this national battlefield that has been preserved and renovated to resemble its condition during that period.
If you wish to stay for lunchtime, there are restaurants five minutes away along Rte. 355, or bring a picnic lunch with drinks and eat at the battlefield. Walking will be minimal for this tour, but the battlefield hosts some beautiful trails, should you decide to make a day of it.
To get there: either meet us at 10:00 at the Monocacy Battlefield National Park Visitors Center (5201 Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD 21704) or meet here in Poolesville at 9:15 in the parking lot at Poolesville Presbyterian Church (17800 Elgin Rd.) to carpool to the battlefield (approximately a 30-minute drive). Carpooling either from Poolesville or from the Visitors’ center to the battlefield sites is encouraged as we need drive from site to site once there.
Monocacy National Battlefield preserves and protects the site where United States troops fought to stop the last Confederate advance into Union territory. While a strategic victory for the Confederacy, Union soldiers held off their invasion long enough for United States reinforcements to reach Washington, D.C. where the Confederates were ultimately defeated. The United States’ heroic stand during the battle at Monocacy Junction earned the nickname, “The battle that saved Washington.”
Today, Monocacy National Battlefield not only preserves the story of the battle, but also shares the stories of those who lived and worked on the land, including Indigenous peoples, European settlers, and enslaved people. Visitors will also find ample opportunities to enjoy the outdoors with hiking and scenic vistas overlooking the battlefield.