Self Guided Walking tour of
Point of Rocks Community Commons Park
Scouts and Guides of the Army of the Potomac
The Civil War
Berlin, MD (now Brunswick), October 1862 Courtesy of the Library of Congress
The B & O rail line served as an important means of supply and communication during the Civil War. At Point of Rocks, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad reached the banks of the Potomac River from Baltimore. This narrow strip of bottom land, which allowed passage beyond the Blue Ridge’s Catoctin and South Mountain ranges, had been the subject of a court fight decades earlier when the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the railroad both sought to use it. In May 1861, Col. Thomas J. (later Gen. “Stonewall”) Jackson convinced the railroad to consolidate its coal shipments at a specific time period. He then captured 56 locomotives and more than 300 rail cars by halting all train traffic west of Point of Rocks. In mid-June 1863, shortly before the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate troops here captured and burned a train loaded with provisions for the Union garrison at Harpers Ferry. In 1864, Confederate Lt. Col. John S. Mosby, in what became known as the “Calico Raid” or the “Crinoline Raid,” attacked the Union garrison here.
Birds eye view of Point of Rocks, 1931 Courtesy of Point of Rocks Community Historical Society
Changes Over Time The “Point of Rocks” has long served as a distinguishing natural feature for Native Americans residing and traveling through the region. Until the Treaty of Albany in 1722, involving English state representatives and Iroquois Nations, the area was nominally controlled by the Iroquois Confederacy. View Point of Rock’s historic timeline of events that date back as early as 10,000 BC with the arrival of the Paleo-Indians.
Point of Rocks, c. 2015 Courtesy of Bing Maps
C&O Canal Towpath, 1910 Courtesy of C&O Canal National Historic Park Archives
The C&O Canal The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal was an ambitious project to provide access from the east coast into the rapidly developing western areas of the United States. Construction on the C&O Canal began July 4, 1828. The canal was in direct but brief competition with the quickly expanding railroads. Point of Rocks was a point of contention between the two emerging forms of transportation due to the limited buildable area at the rock outcrop into the Potomac. Construction was slow and intense, requiring skilled labor for many of the elements, which included locks, dams, aqueducts, and the towpath. The canal enjoyed success for a limited number of years, and was heavily used by Union forces during the Civil War. Despite the control measures, flooding was a constant problem for the canal and ultimately flood damage in 1889 and again in 1924 put an end to the canal’s regular operations. In 1936, the canal’s use was ended completely.
A LANDMARK COMMUNITY The “Point of Rocks” has long served as a distinguishing landmark along the Potomac River. Native Americans, and later colonial settlers and traders, used the vicinity as a home and transportation corridor. River transportation and improvements by the Patowmack Company, founded by George Washington to encourage trade and settlement of the Ohio Territory, brought more attention to this location. In the 1830’s, two new innovative transportation routes converged here, causing a true village to flourish. Taking the adjacent landmark’s name, Point of Rocks quickly became a commercial center on the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal and the Old Main Line of the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad. Over the next hundred years, Point of Rocks remained vital with hotels, restaurants, mills, stores, a post office and train station. Point of Rocks survived repeated skirmishes during the Civil War that focused on disruption of road, rail and canal operations. The town’s importance as a transportation hub would eventually decline as the B&O expanded its yards upriver at Brunswick in the late 1800’s and the C&O Canal ceased operation in 1924. Many of the original structures in the former town center were removed to accommodate U.S. Route 15 and Potomac floodplain management, making way for railroad commuter parking and Community Commons, a county passive park. Point of Rocks continues its tradition as a crossroads, enjoying renewed residential growth and tourism interest that draws on its access to road and rail, rich history, recreational amenities, and natural beauty.
Photos Courtesy of Point of Rocks Residents
VISITOR SERVICES Today Point of Rocks is a community of 1500 residents and a major stop on the Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) train line to Washington, D.C. As a result, commercial businesses have experienced a rebirth by catering services to train riders, scenic byway travelers, park tourists, river enthusiasts, and the growing population of local residents. Nearby attractions include the historic B & O Train station and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park featuring a boat ramp. Point of Rocks serves as a C & O Canal entry point for horseback riding, hiking and biking with nearby historic structures such as a pivot bridge, lock houses and the Catoctin Aqueduct. The Potomac River in this area offers excellent small mouth bass fishing as well as unique vistas and wildlife. In late September, the community hosts Art at the Point, an annual festival showcasing art, music and children's activities.
Photos Courtesy of Point of Rocks Residents
Left: A man stands at the base of the Potomac River Gauging Station at Point of Rocks Courtesy of Waymark.com (USGS 01638500)
Bottom: Flooding in Point of Rocks, March 1936 Courtesy of Sonny French
Floods The National Weather Service defines the flood stages for the Potomac River at Point of Rocks as: Action Stage: 15 ft. Flood Stage: 16 ft. Moderate Flood Stage: 20 ft. Major Flood Stage: 25 ft.
Numerous floods have shaped the land and affected structures in the Point of Rocks area for centuries. Although the Potomac River has provided transportation, food, recreation, and beauty to Point of Rocks, portions of the town have also been devastated by flooding. The markings on the obelisk, the granite monument in the circle in front of you, indicate the actual water levels or “crests� for several of the major floods dating back to 1889. The numbers represent the height above the elevation at the Potomac River Gauging Station (199.92) located on the left bank of the river on the downstream side of the US 15 Bridge. For more information, visit: www.water.weather.gov www.waterdata.usgs.gov
Steam Locomotive, Point of Rocks depot, early 1900’s Courtesy of Point of Rocks Community Historical Society
The B&O Railroad
The arrival of the B&O Railroad in Point of Rocks would have a major impact on the future development of the town. The first train arrived on April 23, 1832, and Point of Rocks remained the terminus of the Old Main Line for three years. Continued construction of the railroad was complicated by a lawsuit with C&O Canal over right-of-way. A compromise was reached in 1833, when the Catoctin Mountain was blasted to allow both the canal and the railroad to pass by. Point of Rocks became connected to Washington, D.C. in 1873 via the Metropolitan Branch, which junctioned with the Baltimore Line and continued west. The B&O Railroad tunneled 787 feet through Catoctin Mountain between 1867-1868. A new train station was opened circa 1873 and was enlarged to its present form in 1875 (originally named Washington Junction). The station is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bioretention
Bioretention
is
a
stormwater
management strategy which mimics the
earth’s
slowing
natural
down,
processes
cooling
off,
of and
filtering drainage from rainwater and snow melt. Natural elements like wetlands, bogs, swamps, rocky streams, and sandy soils help slow down stormwater, cool it, filter it, and give it a chance to seep into the groundwater or evaporate into the air. Our engineering solution for many years
to
remove
water
quickly
from roads was to send stormwater underground through storm sewers and pipes leading directly to streams, the Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay. This causes severe erosion and washes all of the pollutants from our roads into sensitive ecosystems. Stormwater management designs are now required to hold and filter stormwater before it is released into natural ecosystems. A variety of techniques are used to do this. Here you can see the plan for the bioretention area in front of you. It includes trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennials, which are well adapted to periodic flooding. Stormwater management designs are now required to hold and filter stormwater before it is released into natural ecosystems. A variety of techniques are used to do this. Here you can see the plan for the bioretention area in front of you. It includes trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennials, which are well adapted to periodic flooding.
Frederick County Division of Parks and Recreation 355 Montevue Lane, Suite 100 Frederick, Maryland 21702 301-600-2936 | 301-600-2595 www.Recreater.com