FREDERICK, Md. - Join the National Park Service for a rare opportunity to tour the historic Worthington House at Monocacy National Battlefield. The house is usually closed, but will open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 20, 2019 for this special tour. Park Rangers and volunteers will discuss the history of the property and the Worthington family, who witnessed the Battle of Monocacy through their cellar windows. The event is free.
Can’t make the tour? You can now explore the Worthington House online. The National Park Service launched a new, enhanced virtual tour of the Worthington House at https://go.nps.gov/1brmnp. “Virtual tours allow us to safely expand access to park buildings, while still protecting fragile historic structures," said Superintendent Chris Stubbs. The virtual tour also includes areas of the house that will not be accessible on Saturday.
During the Battle of Monocacy, the Worthington Farm became a staging area for the Confederate Army to attack Union forces defending the roads leading to Washington D.C., and Baltimore, Md. Six-year old Glenn Worthington watched the battle from the cellar window. He wrote about the battle in Fighting for Time, a book that played a role in the preservation of the battlefield. The National Park Service is currently seeking funding to rehabilitate the house.
Can’t get enough of historic houses? Join the National Park Service on Aug. 17, 2019 for a special tour of the Thomas House. Today the Thomas House serves as the battlefield’s headquarters, but during the battle it witnessed some of the fiercest fighting and sustained significant damage. Some of the scars are still visible.
All programs and events are FREE. The Worthington House is at 4235 Baker Valley Road, Frederick, Md. (GPS location). The Thomas House is at 4632 Araby Church Road, Frederick, Md.
www.nps.gov
Tags: worthington worthington farm civil war monocacy national battlefield open house tour battle of monocacy
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
