Glen Burnie

Glen Burnie. . , This site, known as Glen Burnie, is the homestead of Col. James Wood, who founded Winchester on a portion of his land in 1744. Wood’s son, Robert, began the present house in 1793, but the estate was home to the Wood-Glass families from the 1730s to the 1990s., During the Civil War, Winchester changed hands many times, as Union and Confederate forces occupied, fought over, and won or lost possession of the town. Each side occupied Glen Burnie several times. Its proximity of the North Western Turnpike (now U.S. Rte. 50) between Winchester, Virginia, and Romney, West Virginia, and to good water from springs here, attracted the troops. In June 1861, Southern-minded Marylanders camped here and formed the First Maryland Infantry, Confederate States of America (CSA). They later fought the First Maryland Infantry, United States of America (USA), at the Battle of Front Royal on May 23, 1862., Tides of blue and gray swept across the hills and fields of Glen Burnie during all three major battles for Winchester in 1862, 1863, and 1864. Combat damage and occupation caused the farm’s agricultural productivity and value to decline as livestock, farm buildings, fences and timber were taken or destroyed. After the war, family members went west to begin new lives, homes, and fortunes, and eventually left Glen Burnie as a legacy to the Winchester community., (captions) , The newly formed First Maryland Infantry (CSA) plays "foot-ball" at Glen Burnie before evening parade, from Harper's Weekly, Aug. 21, 1861, Glen Burnie looked much this way when, on Christmas Eve, 1862, Cornelia McDonald living across the road, saw a regiment of Federal Cavalry ‘take possession of Mr. Wood’s yard and beautiful grounds, attracted no doubt by the grass which is still green in many places.” Courtesy Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society, One of three springs on the original James Wood homestead, this spring, located on the north side of Amherst Street, supplied water to Winchester since its beginning and to many a soldier, blue and gray. , Courtesy The Western Reserve Historical Society