Historical Markers and War Memorials in Darnestown, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat for Montgomery County
Darnestown is in Montgomery County
Montgomery County(744) ► ADJACENT TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY Frederick County(554) ► Howard County(142) ► Prince George's County(642) ► Washington, D.C.(2571) ► Arlington County, Virginia(461) ► Fairfax County, Virginia(709) ► Loudoun County, Virginia(345) ►
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The thriving crossroads community of Darnestown during the 1880s looked much different than it does today. Photographs from that time, however, help us understand what someone traveling through Darnestown might have experienced.
Darnestown grew . . . — — Map (db m69722) HM
The years following the Civil War were a booming time for Darnestown. Local residents repaired damages from the war and returned to their daily means of livelihood. Andrew Small was a C&O Canal contractor and became familiar with Darnestown during . . . — — Map (db m69716) HM
Military Hardships
Before becoming soldiers with military spirit, the men endured a series of hardships and deprivations. Even with their close proximity to Washington D. C. the men of Banks' division suffered shortages of clothing, . . . — — Map (db m69839) HM
Several recorded accounts identified that 20 to 30 individuals, including members of the Darne family, were buried here. Given the high infant mortality rates until the mid-19th century even the youngest residents of Darnestown were vulnerable to . . . — — Map (db m69787) HM
On June 25-27, 1863, the Federal Army of the Potomac used two temporary pontoon bridges to cross the Potomac River from Virginia back into Maryland at Edwards Ferry. On the evening and morning of June 27-28, Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart led 5,000 . . . — — Map (db m1684) HM
By the summer of 1861, the Union recognized Darnestown as an ideal location for establishing a major division headquarters. The town was strategically situated at the intersection of roads leading to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and to Washington, . . . — — Map (db m69731) HM
Soldiers feared bullets and bayonets on the battlfield, but the greater danger was the invisible presence of bacteria in both Union and Confederate camps. By 1865, 620,000 men were casualties of war; the bulk succumbed to communicable diseases like . . . — — Map (db m69818) HM
Troops stationed in Montgomery County did not sit idle while waiting to fight. In addition to preparing for battle, they also had to combat many deprivations, including proper food, clothing and shelter. Life as a soldier was difficult on all counts . . . — — Map (db m74711) HM
Although no major battles were fought in Darnestown, major troop movements occurred throughout the war.
April 14, 1861 - - Fort Sumter falls
April 15 1861 - - Lincoln calls out 75,000 state militia
May 3, 1861 - - Lincoln calls . . . — — Map (db m201501) HM
Climb high
Climb far
Your goal the sky
Your aim the stars
On January 31, 1991, Captain Thomas Clifford Bland, Jr., U.S.A.F. of Darnestown, gave his life in the Persian Gulf, in tribute to his outstanding courage and valor while serving . . . — — Map (db m141320) WM
Darnestown Road is one of the oldest roads in Montgomery County. Once an old trail, the route dates back to 1600 when it was used by the Seneca Indians. Native Americans Established villages, planted maize, and fished along the Potomac Palisades. . . . — — Map (db m69645) HM
A Signal Corps station and training camp was established near Darnestown in 1861. Signaling with flags was invented by army surgeon Albert J. Meyer and first used against the Navahos in border warfare before the Civil War. Signaling with flags . . . — — Map (db m69854) HM