Exploring Frederick, MD
Time needed in this town: Day trip or an overnight stay
Frederick, MD is one of those historic towns I just can’t get enough of and it all started when I stayed the night at a friend’s home that, at one point, Lincoln visited when a the General that owned the home, was dying. (Side note: We were watching Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter in the very room he was in - it was slightly creepy.)
Today, this town is home to some amazing restaurants, specialty shops, a lot of history, and so much charm!
The below information is a complete guide of the best places to stay, the top rated places to dine and drink, and all there is to see and do. We’ve also included transportation tips, as well as a summary of the history of this incredibly historic town.
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Where to Stay
Where to Dine & Drink
Cucina Massi
Serving Italian dishes - they cater well to gluten-free diets!
Dutch's Daughter
This upscale American choice offers a genteel dining room & a casual downstairs bar, The Dungeon.
Firestone’s Culinary Tavern
Gastropub cooking in a stylish space with a vintage tin ceiling &a mahogany bar pouring 80+ beers.
Gladchuk Bros. Restaurant
Old-school, white-tablecloth choice featuring an American menu with European flair & a full bar.
Hootch & Banter (a must-try)
Destination for an imaginative Modern American menu served in a sophisticated yet relaxed space.
il Porto
Italian cuisine & a long wine list presented in a white-tablecloth setting with homey touches.
Isabella’s Taverna & Tapas Bar
Relaxed Spanish eatery offering tapas & an extensive wine list in a brick-&-wood dining room.
Olde Towne Tavern
Opened in 1976, they specialize in crab cakes, beer & live bands, in a neighborhood joint with Ping-Pong, darts, and pool.
Sanctuary: Modern Kitchen
A 100% gluten-free kitchen with takeaway treats and other food options. They are hidden near the post office and are absolutely fantastic (and well-priced)!
Thacher & Rye
Easygoing fixture with outdoor seating, offering hearty lunches & dinners, plus a large drink list.
The Tasting Room
Contemporary bar & eatery featuring sophisticated New American fare & an extensive wine list.
the Wine Kitchen on the Creek (Personal recommendation)
Rustic-chic choice offering a seasonal New American bistro menu with a range of wine pairings.
Truth & Beauty
Serving new twists on old southern classics, as well as new fusions.
Up on Market Street
Also an inn, they serve home cooking, comfort-style meals.
Things to See & Do
Creme de la Creme
Imagine walking into the perfectly accessorized French chateau in the countryside or flat in Paris - this is what this store is like. Everything for sale is perfectly curated, though on the pricier side. I have never left there empty-handed.
Emporium Antiques
Per their website, “Our vast 20,000 sf showroom is home to over 100 dealers and over 3,000 consignors offering Antique Furniture, American Art Pottery, Silver, Jewelry, China, Art, Maps, Prints, Vintage Clothing, Quilts and Textiles, Architectural, and much more. . .”
Lebherz Oil & Vinegar Emporium
I’ve been going to them for nearly 10 years and I absolutely love what they have to offer. They do tastings, but you must ask to try them as they are behind the counter.
TIP: Try the grapefruit white balsamic vinegar!
McClintock Distilling
They “develop exceptional, hand-crafted spirits that garner appreciation not just for their flavor, but also the innovative and unconventional approaches to their creation.
National Museum of Civil War Medicine
The National Museum of Civil War Medicine is a U.S. historic education institution located, focused on the medical, surgical, and nursing practices during the American Civil War (1861-1865).
North Market Pop Shop
They are the largest retailer of glass bottle soda pop in the country (with 400 unique brands - some of them are super retro)! They also have an entire room, dedicated to their incredible candy selection (some of it is very nostalgic), and they serve ice cream as well.
TIP: If you go in the fall, they serve GREAT mulled wine and spiced cider!
Perfect Truffle
Their chocolates and truffles are all made by hand and are absolutely incredible! They do sell other baked goods and sorbets but really, focus on trying not to order one of each when you’re there.
Retro-Metro
If you’re ever looking for wacky gifts or kitschy things for your own home, Reto-Metro has you covered! The large store sells everything from irreverent hand towels, to things for cat lovers, sports, fans, bachelorette parties, and a whole lot more!
Rose Hill Manor Park & Museums
Rose Hill Manor is a historic 2+1⁄2-story brick house that was the retirement home of Thomas Johnson (1732–1819), the first elected governor of the State of Maryland and Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. It was built in the mid-1790s by his daughter and son-in-law.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
Schifferstadt Architectural Museum
Schifferstadt is a stone house that was completed in 1758 and is the only one of its kind left standing today. The house stands on land settled by German immigrant farmer, Josef Brunner, in 1736. In time, Brunner purchased 303 acres of a 7,000-acre tract of land known as "Tasker's Chance" from Frederick Town (current-day Frederick) developer Daniel Dulany. Brunner named the property after Klein Schifferstadt, his home town in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of southwestern Germany near Mannheim. Brunner's older sons purchased adjacent farms, bringing the total owned by the family to about 1000 acres.
Brunner built a log house on the site, cleared land, established a farm and lived there for several years. In 1753, he sold the property to his youngest son Elias, who clearly prospered enough to build the fairly large stone house that stands today. Josef moved into the nearby town of Frederick and is thought to have died later that year.
Notable home feature: The three cast iron five-plate stoves used to heat the rooms.
The Pasta Palette
Another decade-long favorite of mine - they sell a huge variety of wheat and gluten-free pastas and sauces, along with some kitchen items.
Wander around
There are so many hidden historical statues, signs, plaques, etc. that make you appreciate this incredible town that much more.
Zoe's Chocolate Co. (Personal favorite)
A family-owned and run business, three siblings and their father are 2nd and 3rd generation chocolate makers who started their business with only a pushcart in Baltimore! In 2007, they opened their store in Frederick and went on to not only win awards, but sell their chocolates in Whole Foods, Williams Sonoma, Dean and Deluca, and many fine independent gourmet shops.
A History Summary
1730 - Frederick Calvert, 6th Lord Baltimore, offered free land to those who would settle in Monocacy River Valley.
1742 - All Saints Church had been founded on a hilltop near a warehouse/trading post.
1745 - Daniel Dulany, a land speculator, laid out what was initially called “Frederick Town”.
1748 - Frederick County was formed by carving a section off of Prince George's County. Frederick Town (now Frederick) was made the county seat of Frederick County.
1752 - The Evangelical Lutheran Church was established
1755 - British Maj. Gen. Edward Braddock, Lt. Col. George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin met at Frederick to plan British assault on Fort Duquesne.
1756 - The current town's first house was built by a young German Reformed schoolmaster from the Rhineland Palatinate named Johann Thomas Schley who led a party of immigrants to the colony. Also, the first courthouse was erected.
1774 - Catoctin Iron Furnace was built to produce pig iron.
1777 - Hessian Barracks were erected by British and Hessian soldiers, which held prisoners from the Revolutionary (and later, the War of 1812). They were also used as an armory, a Civil War hospital, and as the original building for the Maryland School for the Deaf.
1784 - John Frederick Amelung established New Bremen glassworks.
1786 - Newspaper publishing began.
1787 - The second courthouse opened.
1792 - 1793 - The Calvary Methodist Church began, inside of a log building. They also hosted their first American confirmation.
Early 19th century - Gold, copper, limestone, marble, iron, and other minerals were exported.
1800 - A Catholic mission was also noted during this time, as well as their first church.
1806 - The National Road linked federally-funded Cumberland Road with privately-constructed Baltimore and Frederick Town Turnpike.
1814 - The Calvary Methodist Church received their first (and only) brick building, which still stands today. Also, the Tyler Spite house was built by a local doctor to prevent the city from extending Record Street south through his land to meet West Patrick Street.
1816 - Frederick was officially incorporated.
1818 - 1864 - The oldest African-American church in the town is Asbury United Methodist Church, founded as the Old Hill Church, as a mixed race church. It became 100% African American in 1864.
1825 - 1852 - The Evangelical Lutheran Church was rebuilt and enlarged, though built again in 1852 with twin spires.
1831 - The town had easy access to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal when it opened (which continued operations until 1924). Also, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) completed its Frederick Branch line from the Frederick Junction off the main Western Line from Baltimore to Harpers Ferry, Cumberland, and the Ohio River.
1837 - The Catholic church moved into their brand new building, which also has a convent and a school - it still stands today.
1861 - Frederick became Maryland's capital city briefly as the legislature moved from Annapolis to vote on the secession question.
1862 - Frederick's Pennsylvania Dutch women booed the Confederates as General Stonewall Jackson led his light infantry division through Frederick on his way to the battles of Crampton's, Fox's and Turner's Gaps on South Mountain and Antietam near Sharpsburg.
1864 - In the third Southern invasion, Confederate troops occupied Frederick and extorted $200,000 ($3.9 million in 2023 dollars) from citizens for not razing the city on their way to Washington, D.C. The last bond wasn’t paid until 1951.
1893 - The women’s college, Hood College, was founded.
1921 - The high school for African Americans was founded. It’s now an elementary school.
Today - It still holds its colonial charm with all the amenities of today.