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Interesting Frederick, Maryland tidbits and musings .
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Earlier this week the Frederick News-Post featured yet another front page story involving Trout Run, a Catoctin Mountain property where the Church of Scientology hoped to open a Narconon treatment facility. The gist of this ongoing saga centers on the news that “a Frederick County judge will decide whether the Frederick County Council acted properly last year when six members voted against a sought- after historic designation.” I have no opinion to offer here on this controversial topic, however I have to admit that I became quite fascinated with the history associated with this “non-historic” locale a few years back while performing research for a documentary on Thurmont. I bring this up solely due to the fact that it’s only fitting that this be in the paper this week. While trying to come up with a subject for my second-ever edition of the “HSP Hump Day History” blog, I stumbled over a thought-provoking, front page story lost within vintage Frederick newspaper archives. It comes from the first week of January, 1916 (100 years ago). Instead of “Trout Run,” the article that caught my imagination was about “Trout Walk.”
John Andrew Trout was born in Buckeystown in January, 1842. He had served as a private in Company H, 1st Potomac Home Brigade, and saw action at the nearby Battle of Monocacy on July 9, 1864. By day’s end, he would be subsequently captured by Confederate forces, and embarked on a march of more than 16 miles en-route to prison camps in Danville (VA)and later Richmond. Here he spent a period of eight months before gaining release in February 1865. Trout returned to Frederick and continued in the successful fence-making business started by his father. He married Harriet A. Baker shortly thereafter and the couple went on to have eight children. The January 8, 1916 article referenced earlier wasn’t the first newspaper appearance by the aged walker. John Trout would become a local celebrity of sorts a few years prior. In the summer of 1912, a few months after the passing of Harriet (May 1912), Mr. Trout found himself incredibly lonely after losing his spouse of 44 years. It was at this time that he concocted a remedy for his purgatorial state. He placed an advertisement in the Frederick Post (along with others in the region) looking for a new wife.
As far as I am aware, there have been no plans made for a centennial commemoration of the legendary January 1916 “Trout Walk.” However, you now will have something amusing to think about as the headlines continue in coming months as the Trout Run controversy continues to play out.
Special thanks goes out to Mr. Craig H. Trout who maintains the Find-A Grave Memorial for John Andrew Trout, a key source for this article.
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In 1850, James Pierpont of Medford, Massachusetts wrote a song entitled “Jingle Bells” about the frequent occurrence of sleigh racing on Salem Street, the main thoroughfare in his town. Thirty-three years later, in 1883, the song likely rang out throughout the week in Frederick, Maryland between Christmas and New Years Eve. Beneath the famed "Clustered Spires," the principal street was filled with sleighs and revelers. An ice covering on Market Street made for perfect conditions. However, local newspapers warned pedestrians to use particular care when crossing streets, especially at night. Another problem existed for those people walking on sidewalks as rooftop “snow slides” had been prevalent all week. The Daily News of Tuesday, January 1, 1884 reported: "The snow board on the Central Bank building broke yesterday, precipitating a large quantity of snow and ice to the pavement. Several persons who were passing at the time narrowly escaped being crushed." Luckily, there were no major injuries to speak of—that is, of the human variety. The Daily News of New Year’s Day (1884) relayed the sad story that Dick, a popular, tame squirrel who apparently inhabited the Court House Square vicinity. The playful rodent had met his demise thanks to a neighborhood feline belonging to the Marshall family that once inhabited the large townhome at 105 Council Street. Perhaps this was a New Year's Resolution of the latter?.... of course knowing how some cats can be, regardless of the holidays. ATTENTION LOCAL HISTORY FANS!!! This author of this article is teaching classes on local Frederick History. His signature course, Chris Haugh's "Frederick History 101" will be offered LIVE in 4-parts throughout the month of January (2024) via Zoom internet platform. Cost is $79. It starts on Tuesday, January 8th and will run three consecutive Tuesdays from 6-8:30pm. Enjoy PowerPoint-illustrated lectures in the confines of your own home with your family (in your pajamas if you like)! For more info and registration details, click the link below: |
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February 2024
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