Ferry Hill Cultural Landscape Report, part 1 (Introduction & history)

CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT

FERRY HILL
The Ferry Hill property was purchased by the National Park Service in 1974 to become a unit of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The site was established as the headquarters for the park in 1980. During 2002, the park headquarters were moved from Ferry Hill to Hagerstown, Maryland. Planning for more intensive use of the Ferry Hill property as an interpretive site led to the need for a comprehensive understanding of the historic landscape, and the preparation of this Cultural Landscape Report (CLR). The CLR is the primary research document used by the NPS to identify and document features and qualities representing a landscape's historic significance and integrity. CLRs provide immediate and long-term guidance for protecting unique features and qualities to ensure their availability for future generations.

This Cultural Landscape Report for Ferry Hill is presented in two sections. Part I provides
National Park Service managers with a comprehensive understanding of the physical evolution of the property's landscape, documenting the site history and existing conditions, then presenting an analysis and evaluation of existing versus historic conditions. The physical history of the site is presented in Chapter 2. Documenting the history of the site involved research of both primary and secondary sources. In addition to reviewing materials located within the park library and files, historical research was conducted at the Washington County Historical Society archives, Western Maryland Room, Antietam National Battlefield archives, the Washington County Courthouse, the National Park Service Mid Atlantic Regional Storage Facility, the University of Maryland at College Park (Maryland Room collection), the Shepherdstown Museum, and the Shepherdstown Library.

The Media file for this resource exceeds 20MB.  You may view the file at:  Ferry Hill Cultural Landscape Report, part 1