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Historic District Commission Menu
Customer Resources
The Historic District Commission and staff have compiled some resources which may help property owners of historic resources to foster existing stewardship efforts and enable adaptive reuse, rehabilitation, restoration, and preservation.
Note: These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by Washington County, MD of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. Washington County, MD bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
- Organizations
Local Level
Washington County Historical Society has a mission to develop an interest in preserve the history of Washington County, Maryland through educational programming, exhibits, lectures, family workshops and events.
Washington County Maryland Historical Trust is a volunteer organization with a passion of preserving the historic treasures in Washington County, Maryland.
City of Hagerstown, Historic Preservation Program
Clear Spring Historical Association
Smithsburg Historical Society, 20 East Water Street, Smithsburg, MD 21783
State Level
Preservation Maryland is dedicated to preserving Maryland’s historic buildings, neighborhoods, landscapes and archaeological sites through outreach, funding and advocacy.
Maryland Historic Trust is the State agency dedicated to preserving and interpreting the legacy of Maryland’s past. Through research, conservation and education, the Maryland Historic Trust assists the people of Maryland in understanding their historical and cultural heritage.
National Level
National Park Service Technical Preservation Services develops historic preservation policy and guidance on preserving and rehabilitating historic buildings, administers the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program for rehabilitating historic buildings, and sets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
Advisory Council for Historic Preservation (ACHP) promotes the preservation, enhancement and sustainable use of the nation’s diverse historic resources, and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy.
National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support the preservation of America’s diverse historic buildings, neighborhoods, and heritage through its program resources and advocacy.
- Technical Resources
Design Guidelines for Historic Structures (Adopted June 8, 2022)
These design guidelines are a set of guiding principles that establish a basis for the Historic District Commission’s (HDC) recommendations, approval, or denial of applications. The HDC uses these Guidelines and the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties to determine if proposed work is appropriate for properties that fall under its review.
National Park Service Preservation Briefs
Preservation Briefs provide information on preserving, rehabilitating, and restoring historic buildings. These NPS Publications help historic building owners recognize and resolve common problems prior to work. The briefs are especially useful to Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program applicants because they recommend methods and approaches for rehabilitating historic buildings that are consistent with their historic character.
Secretary of the Interior’s Standards
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties are common sense historic preservation principles in non-technical language. They promote historic preservation best practices that will help to protect our nation’s irreplaceable cultural resources.
Maryland Association of Historic Districts Contractors List
Older buildings and historic sites have special needs, so to help you find the right person to protect and care for your historic property, this Directory includes professionals with expertise in many aspects of preservation.
PreserveList
is a directory of companies that offer an array of services in support of preservation projects.
Washington County Historical Trust – Tradesmen Page
is a list of architects, architectural historians and contractors.
10 Ways to Save Your Historic Barn From the National Trust, this guide provides insight into retaining historic barns in the community.
National Park Service Technical Brief – Barns From the National Park Service, this brief discusses the types of barns, their preservation, and provides some references.
National Barn Alliance “[The National Barn Alliance] seeks to provide national leadership for the preservation of America’s historic barns and rural heritage through education, documentation, conservation, and networking.”
PreservationMaryland – Barns Preservation Maryland provides a list of resources for barn preservation including educational resources, tax credit and grant information.
Watch this YouTube playlist for more information on preserving historic resources in Washington County. Information includes topics such as “How to Repair a Historic Window” from the City of Hagerstown featuring David Gibney.
Video Playlist
1/2 videos
1
How to Repair a Historic Window Part 1
2
How to Repair a Historic Window Part 2
- Salvage Resources
Second Chance is a nonprofit that provides people, materials and the environment with a second chance. They deconstruct buildings and homes, salvage usable materials, and make those and other donated items available to the public for reuse at their more than 200,000 square foot retail center. With the revenue generated, they provide job training and workforce development for those with various employment obstacles in the Baltimore region.
Loading Dock is a building materials reuse facility, offering great deals and interesting finds to people who need inexpensive building materials and are interested in keeping materials out of the waste stream.
Refindings is located in York, PA and is central Pennsylvania’s premier architectural salvage resource for all your historic restoration and redecorating needs. Refindings includes one of a kind historic pieces and antique building materials, carefully preserved.
Barnyard Boys is a source for reclaimed lumber and historic building materials, located in Peach Bottom, PA.
Brick+Board – Brick and Board provides salvage services and project materials while also hiring and training the next generation of sawyers and craftspeople.
Community Forklift is a nonprofit reuse center for home improvement supplies. They make building materials available to the public at low cost and provide vintage materials for restoring old homes. They also offer public education about reuse and distribute free supplies to nonprofits. For more details on making material donations you can review their brochure.
- Recommended Reads
These are some recommended reading about historic resources, the history of Washington County, MD and other historic preservation topics.
Architectural & Historic Treasures of Washington County, Maryland is a compilation of articles written by Patricia Schooley and published in the Hagerstown Herald-Mail. The articles describe the history of the county as seen through some of its surviving buildings as they have evolved over time.
Federal Historic Preservation Laws, Regulations and Orders provides summaries of important laws, regulations and executive orders affecting historic preservation.
A Field Guide to American Houses, by Virginia Savage McAlester, is a great book to learn about the varying architecture types in the United States.
The Past and Future City, by Stephanie Meeks, describes in detail, and with unique empirical research, the many ways that saving and restoring historic fabric can help a city create thriving neighborhoods, good jobs, and a vibrant economy. She explains the critical importance of preservation for all our communities, the ways the historic preservation field has evolved to embrace the challenges of the twenty-first century, and the innovative work being done in the preservation space now.
Nearby History: Exploring the Past Around You, by David E. Kyvig and Myron A. Marty, is a comprehensive handbook for those interested in investigating the history of communities, families, local institutions, and cultural artifacts, Nearby History helps its readers research the world near at hand.
Frederick County, Virginia: History Through Architecture, by Maral S. Kalbian, is a book dealing with the history and architecture of Frederick County, VA from 1730 to 1999 and considers a variety of building types. It contains historical and architectural information, illustrated with hundreds of black and white photographs.
Discovering the History of Your House and Your Neighborhood, by Betsy J. Green, “Part treasure hunt and part jigsaw puzzle, researching the history of your house is a fascinating and rewarding experience.” This book has some basics about researching a home’s history, finding old photos, writing up a house history and learning about deeds.
For more reading see the 14 Essential Preservation Books list available from the National Trust.
Planning & Zoning
747 Northern Ave
Hagerstown, MD 21742
Phone: 240-313-2430
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 240-313-2431
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
TTY users may call any government office through the Maryland Relay Service 1-800-735-2258
