Understand
Washington County is a county in the north-central to northwestern part of the American state of Maryland. The county is bordered to the east by South Mountain part of the Blue Ridge Mountains and to the west by Sideling Hill Creek. In the middle lies Hagerstown Valley, part of Cumberland Valley which is part of a larger Great Appalachian Valley. Washington County is noted for small towns dotting its idyllic rural landscape and abundant agricultural fields. It boasts only one city, its county seat Hagerstown. However, the county is part of the Hagerstown metropolitan area, and it is proximate to and becoming increasingly influenced by Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.
Washington County is also well-known for being located in a historically significant area. Antietam, South Mountain, Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry, and Monocacy are Civil War battlefields all located within 30 minutes drive of the county. The county is also home to the restored American Revolutionary War and French and Indian War structure of Fort Frederick.
Even with such historical significance, retail is the major draw for tourism in Washington County. Prime Outlets Hagerstown boasts over 100 stores and draws people from neighboring counties as well as Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The county also has several malls and other shopping centers drawing people from neighboring communities in Western Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania, and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
