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Glimpses of Yesterday; Visions for Tomorrow
From 1908 to 1954, Thurmont was the "end of the line" for the trolley system that traveled from Frederick
to Thurmont. During its hay day in the 1920's, the Hagerstown and Frederick Railway (H &F) carried
3.8 million people per year. However, with great strides in the world of transportation, the demands for
the trolley dwindled and the H&F made its final trip to Thurmont in 1954; the tracks were removed
and the once busy trail fell into disrepair.
Several attempts were made throughout the years to maintain and improve the area but were not successful
often due to lack of funds. The condition of the trail continually declined, the area became overgrown
and eroded and eventually it was abandoned. In 2004, as the Thurmont Lions Club was celebrating 75 years
of serving our community, they adopted a slogan, "Glimpses of Yesterday, Visions for Tomorrow". At the
same time, they were searching for a major community project to commemorate their milestone
and highlight their roots in the community. The refurbishing of the abandoned trolley trail into
a useful hiking/biking trail became their signature project - a project that truly depicted
"Glimpses of Yesterday, Visions for Tomorrow" by embracing a dormant piece of Thurmont's past
and transforming it into a vibrant piece of Thurmont's present and future. The Lions quickly
enlisted the help of the Office of Soil Conservation who developed water control plans to correct the
serious erosion problems and designed bridges that would be necessary for the meandering stream that ran
through the one-mile stretch that led from Main Street, crossing over Water Street and continuing on to
Moser Road.
After a lengthy planning and approval process and extensive fundraising, the actual refurbishing began
in June 2006. On September 30, 2007 the Dedication of the Thurmont Trolley Trail was held in Memorial
Park (adjacent to the Trolley Trail) with many dignitaries participating. After more than 850 hours
of labor volunteered by members of the Thurmont Lions and other interested residents, four bridges had been
constructed, stream banks had been stabilized to correct the serious erosion problems, the trail had been
graded, more than 1,800 TONS of stone had been spread, and the community of Thurmont was celebrating
their new hiking/biking trail. In May 2007, volunteers from the community, the Thurmont Lions Club,
the Thurmont Gardeners' Club, and Boy Scout Troop No. 270 joined together to enhance the appearance
of the Trail with bulbs, native plantings and mulch.
A special "THANK YOU" goes to all who helped make this dream a reality: 1) the community volunteers
who donated their time, equipment, and supplies; 2) those who provided the much needed funds and assisted
with the applications for grants; 3) the Frederick County Office of Soil Conservation (especially Kenny
Favorite and Terry Welsh) who tirelessly guided us through the planning and approval process; 4) the staff
of the Town of Thurmont (especially Butch West); 5) each member of the Thurmont Lions Club and to 6) Lion
Gene Long who led the effort from the very beginning and devoted more than 400 hours to the project.
In June 2009, the natural “art” of the Trail was spotlighted during the First Annual A.R.T.(Arts Revealed
along the Trail) Festival. Artists, exhibitors, entertainers and visitors – all enjoying nature and a
little piece of country right in the middle of our town. Approximately 500 people attended the Festival
and we look forward to the Second Annual A.R.T. Festival already being planned for Saturday, May 22, 2010.
Picnic tables, benches, trash receptacles were also added to the Trail during 2009 – made possible by a grant
from the State of Maryland, Community Legacy Program.
The members of the Thurmont Lions Club are extremely proud of the Thurmont Trolley Trail and feel a great
sense of accomplishment as more and more people utilize the trail. The Thurmont Lions Club and the
Town of Thurmont have developed a healthy relationship as they work together to maintain the trail.
This project is another example of a small group of people in a small community working together to make
a big difference!
The Lions Club continues to accept donations for this cause - tax deductible donations can be made by
making checks payable to "TLC Foundation, Inc." and mailing to Thurmont Lions Club, P. O. Box 306, Thurmont,
MD 21788 with a notation "for Trolley Trail".
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