Hagerstown was founded in 1762 by Jonathan Hager, a volunteer Captain of Scouts during the French and Indian War. Hager has been called the "Father of Washington County" due to his having laid the groundwork for its separation from Frederick County in 1776 and the subsequent creation of Hagerstown as County Seat. One of the most recognizeable symbols of the city of Hagerstown is the weathervane known as "Little Heiskell." Named after the German tinsmith who crafted it in 1796, it stood atop the Market House and City Hall for a combined 166 years. It was moved from the Market House to City Hall in 1824. During the American Civil War era, the weathervane gained its characteristic bullet hole from a Confederate sharpshooter. Finally in 1935, the original was retired to the Museum of the Washington County Historical Society, later to be moved to its present display in the Jonathan Hager House. An exact replica has replaced it atop City Hall.
Hotels in Hagerstown
Best Western Grand Venice Hotel Wedding & Conference Center
431 Dual Highway
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Ideally located near tourist attractions, the Best Western Grand Venice Hotel Wedding and Conference Center provides comfortable accommodations for business and leisure travelers to the area. The Grand Venice Hotel is approximately located an hour from Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC. Hotel guests will have easy access to the Appalachian Trail, Antietam Battlefield, AAA Suns Baseball Stadium, Hagerstown City Park, Hagerstown Speedway and numerous golf courses.