I’ve been searching for the perfect pumpkin for nearly my whole life. Surely, since I could walk and talk. I started young because my father felt the need to grow giant pumpkins in our front yard—the kind of pumpkins that win…

What happens when people come together to focus on their health, and it turns into something much bigger? Fun is had, lifelong friendships are forged and obstacles are overcome—in this case, literal ones, like…

In a deep baritone voice, Don Barrett starts singing the classic American blues song “Working in the Coal Mine.” That would seem out of place if it weren’t for the fact that Barrett is a guide at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine. Before long, almost everyone on…

Seniors in Washington County have access to several specialized, lesser-known programs that go beyond basic senior services to support independence, health and financial well-being. Finding information about these programs is as simple as…

A train whistle isn’t just background noise at Trackside Kitchen in Smithsburg, it’s a call to dinner. The “kitchen” is a combination of grocery store, deli, restaurant, bookstore, bakery, novelty shop and community hub all in one. Just 30 feet from…

Down the center of South Main Street, the neon glow of the Capitol Theatre Center has cut through the Pennsylvania dusk like a beacon for nearly a century. In an era where historic American movie palaces are…

An official blueprint of the original course design (then known as Hagerstown Golf Club) hangs framed in the far corner of the modest pro shop and lounge along the Dual Highway. Dated July 1930, it reveals the line drawings for a…

In Washington County alone there are at least 3,000 residents living with some form of dementia. While most of us are familiar with the late stage of dementia when a person may no longer know who they are, where they are or who their family and…

Before sushi was commonplace in grocery stores and strip malls, Masahiro “Massy” Hirai took a leap of faith on an unfamiliar cuisine, and on himself, in an unlikely place. His story begins thousands of miles away in Kobe City, Japan. At 27, frustrated by…

I’ve reached that stage in my life when I say, “I used to” a lot. I used to be able to run a marathon. I used to drink a few beers and get myself into trouble. I used to hike. I used to hike quite a lot. I have done most of the Appalachian Trail in…

Entrepreneurs Brandon Green and Christian Salinashave reimagined a historic Washington County property once known as Stoney Creek Farm into a luxurious venue for weddings, corporate retreats, and luxury vacations. Green is a…

I have a habit of chasing things, and I can’t sit still. If there’s a minute, I’m going to fill it with activity. When I was younger I filled those minutes with typical kid things—kicking a soccer ball, riding my bike, dealing a game of solitaire on a…

For nearly two centuries, the Long family worked on the same stretch of rolling farmland in Williamsport; tending animals, raising crops, and adapting to the changing realities of agriculture. The 157-acre property has been in the family since…

Franklin County residents know July is packed with a dynamic lineup of fairs, festivals, and celebrations with opportunities almost daily to attend one event or another. As usual, the month kicks off with the Franklin County Fair (July 5 to 12). This is the annual…

As the tiring Friday evening in May gradually withdrew from sunny skies to rays of artificial stadium lighting, enduring firework fanatics (mostly youngsters) anxiously awaited their favorite outfield attraction. But well before the bangs, booms, and pops of the…

As Washington County and the United States celebrate their semiquincentennial, the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts presents the 2026 Cumberland Valley Photographers Exhibition, a juried display featuring…

On May 16, downtown Hagerstown smelled like sizzling beef, toasted rolls, and civic pride. The occasion was the first Battle of the Cheesesteaks, sponsored by Hamilton Nissan and hosted by One Room Media with support from…

Rae Tucker has noticed a pattern whenever she’s out around Hagerstown in a Girls Inc. van. Strangers will run up to her in excitement. “I was a Girls Inc. girl!” they tell her. In many cases these girls are now the age of having…

I don’t remember what time of year it was the first time I went into Nutter’s Ice Cream, but I remember getting my cone. I remember it being big, really, really big. I remember that my mom didn’t seem bothered by the price and said we could…

How did the project originate? 

The National Mural Awards partnership originated through Jason Tetlak, the executive director for the National Mural Awards. He participated in 2025 Hagerfest Music & Art Festival as a…