Sharpsburg

Sharpsburg, Maryland
—  Town  —
Antietam National Battlefield surrounding Sharpsburg
Location of Sharpsburg, Maryland
Coordinates: 39°27′28″N 77°44′58″W / 39.45778°N 77.74944°W / 39.45778; -77.74944
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Washington
Settled	1740
Founded	1763
Area
- Total	0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2)
- Land	0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	420 ft (128 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	691
- Density	3,119.1/sq mi (1,204.3/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	21782
Area code(s)	301
FIPS code	24-71600
GNIS feature ID	0587310
Website	Official Website for the Town of Sharpsburg

Sharpsburg is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States, approximately 13 miles (21 km) south of Hagerstown. The population was 691 at the 2000 census.

During the American Civil War, the Battle of Antietam (or Battle of Sharpsburg) was fought on what is now Antietam National Battlefield, in the vicinity of Antietam Creek.

History

A street clock in Sharpsburg

A settler named Joseph Chapline settled in the area around 1740. After the conclusion of the French and Indian War, he founded the town in 1763, naming it in honor of his friend Horatio Sharpe, the Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland.

Situated to the east of the Potomac River and its water power, the town attracted industry in the early 19th century, particularly after the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was extended to Sharpsburg around 1836. It was incorporated in 1832.

Confederate General Robert E. Lee invaded Maryland in the late summer of 1862 and was intercepted by Union General George B. McClellan. Their armies met in the Battle of Antietam (or Battle of Sharpsburg) on September 17, 1862—the single bloodiest day of the American Civil War and all of American military history, with nearly 23,000 casualties. The inconclusive but strategic Union victory politically enabled Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

This victory was a turning point of the war because it stopped the Confederacy from advancing and winning an important battle on Northern soil. Sharpsburg claims its Memorial Day commemoration as one of the first in the U.S., having their 142nd consecutive celebration in 2009.^[1] The city also celebrates an annual Heritage Festival in mid-September.

The town core was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 as the Sharpsburg Historic District.^[2]

Government

Sharpsburg elects a mayor and six town councilmen, all to four-year terms.

Geography

Sharpsburg is located at 39°27′28″N 77°44′58″W / 39.45778°N 77.74944°W / 39.45778; -77.74944 (39.457666, -77.749513)^[3].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²).

Demographics

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 691 people, 286 households, and 193 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,119.1 per square mile (1,212.7/km²). There were 304 housing units at an average density of 1,372.2 per square mile (533.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.83% White, 0.43% African American, 0.58% Asian, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.29% of the population.

There were 286 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the town the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 103.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,786, and the median income for a family was $52,875. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $22,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,917. About 1.1% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

References

1. ^ "Memorial Day Commemoration in Sharpsburg". U.S. Department of the Interior. National Park Service. 2009-05-01. http://www.nps.gov/anti/parknews/memorial-day-commemoration-in-sharpsburg.htm. 
2. ^ "WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: 12/22/08 THROUGH 12/24/08". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-02. http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/listings/20090102.HTM. 
3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 
4. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sharpsburg, Maryland

• Official Website for the Town of Sharpsburg
• Maryland Municipal League: Sharpsburg
• War memorial in down town Sharpsburg at "Sites of Memory"

• Sharpsburg, Maryland is at coordinates 39°27′28″N 77°44′58″W / 39.457666°N 77.749513°W / 39.457666; -77.749513 (Sharpsburg, Maryland)Coordinates: 39°27′28″N 77°44′58″W / 39.457666°N 77.749513°W / 39.457666; -77.749513 (Sharpsburg, Maryland)

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Washington County, Maryland County seat: Hagerstown City Hagerstown Towns Boonsboro | Clear Spring | Funkstown | Hancock | Keedysville | Sharpsburg | Smithsburg | Williamsport CDPs Cavetown | Chewsville | Fort Ritchie | Fountainhead-Orchard Hills | Halfway | Highfield-Cascade | Leitersburg | Maugansville | Mount Aetna | Mount Lena | Paramount-Long Meadow | Robinwood | Rohrersville | St. James | San Mar | Wilson-Conococheague Other communities Antietam | Beaver Creek | Benevola | Big Pool | Broadfording | Brownsville | Burtner | Cearfoss | Cedar Grove | Dargan | Downsville | Eakles Mills | Fairplay | Fairview | Gapland | Huyett | Indian Springs | Jugtown | Mapleville | Mercersville | Pecktonville | Pen Mar | Pinesburg | Ringgold | Samples Manor | Sandy Hook | Spielman | Trego | Van Lear | Weverton | Woodmont