History

Clarksburg
  • In the early 1700s William Clarke used to travel from his home in Lancaster, PA, to a point near the intersection of today's MD 121 and MD 355 to trade with native Indians. It was at this point that the Seneca Indian trail veered off to the west toward the mouth of the Monocacy River where it drains into the Potomac.
  • In the 1740s, increased traffic along the route led Clarke to set up a more permanent trading post at this point along what was to later become the "Great Road" (MD 355).
  • Dowdens Ordinary, a tavern built on the hill south of the trading post, opened its doors in 1754. The tavern, 30 miles or about a day's journey by coach from Washington and 15 miles from Frederick, was a convenient rest stop for travelers. A photo of a boulder placed at the tavern site is on the right. A new park is planned near the intersection of MD355 and Stringtown Road to commemorate the historic tavern.
  • John Clarke, Jr, grandson of the original Indian trader, built a house in the area in 1781. He later surveyed the town laying out lots for homes and businesses. In 1800 he became the first postmaster of the town which came to bear his name.
  • Stimulated by increased traffic on "the Great Road" and the growing number of farms and mills near by, Clarksburg became a bustling center of trade. It grew to be the third largest town in Montgomery County by the late 1800s. About this time, though, the construction of a branch of the B&O railroad further west began to divert business from the town.
  • The town was incorporated in 1892 but incorporation was later withdrawn in 1938.