About Us

Our History

The Creeger House on December 20, 1948. Photo courtesty of John Kinnaird at www.thurmontimages.com.

How we started and where we are now:

The Thurmont Historical Society was founded in 1988 with a mission to foster and promote an interest in the history of Thurmont and its broader community. In 1990, the historic Creeger House was donated to the organization. An extensive research library and artifacts collection was steadily built through the generous donations of community members. 

The current mission of the Thurmont Historical Society is to foster, promote, and preserve the history of Thurmont and its surrounding communities. 

What we do:

The Thurmont Historical Society regularly develops rotating exhibits, so there is something new to see each time you visit! Exhibits are designed to explore Thurmont’s rich history and tie into the regional and national significance of the town. Each exhibit is paired with a free event called “Coffee with the Curator,” where guests are able to see artifacts that didn’t make it into the display, learn how museum exhibits are created, and get up close with our treasured artifacts. We also participate in numerous community events throughout the year, including the Thurmont Art & Wine Stroll and the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show. 

One of our signature resources is a significant research library filled with hundreds of books and journals emphasizing local and regional genealogy, state history, and other topics relevant to Thurmont and Frederick County history. Our holdings include 50 complete years of the Catoctin Enterprise, which was the local newspaper between 1940 and 1991. Visitors can use our research library free of charge to conduct historical or genealogical research, though reaching out to schedule a time to meet with our curator or principal researcher is appreciated. We will also fulfill research requests. To submit a research request, please email us at [email protected]

Civil War Union and WWII Navy Pilot uniforms on display in the recent exhibit showcasing Thurmont's military history.
Grand opening of the recent exhibit showcasing Thurmont High School. Historical society members, school alumni, and local government officials were in attendance.