Brunswick

Images of America: Maryland

by Mary H. Rubin

Eel Pot, Buffalo Wallows, Coxson Rest, Tankerville, Hawkins' Merry-Peep-O-Day, Berlin--readers might not recognize a few of the names the area now known as Brunswick went by in years past. Brunswick, Maryland, just six miles by towpath from historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, is rich in history. The area holds Civil War importance and served as a supply depot for the Union army after the Battle of Antietam. Primarily known as a canal town until the late 1800s, the town became an important rail center when the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad came to
town and set up huge rail operations. Today the town sits on the now-quiet banks of the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal, and the train whistles don't sound quite so often, but this community continues to draw visitors seeking history, outdoor recreation, and small-town charm.

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 12, 2007

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of this pictorial local history were fascinating, but I was left with the impression that Mary Rubin was stretching the material for all it was worth. This book largely provides a thematic overview of Brunswick Md's history in pictures. However, their thematic arrangement leads to strange things happening chronologically (sometimes numerous pictures of the same street are shown in a row, but not in chronological order). Moreover, there seemed a good bit of filler material. Many photographs of sports teams or classes are shown with each member identified. They're credited to the Brunswick History Commission, who apparently holds them, so it became confusing as to why (if not for posterity) they were all shown and identified. Also, certain buildings were shown numerous times, while others weren't shown at all. Overall interesting, but more for a perusal as opposed to actually learning the history of the town.