National Road Heritage Foundation

04/12/2025

Are you looking for something to do today? The National Road Museum and Boonsboro trolley Station Museum are both open Saturdays from 10-4, And will be open tomorrow and the fourth Sunday of the month from 1 to 4. One admission covers both museums.

Take a road trip in the nation's first, federally funded highway, and enjoy a day in Boonsboro, explore our museums, and then enjoy the great dining and shopping found only a block away in the heart of our historic downtown.

214 N. Main Street, Boonsboro, Maryland.

04/09/2025

Join us May 31st from 10-3 as we participate in the 22nd Annual Historic National Road Yard Sale Festival. The museum will be hosting yard sales on our grounds during that time, while the National Road Museum and Trolley Station Museum themselves will be open from 10-4.

If you are interested in setting up a yard sale on the museum grounds, you can request space using the form found at: https://forms.gle/ACULNeBCS1QKL23Z8

This 6-state event spans 824 miles from Baltimore to St. Louis and officially takes place every Wednesday - Sunday following Memorial Day. Our event will only take place on May 31st.

Following the event, stay in Boonsboro and enjoy the final evening of the Boonsboro Rescue Company Carnival in Shafer Park beginning at 5pm, with live music beginning at 6:30.

04/05/2025

If you are out and about in Boonsboro today, the National Road Museum will be open from 10 - 4. One of our sponsors, the Boonsboro Lions Club, will be selling half-chicken barbecue and sides in Shafer Park, just a short walk behind the museum from 10 until they run out!

Lions Club will be serving delicious BBQ CHICKEN at Shafer Park from 10am til sold out. Stop by for some chicken and cookies from the Girl Scouts.

03/29/2025

Start of the Road Day is today! We will be open until 3pm!

High Wheel Bicycle demonstrations at noon and by request, historian conversation at 1pm, food truck will be here until 2pm, spinning demonstrations in the afternoon. Admission includes both the National Road Museum and Boonsboro Trolley Station! All to celebrate the 219th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson approving the National Road!

Bring the whole family, scavenger hunt with prizes for ages 3-12!

03/28/2025

Tomorrow is the day! Join us from 10-3 as we celebrate the 219th anniversary of Congress approving the National Road.

Find the event at 214 North Main Street, Boonsboro, Maryland!

03/27/2025

This Saturday, March 29th, we are celebrating the 219th anniversary of Congress approving the National Road.

Between 1811 and 1837, and funded by the sale of land in the new states of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, the federal government constructed the road from Cumberland, Maryland to Vandalia, Illinois. Along with the existing roads which would eventually be adopted as official parts of the route, travelers had a direct connection from the ports of Baltimore to the Mississippi, St. Louis, and the westward trails that began in Missouri. This road would be one of the most heavily used roads to the west in the country until it was eclipsed by the railroads. It has been called The National Road, The Cumberland Road, The Road That Built The Nation, Main Street of America, a Civil Engineering Landmark, National Scenic Byway, and an All American Road.

Join us this Saturday, March 29th, as we celebrate the road! 214 North Main Street, Boonsboro, Maryland. Special displays, history talks, food truck, kid's scavenger hunt and more!

03/26/2025

Our event in Boonsboro this coming Saturday celebrates the 219th anniversary Congressional approval of the National Road project, however it took 5 years of planning before construction began on the road.

The Federal road became known alternatively as the "Cumberland Road," and was initially intended to connect the Potomac River to the Ohio River. You can find this monument commemorating the beginning of the road at Riverside Park in Cumberland, across Wills Creek from the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad station. If you go to see it, visit the Allegany Museum just beyond the WMSR station, and experience their Crossroads of America exhibit which includes the National Road. That museum reopens for their 2025 season on April 2nd!

In the meantime, join us at the National Road Museum at 214 North Main Street in Boonsboro, Maryland this Saturday, March 29th, for Start Of The Road Day from 10-3. Historic bicycles on display by The Potomac Wheelmen, a food truck, kids' scavenger hunt, displays from other area history organizations and special history discussions at 11 and 1, in addition to both the National Road Museum and Boonsboro Trolley Station being open by donation!

03/25/2025

Today, March 25, is Maryland Day. (Not to be confused with our Start of the Road Day event coming up this Saturday March 29th!)

In honor of our home state's anniversary, today we will touch on one of the reasons the National Road was built through Maryland!

By the time Congress approved funding for the construction of the National Road, several of Maryland's communities had become important agricultural or industrial centers, and a series of privately funded "bank roads" had been constructed to connect several of them - including Cumberland, Hagerstown, Frederick, and Ellicott City - to the ports and factories of Baltimore and the world beyond. While other routes beginning in Pennsylvania and Virginia would be considered, the presence of these roads already connected to Baltimore helped to influence the decision to place mile 0 in Cumberland.

Join us this Saturday from 10a-3p to celebrate the 219th anniversary of the National Road receiving congressional approval, and learn more about this important roadway! Special displays, history discussions at 11 and 1, food truck, and a scavenger hunt for ages 3-12 all day! 214 North Main Street, Boonsboro, Maryland.



(Image from Library of Congress)

03/24/2025

As we approach our Start of the Road Day event this coming Saturday, March 29th from 10-3, let's look back at the Historic National Road over the next few days.

Our event takes place on, and celebrates, the 219th anniversary of the date that Congress and Thomas Jefferson approved the planning and construction of a National Road, to connect the ports of Baltimore with the newly formed state of Ohio.

Though signed into law by President Thomas Jefferson, And promoted strongly by Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin, portions of the route predated even the Revolutionary War, having been a Native American trail. The idea of a formal road following a similar route over the mountains to the west was one of several ideas promoted by President George Washington in the years following the revolution.

03/19/2025

Why did we open a museum about one road? Johns Hopkins of Baltimore Heritage visited our museum to film an episode of Five Minute Histories about the National Road, and was only able to touch on some of the importance and legacy of this ribbon of road.

Don't forget to visit us on March 29 from 10-3 as we celebrate the 219th anniversary of Congress approving the first federal road project in the country!

Join us inside the National Road Museum in Boonsboro, MD. You might ask, “How is this connected to Baltimore?” Well if you have ever walked along Lombard St ...

03/10/2025

Take a glimpse inside the National Road Museum. This video is courtesy of Joe Nation who toured this past weekend and shot this amazing footage of our museums!

You can visit our museums every Saturday from 10am to 3pm, and don't forget our upcoming Start of the Road Day event on March 29th!

https://youtu.be/ECMcLE__LDA

Learn more about the videographer at https://joedoesvideo.com and https://charitypants.com.

On Instagram at and or facebook at Charity Pants

03/01/2025

Join us at the National Road Museum on March 29th as we celebrate the 219th anniversary of Congress approving the National Road.

The sweet grub machine food truck will be on site from 10am to 2pm, there will be Historic bicycles on display courtesy of the Potomac Wheelmen, casual history discussions with National Road historians at 11:00 and 1:00, a kids' scavenger hunt for information among our exhibits, and more!

Both of our museums will be open, and are open every Saturday in March from 10:00 to 3.

02/24/2025

It's official. The National Road Museum has welcomed over 200 guests from 44 communities in 6 different states, as of this past weekend. We look forward to many more as tourism season begins soon!

If you have been one of those guests, we would love To know what you thought of our Museum, and what you think others should know who may be considering a visit.

You can reach out to us on our website or through email, or leave a Google review for the National Road Museum in Boonsboro, MD!

If you haven't visited yet, we are open every Saturday from 10:00 to 3:00. Look for future announcements with our spring hours, coming soon!

02/22/2025

Did you know that early winter travelers on the National Road had to rely primarily on coats, blankets, and containers of hot coals in order to stay warm?

After so many weekends of poor weather, we will see some sun this weekend! Why not enjoy a road trip on the Historic National Road Byway this Saturday?

The National Road Museum and Boonsboro Trolley Station Museum will both be open 10:00 to 3:00 on February 22nd. Boonsboro also offers wonderful shopping and dining experiences, antiques, and more!

02/15/2025

One of our many exhibits that examine the experiences of those who traveled the National Road. See it for yourself every Saturday from 10am to 3pm.

02/15/2025

With slippery Road and sidewalk conditions, for the safety of our guests and volunteers, the National Road Museum will be closing early, at 12:30 today.