Spring Garden Fest to be held May 19 at Antietam Farm

May 06, 2012

Submitted photo

WAYNESBORO, Pa. — Antietam Historical Association will sponsor its second annual Spring Garden Fest from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Antietam Farm, 8076 Lyons Road.

Spring Garden Fest includes nature walks, musical performances, homemade refreshments and horse-drawn carriage rides.

According to a news release, the proprietor of Maryland, Lord Baltimore, granted a patent deed for the present Antietam Farm to Jacob Gans in 1753. Ten years later, however, the survey of the Mason-Dixon line placed most of the farm in Pennsylvania.

Eventually, the land came into possession of John Funk, who probably began the present dwelling house in the first decade of the 19th century. The farm remained in the possession of Funk’s descendants until the early 20th century. At that time, Chester A. Lyon, now deceased, purchased the farm, established a herd of Golden Guernsey cattle and founded Antietam Dairy there, the release states.

C.A. Lyon continued to purchase land in the neighborhood until his holdings totaled approximately 500 acres. Following his death in 1952, his widow remained at Antietam Farm.

Upon Lyon’s wife’s death in 1973, she endowed the Antietam Humane Society, which is now headquartered on part of her estate. The remainder of the Lyon real estate was left to Princeton University. When the property was partitioned for sale, the Allen Baumgardner family purchased the mansion farm and has lived there since 1977.

Admission to Spring Garden Fest costs $10 per person.

For an additional on-site charge of $3 per person (ages 6 and older), Keystone Classic Carriage Co. will provide carriage rides on the premises.

Access from parking to the farmstead is by way of a footbridge across Antietam Creek. An alternate entrance will be provided for handicap access.

Spring Garden Fest will be held rain or shine. Tickets are available for sale at the following locations:

TG Designs, 19231 Longmeadow Road, Hagerstown
Green Arbor Flower & Shrubbery Center, 11401 Buchanan Trail East, Waynesboro
Lovell’s Nursery, 19777 Leitersburg Pike, Hagerstown
Philips’ Seeds & Garden Center, 410 South Antrim Way, Greencastle, Pa.
Both Snavely’s Garden Corner locations (19719 Leitersburg Pike, Hagerstown, and 2106 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, Pa.)

Limited tickets will also be available at the gate.

For more information or to purchase tickets directly from the Antietam Historical Association, call 717-658-6789 or send an email to events@antietamhistory.org.

Antietam Historical Association is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 2006 to collect, preserve and interpret historical information concerning the region in Maryland and Pennsylvania containing Antietam Creek and its tributaries. Spring Garden Fest is its annual fundraiser.

More information about the AHA is available at www.antietamhistory.org and on Facebook.

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