Dargan

Like most small towns in America, Dargan is changing and the old ways of growing up are being replaced and many of our elders have gone on. My grandmother Gen was always fond of visiting the Samples Manor cemetery on Memorial Day and throughout the year. I often ride down to that peaceful resting place and admire the surrounding hills. Each season brings a new and beautiful panorama. The cemetery is always well manicured and most pleasing to the eye. I often see people walking from tombstone to tombstone and reminiscing.

A house fire at 3310 Hawks Hill Lane near Dargan Friday afternoon caused $500,000 in losses, the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s office said Sunday. The loss of contents was estimated at $120,000, Deputy State Fire Marshal Ed Ernst said in a news release. A preliminary cause of the fire and the area of origin are still under investigation, Ernst said. The owners/occupants of the house were listed as John and Linda Ritenour, Ernst said. The fire, which was reported at 3:26 p.m., spread through the structure and left little standing but a brick chimney.

On Aug. 18, 1969, then-Superintendent of Schools William M. Brish announced a decision to close the last two-room schoolhouse in Washington County when he informed Dargan parents that their children would be bused to the nearby school in Sharpsburg. That date was later extended to June 1970. The Dargan School was built in 1914. The little school accommodated those classes of higher learning for the first through third grades in one room and fourth through sixth grades in the other.

No one was injured Monday afternoon in a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Harpers Ferry and Mount Lock Hill roads, according to Trooper Eichelberger of the Maryland State Police. The accident happened when a car on Harpers Ferry Road was turning left onto Mount Lock Hill Road and collided with a car traveling in the opposite direction on Harpers Ferry Road, Eichelberger said. Both cars are waiting to be towed away. A firetruck from the Potomac Valley Fire Company is on the scene with the Maryland State Police.

As a kid, a few of my buddies and I would always pitch a few pennies or nickels up against the concrete wall of Jim Grim’s small country store in Dargan. The owner of the closest coin to the wall would win all the loot.   Summers were always special. In addition to those visits to Grim’s store, other activities might include  a baseball game on the school diamond, a walk through the woods to our favorite raspberry patch or even some local swimming at a nearby pond. In my youth, I never gave much thought to the rich history of freedom’s footsteps near that small town of Dargan.

I can remember many years ago, in the heyday of downtown Hagerstown, my mom and grandmother would take me to the big city in search of some school clothes.   Regular stops at J.J. Newberry's, Rosen's and McCrory's were always a part of the trip. A last stop always included a visit to the Majestic Restaurant, where a Dargan boy could gaze into the street window and see hamburgers and hot dogs swimming around in some tantalizing juices on the grill. I always liked the Majestic.    Like everything else, however, time never permits anything to remain the same.

On a recent trip to Hopewell Road, I stopped by Jim Haddock's top soil barn and had him place a nice scoop of black dirt on my old 1981 Ford pickup. As we stood there chatting for a few minutes he told me how he enjoyed reading my articles in the paper. I was flattered, as he continued, "Do you think you could write an article on Dargan, Moonshine, Frog Hollow and fishing?" I have a lot of fond memories about fishing near Dargan, he said. "I'm not sure I'm up to the task, but I'll see what I can do," I answered.

Dargan sets Trick or Treat night DARGAN - The town of Dargan will hold Trick or Treat night Thursday, Oct. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. Turn on your porch lights, if you want to give out treats.

There will be a pancake breakfast at New Life Fellowship, 2349 Back Road, Dargan, on Saturday, Sept. 22, from 8 to 11 a.m. The price is $4 per person and will include pancakes, hashbrowns, sausage, juice, milk, coffee and water. All proceeds will be going to benefit the Faith Warfield Trust Fund.

Birthdays Sept. 24 - Haleigh Taylor, Wilson Boulevard, Hagerstown, turns 2; Ernie Shoemaker III, West Chaplin Street, Sharpsburg, turns 14; Cookie Grim, Chestnut Grove Road, Dargan, turns 67.

Leon R. Bowers, 78, of Dargan, Md., passed away peacefully on Thursday evening, Dec. 13, 2012, at Meritus Medical Center near Hagerstown, Md. Born Oct. 2, 1934, in Hagerstown, he was the son of the late Samuel and Viola (Shaw) Bowers. Leon attended Dargan schools. He was a lifelong member of Samples Manor Church of God in Dargan. Leon was a farmer all of his life, and owned and operated Clearview Farm in Samples Manor, Md., and Lakeview Farm in Rohrersville, Md. When not working on the farm, Leon loved spending time with his family and hunting.

Gerald Wilbur Ingram, 67, of Hagerstown, passed away Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012, at Julia Manor Health Care Center, Hagerstown. Born, July 1, 1945, in Dargan, Md., he was the son of the late Arnold James and Lillie May (Jamison) Ingram. Mr. Ingram retired from the Department of Energy in Gaithersburg, where he worked in the custodial-maintenance department. He was Protestant by faith and was a lifetime member of The Improved Order of Red Men, Conococheague Tribe 84, Williamsport.

Adam and Matt Grove grew up in Waynesboro, Pa., and drove from Columbus, Ohio, to see the Baltimore Orioles in the baseball playoffs. The brothers were not going to let the loss Sunday night to the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the best-of-5 American League Divisional Series deter their excitement. And the Groves are not alone. Baltimore's first divisional playoff game in 15 years was on the minds of area residents Monday after the Orioles allowed five runs in the ninth inning in a 7-2 defeat.

Birthdays Oct. 5 - Jena Staley, Hagerstown, turns 44; Mildred Slusher, Hagerstown, turns 88. Oct. 6 - Whylmenia “Willie” Knight, Dargan, turns 91. Anniversaries Oct. 6 - Shirley and Gardner Cook, Sharpsburg Pike, Boonsboro, are celbrating their 49th anniversary; Doris and Frank Stallings, Main Street, Sharpsburg, are celebrating their 19th anniversary.

Like most small towns in America, Dargan is changing and the old ways of growing up are being replaced and many of our elders have gone on. My grandmother Gen was always fond of visiting the Samples Manor cemetery on Memorial Day and throughout the year. I often ride down to that peaceful resting place and admire the surrounding hills. Each season brings a new and beautiful panorama. The cemetery is always well manicured and most pleasing to the eye. I often see people walking from tombstone to tombstone and reminiscing.

Rebecca Ann Garrott, 67, of Boonsboro, Md., passed away Tuesday, July 3, 2012, at Georgetown University Hospital.  She was the wife of Martin Garrott. Born April 5, 1945, in Maryland, she was the daughter of Hilda Carty Thompson of Brunswick, Md., and the late Marlo Thompson. Mrs. Garrott was a member of Harvest Life Ministries, and past member and president of Potomac Valley Ladies Auxiliary. She was known as "Mom" to many. She is survived by her children, April Bussard and husband, Cricket, of Sharpsburg, Regina Gardner of Boonsboro, Jesse Garrott and wife, Melinda, of Greencastle, Pa., and Rain Garrott and wife, Tracy, of Dargan; 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Phil Thompson and wife, Joyce, of Wyoming.

Antietam Unit 236, Sharpsburg American Legion Auxiliary, presented a Dargan family with a Blue Star Service Banner at its June 11 Unit meeting.  Unit President Ava Gift presented the banner to Steven and Shelly (Sue) Haskell in honor of the service of their son, Charles Robert Kretzer Jr. (known as C.J).  C.J. graduated from Boonsboro High in 2008 and enlisted in the Marines on Mother's Day 2009. He deployed to Afghanistan on his birthday, April 26, of this year. Gaulding, Wesmiller get Masons scholarships Antietam Masonic Lodge 197 in Keedysville presented scholarships to Jillian Gaulding and Mikaela Wesmiller at an open strawberry night meeting Tuesday, June 19, at the lodge on Main Street in Keedysville.

On Aug. 18, 1969, then-Superintendent of Schools William M. Brish announced a decision to close the last two-room schoolhouse in Washington County when he informed Dargan parents that their children would be bused to the nearby school in Sharpsburg. That date was later extended to June 1970. The Dargan School was built in 1914. The little school accommodated those classes of higher learning for the first through third grades in one room and fourth through sixth grades in the other.

Sharpsburg Girl Scout Troop 40051 participated in the Washington County Girl Scouts World Thinking Day Feb. 18 at the Washington County Agricultural Education Center.  The Sharpsburg troop chose the country of China for its booth.  Other troops represented countries such as Canada, Peru, Italy and the United Kingdom, and each troop came prepared with country flags, facts about the country, a snack food to share and handmade SWAPs, or...