The Washington Monument (The First), Dedicated on July 4, 1827 in Boonsboro, Maryland

[DonRocks]

The latest newsletter from South Mountain Creamery includes information about their participation in Farm-to-Fork Frederick.  It's running this year from August 28 to September 7th.  Restaurants using their products for this event highlighting locally sourced foods include Family Meal and La Paz.  More information on Farm-to-Fork Frederick here.

Here's a great idea for anyone looking for a little day trip:

1) Washington Monument in Boonsboro

2) South Mountain Creamery in Middletown

The walk up to the monument is a loop, about a mile long, marked by interesting historical signs about the life of George Washington, and fairly steep for the first half - but it's very doable by the average person (my mom did it in her 70s).

Note! The Washington Monument was struck by lightning in June, 2015, and remains closed (you can walk *to* it; but you can't walk *up* it). Details are posted here. Walking up is boring, dark, and creepy, but the view from the top is nice; however, you can get 90% of the view by standing at the bottom, so you're not missing as much as you might think. The monument was dedicated on July 4, 1827 and is worth seeing regardless of whether or not you take the one-minute climb to the top. The view from the top is, of course, slightly higher up (it's 34 feet tall), but just being there is the best part, and you're already on top of a hill.

The Washington Monument in Baltimore (by Robert Mills) was dedicated in 1829, and is two years younger than this one. The Washington Monument in Washington, DC (also by Robert Mills) was dedicated in 1885.

My main point with this was to highlight Pat's post (above) and to get people to support South Mountain Creamery.