Uncover Hidden History in Maryland’s Carroll, Frederick, and Washington Counties
FREDERICK, Md., Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area will unveil a new three-county GeoTour, the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area US 250th GeoTour on Friday, September 19, 2025.
Geocaching is a free activity that anyone can do with the geocaching app. Geocachers search for hidden caches in specific locations, logging their finds as they go. GeoTours stitch together multiple geocaches to create a guided experience, taking geocachers through a particular region as they complete the GeoTour and receive a virtual or physical prize.
The Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area GeoTour will feature historic sites, museums, and more in Carroll, Frederick, and Washington counties. Geocachers will explore all three counties over the course of the GeoTour, learning history through the geocaching pages and the in-person experience of visiting the geocache host sites. It anticipates the US 250th in 2026, and will recognize 250 years of history and beyond. The GeoTour will be maintained for five years.
The HCWHA US 250th GeoTour launch event will be held in the Exploration Commons, part of the Westminster Branch of the Carroll County Public Library on September 19, 2025 from 12 PM – 4 PM. The GeoTour will go live at 1:30 PM. The event will feature remarks from the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area and featured sites on the GeoTour.
A GeoCoin will be awarded to the first 400 geocachers to redeem their GeoTour passport. Geocachers are invited to redeem their passports at the Frederick Visitor Center (151 S. East St. Frederick, MD 21701). Heritage Area staff will be at the Frederick Visitor Center on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025 from 12-3 PM for the purpose of collecting passports in exchange for geocoins while supplies last. The Frederick Visitor Center will remain the Geocoin redemption location as long as there are remaining Geocoins.
“We are excited to introduce a new audience to all there is to see and do in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area,” said Director of Operations and Programs, Emily Huebner, “This new GeoTour offering is a unique opportunity to drive visitation and engagement, and we’re grateful to the sites on the ground that have partnered with us to make this GeoTour possible.”
The HCWHA US 250th GeoTour was made possible with grant funding from Visit Frederick’s TRIPP grant program, a Rural Maryland Council MAERDAF grant, and a donation from the Maryland Geocaching Society.
SOURCE Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
