Middleburg

Middleburg, the town for which the road was named, is situated west of Union Bridge on Route 77, just west of Keymar. The area was so named because it lies halfway between Baltimore and Hagerstown, then Maryland's second largest city. The area has many large, older estates, many of which are operated as businesses, such as the Brookfield Manor Home for the Elderly or Bowling Brook, once a leading farm for developing race horses which now serves as a bed and breakfast. In the 1830's, locals had visions of Middleburg becoming the county seat of the newly formed Carroll County, but they came in behind Westminster and Union town, as the county residents wanted a centrally located center of government.

 

In 1895, a local historian recorded a population for Middleburg of 109, which was served by one church, two hotels, two blacksmith shops, a tinner, a doctor, an undertaker and a train station. The area was frequented by what was known as 'drummers', traveling salesmen who would come to town on the train and then spend several days in the area selling their wares door to door.

 

Like many towns in this part of the county, Middleburg served as a campground for troops engaged in the Civil War, but more recent excitement was stirred up when the area became a filming location for the movie "Separate But Equal", based on the life of Thurgood Marshall.