Broad Run and Locust Valley Scenes

Burkittsville is surrounded by small hamlets and communities with histories that extend back as early as the town itself. Broad Run, located at the intersection of Catholic Church, Picnic Woods, and Broad Run Roads, was settled in the mid-18th century as the surrounding land was purchased for farms by English and German families. Among these families were the Arnolds, Huffers, Houses, and Groves. Broad Run had its own post office from 1868 until 1901. A brick store was constructed at the intersection by Manasses J. Grove in 1851 and in later years was operated by the Huffer and Beachley families. Broad Run also had its own school house and the Pleasant View Church of the Brethren was organized in the village around the time of the American Revolutionary War. 
An early view of Pleasant View Church of the Brethren. Prior to the construction of this meetinghouse, the German Baptist Congregation of Broad Run gathered for worship in the homes of its members and several local schoolhouses, particularly Ausherman's Schoolhouse in nearby Arnoldstown. In 1879, the first section of the present church was built by local contractor William Suman. The original portion of the church stood parallel with Picnic Woods Road, which was then the main north-south route from Burkittsville to Middletown. Courtesy of Pleasant View Church of the Brethren.​
The David Ausherman Farm, seen in this late-19th century photograph, stands on Picnic Woods Road opposite the Pleasant View Church of the Brethren.  The original alignment of the road leading from Burkittsville north towards Middletown (today's Maryland Route 17) originally ran along the front of the Ausherman Farm, but has since been rerouted to the east. Photograph donated by Rick and Denise (Guyton) Boyer​.
Ausherman's Schoolhouse stood on the top of the hill between Picnic Woods and Arnoldstown Road. The site was originally deeded by David Arnold to the German Baptist Society in 1818. For over half a century, the schoolhouse was also a primary meeting place for the German Baptists (Church of the Brethren) and a small cemetery, which may have begun as a family burial ground, was located near the schoolhouse. Courtesy of Joann Guyton. ​
The Dunkard Brethren Congregation of Broad Run was organized during the years of the American Revolutionary War and met seasonally in schoolhouses and private homes around the area for a century before the present church was erected in 1876. At the time of its completion, the long-serving minister of the church, Burkittsville native Emanuel Slifer, purportedly gave the congregation its present name "Pleasant View," referring to the sweeping vista of the valley from the church's hill-top site. Photograph from the Brethren Historical Society and Archives​.
The brick store in Broad Run was built in 1851 by Manasses J. Grove, a Frederick County industrialist who founded the M.J. Grove Lime Company. Grove was born in Broad Run in 1824. In addition to serving as a general store, the building also housed Broad Run's Post Office from 1868 until 1901. Photograph from the Maryland Historical Trust​.
Locust Valley is a small village of houses, churches, and small farmsteads scattered along the base of Lamb's Knoll, the second-tallest peak of South Mountain during its run through Maryland. In 1741, Miles and Frances Foy received the first land tract patents within present-day Locust Valley after fleeing a violent conflict in their home community north of Baltimore, land that was disputed between Pennsylvania and Maryland. The first recorded instance of the name "Locust Valley" is found on a land tract from the 1790s. The village began to take shape in the mid-19th century and by the time of the Civil War, Locust Valley had a church and a schoolhouse. By the turn of the 20th century, Locust Valley grew to include two schools (one for white and another for African American children), two churches, general stores operated by the Younkins, Rohrback, Marker, and Freed families, and a butcher shop owned by the Burtner Family. Today, Locust Valley is a quite community that has preserved its rural character. 
For half a century, the heart of the community of Locust Valley was the large general store that was built by the Marker Family in the early-20th century. Dorye Davis Marker built the store into a thriving business which sold groceries, hardware, feed, and gasoline. The Markers also operated a grain elevator and chicken hatchery, known as the "South Mountain Hennery Company" on the adjoining property. In 1933, Marker sold the store to Edwin and Mary Freed, who operated it until 1965. Photograph donated by Velma (Burtner) Shepard. ​
Dorye Marker and his wife, Mabel Fern (Weddle) Marker, built a Craftsman-style house in Locust Valley in the 1920s across the road from the store. In addition to their business interests in Locust Valley, the Markers also operated a grocery store on South Bentz Street in downtown Frederick. Dorye and Fern Marker often entertained their employees at picnics held at their "country residence" in Locust Valley, a scene captured in the lower photograph. The Markers were also philanthropic towards the Locust Valley community, donating land and funding the expansion of the church in the 1940s and 1950s. Photographs donated by Velma (Burtner) Shepard.​
Dorye Marker's brother, William Carlton Marker and his wife, Bettie, operated the chicken hatchery and granary in Locust Valley from the early-1920s until William's tragic death from an automobile accident in 1934. Photograph donated by Velma (Burtner) Shepard.
The Locust Valley Church of God was originally organized in 1852 as the "Sigler's Bethel Church of God" following a camp meeting revival held by Rev. John Winebrenner (founder of the Churches of God). After worshiping in the Locust Valley schoolhouse for 27 years, the congregation erected this building on land donated by the Sigler family in 1879. The bell tower was added in 1913 and subsequent additions were made to the church in 1947 and 1957. Twice in its history, the Locust Valley Church has divided, once over a dispute among members in 1907 and again in 1966 when the entire denomination suffered a schism over ecumenical issues. After 1966, the old church became known as Locust Valley Bible Church. Photograph from The Blade Times newspaper, 1942.​
When the Locust Valley Church of God split in 1907, a faction of its members built a stone church higher up on the Mountain Church Road which they named "Mount Hope Church of God." After being abandoned and falling to ruin in the 1950s, the church was rebuilt in 1974 and rededicated as the Locust Valley First Church of God. This photograph was taken in the early-1950s before the church roof collapsed. The bell in the tower was rehung in a new belfry when the church was rebuilt in 1974. 
​Photograph donated by the Locust Valley First Church of God.
A crowd gathers for the rededication of the former Mount Hope Church as the new Locust Valley First Church of God on April 21, 1974. Photograph donated by the Locust Valley First Church of God​.
Students gather for a class photograph outside the Locust Valley Schoolhouse in 1919. Among the students are Carroll Younkins, Dorothy Sigler, Mary Young, Mary Marker, Pauline Moss, Elsie Rohrback, Orpha Rohrback, Clarence Rohrback, and Daisy Marker. The teacher of the school at this time was Mabel Fern Weddle, later the wife of Dorye Davis Marker. 
​Photograph donated by Velma (Burtner) Sheppard.
From 1877 until 1939, African American children in the Locust Valley area attended this school, officially named the "Burkittsville Colored School," but known to many locally as the "Mollie Bruner School." Mollie taught students in this one room school for over thirty years. Courtesy of Heritage Frederick.
This photograph was taken in the mid-1940s. The gentleman in uniform is Edward Fink, son of Foster and Melissa (Ausherman) Fink. Behind him is the home of George and Annabelle (Rohrback) Shank, an example of the vernacular style houses typically seen throughout Locust Valley. Most of these houses were built by families who made their living from the mountain either through timber or small scale farming. They were constructed of logs with two rooms on the first floor and two above. Typically, a one-story kitchen wing was attached to the back of the house.
Courtesy of Jody Brumage. 
This aerial photograph from the early-1960s shows the family home of Noah and Daisy (Marker) Burtner in Locust Valley. The house was built in 1938. Next door is Burtner's Meat Market, opened in the mid-1950s. Photograph donated by Velma (Burtner) Sheppard.
Locust Valley has been a farming community since its early settlement. Much of the village took shape around the plantation of George Cost which included this farm which was later owned by John H. and Bertha (Philhower) Marker. Under the Marker's management, the farm became a state-of-the-art dairy operation and supported the family's wholesale produce and cattle businesses. The farm was later owned by Carrollee Zecher who built another modern dairy barn in the early-1980s on the property. Courtsey of Brian Zecher​.
The Locust Valley Orchestra was active in the 1920s and 30s providing music for the church and community events. Members of the orchestra included: (front row, left to right) William Carlton Marker, Fern (Weddle) Marker, Kathleen (Fink) Rohrer, and Mary (Marker) Beachley; (back row, left to right) unknown, Edwin R. Freed, unknown, John William Sigler, Jasper Philhower Younkins, and unknown. This photograph was taken at the Locust Valley Church of God. Courtesy of Velma (Burtner) Sheppard. 
In the mid-1950s, the Burtner Family of Locust Valley established a popular meat market which provided beef and pork for wholesale or retail purchase. Burtner's also provided custom butchering services to local families. Burtner's Meat Market remained in business for nearly half a century under the management of three generations. For many years, the Burtner's also ran a popular concession stand at the annual Great Frederick Fair. This photograph shows workers at the Meat Market in 1959. Courtsey of Teresa (Burtner) Kachermeyer. 
Like many small towns around Frederick County in the early-20th century, Locust Valley had a community baseball team that competed locally. The team is pictured here in front of the War Correspondents Memorial Arch at Gapland. Photograph donated by Sam and Joyce Brown​.