In 1792, two cousins of frontiersman Daniel Boone established Boonsboro
when they sold the town's first plotted lot. After growing from five
taxable buildings in 1796 to 24 houses in 1803 and nearly doubling in
population from 1820 to 1830, Boonsboro was officially incorporated in
1831. Along the way, Maryland governor William Hamilton was born in
Boonsboro in 1820, and residents completed the world's first monument to
US president George Washington in 1827. During the Civil War, the Battle
of South Mountain produced
6,000 casualties near Boonsboro on September 14, 1862, and three days
later, the Battle of Antietam left 23,110 casualties six miles west of
Boonsboro. The town's famous raspberries and Hearts of Gold cantaloupes
helped carry Boonsboro through the 20th century. Today, with four state
parks and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail lining the top of nearby
South Mountain range, Boonsboro boasts a popular town park, three
museums, and a population of 3,400 people.