New Francis Scott Key Brochure Released in Maryland

12-19-2011

 New Francis Scott Key Brochure Released in Anticipation of War of 1812 Commemorations and Visitors

Frederick, MD – On Wednesday, December 14, 2011, a new brochure for visitors highlighting Francis Scott Key’s life was unveiled during a one-day conference of the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission. The 12-panel brochure tells the story of Key’s life, the writing of our national anthem, and the story of the monument dedicated to him at his final resting place, Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Frederick, Maryland. The brochure was produced in cooperation with the Tourism Council of Frederick County and the Francis Scott Key Memorial Foundation in anticipation of the increased visitation to the area during the upcoming bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the penning of The Star-Spangled Banner.

 

“Upcoming plans for the 1812 Commemoration call for additional improvements to the visitor experience at Mt. Olivet Cemetery,” explains Chris Haugh, Scenic Byway & Special Projects Manager for the Tourism Council of Frederick County. “This brochure is a great start to telling the story of Key’s ties to Frederick and the area’s connection to the War of 1812,” he added. 

 

Francis Scott Key was born in 1779 at Terra Rubra in Frederick County, which later became part of Carroll County, and he began his law career and married life in Frederick in the early 1800’s. “Frederick’s Mt. Olivet Cemetery represents a very important site within the commemoration. This is the final resting place of the man who penned The Star-Spangled Banner,” says Mt. Olivet Cemetery Superintendent Ron Pearcey.  Key was aboard a ship in Baltimore Harbor during the bombardment of Fort McHenry on September 13-14, 1814 when he wrote the famous poem. 

 

According to the Tourism Council of Frederick County and the Francis Scott Key Memorial Foundation, plans are currently underway to provide even more visitor experiences on Key and the War of 1812 in Frederick in preparation for visitors. These include interpretive signage and multi-media presentations at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, the Hessian Barracks, and Harry Grove Stadium.

 

The Frederick/Montgomery Star-Spangled 200 Conference was the latest in a series of regional conferences that focus on Maryland’s War of 1812 history in preparation for the upcoming bicentennial of the war and penning of The Star-Spangled Banner by Frederick native Francis Scott Key. Participants met at the Frederick Visitor Center for updates on the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission and an overview of 1812 history. The group also toured the Hessian Barracks, Mt. Olivet Cemetery, and Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick County and Brookeville’s Madison House in Montgomery County. Over the last two years, other conferences have been held in Southern Maryland, Bladensburg, Head of the Bay, Eastern Shore, North Point, Baltimore, and Annapolis.

 

The brochure is available at the Frederick Visitor Center, 151 S. East Street, Frederick, Maryland and at the Mt. Olivet Cemetery/Francis Scott Key Monument, 515 S. Market Street, Frederick, Maryland. The Frederick Visitor Center is open 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 361 days a year (closed Christmas, New Year’s Day, Easter, and Thanksgiving; closes early on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve) and Mt. Olivet Cemetery/Francis Scott Key Monument is open for visitation from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year.

 

ABOUT - The Tourism Council of Frederick County (TCFC) is the recognized Destination Marketing Organization for Frederick City and County, Maryland. It operates the Frederick Visitor Center and related programs that include Destination Marketing, Group Tour Marketing, Frederick Historic Sites Consortium, and more.  For information about more things to see and do in Frederick County, visitwww.FrederickTourism.org or call 1-800-999-3613.

 

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