We have hit Maryland in our digital road trip. Maryland’s attractions are rich and varied and we decided to focus on just four attractions all related to this month. Whether you want to see what people make with marshmallow Peeps, place a penny on an infamous but unmarked gravestone, celebrate Earth Day or visit a cherished pet, we have the spots for you!
In 1978, Germantown, MD, built a two-million-gallon water tank that was so neat, the county lifted its ban on above ground water tanks! Earth Day falls on April 22 this year so why not visit the 100-tall tank with its art painted by Peter Freudenberg. Freudenberg copied the geography of the Earth from a National Geographic globe. The students of Montgomery College’s Germantown campus competed to design the tank; the sphere won through a vote. As you can see from the cars in the image above, the tank really does tower above the ground. Get directions here.
With Stephen King’s Pet Sematary being out in the theaters, we thought you might like to visit a decidedly less scary resting place for beloved animals! The cemetery has more than 55,000 interred pets, including FBI director J. Edgar Hoover’s dogs, Petey from The Little Rascals and Rags, the decorated dog-mascot of the First Division in World War I. There is also a mausoleum for a dog named Mickey. The cemetery is not just for cats and dogs. Everything from monkeys and turtles to goldfish and goats have been buried there and marked with a headstone. It’s also the resting place for 30 people who couldn’t stand being far from their pets for eternity. You can contact the cemetery to prearrange plans for your pet’s burial plans by clicking here. The park is open to the public from dawn ‘til dusk. Get directions here.
Staying on the topic of cemeteries, while in Maryland you can pay a visit to John Wilkes Booth’s grave. Booth assassinated Pres. Lincoln on April 14, 1865. On April 26, he was shot and killed when a soldier was attempting to disarm him during a standoff. Booth’s body was originally buried in the Old Penitentiary, then exhumed to be buried in another area of the Penitentiary, finally, he was exhumed again and given to his family. He was buried in the family plot in Green Mount Cemetery under an unmarked stone as his family didn’t want to draw undue attention to him. To this day people leave heads up pennies on the grave to honor not Booth but Lincoln. The president’s face looks up to the sky. Be sure to grab a map at the gate, Elijah Bond, who patented the Ouija Board, is also buried there under an interesting, and fitting headstone. Additionally, there are many names on graves that you will recognize: magnates, military personnel, famous doctors, artists, Civil War soldiers and politicians are interred at Green Mount Cemetery. Get directions here.
If you have ever looked at a PEEP wondered what you could do with it — other than upset your blood sugar levels — the PEEPshow is for you. Each year, for the week leading up to Easter, Carroll Arts Council in Westminster, MD, hosts a peep show that is fit for the family. The show is in its twelfth year and runs from today until April 23. There is no entry fee, but you might want cash (and Glucocil!) on hand if you decide to hit the gift show. This year there are over 150 art pieces of display including “paintings,” dioramas, sculptures and more! The event is a fundraiser, and voting chips can be bought at the door to vote for your favorite piece of sugary art. Get directions here.
We hope you enjoy these sites! If you have ever been to these spots or plan on going, we would love to hear from you! Email us at socialmedia@neulivenhealth.com.
