Jefferson, Maryland
Jefferson is a community of 3,314 people in Frederick County, Maryland.
Why visit Jefferson
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 4 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Poffenberger Road Bridge, Bennies Hill Road Bridge and George Willard House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Jefferson
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Jefferson
Jefferson is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. As of the 2020 census the town had a population of 2,235 (which includes the widespread area of the town's zip code, not Jefferson proper). Jefferson was established in 1774 and incorporated as a town in 1831. However, a year later, in 1832, the citizens of the town decided that municipal government was unnecessary, and dis-incorporated the town, which has been unincorporated since then.
From the Wikipedia article Jefferson, Maryland (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Poffenberger Road Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Museums and landmarks5
Bennies Hill Road Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Steel bowstring arch bridge over Catoctin Creek near Middletown, Maryland, USA
George Willard House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Jefferson, Maryland, NRHP-listed
Lewis Mill Complex
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic mill in Maryland
Rich Mountain
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
Shafer's Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes4
The little red barn
Ice cream · 0.5 mi
4610 Lander Road, Jefferson
Mo-Th 11:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 13:00-18:00
History
According to archaeologist Mary F. Barse, Jefferson was initially laid out in 1774 on a 96-acre (390,000 m2) tract owned by Mrs. Eleanor Medley, which was ultimately called "New Town". It contained 40 rectangular lots – 20 aligned on each side of what is now MD 180 – stretching between what are now Lander Road and Old Middletown Road. In 1795, 22 additional lots were platted by Elias Delashmutt on the western end of the original section, and called "New Freedom". In 1831 both sections were incorporated as "Jefferson" by the Maryland Legislature.
Jefferson's growth in the 19th century was due largely to its location on the main road between Frederick and Harpers Ferry, which is today's Maryland Route 180. Along this thoroughfare, wagon traffic and livestock drives were frequent. Concomitantly, commercial development intensified to serve the surrounding farms as well as travelers. As a center of agricultural mercantilism, throughout most of the late 18th and 19th century, Jefferson was also home to a sizable population of slaves.
The Hagerstown and Frederick Railway linked Jefferson to Frederick and Hagerstown in 1907, however, Jefferson Pike remained the only link to the nearby steam powered rail station in Brunswick.
From the History section of Jefferson, Maryland on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship2
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Map of Jefferson
33 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 26°F | 2.6 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 28°F | 3.0 in |
| Mar | 55°F | 36°F | 3.7 in |
| Apr | 69°F | 45°F | 3.5 in |
| May | 77°F | 55°F | 4.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 63°F | 4.3 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 68°F | 3.9 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 66°F | 2.9 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 59°F | 5.8 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 47°F | 3.3 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 38°F | 2.7 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 31°F | 4.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Frederick Police Brks (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Frederick County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-06-25: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2016-03-04: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2012-11-20: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Braddock Heights 4 mi northeast, about 6 min by car
- Brunswick 6 mi southwest, about 9 min by car
- Adamstown 6 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Ballenger Creek 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Buckeystown 7 mi southeast, about 11 min by car
- Frederick 9 mi northeast, about 14 min by car
- Bartonsville 10 mi east, about 16 min by car
- Urbana 11 mi east, about 18 min by car
- Boonsboro 12 mi northwest, about 19 min by car
- Linganore 13 mi east, about 21 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Jefferson MD1, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lewis Mill MD1, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bennies Hill Road Bridge1, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- George Willard House, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rich Mountain Frederick MD1, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shafer's Mill, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Poffenberger Road Bridge, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
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