The Monterey Pass Battlefield Association

To educate, to interpret and to preserve


"Our goal is to identify & raise awareness to educate the public about the historical Civil War significance of the Monterey Area."

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We are in the process of creating a new format for our website. We are getting it ready for the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War.

Welcome to the website of the Monterey Pass Battlefield Association. The Monterey Pass Battlefield Association is comprised of individuals, living historians and community organizations whose main goal is to educate, to interpret and to preserve the battle of Monterey Pass through various programs and activites. These programs include journalism, lectures, special interpretative programs and living histories. The association's purpose is to honor the memory of the men, both Union and Confederate, who fought during the night of July 4th into the early morning hours of July 5th, 1863. This battle proved to be very difficult as it was during a blinding thunderstorm and included many citizens of the area who participated in the fight, serving as guides.

Many engagements were fought during the Pennsylvania Campaign that are often overlooked. One of those engagements is the battle of Monterey Pass, which is the second largest battle in Pennsylvania and was the only battle that was fought on both sides of the Mason and Dixon Line, taking place in four counties, Frederick and Washington Counties, Maryland and Adams and Franklin Counties, Pennsylvania. Being a direct route to the Potomac River, Monterey Pass was used by the bulk of the Confederate Army during it’s withdraw from Gettysburg.

After the Civil War, the community of Monterey expanded, becoming a resort town for wealthy families who spent their summers in the area to escape the heat of the big city. This is a prime example of a developed battlefield and how housing and expansion leads to the deterioration of these Civil War battlefields. In 1890, during this resort era Lt. Colonel Walter H. Taylor moved to Cascade during the summer. He would talk about the Monterey area where he and General Lee took a break from the retreat long enough to watch a portion of his army march back to the Potomac. Today the Taylor residence is operated as a bed and breakfast called the Cascade Inn.