"The history of Frederick County is not merely a local history. It is a history of men and events of nation importance and interest." So said T.J.C. Williams and Folger McKinsey in their book History of Frederick County, Maryland, first published in 1910. Indeed the county has been stage to some momentous national events, has borne a number of famous sons and daughters, and has an important place in the nation's transportation history. The natural splendor of its fields and woods and the man-made beauty of its villages and towns have welcomed visitors for centuries.