Barbara Fritchie House | Civil War Trails
Inspiration for a famous poem
In John Greenleaf Whittier’s famous ballad, a loyal old lady waved the Stars and Stripes here and shamed Stonewall Jackson in September 1862. While the story of her flag-waving escapades is more myth than fact, Barbara Fritchie was a real resident of Downtown Frederick and lived in a home that stood here. The poem, "The Ballad of Barbara Frietchie," made her famous when it appeared in The Atlantic Monthly in early 1863. The poem also put Frederick on the international map during the Civil War - the "clustered spires of Frederick" referenced in the poem remain a part of the city's identity today.
Barbara Fritchie is buried at the nearby Mount Olivet Cemetery, a historic burial ground on the southern edge of Downtown Frederick and the perfect place to visit for history enthusiasts.
