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Hagerstown was founded in 1762 by Jonathan Hager.

It was originally called Elizabethtown after his wife.

The town was never really called Elizabethtown, it was always referred to as Hager's Town and was officially renamed in 1813 by the state legislature.

Hagerstown rapidly expanded in it's early years.

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Population: 43,015

Poverty rate: 25.5%

Median household income: $42,965

Median age: 35.6

Race:

63.1% Caucasian

17.8% black or African American (non-Hispanic).

7.77% multiracial

4.67% white (Hispanic)

2.1% multiracial (Hispanic)

1.86% Asian (non-Hispanic)

1.67% other (Hispanic)

0.41% are other races or ethnicities.

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Health Coverage:

94.1% of Hagerstown residents have health coverage.

34.2% are on Medicaid & 11.5% are on Medicare.

Health Services:

Meritus Medical Center is a 300-bed hospital offering “a special care nursery, a level III trauma program, a primary stroke center, and a wound center, as well as a cardiac diagnostic laboratory.”

238+ primary care doctors.

10+ skilled nursing or assisted living facilities.

20+ offices with pediatric care.

5 urgent care facilities.

10+ facilities with mental health & substance abuse services.

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Hagerstown sits in Wahington County in Western Maryland, surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains.

The city itself is not entirely walkable although the amount of green space within city limits allows residents to get some fresh air.

The city is working to implement more green actions for the environment and make the city more walkable for residents.

There is also public transportation for resident to access places that are not within walking distance.

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In the mid-19th century Washington County’s geographical location played a significant part in the slave trade in the region.

The county was situated between slave-free Pennsylvania to the north and slave state Virginia (West Virginia in 1863) to the south.

The narrow boundaries of western Washington County at Hancock and Williamsport provided a convenient route for runaway slaves from Virginia and Maryland to Pennsylvania.

Now, anyone is welcome to live in Hagerstown, MD no matter the race, ethnicity, gender, age, or sexual orientation.

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Hagerstown was a hub of transportation to the west during the Civil War.

There was heavy skirmishing after the Battle of Gettysburg in the streets of Hagerstown where almost 200 people were killed.

The city was held for ransom by the Confederate Army in 1864.

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Hagerstown, MD has a rich history in culture and different belief systems. From small independent churches to large international denominations, Hagerstown offers something for everyone.

According to bestplaces.net 38.0% of Hagerstown is religious: 1.2% are Baptist, 1.2% are Episcopalian, 6.5% are Catholic, 4.8% are Lutheran, 6.4% are Methodist, 4.2% are Pentecostal, 2.3% are Presbyterian, 1.1% are Church of Jesus Christ, 9.9% are another Christian faith, 0.2% are Judaism, 0.0% are eastern faith, and 0.2% affiliates with Islam.

Hagerstown was founded in the 1760s by Jonathan Hager, a German immigrant and devout member of the German Reformed Church.

Some of the prominent churches include St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church which was established in 1776, it is one of the oldest Lutheran churches in Maryland. First Christian Church was founded in 1881, it is one of the oldest Christian Churches in Hagerstown. St. Mary’s Catholic Church was founded in 1817, it is one of the oldest Catholic churches in the area. Trinity Episcopal Church was founded in 1840, it is one of the oldest Episcopal churches in Hagerstown. Hagerstown experienced several religious revivals throughout history, particularly during the 19th century.

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Unemployment Rate: 3.4%

Sales Rate Tax: 6.0%

Average Resident's income: $20,812/yr

Average Hourly Wage: $25.55

Largest Industries: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, and Accommodation & Food Services.

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Social stratification is defined as “the hierarchical arrangement of social classes or castes within a society.” Given this, Hagerstown features many examples of social stratification.

It is a diverse city of different cultures, ethnicities, and incomes.

It has been the “Hub City” for a long time and was famously south of the Mason-Dixon line well before that. It has become very stratified, or it always was.

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The Hagerstown City Council is comprised of Kristin Aleshire, Tiara Burnett, Shelly Mcintire, Peter Perini, and Matthew Schindler.

They have varied backgrounds of unexpected and interesting relevance to present social issues and their contact information is readily available on the City of Hagerstown website.

They’re all invested in the local community and engage in social work.

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Celeste, Stuart, Kaliyah, Fallon, Emily, & Anastasia

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Celeste, Stuart, Kaliyah, Fallon, Emily, & Anastasia