War Correspondents Memorial Arch

Built in 1896 as a permanent memorial to newspaper correspondents, artists, and photographers of the Civil War, this stone arch was the culmination of Townsend's architectural endeavors. Standing 50 feet tall and 40 feet wide, its unusual design was inspired by two Hagerstown structures: the former B&O Railroad passenger depot, which used a horseshoe-shaped arch, and the Antietam Fire Co. Station No. 2, which incorporated a crenellated tower. The names of 157 men from North and South who documented the Civil War are inscribed on tablets embedded in the east facade. Biblical and classical references to the skills of the war correspondent are incorporated into the design, and the central sculpture bears symbols of war, speed, and storytelling. Its symbolic decoration reflects Townsend's whimsical taste in art, further illustrated by his verse: "The Bookman's art is left behind and letters only vex. Write then in stone, ye minds of men! And live as architects!"

Maryland · United States