Gathland Museum Open HoursReturn to Calendar

Saturday, May 23, 2026

9:00am-5:00pm

Location: 900 Arnoldtown Rd, Jefferson, MD 21755
Website: https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/western/gathland.aspx

Visit the museum at Gathland State Park and learn about a unique character in South Mountain’s history. George Alfred Townsend (whose pen name was “GATH”) was a journalist and war correspondent during the Civil War. GATH captured the nation’s attention with his coverage of the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth after the assassination of President Abraham Lincon in 1865. As GATH launched his career as a novelist and journalist, he used his wealth to build an elaborate estate on South Mountain, including the War Correspondents Arch.