My small town of Clear Spring, MD (population 479 – salute!) celebrated a big milestone this past weekend.

It was the town’s 200^th anniversary.

Now, it’s not every day you get to live in a town that has been around long enough to celebrate its own bicentennial, but for an “older” gal, I have to say she still looks pretty good.

This past weekend was celebrated with home tours, scavenger hunts, and panckake breakfasts.  Lots of folks were popping in and out – people who either lived here at one point in their lives or had relatives that did.  The downtown streets were bustling with pedestrians, cameras were snapping pictures, and conversations were taking place on every street corner between old friends.

When Martin Myers began selling off lots to settle the original community in 1821 (after the National Road literally split his property in half), he named it Myersville, but traveler’s stopping off in the town by stagecoach (and headed west) always remembered the “clear spring” where both the stage horses and townsfolk drew water  –  and the new name of “Clear Spring” stuck.

The town has seen its ups and downs since way back in 1821 – lived through a Civil War (and yes, it saw a few skirmishes back in the day), and was a thriving town until the progress of time and the interstate highway system passed it by in the 1950’s.

Today, it’s a sleepy little hamlet, tucked away at the foot of Fairview Mountain – an exit to get gas or a fast-food sandwich on the way to somewhere else.

Still, to those of us that live here, it’s called home – and residents took the time to spruce up their porches and yards to celebrate the town and its history, capping off the day with fireworks.

It’s always been (and still is) a great place to live, and this past weekend, dear old Clear Spring put on her best face for everyone to see.

Congratulations, Clear Spring!  Here’s to another 200 years!

As the locals would say – “you done good!”