Hagerstown, Maryland’s
notable nickname, Hub City, was bestowed to the town not only for it being historically known as a railroad hub, but as the extensive railroad system resembled the spokes of a wagon, leading into the center of Hagerstown. Founded in 1762 by Jonathan Hager, the town was originally named Elizabethtowne, a homage to his wife, Elizabeth, but later changed to Hagerstown in honor of no one other than, well, himself.

In addition to being a location of massive economic growth early on, Hagerstown is also home to the Battle of Williamsport (also known as the Battle of Hagerstown or Battle of Falling Waters) where the Confederate Army retreated following the Battle of Gettysburg. Surprisingly, as a direct result of the Confederate Army’s prevelance in the area, Hagerstown was faced with a $20,000 ransom not including the 1,500 articles of clothing also demanded in July of 1864. This ransom, courtesy of Brigadier General John McCausland, was to be fulfilled in 4 mere hours, or the town would be torched and burned to the ground. Though the ransom was not fully satisfied, Brigadier McCausland and the Hagerstown town leaders came to a deal, effectively avoiding the town’s torching.

Recently elected on November 5, 2024, Mayor William B. McIntire is currently serving his first term as mayor in Hagerstown, Maryland. After Stephen Shutte’s withdrawal from the Mayoral race on August 28, 2024, two new candidates filed as write-in candidates on the ballot in October. Altimont Mark Wilks, owner of Carmen’s Corner Store, and Whitney Nicole Burnett, an entrepreneur and property manager, both proclaimed their running in the election as providing the citizens of Hagerstown with a choice, rather than a land-slide win for McIntire. With less than a month to prepare, the new candidates in the Hagerstown Mayoral race faced defeat as McIntire successfully won the race with 8,595 votes compared to Burnett and Wilks’ 359 and 84 total votes, respectively. Mayor McIntire encourages three main priorities for Hagerstown: Public Safety, Fostering Sustainable Economic Growth, and Processes and Procedures.
In a continuation of the Strategic Plan initially introduced by Hagerstown’s previous mayor, Tekesha Martinez, Mayor McIntire plans on supporting programs that mitigate the root causes of crime such as, mental health services, education, and community outreach to name a few. Additionally, law enforcement is another highlighting aspect of McIntire’s term as mayor because of his efforts to help establish a long-lasting law enforcement presence throughout the town. The 2026 fiscal year budget report continues to support Hagerstown’s strategic plan through allocating several millions of dollars in the budget to the town’s infrastructure. This includes but is not limited to public schools (K-12), the Hagerstown Regional Airport, Hagerstown Community College, and bridges and roads throughout the town. These four projects total to roughly $78.4 million dollars of the $110.7 million dollars allocated for the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

Upcoming Mayor and Council Meetings are broadcasted live through various outlets including Antietam Broadband on Hub City Now, City of Hagerstown YouTube channel, and The City of Hagerstown – Municipal Facebook page. Visit the Mayor Council Meeting schedule on the City of Hagerstown website for more information on regular meeting dates and changes to the schedule.