Walking the Safe and Friendly Streets of Hagerstown (Opinion)

Driving along Interstate 70, you’ll encounter a quiet, safe little town called Hagerstown. Established in 1832, this town is primarily a farming community, with only a couple stoplights, a library, and a fire department. One of their oldest businesses is a candy store called Abbott’s, making delicious candy including the “Hagerstown Special”. No my friends, this is not Hagerstown Maryland. This is Hagerstown Indiana.

With a population of 1,681, Hagerstown Indiana is tiny in comparison to the 43,701 living in Hagerstown Maryland. But despite this significant population difference, some of the scenery remains remarkably similar. Upon arriving in Hagerstown Indiana, you’re greeted with a welcome sign not unlike the sign in Hagerstown Maryland, but with a slightly different date. Exploring Hagerstown further, I discovered a park with very similar landscape as our own, including train tracks and beautiful green hills. I did not however, see any alligators.

One of the places I was told by the town staff I shouldn’t miss was Abbott’s candy store. I chuckled a bit at hearing there was a store in Hagerstown named Abbott’s, since we have our own local My Tech Computer Repair store in Hagerstown Maryland owned by my good friend Chris Abbott. So of course I purchased a box of candy to bring back for him.

Other familiar yet different sights in Hagerstown Indiana include a library, a single high school, and an airport which I unfortunately did not get to explore due to time constraints. Noticeably missing from Hagerstown streets were speed cameras and parking meters, and while these were missing I can’t say they were missed. There were also plenty of friendly, smiling faces walking the streets of Hagerstown Indiana, something I honestly note is absent in Hagerstown Maryland, and perhaps for good reason.

When looking at statistics from City-Data.com for Hagerstown Indiana and Hagerstown Maryland, there are some startling differences. Between 2009 and 2019, there were no murders in Hagerstown Indiana, while in Hagerstown Maryland there were a total of 31. In fact, when looking at national crime index numbers, with the exception of 2019, Hagerstown Indiana has been consistently well below the national average for crimes. Hagerstown Maryland on the other hand, has been consistently above the national index. The truth of the matter is, I felt very safe walking through Hagerstown Indiana, and I can no longer say the same for walking through Hagerstown Maryland.

Now, is it fair to compare the crime statistics between Hagerstown Indiana and Hagerstown Maryland? Maybe. One of the things we consistently hear is that crime is caused by poverty. Hagerstown Maryland has a slightly lower unemployment rate than Hagerstown Indiana, but Hagerstown Maryland has a higher percentage of residents living in poverty, as well as a lower median income. But, Hagerstown Indiana also has a higher number of police officers per resident, with 2.98 police officers per 1,000 residents, vs Hagerstown Maryland’s 2.03 officers per 1,000 residents. Hagerstown Indiana also doesn’t have a major state correctional facility nearby like Hagerstown Maryland does.

It’s quite a different culture in Hagerstown Indiana. I feel like I could have probably left my car unlocked, and not worried about everything being there when I got back. While walking through the town, I stopped at their community center and asked for directions to the candy store. There were some very helpful gentlemen who provided me instructions while they were putting out bread for those in need in the community to take. Later I walked past again, to see that the men had gone inside the building, and left all of the food on the table unattended. No security cameras, no one guarding the food, only a simple sign with the honor system, requesting that you only take one, unless you have multiple children, in which case take only what is needed to feed your family.

There are no glittering streets in Hagerstown Indiana, no cultural trails, no baseball stadium, no stupid piles of rocks called “art”, and nobody approached me asking for money, a cigarette, or a ride to Martinsburg. There were of course just like Hagerstown Maryland, several buildings downtown which were vacant. Inside the windows of these buildings however, were remarkable educational information about the history of the buildings and the town, a much nicer change from the boarded up and spray painted windows we’ll often see in downtown Hagerstown Maryland.

Overall, I very much enjoyed my safe, quiet walk through Hagerstown Indiana, and look forward to going back again someday. I was informed that Hagerstown Maryland’s mayor had very recently visited the town, and hopefully some lessons were brought back in how to make Hagerstown Maryland a bit more like Hagerstown Indiana.

Opinion article by Ken Buckler, President and Editor of RFHC. All opinions are his own, and do not reflect those of our sponsors or clients.