Maryland Route 64 - History

History

One of the predecessor highways of MD 64 was the Hagerstown and Smithsburg Turnpike between the two municipalities. The other major section of MD 64, the highway from Smithsburg to the Pennsylvania state line, was paved in 1916. The Hagerstown–Smithsburg highway was paved around 1923. The all-weather highway generally followed the old turnpike except for a deviation just west of Chewsville to avoid two grade crossings of the Western Maryland Railway. Within Hagerstown, MD 64 was marked from US 40 (now US 40 Alternate) north along Mulberry Street to Jefferson Street. By 1950, MD 64's western terminus was moved to the new US 40 and used Cannon Avenue to reach Jefferson Street. The state highway was moved to its present course along Cleveland Avenue in 1954. MD 64's name east from Hagerstown has varied, being named Cavetown Pike by 1950, becoming Smithsburg Pike by 1964, and changed to Jefferson Boulevard around 1983.

MD 64 was rebuilt from end-to-end in the 1950s. The first section to be reconstructed was from the Hagerstown city limit to just west of Chewsville in 1952. The next section, from just west of Chewsville to just west of Cavetown, was completed in 1954 and featured the bypass of Chewsville. The third section was a bypass of Cavetown from just west of the community to Wolfsville Road, now MD 64's intersection with MD 77. That highway was completed in 1956. The old alignment through Chewsville was designated MD 804. The final two segments of MD 64 to be worked on were from Wolfsville Road to south of Ringgold, completing the bypass of Smithsburg; and from south of Ringgold to the Pennsylvania state line, including a bypass of Ringgold. Both projects were completed in 1958. The old alignment of MD 64 from Cavetown to north of Smithsburg, consisting of Water Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, and Bradbury Avenue, was remarked as a northern extension of MD 66.