History of Hagerstown

due to his failure to pay taxes. Zantzinger continued to collect the rent at the properties, which lacked indoor plumbing. This time, Zantzinger was sentenced to 18 months (again, in a county jail) and fined $50,000. In addition, he was ordered to spend 2,400 hours in community service helping low-cost housing advocacy groups.

Aviation heritage

Hagerstown's first aircraft production came in WWI with the Maryland Pressed Steel Company building the Bellanca CD biplane in hopes of securing government contracts.

From 1931 to 1984, Fairchild Aircraft was based in Hagerstown and was by far the area's most prominent employer. The importance of the company to the city and the country as a whole earned Hagerstown its former nickname "Home of the Flying Boxcar."

Fairchild moved to Hagerstown from Farmingdale, New York, in 1931 after Sherman Fairchild purchased a majority stock interest in Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Company of Hagerstown in 1929. Among Fairchild's products during World War II were PT-19/PT-23/PT-26 (Cornell) and AT-21 trainers, C-82 "Packet" cargo planes and missiles. At its height in World War II, Fairchild employed directly and indirectly up to 80% of Hagerstown's workforce or roughly 10,000 people.

In the postwar era, Fairchild continued to produce aircraft in Hagerstown such as C-123 Provider, Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227, FH-1100, C-26 Metroliner, UC-26 Metroliner, Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, and the Fairchild T-46 jet trainer.

All production ceased in Hagerstown in 1984 and the company moved elsewhere. Presently, the company is based in San