Town of Smithsburg

08/26/2026

Tabitha's Table at the Smithsburg Steam & Craft Smithsburg Steam Engine and Craft Show

08/21/2026

Native Species Spotlight: Eastern Hemlock🌳

Did you know Eastern Hemlocks are a signature tree of Western Maryland's forests and can be found right here in Smithsburg? These native evergreen trees thrive in cool, shaded stream valleys and can live for hundreds of years, with some individuals reaching 800 years old.

Eastern Hemlocks play an important role in protecting local waterways. Their dense canopy shades streams, helping keep water temperatures cool and oxygen levels high for sensitive species like Maryland's native brook trout. Their root systems also help stabilize streambanks, reducing erosion and limiting sediment pollution in our rivers and streams.💧

In addition to supporting water quality, Eastern Hemlocks provide valuable habitat and shelter for birds, deer, and other wildlife.🐦

Learn more about Eastern Hemlocks below!
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/native-trees-maryland-eastern-hemlock-tsuga-canadensis/

08/12/2026

The town is excited to share this news about a Stormwater Retrofit Project coming soon. More details to come, so please follow us on our Facebook and town website pages.

CLT and Partners Awarded Funding Through Chesapeake Bay Trust G(3) Grant Program
July 29, 2026 HMCA Partner News
The Catoctin Land Trust (CLT) is excited to announce that, in partnership with the Town of Smithsburg and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service, we have been awarded funding through the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns (G3) Grant Program. This funding will support the Town of Smithsburg Stormwater Basin Retrofit Project, an innovative effort to transform a 4.55-acre municipally owned stormwater basin into a thriving conservation landscape that will improve water quality, expand wildlife habitat, and create lasting environmental benefits for the community.

Located along Smithsburg’s Main Street corridor, the existing stormwater basin is currently maintained as mowed turf grass. While functional for stormwater management, this landscape provides little ecological value, offers minimal habitat for wildlife, and requires frequent maintenance. Through this project, the site will be reimagined as a diverse natural landscape featuring native forests, meadows, shrubs, and flowering plants that will better serve both people and the environment.

The restoration will establish multiple ecological zones, including native forest and meadow habitats designed to support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. A variety of native tree species, including Swamp White Oak, Bur Oak, Bald Cypress, Red Maple, Blackgum, Eastern Redbud, and Downy Serviceberry, will be planted alongside native shrubs and grasses to create a layered, resilient ecosystem. Beyond improving habitat, these native plantings will play a critical role in enhancing stormwater management. Deep-rooted native vegetation will help break up compacted soils, allowing rainwater to soak into the ground more effectively, reducing runoff, improving groundwater recharge, and helping to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution entering Antietam Creek and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay.

This project represents the power of collaboration. By bringing together local government, state agencies, and nonprofit conservation partners, we are demonstrating how strategic partnerships can transform underutilized public spaces into landscapes that benefit both communities and the environment. The Catoctin Land Trust is grateful to the Chesapeake Bay Trust for supporting this important work and to our partners at the Town of Smithsburg and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service for their shared commitment to conservation. Matching funds from the Maryland Whole Watershed Program will also support this project, helping make this restoration effort possible. We look forward to breaking ground on this exciting project and sharing updates as the transformation takes shape.

This project is funded completely or in part by the Maryland Whole Watershed Program. For more information visit: https://dnr.maryland.gov/Pages/whole-watershed-fund.aspx.

08/11/2026

Mayor & Council Regular meeting 8-11-2026

08/07/2026

Stormwater Trivia💡

True or False?
A single tree can temporarily hold more than 100 gallons of stormwater on its leaves and bark during a rain event.🌳💧

Answer: ✅True! Trees act like natural storage systems, slowing the movement of rainwater and reducing runoff. By capturing rainfall before it reaches the ground, trees help reduce stormwater runoff, decrease erosion, and limit the number of pollutants that are washed into local streams and waterways.

Urban trees are widely celebrated for their important role in improving air quality, sequestering carbon, and reducing the urban heat island effect. However, one often overlooked benefit of a healthy…

07/22/2026

Where Does Smithsburg's Stormwater Go?💧

Have you ever wondered where a raindrop goes after it falls in Smithsburg?🤔

Smithsburg is located within the Antietam Creek Watershed. When it rains, water flows across the landscape and into nearby streams that eventually feed into Antietam Creek. From there, the water continues its journey to the Potomac River and ultimately reaches the Chesapeake Bay.

This connection means that Smithsburg is part of a much larger network of streams, rivers, and waterways that span across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Smithsburg → Antietam Creek → Potomac River → Chesapeake Bay 🌊

Understanding how water moves through our watershed helps us appreciate the important role local streams play in the health of larger waterways throughout the region. 💙

Learn more about the Antietam Creek Watershed here: https://www.antietamwatershed.org
Photo of Antietam Creek from National Park Service

07/16/2026

Stormwater Management Highlight: Permeable Pavement💧

Permeable pavement is a type of surface designed with small openings that allow water to pass through and into the ground below. It is typically constructed using materials such as porous asphalt, pervious concrete, or permeable interlocking pavers.

Permeable pavement offers several important benefits:

✅Slows stormwater runoff, helping reduce localized flooding
✅Filters pollutants such as heavy metals and excess nutrients before they reach local waterways
✅Helps replenish groundwater supplies

When it rains🌧️, water seeps through the pavement and into a stone reservoir beneath the surface. From there, it gradually infiltrates into the surrounding soil or, in some systems, is slowly released through underdrains.

Overall, permeable pavement is a great tool for managing stormwater runoff.🌱♻️

Learn more below! 👇
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/permeable-pavers/

Photo Credit: The Pavement Network

07/13/2026

Smithsburg, the challenge is on again to FILL THE TRUCK at National Night Out with non-perishable food items for Tabitha’s Table. Last year YOU donated 1,610 items! The goal this year is 2,000 items. We need your help! If you bring a non-perishable food item, you will receive a coupon for a free scoop of Ice Cream courtesy of Smithsburg Police Department. We look forward to seeing you on August 4th, 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Come out and support all of our local first responders and family fun.

07/13/2026

Employment Opportunity: Town of Smithsburg is accepting applications for a part-time Public Works Parks Maintenance Technician. Applications are on the Town of Smithsburg website and are being accepted until 7/31/26.

07/10/2026

Scoop the P**p, Protect Our Streams!💧

Pet waste left on the ground doesn't just disappear, it can wash into storm drains and local streams when it rains, polluting our waterways and harming wildlife. A simple act like picking up after your pet helps keep our water clean and healthy for everyone.🌎

Bag it. Bin it. Protect our streams.🗑

Photo Credit: Pet Waste Management