RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Maryland >> Frederick County >> Phelps >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Phelps, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Phelps and the surrounding area.

  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Phelps:
    • 39.453990, -77.497209
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Phelps
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Frederick County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Frederick County
    • Since Phelps is near Washington County and also Loudoun County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Washington County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Loudoun County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Phelps

Communities Also Named Phelps ...

We found sixteen communities that are also named Phelps.

There is one other community in Maryland that is also named Phelps.

Beyond Maryland, we know of fifteen communities that are located in the United States.

  • Communities Located In Maryland ...
    • Prince George's County
      • This Phelps is located in Prince George's County and lies 53 miles [85.3 km]<1> to the southeast of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Prince George's County community of Phelps.
  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Arkansas
      • Jackson County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Arkansas community of Phelps [Jackson County].
    • Georgia
      • Whitfield County
      • This Phelps is located in Whitfield County and lies 526 miles [846.5 km]<1> to the southwest of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Whitfield County community of Phelps.
    • Illinois
      • Saint Clair County
      • This Phelps is located in Saint Clair County and lies 685 miles [1,102.4 km]<1> to the west of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Saint Clair County community of Phelps.
      • Warren County
      • This Phelps is located in Warren County and lies 696 miles [1,120.1 km] to the west northwest of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Warren County community of Phelps.
    • Kansas
      • Sheridan County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Phelps [Sheridan County].
    • Kentucky
      • Pike County
      • This Phelps is located in Pike County and lies 284 miles [457.1 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Pike County community of Phelps.
    • Michigan
      • Charlevoix County
      • This Phelps is located in Charlevoix County and lies 561 miles [902.8 km]<1> to the northwest of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Charlevoix County community of Phelps.
      • Clare County
      • This Phelps is located in Clare County and lies 491 miles [790.2 km] to the northwest of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Clare County community of Phelps.
    • Minnesota
      • Otter Tail County
      • This Phelps is located in Otter Tail County and lies 1,039 miles [1,672.1 km]<1> to the northwest of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Otter Tail County community of Phelps.
    • Missouri
      • Atchison County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Missouri community of Phelps [Atchison County].
      • Lawrence County
      • This Phelps is located in Lawrence County and lies 901 miles [1,450 km]<1> to the west of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Lawrence County community of Phelps.
    • Nebraska
      • Phelps County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Nebraska community of Phelps [Phelps County].
    • New York
      • Ontario County
      • This Phelps is located in Ontario County and lies 243 miles [391.1 km]<1> to the north of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Ontario County community of Phelps.
    • Texas
      • Walker County
      • This Phelps is located in Walker County and lies 1,177 miles [1,894.2 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Walker County community of Phelps.
    • Wisconsin
      • Vilas County
      • This Phelps is located in Vilas County and lies 742 miles [1,194.1 km]<1> to the northwest of the Phelps that is located in Frederick County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Vilas County community of Phelps.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Phelps ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Cherry Hill
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Cherry Hill is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Hill
  • Cross Hollow
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Cross Hollow is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Hollow
  • Deer Ridge
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Deer Ridge is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Ridge
  • Fountain Dale
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Fountain Dale is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountain Dale
  • Hawbottom
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Hawbottom is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawbottom
  • Hilltop Woods
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Hilltop Woods is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilltop Woods
  • Howards Retreat
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Howards Retreat is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howards Retreat
  • Indian Springs
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Indian Springs is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs
  • Irongate
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Irongate is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irongate
  • Meadowcrest
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Meadowcrest is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowcrest
  • Mountain View
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Mountain View is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain View
  • Rocky Springs
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Rocky Springs is located in Frederick County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
  • Continue List   (7 more) ...
    • Round Hill
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Round Hill is located in Frederick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Hill
    • Shookstown
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Shookstown is located in Frederick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shookstown
    • Winpenny Tell
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Winpenny Tell is located in Frederick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winpenny Tell
    • Winter Run
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Winter Run is located in Frederick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winter Run
    • Winterborn
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Winterborn is located in Frederick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winterborn
    • Woodlawn Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Woodlawn Village is located in Frederick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn Village
    • Yellow Springs
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Yellow Springs is located in Frederick County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellow Springs

How Far From Phelps to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers, Almanacs & Directories that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Phelps to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Phelps and extending to:

  • Frederick, which is the Seat of Frederick County, lies just to the East Southeast.
  • Annapolis, which is the State Capital of Maryland, lies 63 miles [101.4 km]<1> to the east southeast (ESE). If you could walk a straight line from Phelps to Annapolis, with an average speed<3> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take most of three days to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take about three full days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 45 miles [72.4 km] to the south southeast (SSE). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take less than an hour, a buggy would take most of two days and walking would take about three full days.
  • The shortest distance<4> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,893 miles [9,483.9 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<5>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,602 miles [10,624.9 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<6>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,478 miles [7,206.6 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>'

Footnotes ...

<1>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Phelps) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Mile's to see Pete ... Mile's is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Phelps could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<3>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<4>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Phelps to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Phelps. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 39.4540, Longitude: -77.4972       In this case, the coordinates for Phelps have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<5>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 308.127 degrees.
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 303.795 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 304.695 degrees.