The History of Kemp Hall

A Downtown Historic Frederick Landmark

Where Frederick History Meets Modern Downtown Living

At the corner of East Church Street and North Market Street, Kemp Hall is more than a place to live—it is part of the story of Downtown Frederick, Maryland.

Today, Kemp Hall is home to distinctive loft and studio residences surrounded by the restaurants, shops, galleries, breweries, and architecture that make Historic Downtown Frederick one of the region’s most recognizable destinations. But long before its transformation into modern residences, this landmark building played a remarkable role in Maryland—and American—history.

For residents of Kemp Hall, historic Downtown Frederick living isn’t simply outside the front door. It is woven into the building itself.

A Building at the Center of Maryland History

Kemp Hall’s history stretches deep into Frederick’s 19th-century past. The building served as a meeting hall associated with the German Reformed Church, now known as the Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ. Its most significant moment came in 1861, during the opening months of the Civil War, when Frederick briefly became the center of Maryland state government.

On April 26, 1861, the Maryland General Assembly convened in the Frederick County Courthouse for a special legislative session. With the courthouse unable to comfortably accommodate the Assembly, legislators moved to Kemp Hall the following day.

Inside the building, the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates met separately as lawmakers confronted one of the most consequential questions in the state's history: Would Maryland remain in the Union or join the states moving toward the Confederacy?

Maryland ultimately remained in the Union. The General Assembly's extraordinary Frederick session continued amid considerable political tension, and later that year the arrest of several pro-secession legislators contributed to the legislature losing the quorum necessary to continue its work. Kemp Hall remains recognized as an important site along Frederick County's Civil War Trails.

A Recognized Part of Historic Downtown Frederick

Kemp Hall's importance extends beyond a single chapter of Civil War history. The building sits within the Frederick Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Maryland Historical Trust records identify the Kemp Hall buildings at 2–4 East Church Street as a contributing resource within the district.

A historical marker commemorating the Maryland General Assembly's 1861 session was erected at Kemp Hall during the Civil War Centennial. On February 15, 1961—100 years after that pivotal era—members of the Maryland legislature gathered inside Kemp Hall again to commemorate the historic session. The result is a building with a rare connection between Downtown Frederick history, Maryland political history, and the Civil War era - all located at one of the city's most prominent intersections.

Historic Preservation Meets Modern Frederick Living

Kemp Hall began its newest chapter after Ausherman Properties purchased the property in 2017 and undertook an extensive historic rehabilitation. Working within Frederick's historic preservation requirements, the nearly 17,000-square-foot building was transformed into 18 loft and studio apartments while maintaining its place within the historic downtown streetscape. The first residences were delivered in May 2019.

The restoration earned a Frederick County Landmarks Foundation Historic Preservation Award for Brick & Mortar Rehabilitation in September 2019, recognizing the project's contribution to historic preservation in Frederick City and Frederick County.

Today, the residences at Kemp Hall combine the character of a historic Frederick building with contemporary interiors, including open layouts, high ceilings, large windows, and modern finishes.