''Barbara Frietchie, The Frederick Girl'' is a play in four acts by Clyde Fitch and based on the heroine of

John Greenleaf Whittier John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet R ...

's poem "Barbara Frietchie" (based on a real person: Barbara Fritchie). Fitch takes a good bit of artistic liberty and intertwines her story with that of his own grandparents' love story, which also takes place during the

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Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

took her film name from the name of the play, and a British actress named

Joan Stanwyck Joan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters *: Joan of Arc, a French military heroine *Joan (surname) Weather events *Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multipl ...

who starred in one of the play's productions, perhaps in

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. An illustrated version of the poem is contained in James Thurber's '' Fables for Our Time and Famous Poems Illustrated''. The play met with mixed reviews in 1899 because of the romance he added to the tale, but it would be successfully revived a number of times. Fritchie, a central figure in the history of

Frederick, Maryland Frederick is a city in and the county seat of Frederick County, Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area, Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. Frederick has long been an important crossroads, located at the inter ...

, has a stop in the town's walking tour at her home. When Winston Churchill passed through Frederick in 1943, he stopped at the house and recited the poem from memory. At 90 years of age she waved the Union flag out of her window despite opposition from

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...

's troops, who were passing through Frederick. This event is the subject of the 1864 poem: :"Shoot, if you must, this old gray head, :But spare your country's flag," she said. :A shade of sadness, a blush of shame, :Over the face of the leader came; :The nobler nature within him stirred :To life at that woman's deed and word; :"Who touches a hair of yon gray head :Dies like a dog! March on!" he said. Her name was ''Barbara Hauer Frietchie''

Known performances

*July, 1899 at the Y.M.C.A. auditorium in Mansfield, Ohio ource: Mansfield (OH) News: 11 July 1899*October 23, 1899–January 1900—

Criterion Theatre The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre at Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has a seating capacity of 588. Building the theatre In 1870, the caterers Spiers and Pond began developmen ...

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the List of co ...

*February 1900— Poli's Theatre,

Naugatuck, Connecticut Naugatuck is a consolidated borough and town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town spans both sides of the Naugatuck River just south of Waterbury and includes the communities of Union City on the east side of the river, whic ...

*March 19–March 24, 1900— National Theatre, Washington, D.C. Starring Julia Marlowe Presented by

Charles Frohman Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Notably, he produced ''Peter Pan'', both in London and the US, the latter production ...

* October 15, 1900

Chicago, IL (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

with Julia Marlowe & Bruce McRae at grand opening of Illinois Theatre *January 28–March 1901— Academy of Music, Manhattan

External links

''Barbara Frietchie''
at the

Internet Broadway Database The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It was conceived and created by Karen Hauser in 1996 and is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade a ...

* 1899 plays Plays by Clyde Fitch Poetry and hymns by John Greenleaf Whittier {{1890s-play-stub