Windy Woods was the residence of Ernest and Edith Hammaker at the top of Summitt Avenue. The wooden lot was known as Sylvester's Woods prior to Ernest purchasing the property. There were two entrances, one off of Woodland Avenue, the other was on Clarke Avenue. The house was built in 1954 and featured a modern flat roof, plenty of stonework inside and outside, large windows, and a spectacular view looking West to Catoctin Mountain. Both Ernest and Edith enjoyed the solitude afforded them by Windy Woods. I have very few photos of Windy Woods when the Hammakers lived there other than a series of black and white photos taken in 1954 and one photo of the Thurmont Library float, ready for a parade. Ernest had the first Polaroid camera I ever saw, it had long bellows that folded out when the lens was opened. I am certain he took pictures at Windy Woods but I have not seen any of them. Previously, Ernest had lived in the large brick home opposite the Guardian Hose Company, built by his Uncle Peter Hammaker in the early 1900s. Hammaker owned the Hammaker Brothers Memorial business with the main office and workshop at the corner of North Church Street and Boundary Avenue. Ernest was a realtor and developer, Real Estate Office was located in the large apartment building at the top of North Church Street. The Hammaker name can still be seen in Thurmont. The apartment buildings on Apples Church Road were built by Hammaker and the street next to the Thurmont Elementary School is named after him. Ernest died on July 4, 1973.
