[5] In 1768,[6] The Maryland General Assembly changed the name of the town to Westminster to avoid confusion with Winchester, Virginia.

[7][8][9] On June 28, 1863, the Civil War skirmish of Corbit's Charge was fought in the streets of Westminster, when two companies of Delaware cavalry attacked a much larger Confederate force under General J. E. B. Stuart; Stuart's forces were thus delayed in arriving at the Battle of Gettysburg.

[10] In April 1865, Joseph Shaw, editor for the Western Maryland Democrat, had his presses wrecked and his business destroyed, and was subsequently beaten and stabbed to death by four men in Westminster, allegedly because of an anti-Lincoln editorial that was published the week before the actual assassination.

In a later trial at the Westminster Court House the four men were acquitted; the reason cited was "self-defense".

[12] Just north of Westminster is the farm at which Whittaker Chambers hid the so-called "Pumpkin Papers.

"[13] A historic marker states that Westminster was the first place in the nation to offer Rural Free Delivery postal service.

The city partnered with Ting Inc., a subsidiary of Tucows, to light the network and provide gigabit services.

On April 15, 1952, an F3 tornado (which has wind speeds of 158–206 mph) hit 15.5 miles from the city center, injuring four people and causing between $500,000 and $5,000,000 in damages.

On July 19, 1996, an F3 tornado struck 5.5 miles away from the Westminster city center, injuring three people and causing $5 million in damages.

[21] Shortly after sunrise on February 7, 2020, an EF1 tornado crossed directly over downtown, heading parallel to Maryland 27 northward on the west side.

The main method of travel to and from Westminster is by road and four primary highways serve the city.