Cumberland and Vicinity – Go for the History, Architecture, Recreation, and Scenic Railroad By Dave Zuchowski Article

 

All Aboard for the the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Credit all photos to Bill Rockwell

       Cumberland, once Maryland’s second largest city, has since faded into a sort of quiet inconspicuousness. But the town, located at the juncture of the Northern Branch of the        Potomac and Willis Creek, is surprisingly interesting for a number of reasons.

           Much of its important history is based on its being both a starting point and a terminus. First, prehistoric animals blazed a trail north through the mountains, then came prehistoric man. Later, a Native American by the name of Nemacolin showed early White settlers the way north, which would also be followed by young George Washington and General Braddock on his way to take Fort Duquesne from the French.

          Washington in particular had a large presence in Cumberland, first as a 16-year-old surveyor, where he saw his Native American at the Michael Cresap House (now a museum) in Oldtown, then as a 21-year-old envoy to the French entrenched at Fort Leboeuf. Washington’s subsequent travels in 1753 from Cumberland led to Fort Necessity and the start of the French and Indian War.

Two years later, he was aide-de-camp to General Braddock when they and 2,000 elite British troops marched north from Fort Cumberland past St, John’s Rock near Frostburg as part of their ill-fated campaign. Modern hikers take note: The rocky precipice is said to be a hard to get to but an exhilarating experienc.

Washington’s last visit to Cumberland came in 1794 when he reviewed federal troops preparing to close down the Whiskey Rebellion.

Washington's Headquarters

Today, visitors can view Washington’s Headquarters, a log cabin originally built between 1755 and 1758, that is the only surviving structure from Fort Cumberland. Housed in Downtown Cumberland in beautiful Riverside Paik, the cabin can only be viewed from the outside but visitors are permitted to glance into the interior through its glass windows.

Mile Marker Zero on the National Road in Riverside Park

Cumberland is also the starting point for the National Road, the first highway funded by the federal government that headed north then west on its way to Vandalia, Illinois. A zero-mile marker monument can be found in Cumberland’s Riverside Park.

Inside a car in the excursion scenic railroad

          As a terminus, Cumberland was also the goal of the rival Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the B & O Railroad. Both vied to reach Cumberland first to capture the transport market to Ohio country. The railroad arrived first in 1842, 8 years before the canal. Although the canal ceased operating in 1924, it has been transformed into a historic national park, virtually a 184.5-mile-long hiking and biking trail.

          The National Park Service oversees the park, and exhibits about the canal can be found in the historic Western Maryland Railway Station. The building features a museum with interactive displays on canal construction, a Paw Paw Tunnel model, and a full-scale canal boat replica.

A Display in the Allegheny museum

          One not-to-miss Cumberland attraction, the Allegany Museum has been ranked as one of the top ten small town museums in the U.S. The museum touches on subjects in an interesting way about topics like Paleo Indians and artifacts from 12,000 years ago, a Paleo dwelling, the National Road, the canal and rail history, Washington and Fort Cumberland, local brewing history, a collection of wooden sculptures, and local industries such as Kelly tires and the glass industry.

A Model of Fort Cumberland

Highlights include a painting of Nemacolin leading settlers along his namesake trail, a model of Fort Cumberland and an AI regression that simulates Washington at the various ages that he visited Allegany County.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church

       Cumberland is home to some remarkable architecture, and visitors can take a historic walking tour highlighting 32 buildings. These include the gorgeous, red brick, county courthouse and Emmanuel Episcopal Church, build on the site where Fort Cumberland once stood. Besides having three Tiffany stained-glass windows, the church rests on the fort’s earthworks, and tunnels below have been rumored to have sheltered runaway slaves as part of the Underground Railroad.

Baltimore Street in Cumberland

        On pedestrian friendly Baltimore Steet, visitors can find unique shops such as the Emporium, Cumberland’s premier antiques and collectible store, outdoor dining and the historic Embassy Theatre.

Curtis Coney Island Famous Wieners

Nearby at 17 N. Liberty, Curtis Coney Island Famous Wieners has been in the same location for 58 years, but dates back to 1918. While the small diner serves hamburgers, fish sandwiches and milk shakes, the focus is on the hot dog, which hasn’t changed over the years and comes with chili sauce, raw diced onions and mustard.

          At the F. Brooke Whiting House and Museum, you’ll find a collection of antiques assembled by the house’s namesake, a worldwide traveler and connoisseur, who selected art and antiques during his travels.

          For recreation, Allegany County has 200 miles of developed biking and hiking trails, and at Lake Habeeb at Rocky Gap State Park, visitors can canoe, kayak, paddleboard and swim. 

Tracks and Yaks Rail Bikes

In Frostburg, adventure enthusiasts can rail bike via Tracks and Yaks, a rental enterprise. With a number of rail bike ride selections to choose from, the Mountain Ridge Rider option is a 3-hour downhill ride over bridges, through Brush Tunnel and around two horseshoe curves.

Ready to Board the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad

          One of Cumberland’s most popular attractions, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, offers round trip rides from Cumberland to Frostburg, nearly 1,000 feet up the mountain and back, in vintage cars pulled by diesel-electric and steam locomotives.

In addition to gourmet lunch and dinner excursions, the rail line also lists murder mystery, ice cream and sunset-on-the-mountain excursions.

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The Coal Miner’s Memorial

In Frostburg, riders can watch the engine reverse direction on the historic turntable, walk to the nearby Miner’s Memorial and explore one of the nation’s largest collections of antique horse-drawn carriages at the Thrasher Carriage Museum,

Other attractions to consider are the circa 1835 LaVale seven-sided toll gate house and the historic town of Mount Savage, where the first iron rail was pressed in the nation and home to the Evergreen Heritage Museum.

Cumberland is home to a number of culinary trails but the most interesting of the lot is the Mountain Maryland Orange Crush Trail, seven different stops where you can try variations of the cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, freshly-squeezed orange juice and a splash of lemon-lime soda.

If you like festivals, two of the area’s most popular are the Del Fest, a bluegrass music festival held over the Memorial Day weekend, and the Appalachian Fest, held in Frostburg this year on September 17-19. For a Place to Stay, 

For more information on Cumberland and vicinity, phone (301) 777-5132 or visit www.mdmountainside.com.

Note: This article was originally published in Go Xplore Magazine of the Washington Observer-Reporter.