Cumberland, Maryland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cumberland, Maryland | |||
|
|||
| Nickname: "The Queen City" | |||
 |
|||
| Coordinates: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| County | Allegany County | ||
| State | Maryland | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| founded | 1787 | ||
| incorporated | 1815 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Lee N. Fiedler | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 23.5 km² (9.1 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 9.1 km² (23.5 sq mi) | ||
| - Water | 0.0 km² (0.0 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 191 m (627 ft) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - City | 21,591 | ||
| - Density | 916.0/km² (2,372.7/sq mi) | ||
| - Metro | 102,008 | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Website: www.ci.cumberland.md.us | |||
The city of Cumberland is the county seat of Allegany County; and a regional business and commercial center for Western Maryland and the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia. It is the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, Cumberland had a population of 21,591.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 21,518 people, 9,538 households, and 5,436 families residing in the city. The population density was 916.0/km² (2,372.7/mi²). There were 11,143 housing units at an average density of 474.3/km² (1,228.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.54% White, 5.06% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.
There were 9,538 households out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.7% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.0% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.90.
City residents have an older demographic profile than the U.S. 22.7% is under the age of 18, 8.2% is from 18 to 24, 25.1% is from 25 to 44, 23.3% is from 45 to 64, and 20.7% is 65 years of age or older. The median age is 41 years compared to a U.S. average of 35.3. Females outnumber males. For every 100 females there are 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,142, and the median income for a family was $34,500. Males had a median income of $29,484 versus $20,004 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,813. About 15.3% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.4% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over. The family poverty rate is among the highest in the state of Maryland, exceeded only by Baltimore City and Salisbury among the ten largest cities.
According to the 2000 Census, educational achievement levels of the city residents lag behind those of Allegany County and the state of Maryland. High school diploma attainment figures for residents 25 years of age and older are lower than the state average (83.8%), with Allegany County at 79.9% and Cumberland at 79.3%. Furthermore, only 13.0% of city residents 25 years of age and older hold at least an undergraduate degree. The comparable figures for Allegany County and Maryland residents are 14.1% and 31.4% respectively.
[edit] Ancestries
[edit] Geography
[edit] Overview
Cumberland is located in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians at (39.647687, -78.762869)GR1, at the junction of the North Branch of the Potomac River, and Wills Creek. Interstate 68 runs through the city in an east/west direction. U.S. Highway 220 runs north/south.
The majority of the land within the city lies in a valley created by the junction of the previously mentioned streams. Parts of Wills Mountain, Haystack Mountain and Shriver Ridge are also within the city limits. Cumberland is situated at the entrance to Cumberland Narrows, a natural gateway carved by Wills Creek through the Allegheny Mountains west to the Ohio River Valley.
The abandoned Chesapeake and Ohio Canal has its Western Terminus here, and it is possible to travel by foot or on bike from here to Washington, D.C. along the canal towpath - a distance of roughly 185 miles.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.5 km² (9.1 mi²). 23.5 km² (9.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.11% is water.
This was the terminus, and namesake, of the Cumberland Road.
[edit] Neighborhoods and surrounding areas
- North End is a neighborhood in Cumberland bounded by Wills Creek to the south, Frederick Street to the East, and the city line on the west and north. The neighborhood is a mix of residential, industrial, and commercial buildings. Some of the large industries found in this neighborhood include breweries, glass factories, and tanneries. These industries are now defunct, although many of the industrial buildings are still used for warehousing.
Most of the residential housing stock in North End was constructed to house industrial workers, and date from the middle and late 19th century. The housing stock is characterized by adjoining brick rowhouses and duplexs, set on small lots with narrow streets. As you move east to west through the neighborhood, the house lots become larger, the streets wider, and the housing stock more recent. Due to the age of the housing stock, many North End streets contain large numbers of vacant and deterioriating buildings. This neighborhood has been targeted by the City Government for housing rehabilitation and blight removal.
Most of the commercial businesses in North End are located on Mechanic and Centre streets. Included among them are Convience Stores, restaurants, car dealerships, and small boutiques.
- South Cumberland, also known as South End, is the largest neighborhood in Cumberland both geographically and by population. It is bounded by the CSX mainline to the south, Williams Street to the north, the Potomac River to the west, and the city line to the east. The neighborhood is historically and currently a mix of residential, industrial, and commercial buildings.
The residential character of the neighborhood is highly varied. Much of the housing stock in the area around Virginia Ave dates from the late 19th and early 20th century and was constructed to house workers from the neighborhood's industrial concerns. As with many of the city's older neighborhoods, this area contains many vacant and deteriorating structures. Local community groups, such as the Chapel Hill West neighborhood group, have taken positive steps to help improve aging structures, and beautify the area. The streets around Memorial Hospital are characterized by larger lots and sizeable free-standing homes. Many of the health care professionals that work at the hospital live in this area. Lastly, the blocks near the eastern edge of the neighborhood were developed in the middle of the 20th century and contain wider streets and a variety of housing styles and materials.
There are still many industrial enterprises located in South End. The western part of the neighborhood specifically contains many warehouses and other small industries.
The commericial mainstreet of South End is Virginia Ave. Virginia Avenue historically acted as the main shopping area for the residents of South End and contained men's and women's clothing stores, movie theaters, and specialty retail stores. Virginia Avenue's commercial importance has declined since the middle of the 20th century due to the opening of enclosed shopping centers and strip malls. The Avenue (as locals call it) still contains numerous antique shops, bars, and specialty stores. And for all hell please watch out for the gun fire.
- West Side is a neighborhood in Cumberland bounded by the Potomac River to the south, Wills Creek to the north and east, the city line on the west. The neighborhood is a mix of residential, governmental, and some commercial buildings. West Side was the first part of Cumberland to be settled by the British colonists. Fort Cumberland, an military and trade outpost was built on a hill just west of Wills Creek in the 1750s. The early growth of the city was centered around the fort. The oldest existing building in West Side, and for that matter, all of Cumberland, The George Washington Headquarters was built during this time period. The ground formerly occupied by Fort Cumberland is known home to many county government offices. The Allegany County Courthouse, County Library, and County Board of Education are among the most government buildings. The majority of the buildings surronding these governmental offices are used for commerical purposes. Many law offices, accounting firms, real estate offices,doctor's office, and many other small businesses are located in this area.
Residential land use becomes dominant as you move west from the site of former fort. Many of Cumberland's largest and most valuable houses are located here. The housing stock ranges in age from the mid 19th century closer to the former fort, to the middle of the 20th century near the city line to the west. Some of Cumberland's newest developments are located on Haystack Mountain near the city line.
The only substantial industrial land use in West Side is Riverside Industrial Park. This site was the former location of the Kelly Springfield Tire factory. Most of the factory has been torn down, including its impressive twin smoke stacks. Some of the outbuildings are still standing and used for warehousing.
- East Side is a neighborhood in Cumberland bounded by Williams St. to the south, Frederick St. to the west, and the city line to the north and east. The predominate land uses in East Side are residential and recreational. Two large hills, McKaig's Hill and Fort Hill dominate the landscape of East Side. There is little flat land and thus the residential development is less dense in East Side when compared to other parts of the city. The small amount of at-grade land is located at the western edge of the neighborhood. This area, now know as Decatur Heights, is a mid to late 19th century residential neighborhood contains both rowhouses and impressive free standing homes. East Side contains several new housing developments, one located on Decatur St., the other located towards the top of McKaig's Hill.
Due to its steep topography, East Side is heavily forested. The largest park in the city, Constitution Park is located in this neighborhood. Constitution Park contains a public swimming pool, basketball courts, tennis courts, and playground equipment. - Downtown
- Little Egypt
- Bowling Green
- Wills Mountain
- Haystack Maryland
- Shriver Ridge
[edit] Nearby cities and towns
- 1.1 miles Ridgeley, WV
- 2.9 miles La Vale
- 2.3 miles Carpendele, WV
- 3.0 miles Wiley Ford, WV
- 3.3 miles Evitts Creek
- 3.5 miles Bowling Green and Robert's Place
- 4.4 miles Corriganville
- 6.6 miles Cresaptown
- 6.6 miles Bel Air
- 6.6 miles Ellerslie
- 7.0 miles Potomac Park
- 8.1 miles Spring Gap
- 8.4 miles Rocket Center, WV
- 8.4 miles Pinto
- 8.4 miles Eckhart Mines
- 9.5 miles Mount Savage
- 9.9 miles Wellersburg, PA
- 11.5 miles Rawlings
- 11.7 miles Frostburg
- 11.3 miles Midlothian
- 12.7 miles Fort Ashby, WV
- 12.8 miles Flintstone
- 13.2 miles Hyndman, PA
- 14.8 miles Oldtown
- 13.4 miles Midland
- 15.5 miles Centerville, PA
- 16.4 miles Lonaconing
- 19.8 miles Barton
- 19.8 miles Fairhope, PA
- 20.4 miles McCoole
- 20.7 miles Keyser, WV
- 24.3 miles Westernport
- 24.6 miles Piedmont, WV
- 25.1 miles Luke
- 25.4 miles Grantsville
- 26.1 miles Paw Paw, WV
- 27.3 miles Romney, WV
- 27.5 miles Berlin, PA
- 30.5 miles Bedford, PA
- 30.6 miles Little Orleans
- 33.3 miles Meyersdale, PA
- 36.6 miles Somerset, PA
- 38.4 miles Hancock, MD
- 38.4 miles Everett, PA
- 41.8 miles Kitzmiller
- 43.8 miles Berkeley Springs, WV
- 44.4 miles McHenry
- 53.8 miles Moorefield, WV
- 57.4 miles Mountain Lake Park
- 56.3 miles Oakland, MD
- 65.4 miles Terra Alta, WV
- 67.5 miles Johnstown, PA
- 67.9 miles Hagerstown, MD
- 68.2 miles Altoona, PA
- 123 miles Pittsburgh, PA
- 136 miles Washington, DC
- 139 miles Baltimore, MD
[edit] Pre-History: Bone Cave
In 1912 workers excavating a cut for the Western Maryland Railway broke into a partly filled cave along the western slope of Wills Mountain near Corriganville in Allegany County, Maryland. A local naturalist, Raymond Armbruster, observed fossil bones among the rocks that had been blasted loose and were being removed from the cut. Armbruster notified paleontologists at the Smithsonian Institution, and James W. Gidley began excavating that same year. The cave later became known as the Cumberland Bone Cave.
Between 1912 to 1916, Gidley excavated the Cumberland Bone Cave, where 41 genera of mammals were found, about 16 per cent of which are extinct. numerous excellent skulls and enough bones to reconstruct skeletons for a number of the species were present. Skeletons of the Pleistocene Cave Bear and an extinct Saber-toothed cat from the Bone Cave are on permanent exhibit in the Ice Age Mammal exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Many of the fossilized bones date from 200,000 years ago. The Cumberland Bone cave represents one of the finest one Pleistocene-era faunas known from eastern North America.
[edit] History
Cumberland is named after the son of King George II, Prince William, the Duke of Cumberland. It is built on the site of the old Fort Cumberland, a launch pad for British General Edward Braddock's ill-fated attack on the French strong-hold of Fort Duquesne (located on the site of present day Pittsburgh) during the French and Indian War. (See, Braddock expedition)
Cumberland was also an outpost of Colonel George Washington during the French and Indian War and his first military headquarters was built here. Washington later returned to Cumberland as President in 1794 to review troops that had been assembled to thwart the Whiskey Rebellion.
Cumberland was a key road, railroad and canal junction during the 1800s and at one time the second largest city in Maryland (second to the port city of Baltimore--hence its nickname "The Queen City"). The surrounding hillsides provided coal, iron ore, and timber that helped supply the industrial revolution. In addition, the city was a major manufacturing center, with industries in glass, breweries, fabrics, and tinplate. However, following World War II, it began to lose much of its industrial importance and its population declined from 39,483 residents in the 1940 census to fewer than 22,000 today. Similar to other communities it resembles in the Monongahela Valley Industrial region of southwestern Pennsylvania, the city continues to struggle with the challenges of transitioning to a post-industrial economy. [1]
The city of Cumberland has found itself a center of activity throughout its history. During its more than 200 years of existence, Cumberland has been a military fort, the origin point of America's first highway, the termination point of a monumental federal construction project, a western gateway to the Ohio River Valley, the processing center for rich coal fields, and a primary link on one of America's most successful railroads. Nestled dramatically at the base of converging mountain ridges and at the confluence of Wills Creek and the Potomac River, Cumberland conforms in its layout to the rugged topography within which it is situated. From its beginnings as a British fort to its place today as western Maryland's largest city, Cumberland has always lived up to its nickname as a "Queen City."
[edit] Pre-Colonial era
Artifacts pointing to civilizations in existence before the time of Christ have been found in the Cumberland area. Prior to 1730, before the arrive of the first European settlers, a clan of Native Americans lived on the confluence of Wills Creek and the Potomac River on the site of modern day Cumberland. The existence of this Indian village is noted on the maps of early European Surveyers from this period. The Indian town was called Caiuctucuc and consisted of a series of hunts called wigwams that were built chiefly along the Potomac river front, now Green Street. The natives refered to the present day Potomac river as the Cohongaronto River, and the present day Wills Creek as Caiuctucuc Creek.
[edit] Colonial era
The name of Caiuctucuc was later changed by the first European settlers, about 1750, to Wills Creek, and the settlement's name to Wills Town, in honor of the Indian chief called "Will", who lived on the mountain to the north of the village at that time. With the coming of the European settlers, most of the Indians abandoned this region and trailed across the mountains to the Ohio River Valley, but Indian Will was not hostile to the outside settlers, and with a few of his followers continued to live on the mountain where he had his wigwam, and died there, it is believed, some time after the close of the Revolutionary War. An old Indian grave on Will's Knob is supposed to be his. Chief Will claimed all the land along the creek and sold it to the European settlers for mere trifles.
When European settlers first began moving into western Maryland in the 1730s and 1740s, they encountered Native Americans residing between the Potomac and Susquehanna rivers. Conflicts ensued, and in 1744 the Maryland legislature purchased the land from the area's Native American's, observing they would settle "for nothing less than Blood or Money." This contract opened the area to official settlement. Germans, Swiss-Germans, and Scot-Irish from Pennsylvania quickly colonized the area. Although the Maryland legislature had "purchased" the area, Virginia and Pennsylvania claimed the land as well. More troubling to the British Empire were French traders intent on securing their rights to the land.
In 1750 Virginia planters and English merchants established a trading house and small storehouse on land which is now the heart of Cumberland. The new trading post (later called Fort Cumberland) attracted the French, who moved south and west from their Lake Ontario forts, drove out the English traders and claimed the Ohio River Valley for France. In 1753, with tensions running high between the French and English, the Governor of Virginia sent a small company led by a young Virginian named George Washington to inform the French to leave English territory and return north. The French ignored Washington's warnings, and he returned to Virginia. In the spring of 1754, Colonel Washington returned to Fort Cumberland, this time with more men. Pushing north from Cumberland towards the forks of the Ohio River where Pittsburgh is now located, Washington's force (about 230 men) encountered 600 French and 100 Indians soldiers. An inexperienced 22 year-old, Washington did not withdraw, but instructed his men to build a fort, which he grimly named "Fort Necessity." On July 3, 1754, the French and Indian War officially began when both groups attacked the fort. Washington, completely surrounded and one third of his men killed, surrendered. Washington and his remaining troops were allowed to retreat (without their weapons) and returned to Fort Cumberland. With the loss of the Ohio River Valley, Fort Cumberland became the primary staging and supply point for the British on the colonial frontier.
The fort, and later the city, derived its name from the Duke of Cumberland, son of King George II of Great Britain. After British General Edward Braddock led another disastrous foray into the Ohio River Valley, George Washington served as commander of the Virginia troops during the French and Indian War, and spent a considerable amount of time in the Cumberland area. The cabin that served as his headquarters is the only building to survive from the Fort, and has been moved to Riverside Park. Washington's service in the area was important, because he became convinced that expansion west into the interior of North America and the Ohio River Valley came through Cumberland's valley. Washington later started a company (which failed) to make the Potomac River navigable between the Atlantic Ocean and Cumberland.
In the years between the end of the French and Indian War and the beginning of the American Revolution, Cumberland grew as a town, was designated the seat of the newly created Allegany County, and was poised to become a major artery on the edge of the American frontier.
[edit] Post-Colonial
Following the American Revolution, land hungry settlers began to push purposefully past the land west of the Appalachian Mountains. Cumberland grew slowly, until the much anticipated Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad arrived in the mid-19th century. These improved transportation routes, along with the increase development and trade opportunities they fostered, transformed this small town into the second largest city in Western Maryland.
[edit] Civil War
During the Civil War Cumberland was a union stronghold and troops were garrisoned there to protect the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Confederate raiders routinely raided the city and in one daring raid by McNeill's Rangers kidnapped two Union generals, including General George Crook. (Also, See Battle of Cumberland)
[edit] Industrial legacies
Through much of its history, Cumberland's economic prosperity derived from its position as an early transportation hub linking the East Coast with the Midwest. Because of its strategic location at a gap in the mountains, Cumberland was in 1806 the starting point for the nation's first highway ([the National Road, later known as U.S. Route 40), which reached Wheeling, West Virginia on the Ohio border in 1818. Of even greater significance to Cumberland's economic development in the nineteenth century were the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which reached Cumberland from Baltimore in 1842, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from Georgetown, Maryland to Cumberland, which opened in 1850. By the 1890s, five railroads served Cumberland and employed over 2,000 local people.
The C&O Canal was also an important commercial link between East and West, providing bulk transport of items such as coal, flour, iron, and limestone products. Facilitated by Cumberland's importance as a transportation hub, manufacturing emerged as a major force in the local economy in the nineteenth century. By the mid-nineteenth century Cumberland was the second largest manufacturing center in the State of Maryland, a ranking not surpassed until approximately 1915 by Hagerstown, Maryland. Important industries included glass manufacturing, brewing, textiles, and iron and steel works. The B&O Railroad's rolling mill, located off Williams Street and Maryland Avenue, was a major employer in Cumberland from 1870 into the twentieth century.
Coal mining quickly became the most important industry in the Cumberland area. Some of the richest beds of soft, bituminous coal in the country lay within the hills and mountains of this region. After the Civil War, coal became one of Maryland's chief products and exports. Coal from the Cumberland area fueled the state's mills and plants, steamships in Baltimore's harbor as well as the US Navy fleet, and was traded to buyers from London, Brazil, Egypt, and beyond. Primarily Scotch and Welsh immigrants provided the labor force for these mines, immigrating with their families for the opportunities America offered. In the Cumberland region, miners escaped the indebtedness to the mining company that plagued miners in surrounding states. The company store system, in which miners were forced to purchase all their supplies and household needs from the mining company, was outlawed in Maryland in 1868. A comparatively high proportion of miners were also homeowners, as local mining firms found it more profitable to sell houses to their miners, than establish "company" housing. Cumberland's coal mines were constructed with horizontal shafts, far less dangerous that the vertical mines of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Still, Cumberland's miners blackened from head to foot when they emerged from a mine at the end of a day knew that the carbon-filled air, which corroded the lungs overtime, would lead to an early death.
Various manufacturing plants were established in Cumberland, because of its proximity to sources of fuel and raw materials and its position on major transportation routes. Cumberland blossomed as a result, the downtown commercial area thrived, and impressive residences built around the city reflected individual prosperity. The city became the economic center of the region. Rural farmers, industrial workers and miners traveled downtown along with successful industrialists, businessmen and county officials.
[edit] Consolidation coal and the Big Vein
In the early 19th century a 14-foot thick seam of bituminous coal referred to historically as the "The Big Vein" was discovered in the Georges Creek Valley. This coal region became famous for its clean-burning low sulfur content that made it ideal for powering ocean steamers, river boats, locomotives, and steam mills, and machines shops.
By 1850, almost 30 coal companies were mining the Georges Creek Valley, producing over 60 million tons of coal between 1854 to 1891. The Consolidation Coal Company, established in 1864 and headquartered in Cumberland, Maryland became one of the largest bituminous coal companies in the eastern United States and Cumberland had financial connections that reached beyond Washington, DC and Baltimore to New York and London. Mine owners and their lawyers announced their importance by building large houses on the Cumberland higher grounds. A few miles west of the city clusters of company towns lined the valley and spread into adjoining ravines.
Maryland's coal production begin in the 1780s, when small amounts were mined for Fort Cumberland, a frontier outpost. In 1830, the first coal shipments eastward were made by barge down the Potomac River, a route later abandoned because of the rapids in the river. The State's first coal mining company was incorporated in 1836, but coal production did not become important unit the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad reached Cumberland in 1842. In 1850, the opening of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal from Cumberland to Washington, DC provided another route for coal shipments. Over 21 million short tons of coal were transported on the canal before it closed in 1923.
Maryland's coal production rose about 1 million short tons in 1865, exceeded 4 million short tons by the turn of the century, and reached an all time high of about 6 million short tons in 1907. A small amount of the coal production in the early 1900s was premium smithing coal (as in blacksmith) that was specially processed and delivered in box cars to customers throughout the United States and Canada. Coal production declined sharply after 1920, reflecting downturns in the economy recurrent labor problems and the extensive replacement of coal by the petroleum. Production fell below 1 million short tons during the 1950s and early 1960s before the trend turned up-wards, due mostly to an increasing use of coal to generate electricity. over 3 million short tons were produced by the state of Maryland in 1992.
[edit] Transportation and distribution
Transportation systems have played a major role in the history and development of Cumberland. Situated on the Potomac River at a natural gateway through the mountains, Cumberland prospered in its early years as a major transportation hub. The development of the National Road, the country's first federally funded public works project, began in Cumberland in 1811 and reached Wheeling, West Virginia by 1818. Cumberland's transportation system evolved around the C&O Canal and burgeoning rail lines, shaped by the natural setting of the mountains, Potomac River, and Wills Creek. More recently, completion of Interstate 68 has improved connections to outside regions including the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan area to the east, Harrisburg to the northeast, and Pittsburgh to the northwest.
- Blue: Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (1830 – 1986)
- Red: Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad (1850 – 1953)
- Green: Georges Creek and Cumberland Railroad (1876 - ????)
- Yellow: Western Maryland Railway (1852 – 1987)
- Orange: Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad (1852-1954)
- Chessie System (1972-1987)
[edit] Electric trolleys
Electric Trolleys experienced rapid expansion in the Cumberland Region starting in 1891 with the inauguration of the Cumberland Electric Railway. The railway initially transported passengers along North Centre Street to Narrows Park for a fare of five cents. The company later expanded it business by building a recreational complex on 15 acres of land in an area formerly known as Seiss’ Picnic Grove, at the western end of the Cumberland Narrows near the present day Starlight Skating Rink. The Park included a soda fountain, dance and roller skating pavilion, and bandstand. In 1914, Kirkstetler Amusement leased the park to build an amusement park, that included a roller coaster, a merry-go-round, and a miniature railroad ride. In summer evenings the park was patronized by large crowds, and the trolley company expanded to meet the demand by adding extra, open sided cars to handle the traffic.
- 1891-1924 Cumberland Electric Railway
- 1924-1932 Potomac Edison Co. (American Water Works & Electric Co.)
- 1893-???? Lonaconing and Cumberland Electric Railway
- ????-???? Frostburg, Eckhart, and Cumberland Railway
- ????-???? Lonaconing, Midland and Frostburg Railway
- ????-???? Westernport and Lonaconing Railway Company
- 1906-1932 Cumberland and Westernport Electric Railway The C&WE trolley system consolidated the regional trolley lines of Lonaconing, Minland, Frostburt, Westernport, and Lonaconing into one system with nearly 30 miles of track, running from Cumberland to Frostburg and then down to the valley to Westernport linking together the largest far western population centers.
- 1932 - streetcars discontinued in Cumberland
[edit] Brewing industry
Breweries existed in Cumberland as early as the 1870s.
- The Cumberland Brewing Company (1890-1958) which operated on North Centre Street produced Old Export Beer and Gamecock Ale. The Cumberland Brewing Company was the oldest major brewery that operated in Cumberland, and was purchased by Queen City Brewing Company in 1958. It was the last surviving brewery in Cumberland before it closed its doors in 1976.
- The Queen City Brewing Company, aka German Brewing Company, (1901-1976) which operated on Market Street, produced Old German Beer Premium Lager. In the 1970s Pittsburgh Brewing Company acquired the Queen City Brewing Company. At its peak, the Queen City brewery produced over 250,000 barrels of beer and ale a year in Cumberland.
[edit] Glass industry
Glass manufacturing played an important role in the growth of Cumberland from 1880 to 1930. The Warren Glass Works Company located in South Cumberland, and the Cumberland Glass Works located at the west end of North Mechanic Street, were established in the early 1880s and would become the two major glass making firms. The industry used local coal as an economical fuel, and native pure silica sandstone in the making of the glass. At the peak of production around 1920, well over 1,000 people were employed in the glass factories and decorating shops. The onset of the Great Depression, coupled with the destruction of seven factories by fire dealt the glass industry in Cumberland a fatal blow. Recently, however, a glass decorating business opened in the city, using some equipment from the former companies.
Cumberland Glass Manufacturers:
- 1884-1905: Cumberland Glass Works (1884-1905), National Glass Company (1889-1905), Wellington Glass (1908-1920)
- 1880-1913: Warren Glass Works Company(1880-1889), South Cumberland Glass (1889-1890), Queen City Glass (1890-1909), Eastern Glass (1909-1913),
- 1893-1930: Maryland Glass Etching Company
- 1895-1896: Enterprise Glass Decorating
- 1904-1924: Potomac Glass
- 1911-1912: Cumberland Glass Tube Company
- 1918-1935: Maryland Glass
- 1936-1938: Maryland Glass Inc., formerly Maryland Glass
- 1938-1941: NU Glass
- 1923-1926: C. A. Borchert
- 1926-1926: Queen City Glass
- 1927-1928: Braddock Glass - LaVale, Maryland
- 1927-1928: Zihlman Glass
- 1928-1929: Independent Glass - LaVale, Maryland
- 1930-1932: Sloan Glass
- 1931-1933: Eichner Cut Glass
- 1932-1956: Cumberland Glass - LaVale, Maryland
- 1956-1961: Cumberland Glass - Mount Savage, Maryland
- 1932-1987: Queen Glass - LaVale, Maryland
- 1935-1961: Kortwright, Nehring, Weaver Inc
- 1935-1956: Sloan Glass
- 1956-1968: Sloan Glass - Green Spring, West Virginia
- 1953-1972: Oglebay Glass
- 1954-1992 PPG Cumberland Works No. 7 - Constructuted in 1953 by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, the Works No. 7 Plant manufactured plate glass in Cumberland from 1953-1981. In 1981, the No. 7 manufacturing facility was shutdown and used as a research and development facility until 1992.
- 1956-1968: Knocke Cut Glass
(Also See, Cumberland Glass Org)
[edit] Tire industry
As coal production diminished in the first quarter of the 20th century, the auto-industry moved into Cumberland and promised new jobs for former miners. Kelly-Springfield Tire Company came to Cumberland to manufacture tires in 1921. At its peak the company employed well over 2,000 people.
The Kelly Springfield Tire Company, founded in Springfield, Ohio by Edwin Kelly and Arthur Grant in 1894, experienced near continuous growth during the beginning of the 20th Century. In 1916 the Kelly-Springfield's President, Van Cartwell, decided to build a new plant in Cumberland, Maryland. An agreement was signed on November 4, 1916. The plans called for the city of Cumberland to provide a free site and $750,000 for the plant. The city was also to make improvements for roads, water, and sewerage lines and other essential construction.
The new plant site comprised 81 acres. The plant was to employ over 3,000 people with a production capacity of 5 times the current production capacity of the company. The first tire was made at the Cumberland plant on April 2, 1921. The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company grew.
Fourteen years later, in 1935, the Kelly-Springfield Tire Company was sold to The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Edmund S. Burke became president. He served as president from 1935 until 1959. The company operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Goodyear.
The company continued to grow until 1962. At this time Kelly-Springfield/Goodyear added a new plant in Tyler, Texas. Another plant was build in 1963 at Freeport, Illinois. A third plant in 1969 in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
In 1987, just 66 years after it made the first Kelly-Springfield tire in Cumberland, the plant was closed. In that same year the Lee Tire & Rubber Company came under the control of Kelly-Springfield.
In November 1987 the company's corporate offices were moved to a new facility on Willowbrook Road in Cumberland.
The original plant site was returned to the City of Cumberland. Much of the factory and most of the out buildings have been torn down. The site now houses a branch of the Cumberland YMCA and the Riverside Industrial Park.
[edit] Textile industry
- Amcelle: Cumberland Celanese Facility (1924-1983)
In 1917, prior to the US entry into war world I, the War Department of the United States Government negoiated with Swiss inventor and Buisnessman, Dr. Carmille Dreyfus, to establish an acetate dope production facility in Cumberland. At the time acetate dope was needed by the aircraft industry to coat and stretch the fabric on aircraft fuselages. Construction of the Cumberland facility began in 1918, but the war was over before the plant could be completed. As a result, production at the Cumberland factory was shifted from producing Acetate dope for the Military to production of Cellulose Acetate yarn for the textile industry. The first Acetate yarn spun in America was on Christmas Day, 1924, at the Cumberland Plant.
In 1925, the word "Celanese" is introduced as a trade name. It is a combination of the words "cellulose" and "ease". Celanese acetate is introduced as "Artificial Silk."
In 1926, a weaving mill was established in the Cumberland Plant to develop acetate-containing fabrics on a commercial scale. This mill included equipment that could dye and weave the new fibers successfully.
In 1927, the company changed it name from American Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Company (Amcelle), to Celanese Corporation of America.
In the 1960's, Celanese also provided a public swimming pool, allowing anyone to swim for 25 cents a day. This was a great service, since this was one of the very few public pools in the area.
In 1974, the Celanese establishes a Cytrel Tobacco Supplement plant in Cumberland with a peak capacity of 20 million lbs a year.
[edit] Post-Industrial
The twentieth century witnessed major changes in Cumberland's economy. Losing out to competition from the faster-moving railroad, the C&O Canal declined in importance until it closed in 1924. The railroad industry also suffered from competition from other modes of transportation in the twentieth century. Traditional industries such as glass making, textiles, and breweries lost ground or disappeared. Nevertheless, manufacturing remained the major source of employment in the City and Allegany County as a whole until relatively recently. Both Kelly Springfield (which manufactured tires at its facility in southwest Cumberland) and Celanese (which established the Amcelle Plant for the production of cellulose acetate about five miles south of the City) located in the area in the 1920s. These companies along with PPG Industries and Westvaco were major employers through much of the twentieth century.
Plant layoffs and closures during the 1970s and 1980s signaled a major industrial decline for the City, reaching its nadir with the final closures of the Celanese and Kelly Springfield plants. A major reason for these closures was the emergence of new technologies that rendered older industrial processes and equipment obsolete. In the 1990’s, Kelly Springfield was absorbed by parent company Goodyear and moved its corporate headquarters to Akron, Ohio, another setback for the City’s economy. Of the "Big Four" employers, only MeadWestvaco remains a significant provider of manufacturing jobs at its Luke Mill Plant, located about 18 miles southwest of Cumberland in Luke, MD.
Cumberland experienced the same fate as many American cities in the latter quarter of the 20th century; many industries closed their doors, leading to significant out-migration, but the natives of Cumberland were resilient. Today, a tourism trade has emerged focusing around Cumberland's rich history, natural beauty, and cultural resources. Between 2001-2005 alone, the Cumberland Arts, entertainment, and recreation industry has grown by 29.2 percent. The economy has been strengthened by a number of technology and service firms that have moved into area. The city is positioning itself for the future by promoting its high quality of life and excellent service infrastructure.
[edit] Climate
Cumberland experiences four distinct seasons, including warm summers and cold winters. Temperatures around 20°F are common in the winter months, while temperatures can reach 95°F in the summer. [2]
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| °F | 30.2 | 33.8 | 42.6 | 52.8 | 62.1 | 70.1 | 74.4 | 72.8 | 65.7 | 53.8 | 43.5 | 34.1 |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| °F | 39.9 | 44.9 | 55.0 | 66.7 | 75.8 | 83.4 | 87.2 | 85.6 | 78.6 | 67.3 | 54.7 | 43.7 |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| °F | 20.4 | 22.6 | 30.1 | 38.9 | 48.5 | 56.9 | 61.6 | 60.1 | 52.9 | 40.4 | 32.3 | 24.6 |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| inches | 2.9 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 2.6 |
[edit] Education
The offices of Allegany County Public Schools are located in Cumberland. ACPS compete in a number of academic competitions for students, including the Stock Market Game, Science Olympiad, Science Fair, Spell-A-Thon, Maryland Facts Quiz Bowl, the National Children's Creative Writing Contest Elementary and Middle School Spectra Quiz Bowl, Math Counts, Mock Trial Teams, Secretarial Science Contest Scripps-Howard Spelling Bee, Voice of Democracy, and the Maryland Science Quest.
Athletic programs also abound, with competition in everything from football, soccer, baseball, volleyball and track to tennis, bowling, wrestling and golf.
[edit] Schools
- Elementary Schools
- Belair Elementary School
- John Humbird Elementary School
- Northeast Elementary School
- South Penn Elementary
- West Side Elementary School
- Middle Schools
- Washington Middle School
- Braddock Middle School
- High Schools
- Private schools
[edit] Area colleges and universities
All 4 listed at within a quick drive of Cumberland, though only one is located in Cumberland proper.
[edit] Libraries
Approximately 39,000 people hold library cards in Allegany County ("Most citizens give libraries high grades, Cumberland Times News", October 10, 2006). Regional Libraries include:
- Washington Street Library
- Frostburg Public Library
- Lavale Public Library
- South Cumberland Public Library, Allegany County
- Westernport Public Library, Allegany County
- Lewis J. Ort Library (Frostburg State University)
- Allegany College Library
- Western Maryland Public Library System
- Western Maryland Historical Library
[edit] Regional businesses and employers
Located 2 hours from Pittsburgh, PA, and 2 1/2 hours from Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD the Cumberland area is slowly expanding its base of major employers. Significant area employers include:
- Western Maryland Health System, which employs approximately 2,300 people making it Cumberland's largest employer
- Allegheny Ballistic Laboratory/Alliant Techsystems (approximately 1,000 people) a diverse state-of-the-art industrial complex located in Rocket Center, West Virginia. About 80 military products are made here. Also on the site is the Robert C. Byrd Hilltop Office Complex and the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing.
- Allegany County government
- CSX: Located 177 miles west of Baltimore, Md., the Cumberland Locomotive Maintenance Facility is a vital point on CS X's Chicago to Baltimore mainline. (employs 273 people at Cumberland shops and 600 men and women in Cumberland).
- Allegany College of Maryland (approximately 800 employees)
- the call center of ACS Inc.,which employs about 400 people;
- City of Cumberland (approximately 300 employees)
- CBIZ Accounting, Tax & Advisory of Maryland a full service CPA firm providing services to commercial and individual clients throughout the tri-states of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
- Hunter Douglas: a 378,000-square-foot facility, with 580 plus employees, makes the company the largest Hunter Douglas fabrication plant in the world. The company is Allegany County's sixth largest employer.
- American Woodmark, facilities located in the newly developed Barton Business Park, assembles wood cabinet components received from other AWC plants and ships completed cabinets to customers located in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States. (Approximately 500 people employed)
- Biederlack of America a leading manufacturer of jacquard woven high-pile acrylic blankets and throws.
- Western Correctional Institution State Prison, employs 550 people, a number of other people are employed at the Federal Prison and the new Maximum Security Prison all in close proximity to Cumberland
- The Kelly Springfield Tire Company
[edit] Hospitals
[edit] Utilities
- water and sewer service is supplied by the City of Cumberland.[3]
- electricity service supplied by Allegheny Power
- natural gas service supplied by Columbia Gas of Maryland
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Within the city
The primary public transportation in the City of Cumberland is bus service provided by Allegany County Transit. This service is fairly extensive, consisting of five scheduled routes that reach most areas of the City and providing access to most public facilities. The bus depot is located in the South End to the west of Virginia Avenue on Lafayette Avenue. The Allegany County Transit Authority also serves LaVale, Frostburg, Lonaconing, Mt. Savage, and Cresaptown.
[edit] Highways
Cumberland's roadway system consists of a series of interconnected grids defined by natural and man-made barriers including steep slopes, the Potomac River, Wills Creek, rail lines, and I-68. Originally developed for a larger population than currently lives in Cumberland, the overall system is generally adequate to accommodate existing levels of traffic. Major highway arteries serving the Cumberland area include:
[edit] Railways
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides intercity service to Cumberland over the Capitol Limited rail line, which connects Washington, DC to Chicago, Illinois. The Cumberland Amtrak Station is located downtown at Queen City Drive and East Harrison Street.
[edit] Airways
Cumberland is almost equidistant from four major airports: Washington National Airport, Dulles International Airport, Baltimore Washington International Airport, and Pittsburgh International Airport, all of which are at least two and one-half hours by car from the City. The Greater Cumberland Regional Airport (Airport-ID: CBE) provides local air transportation to the Cumberland area. The airport is located in West Virginia, to the south of the Potomac River, which forms the boundary between the City of Cumberland and Mineral County, West Virginia. Formerly owned by the City of Cumberland, the airport is now owned and operated by a bi-state intergovernmental airport authority comprised of four representatives from West Virginia and five from Maryland. In addition, Mexico Farms Airport (Airport-ID: 1W3) is also located in Cumberland.
[edit] Local media
Cumberland has several media outlets, most carry some form of satellite programming. WCBC-AM and the Cumberland Times-News, while WFRB-FM have some local news content, but do not actively collect it.
Aside from some local news programming, virtually no mass media content originates from Cumberland. The local media tends to rebroadcast Hagerstown and Washington, DC television stations for news coverage.
[edit] Print
- Cumberland Times-News (Cumberland)
- Daily American (Somerset, PA)
- Keyser Mineral Daily News-Tribune (Keyser, WV)
- Allegany Shoppers Magazine
[edit] Radio
Cumberland is served by 18 radio stations, 14 FM and 4 AM. Most are owned by local companies, such as WTBO-WKGO Corporation, LLC, which owns WFRB-AM 560/FM 105.3, WKGO-FM 106.1, and WTBO-AM 1450; Cumberland Broadcasting Company owns two stations, WCBC-AM 1270/FM 107.1, others are owned by West Virginia Radio Corporation out of nearby Morgantown, WV.
[edit] FM band
| Call Letters | Frequency | City | Format | Owner | Notes |
| WAIJ | 90.3 | Grantsville, Maryland | Religious | He's Alive, Inc. | simulcasts on WLIC-FM/Frostburg |
| WFWM | 91.9 | Frostburg, Maryland | Public Radio/NPR | Frostburg State University | simulcasts on 96.3 in Oakland |
| WQZS | 93.3 | Meyersdale, Pennsylvania | Oldies | Roger Wahl | branded as "QZ-93" |
| WQZK | 94.1 | Keyser, West Virginia | Contemporary Hit Radio | West Virginia Radio Corporation | switched to CHR on 01/09/07 |
| WLIC | 97.1 | Frostburg, Maryland | Religious | He's Alive, Inc. | simulcasts WAIJ-FM/Grantsville |
| W253AB | 98.5 | Cumberland, Maryland | Country | WTBO-WKGO Corporation, LLC | simulcasts WFRB-FM/Frostburg |
| W258AB | 99.5 | Cumberland, Maryland | Oldies | Cumberland Broadcasting Corporation | simulcasts WCBC-FM/Keyser |
| WDZN | 100.1 | Romney, West Virginia | Radio Disney | Charter Equities, Inc. | |
| WDYK | 100.5 | Ridgeley, West Virginia | Adult Contemporary | West Virginia Radio Corporation | recently signed on |
| WWPN | 101.1 | Westernport, Maryland | Contemporary Christian | Ernest F. Santmyire | branded as "Spirit 101" |
| W271AT | 102.1 | Cumberland, Maryland | Relevant Radio/EWTN | Starboard Media Foundation, Inc. | not yet on the air/will simulcast WDTF-LP in Berkeley Springs, WV |
| WROG | 102.9 | Cumberland, Maryland | Country | Broadcast Communications, Inc. | |
| W280CF | 103.9 | Cumberland, Maryland | Religious | Cedar Ridge Children's Home & School, Inc. | re-broadcasts on WCRH-FM/Williamsport, MD |
| WVSB | 104.1 | Romney, West Virginia | Classic Country | West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind | |
| WFRB | 105.3 | Frostburg, Maryland | Country | WTBO-WKGO Corporation, LLC | markets #1 station |
| WKGO | 106.1 | Cumberland, Maryland | Classic Rock/Modern Rock | WTBO-WKGO Corporation, LLC | branded as "Go 106" |
| WCBC | 107.1 | Keyser, West Virginia | Oldies | Cumberland Broadcasting Corporation | simulcasts WCBC-FM on 99.5 for Downtown Cumberland |
- all stations listed cover Cumberland with a city grade signal
[edit] AM band
| Call Letters | Frequency | City | Format | Owner | Notes |
| WFRB | 560 | Frostburg, Maryland | Standards/Big Band | WTBO-WKGO Corporation, LLC | re-broadcasts on WTBO-AM/Cumberland |
| WCMD | 1230 | Cumberland, Maryland | Standards/Big Band | Broadcast Communications, Inc. | was top 40 WCUM in the '60s |
| WCBC | 1270 | Cumberland, Maryland | Full Service | Cumberland Broadcasting Corporation | #1 AM Station |
| WTBO | 1450 | Cumberland, Maryland | Standards/Big Band | WTBO-WKGO Corporation, LLC | simulcasts on WFRB-AM/Frostburg |
- all stations listed cover Cumberland with a city grade signal
[edit] Local news
Local TV news is provided by Hagerstown station, WHAG-TV NBC-25. Rarely though, is Cumberland or any part of Western Maryland feature unless it is a large story.
[edit] TV station
Cumberland is home to TBN translator, W43BP, broadcast from nearby Cresaptown, Maryland. Channel 43 covers Cumberland and Frostburg with a city-grade signal simulcasting TBN's main signal. W43BP has requested a "construction permit" to broadcast as a digital (or HD) low-power translator. This will be done "flash-cut" when it does happen. W43BP is carried on Atlantic Broadband cable channel 49 for Cumberland, Frostburg, and Keyser. W43BP is owned by Trinity Broadcasting Network.
[edit] Cable television
Atlantic Broadband provides cable service to Cumberland and nearby Frostburg. Nearby communities Keyser, West Virginia and Grantsville, Maryland are served by Adelphia, soon to be Comcast.
[edit] Tourism
[edit] Downtown
Cumberland's historic downtown is an attraction for locals and tourists alike. The heart of the downtown area is Baltimore Street. Formerly the main thoroughfare through the city, Baltimore Street is now a brick pedestrian mall. The street is lined with large multistory commercial buildings, most of which were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These buildings, which were formerly banks, hotels, and department stores, are a relic of the city's former wealth and importance during the industrial age. They now contain more tourist oriented businesses such as sidewalk cafes, antique stores, boutiques and art galleries. Baltimore Street hosts some of the city’s biggest sidewalk festivals and block parties. In the warmer months the weekly Farmers Market will draw hundreds downtown and often evenings there will be activities such as outdoor dining with live music or block parties.
[edit] Western Maryland Railway Station
A block west of the downtown pedestrian mall is the Western Maryland Railway Station This early 20th century train station is home to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, known regionally as "Mountain Thunder". The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad offers 3 hour round trip tours from Cumberland to Frostburg during the trip passengers often enjoy thrills brought on by the restored 1916 Baldwin Steam Locomotive. The Western Maryland Railway Station is part of the Canal Place Heritage Area, the first in the State of Maryland. More information can be found at [4].
[edit] Canal Place heritage area
Canal Place is located at the western terminus of the C&O Canal. A national park has been created in the city center at the intersection of the railroad, C&O Canal, and Allegheny Highlands Trail of Maryland at Canal Place. While at the Heritage Area, visitors can ride the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, tour a full-scale replica canal boat, visit the C&O Canal National Historical Park Cumberland Visitor Center, get information about attractions and events in Allegany County, hike or bike ride on the canal towpath, or attend unique festivals and events like C&O CanalFest. A re-watering project is underway which when completed will allow visitors to ride in replica canal boats through a portion of the old canal.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is 184.5 miles following the Potomac River from Georgetown in Washington, D.C. to Cumberland. It's towpath is extremely popular with runners, hikers, and bicyclists. There are campsites approximately every five miles along the trail. Wildlife is abundant as is opportunities to explore the past.
[edit] The Great Allegheny Passage
The C&O Canal has its Western Terminus at Canal Place, and it is possible to travel by foot or on bike from here to Washington, D.C. along the canal towpath - a distance of roughly 185 miles. In addition, The Allegheny Highlands Trail of Maryland is a 21 mile section of an expansive hiking/biking trail starting in Pittsburgh and ending in Cumberland where it connects with the C&O Canal towpath and onto Washington DC. Together, the C&O Canal towpath and the Allegheny Highlands Trails are part of the, 315 Mile Great Allegheny Passage.
[edit] Rocky Gap Resort and State Park
Just outside Cumberland, the Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort sits in the valley between Evitt's Mountain and Martins Mountain. The resort is located on the shore of the 243-acre Lake Habeeb in Rocky Gap State Park, and boasts Maryland’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.
[edit] Allegany County Museum
Located in Downtown Cumberland, the Allegany Country Museum exhibits the local history and architecture of the Cumberland Area. Some of the exhibits include: The History and Architecture of Allegany County, the History of Kelly Springfield Tire, MeadWestvaco, Prehistoric, Glassware, Fire Prevention, Folk Art, Brewing, and more. Open May to December.
[edit] The Narrows and Lovers Leap
The Narrows is a compact notched valley that Wills Creek has carved into Wills Mountain. The National Highway (Route 40) and numerous railroad lines pass through this steep, narrow, and rocky river valley on the edge of Cumberland. On the northeast side of Wills Mountain, sits a rocky outcropping known as Lover's Leap. The name comes from a Native American Romeo and Juliet legend. The tale tells how a jilted lover met his end by jumping off this ledge. Today, the rocks high above the water provide one of the most breathtaking views in the Allegheny Mountains. Lover's leap has been frequently romanticized by postcard pictures of this valley. The most famous post cards were taken by George Steward in 1950 and published in the 1953 book, U.S. 40.
Lover's leap is 1,652 feet above sea level and made up of oddly squared projectories of rock, from its top, all the way down to the National Highway (U.S. Rte. 40) below. The City of Cumberland and the surrounding states of Pennsylvania and West Virginia may be seen from this point. Further, it is known that the air currents whipping up and around are so strong, that a climber cannot be heard from the top once over the lip, nor can be easily seen due to the projected rock angles. (For more history, see also inventor Frederick John Bahr who bought Wills Mountain and built his log cabin on top.)
[edit] Other attractions
- New Embassy Theater
- Located on N Johnson St., the Cumberland Theatre Company, offers year round performances.
[edit] Nearby attractions and points of interest
- The Thrasher Carriage Museum, in Frostburg, MD is one of the nation's top collections of horse-drawn vehicles, represents every walk of life from the milkman to the wealthy. Pleasure vehicles, funeral wagons, sleighs, carts, and more are on display in the renovated 19th century warehouse. Housed in a renovated warehouse opposite the steam train depot in Frostburg, this museum houses an extensive collection of late-19th- and early-20th-century horse-drawn carriages, featuring more than 50 vehicles from the collection of the late James R. Thrasher. Highlights include the inaugural coach used by Teddy Roosevelt, several Vanderbilt sleighs, elaborately decorated funeral wagons, formal closed vehicles, surreys, and open sleighs.
- The Paw Paw Tunnel. One of the world's longest canal tunnels and was one of the greatest engineering feats of its day.
- The Sideling Hill road cut is a 340-foot deep road cut where Interstate 68 cuts through Sideling Hill. It is notable as an impressive man-made mountain pass, visible from miles away and one of the best rock exposures in Maryland and indeed in the entire northeastern United States. Almost 810 feet of strata in a tightly folded syncline are exposed in this road cut.
- Dan's Mountain State Park
[edit] Annual and seasonal events
- Heritage Day Festival, Washington St. (Mid June)
- Farmer's Market, every Saturday downtown (From June to November)
- Sunday in the Park: free concerts every Sunday evening in Constitution Park Amphitheater in South Cumberland, sponsored by the Allegany Arts Council. (From May to September)
- CanalFest, located at Canel Place (Mid July)
- Allegany County Fair and Expo (Mid July)
- Homecoming: ALCO vs. FHS: First or second weekend before Thanksgiving at Greenway Ave Stadium. Homecoming is the final regular season football game for Cumberland's two public high schools Allegany High School and Fort Hill High School. The rivalry and team spirit expressed by the players and fans of each football team is unrivaled in Maryland high school football. Attendance at the game averages between 8,000 - 10,000 (approximately one-half of the population of the city.)
- Tri-State Concert Series concerts throughout the year from the golden age of rock-n-roll, swing, and big-band; as well as popular country and choral music.
- Western Maryland Street Rod Roundup: Over 1000 pre-1949 street rods featuring rod jousting, crafts, food, entertainment, parts vendors, vote for your favorite car. Allegany County Fairgrounds (Labor Day Weekend)
- Avalon's Annual Music and Arts Festival a 3 day music festival featuring Country, Folk, Blues, Rock, Appalachian, and Bluegrass music. Every August.
- Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and Open-House: This event centers around the annual lighting of the City Christmas Tree in the heart of Downtown Cumberland where streets filled with Cumberland Residents come to see the mayor throw the switch on the tree and participate in the sights, sounds and joy of the holiday season. During the event there are several live musical performances at prominent businesses in the city center, including holiday choral and jazz vocal performances; as well as, galleries exhibiting local artist, including ceramics, photography, metal sculpture, jewelry and water color. (first day after Thanksgiving, aka. Black Friday)
- Bluegrass Jam Session: Every Sunday Evening at the Queen city Creamery from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm or later. Free Admission.
[edit] Architecture
[edit] Washington Street
Some of Cumberland's most architecturally significant homes are located in the Historic District of Washington Street. Considered the elite residential area when the city was at its economic peak, Washington Street was home to the region's leading citizens including the president of the C&O Canal. Significant public buildings include the Allegany County Courthouse, Allegany County Library, and Emmanuel Episcopal Church, located on the site of Fort Cumberland. It features early gothic architecture with three large Tiffany windows, fort tunnels, and ammunition magazine cellars. [5]
[edit] Emmanuel Episcopal Church
The Emmanuel Episcopal Church, standing at the eastern end of the Washington Street Historic District, is one of Maryland's most outstanding examples of early Gothic Revival architecture. The church is situated on the former site of Fort Cumberland, and earthwork tunnels remaining from the fort run under the church. The church was constructed around 1850 and designed by well-known Philadelphia architect John Notman. It is modeled after St. Paul's Church in Brighton, England. The design is typical ecclesiastical architecture of the second quarter of the 19th century, especially that of the Episcopal Church.
The Cumberland Parish House was built in 1903 and designed by Cumberland native Bruce Price before developing a successful career in New York. Price chose elements of the popular Second Empire style for the Parish House, an eclectic style based loosely on French architecture during the reign of Napoleon. The Parish house features elements typical of this style, such as a projecting pavilion, tall windows and roof, and deep architectural details. Many other houses of the Washington Street Historic District resemble the Parish House, but also feature a mansard roof--this style's central characteristic.
The church and parish house sit on land that was originally Fort Cumberland, which served as a frontier outpost during the French and Indian War. The only building to remain from the fort is the small cabin that was used by George Washington as his headquarters when he was in the Cumberland area with his Virginia troops. It has been moved to nearby Riverside Park.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church and Parish House are located at 16 Washington St., and are contributing buildings to the Washington Street Historic District. Church services are open to the public, and the tunnels are open for tours during the Heritage Days festival in June.
[edit] Allegany County Courthouse
Although many church spires dot the Cumberland landscape, it is the Allegany County Courthouse that dominates this city's skyline. The building is prominently sited along Washington Street, which rises sharply from Wills Creek running through the heart of Cumberland. Historically, courthouses in America have been one of the most architecturally impressive buildings within a community. In this way, the architecture of the building was able to convey the authority of a local government, as well as instill respect and recognition.
Designed in 1893, the Courthouse was the first major commission of local architect Wright Butler. Butler based his design for this public building on the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style. The massing and detail of the Courthouse are typical of this late 19th-century style, developed from the works of architect Henry Hobson Richardson . Characteristic of this style, the Courthouse combines the use of brick highlighted with stone belt courses and presents a uniform rock-faced exterior finish. The building's ribbons of windows set deeply into the walls, and large arched entry are also typical Richardsonian features. Less typical is the Courthouse's tower buttressed with round columns that rises above the three-story building. One of the pinnacle examples of a H. H. Richardson's work is the Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which Cumberland's Courthouse strongly resembles.
[edit] Queen City Hotel and Station
The Queen City Hotel was located was one of five combination Station-Hotels built by the B&O during the 1870s. It was designed by Thomas N. Heskett of the railroad's Road Department, was Italianate in style, and was opened for passengers in 1872. By the early 1970s, the Queen City was one of the last remaining railroad hotels in the U.S. Efforts to preserve this ornate, Victorian-era structure weres one of the classic preservation battles of the early 1970s. The battle was lost when the building was demolished in 1972.
[edit] Trivia
- There was once a working oil well that pumped crude from a location near today’s Fruit Bowl in the narrows.[citation needed]
[edit] Popular culture
- In the classic 1960s horror film the Night of the Living Dead, Barbara listens transfixed to radio broadcast from civil defense officials in the City of Cumberland, Md. The Cumberland Officials emphasize the predatory nature of the cannibalistic ghouls, and their unsavory appetite for human flesh. Quote from the radio announcer, "Civil defense officials in Cumberland have told newsmen that murder victims show evidence of having been partially devoured by their murderers. Consistent reports from witnesses to the effect that people who acted as if they were in a kind of trance were killing and eating their victims prompted authorities to examine the bodies of some of the victims. Medical authorities in Cumberland have concluded that in all cases, the killers are eating the flesh of the people they kill. And so this incredible story becomes more ghastly with each report. It's difficult to imagine such a thing actually happening, but these are the reports we have been receiving and passing on to you, reports which have been verified as completely as is possible in this confused situation." Other Movie quotes from TV News-guy, "Repeating this latest bulletin just received moments ago from Cumberland, Maryland…civil defense authorities have told newsmen that murder victims show evidence of having been partially devoured by their murderers. Medical examination of victim’s bodies shows conclusively that the killers are eating the flesh of the people they kill."
- In the NBC television show, The Office, a character applies for a job at a "Cumberland Mills" in Maryland, which presumably refers to the Westvaco paper company located near Cumberland, which is one of the largest private employers in the area. In the episode, Cumberland is mentioned as being a home to great soft shell crabs. (The Office, Session 2, Episode 5, Title "Halloween")
[edit] Noted residents and natives
- Rebeca Arthur (1963 - present): Actress, Perfect Strangers (Television show), Get Shorty
- J. Glenn Beall, Jr. (1927 – 2006): Former United States Senator
- Lefty Grove, former Major League Baseball player.
- Rob Breedlove -(1938-present) former American Football linebacker who played eight seasons in the National Football League with the Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1960 to 1967.
- Wright Butler - Architect of Allegany Court House
- Kia Corthron (1961 - present) : playwright, screenwriter, attended Allegany High School
- James Deetz (1930 - 2000): Father of historical archeology.
- Eddie Deezen(1958 - present): actor.
- Patrick Hamill, (1817-1895), U.S. Congressman for Maryland's 4th District 1869-1871, buried in Odd Fellow's Cemetery.
- William H. Macy (1950 - present): actor, attended Allegany High School. While at Allegany High School William was a junior and senior class president of his graduating class.
- Mark Manges (1956-present): quarterback for the University of Maryland, College Park (1974-77), appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated Magazine Oct 1976 issue
- John Van Lear McMahon (1800-1871) Maryland legislature and historian
- Sam Perlozzo (1951): former Major League Baseball player and current Baltimore Orioles manager
- Bruce Price (1845–1903):Architect of Cumberland Emmanuel Church
- Casper R. Taylor, Jr, (1934 - present), Member of House of Delegates '75-'03, Speaker of House '94-'03.
- George L. Wellington (1852 – 1927) Former United States Senator
- Steve Whiteman- Singer of 80's metal band KIX
- Jane Frazier lived in a log house built in 1754 just beyond the Cumberland city limits. It was while returning to her home from the Fort Cumberland Trading Post several miles away that Jane was captured by Indians and taken to the Great Miami River in Ohio. A Frazier family member later wrote a book about the incident call "Red Morning".
- Indian Will, a well-known Native American who lived in a former settlement of the Shawnee Indians at the site of prevent day Cumberland, Maryland in the 1700s. Both Wills Creek and Wills Mountain are named after him.
- Frederick John Bahr (1837-1885) an immigrant from Baden, Germany, who bought Wills Mountain including the narrows and lovers leap to avoid the encroachment of the Civil War and settled there with his family in a cabin on the top of the mountain.
- Herman J. Miller was a historical photo collector and Cumberland resident who had a great interest in the history of Cumberland, serving on the City's Advisory Commission on Historical Matters and the Historic Preservation Commission during the 1970s. In 1982 the city of Cumberland purchased a collection of over 2000 photos from Mr.Miller. tracing the heritage of Cumberland through images of its people, buildings, and events over a span of time ranging from the late nineteenth century through the mid twentieth century. The Herman & Stacia Miller Photo Collect is provided free to the public for non-profit use.[6]
- Cunningham James Vincent (1911-1985). poet, writer, and professor for Standford University. Born in Cumberland. (see, Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Centry Poetry, page 110)
- Edward Otho Cresap Ord (1818–1883). Born in Cumberland. He was the designer of Fort Sam Houston, and a U.S. Army officer who saw action in the Seminole War, the Indian Wars, and the American Civil War.
- Samuel Magill, established the first newspaper in Cumberland the "Allegany Freeman" published weekly from 1813 to 1816 (See, Lowdermilk, page 301)
- William Brown, established the second newspaper in Cumberland called the "Cumberland Gazette" on 1814, a 16 column Federalist paper published weekly (See, Lowdermilk, page 301).
- List of mayors of Cumberland, Maryland
[edit] References
- ^ All Abroad for Cumberland: Cumberland History
- ^ Monthly Averages for Cumberland, MD. Retrieved December 30, 2006.
- ^ City of Cumberland: Public Works Department
- ^ The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
- ^ All Aboard For Cumberland: Washtington Street
- ^ Herman & Stacia Miller Photo Collection a collection of over 2,000 images tracing the heritage of Cumberland through images of its people, buildings, and events over a span of time ranging from the late nineteenth century through the mid twentieth century. Through these photos, researchers can view images of the rich history of the railroad, the National Road, Downtown Cumberland, the C&O Canal, Cumberland neighborhoods, early leaders, and significant and special events.
- Will H. Lowdermilk, "History of Cumberland", Clearfield Co., October 1997, Paperback, ISBN 0-8063-7983-9. Full Text Online
- Amanda Paul, Tom Robertson, Joe Weaver, "Cumberland", Arcadia Publishing, Copyright Oct 1, 2003, Paperback, ISBN 0-7385-1498-5
- Joseph H Weaver, "Cumberland, 1787-1987: A Bicentennial History", Published by the City of Cumberland and the Cumberland Bicentennial Committee, January 1, 1987, ASIN B0007165K6
- Mike High, "The C&O Canal Companion", Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8018-6602-2
- SabatkefMark, "Discovering The C&O Canal", Schreiber Publishing, 2003, ISBN 1-887563-67-9
- Allan Powell, "Fort Cumberland", Publisher Allan R Powell, 1989, ISBN 0-9619995-2-7
- Albert L Feldstein, "Feldstein's Historic postcard album of Allegany County", Commercial Press Print. Co, 1984, ASIN B0006YQW5C
- Ablert L. Feldstein, "Feldstein's Historic Coal Mining and Railroads of Allegany County, Maryland", Publisher Albert L Feldstein, 2000, ISBN 0-9701605-0-X (This book consists of 135 historic Allegany County, Maryland coal mining and railroad related photographs. These are primarily from the early 1900s. Accompanying each depiction is an historical narrative with facts, figures, dates and other information. Included within this number are 23 biographies of individuals associated with the history of coal mining in the region.)
- Ablert L. Feldstein, "Allegany County (Images of America: Maryland)", Arcadia Publishing, 2006, ISBN 0-7385-4381-0 (features Allegany's towns and communities, downtown business scenes, residential areas, industries, historic buildings, churches, schools, hospitals, floods, parades, coal mining, railroad stations, and historic and natural landmarks. In some cases, the personal messages sent on the back of the postcards are included.)
- "Census of population and housing (2000): Maryland Summary Social, Economic, and Housing Summary", DIANE Publishing, ISBN 1-4289-8582-4
[edit] External links
- Official site of the municipal government of Cumberland, Maryland
- Official site of Downtown Cumberland, Maryland
- Allegany County Chamber of Commerce Organization that promotes the economic and business development of Allegany County
- Allegany County Health Dept
- Allegany County Library System
- AllcoNet A joint effort of the City of Cumberland, Allegany County, Allegany County Board of Education, and Allegany County Libraries.
- Allegheny Highlands Trail Maryland
- Cumberland US Geological Survey
- Cumberland, Maryland at the Open Directory Project (suggest site)
[edit] Local Heritage
- Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Official Website for the Scenic Railroad and Canal Place.
- All Aboard for Cumberland Description of Historical Buildings in Cumberland.
- The Genealogical Society of Allegany County
[edit] Area State Parks
[edit] Local Maps
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
 |
State of Maryland Annapolis (capital) |
|---|---|
| Topics |
Cities | Government | History | U.S. Senators and Representatives |
| Regions |
Baltimore‑Washington Metro Area | Chesapeake | Delaware Valley | Eastern Shore | Southern Maryland | Western Maryland | Western Shore |
| Cities |
Baltimore | Bethesda | Bowie | College Park | Columbia | Cumberland | Frederick | Gaithersburg | Germantown | Greenbelt | Hagerstown | Laurel | Rockville | Salisbury | Silver Spring | Takoma Park | Towson | Waldorf |
| Counties |
Allegany | Anne Arundel | Baltimore City | Baltimore County | Calvert | Caroline | Carroll | Cecil | Charles | Dorchester | Frederick | Garrett | Harford | Howard | Kent | Montgomery | Prince George's | Queen Anne's | St. Mary's | Somerset | Talbot | Washington | Wicomico | Worcester |
