Cumberland Maryland Walking Tour

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1. Gordon-Roberts House (Allegany Historical Society)

The Gordon-Roberts House is a historic home built in 1867 by Josiah Hance Gordon. The house, which was designed in the Second Empire style, is the headquarters of the Allegany County Historical Society. Visitors can tour the the houses' three floors and see what it looked like for the two families that lived there - the Gordons and Roberts. The society also owns and operates the Union Grove Schoolhouse and the F. Brooke Whiting House & Museum.

2. Allegany County Academy

In 1798, Allegany County, Maryland moved to establish its first public school. Originally named the “Visitors of Allegany County School”, the school was eventually named the Allegany Academy. Remaining open for more than 100 years, the school operated in two locations. Though the academy closed in 1929, its final location became the home of the Cumberland Free Public Library in 1934. It is now the Washington Street Library, a branch of the Allegany County Library System.

3. Emmanuel Parish of The Episcopal Church

With its consecration in 1851, the cornerstone being laid in 1849, Emmanuel Episcopal Church became the center of western Maryland’s Emmanuel Parish. The new building being constructed above the former site of Fort Cumberland, whose earthworks remained under the building. The earthworks created tunnels that were later used to conceal escaped slaves as part of the Underground Railroad. Emmanuel Parish established many other churches throughout the region, including churches in western Maryland and in what is now Romney and Moorefield, West Virginia. Visitors can view the churches many works of art including stained glass windows by taking a self-guided tour.

4. C&O Canal National Historical Park and Visitors Museum

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Cumberland Visitor Center was created in 1961. Housed in the historic 1913 Western Maryland Railway Station, the Cumberland Visitor Center provides information about the history of the C&O Canal; this center is one of several in the park. Construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal was completed in October of 1850. It was 184.5 miles long and connected Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, MD. A flood in 1889 severely damaged the structure causing the C&O company to go bankrupt. It was taken over by the B&O Railroad company who repaired it. The property was once again a success until a second major flood again destroyed it in 1924. It was abandoned until bought by the federal government in 1938.

5. Allegany Museum

Covering the area’s history from the Ice Age to the Industrial Age, Cumberland’s Allegany Museum displays all areas of historic interest. Rich in native and colonial history, the Allegany region has deep ties to the nation’s birth. Cumberland was one of America’s first transportation hubs. The C&O Canal and Railroads figure prominently in the region’s history. Many industrial enterprises called Cumberland and the Allegany area home. Exhibits include Pre-History and First Residents, George Washington, Transportation and American Expansion, Civil War and The Industrial Revolution, the Thrasher Carriage Collection, and Art and Design.

6. B'er Chayim Temple

According to the Mountain Site of Maryland, B'er Chayim is currently a member of the Union of Reform Jews. The history of affiliations has varied over the years, however, ranging from Orthodox when first chartered in 1853, through classical reform in the late 1800 and early 1900s, and finally merging with Beth Jacob Synagogue (a Conservative Shul) in 1998. The current services are respectful of each tradition, with traditional services being held on festivals and Shabbat, incorporating both conservative and reform styles of worship. In 1975, the B'er Chayim Temple was listed on National Register of Historic Places.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Cumberland Maryland Walking Tour

Created by Clio Admin on May 2nd 2019, 7:24:09 pm.

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Description

This short walk through the heart of historic Cumberland starts at a historic home that was built in 1867 and is now home to the Allegany County Historical Society. The tour includes historic buildings such as the home of the Allegany County Academy (now the location of a public library) as well as churches and synagogues. Highlights of this short walking tour include the Alleghany Museum and the Visitors Center for Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park where visitors can learn even more about the history of Cumberland and the surrounding area.

Entries on This Tour

Cumberland Maryland Walking Tour

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