74-711: Bell Tower Building , or the Allegany County League for Crippled Children building, is a historic building in Cumberland , Allegany County, Maryland . It was built in 1887 and is a two-story brick structure topped by a small wooden tower with an open belfry . This was the first separate building to be used as police headquarters and jail in Cumberland. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This article about
148-543: A Registered Historic Place in Allegany County , Maryland is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Cumberland, Maryland Cumberland is a city in and the county seat of Allegany County, Maryland , United States. At the 2020 census , the city had a population of 19,075. Located on the Potomac River , Cumberland is a regional business and commercial center for Western Maryland and
222-576: 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 extensive views of the Allegheny Mountains . Lover's Leap has been frequently romanticized by postcard pictures of this valley, including those taken by George Steward in 1950 and published in the 1953 book U.S. 40 . Lover's Leap is 1,652 feet (504 m) above sea level and made up of oddly squared projections of rock, from its top, all
296-519: A colored YMCA on Independence Street, and was named the Mary Hoye school. In 1923 a new school for blacks was built on Frederick Street. In 1941 an election was held of students and faculty, and the school was renamed George Washington Carver School . In addition to serving the local population, many black people from surrounding areas in West Virginia sent their children to Carver because of
370-595: A historical outfitting and staging point for westward emigrant trail migrations throughout the first half of the 1800s. In this role, it supported the settlement of the Ohio Country and the lands in that latitude of the Louisiana Purchase . It also became an industrial center, served by major roads, railroads, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal , which connected Cumberland to Washington, D.C. and
444-609: A junction with Interstate 79 . US 40 heads northwestward into southern Pennsylvania . U.S. Route 220 also passes through Cumberland, mostly concurrent with I-68 and US 40. However, near the city limits on either end of its route through the city, US 220 diverges north and south from I-68 and US 40. To the north, US 220 heads for Bedford , Pennsylvania, while southwards, it reaches Keyser . Other significant roads serving Cumberland include U.S. Route 40 Alternate , Maryland Route 51 , Maryland Route 61 , Maryland Route 639 and Maryland Route 807 . The primary public transportation in
518-511: A male householder with no wife present, and 46.0% were non-families. 38.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.1% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 19.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of
592-618: A range of temperatures significantly lower than those in the central and eastern part of Maryland, mostly in the form of depressed nighttime lows. The region has four distinct seasons, with hot, humid summers, and moderate winters (compared to surrounding communities, Cumberland receives milder winters and less snow). Monthly daily mean temperatures range from 31.9 °F (−0.1 °C) in January to 76.8 °F (24.9 °C) in July, with temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) on 34.5 days of
666-551: A turning point, as it was the last major manufacturing plant in the city limits to close its doors. The population of the city has continued to decline since 1990, with the 2010 census population of 20,859 the lowest since the 1900 census. As of the census of 2010, there were 20,859 people, 9,223 households, and 4,982 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,069.3 inhabitants per square mile (799.0/km ). There were 10,914 housing units at an average density of 1,082.7 per square mile (418.0/km ). The racial makeup of
740-784: A young George Washington, then also followed by the Braddock Expedition. Using the Cumberland Narrows , its first phase of construction crossed the Allegheny Mountains entered southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching the Allegheny Plateau in Somerset County, Pennsylvania . There, travelers could turn off to Pittsburgh or continue west through Uniontown and reach navigable water, the Monongahela River , at Brownsville, Pennsylvania , which
814-427: Is Ray Morriss, who was elected in 2018 after defeating two-term incumbent Brian Grim. The current city council members are Eugene T. Frazier, Richard J. "Rock" Cioni, Laurie P. Marchini, and James Furstenberg. The city council holds public meetings twice per month. In fiscal year 2021, the city government recognized $ 46.4 million in revenue, and it incurred $ 42.2 million of expenses. During that period,
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#1732802326565888-613: Is WFWM, at Frostburg, Maryland. Allegany Magazine is a recent media addition. The Cumberland Times-News is the area's daily newspaper. Water and sewer service is supplied by the City of Cumberland. The municipal watershed is located to the north within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Water is drawn from two lakes on city land, Gordon and Koon. Electricity service is supplied by the Potomac Edison Company , which
962-430: Is a compact notched valley that Wills Creek has carved into Wills Mountain . Inventor Frederick John Bahr bought Wills Mountain and built his log cabin on top. The National Road ( U.S. Route 40 ) and a number of 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
1036-638: Is a unit of FirstEnergy , while natural gas service is supplied by Columbia Gas of Maryland . There was once a working oil well that pumped crude oil from a location near the Fruit Bowl in the Cumberland Narrows. Hospitals include UPMC Western Maryland and Thomas B. Finan Center . The Greater Cumberland Regional Airport (Airport-ID: CBE) provides local air transportation to the Cumberland area, located in Wiley Ford , West Virginia , to
1110-405: Is located at Canal Place , the western terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal , and intersection of the railroad, canal, and Allegheny Highlands Trail of Maryland . Allegany Museum exhibits include local prehistoric life, the Cumberland glassware industry, Kelly Springfield Tire Company, MeadWestvaco, the Cumberland brewing industry, and folk art on the building's second floor. The Narrows
1184-564: Is located downtown at Queen City Drive and East Harrison Street. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad operates steam and diesel excursion trains from Cumberland to Frostburg and back. CSX had a large hump yard for full service to Pittsburgh over Sand patch grade to the west, the Grafton, West Virginia , line to the south, & the Baltimore, Maryland , line to the east. The webcomic The Adventures of Dr. McNinja by Christopher Hastings
1258-610: Is maintained, allowing travel by foot, horse or bicycle between Cumberland and Washington, D.C. , a distance of approximately 185 miles (298 km). In recent years, a separate trail/path extension, called the Great Allegheny Passage , has been developed that leads to Pittsburgh as its western terminus. Cumberland is the only city of at least 20,000 residents, outside of the Pittsburgh and DC metro areas, that lies on this combined 300+ mile stretch. According to
1332-497: Is now a national historical park . Today, Interstate 68 bisects the town. Industry declined after World War II , leading urban, business, and technological development in the state to be concentrated in eastern coastal cities. Today, the Cumberland metropolitan area is one of the poorest in the United States, ranking 305th out of 318 metropolitan areas in per capita income. Cumberland was named by English colonists after
1406-1008: Is one of the oldest surviving synagogue buildings in the United States. Also of note are the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Terminus at Canal Place, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, the Allegheny Highlands Trail of Maryland, the Cumberland Masonic Temple, the Allegany Arts Council, Rocky Gap State Park, Cumberland Narrows along Wills Creek, on Alternate U.S. 40. Cumberland's has Council–manager government composed of an elected mayor, four elected city council members, and an appointed city administrator. Cumberland's current mayor
1480-608: Is represented in the House of Representatives by Democrat David Trone , and is represented by Maryland's two Senators , Democrats Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen , the former of which operates a field office in Downtown Cumberland. In 1864 the state legislature provided funds, and a structure for obtaining local funds from taxes and private donations for the purpose of funding schools for Negroes. The first public school for African-Americans in Cumberland operated in
1554-661: Is set in part in a fictionalized version of Cumberland. Cumberland Road The National Road (also known as the Cumberland Road ) was the first major improved highway in the United States built by the federal government . Built between 1811 and 1837, the 620-mile (1,000 km) road connected the Potomac and Ohio Rivers and was a main transport path to the West for thousands of settlers. When improved in
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#17328023265651628-694: Is sometimes referred to as the Washington National Pike; it is now paralleled by I-270 between the Capital Beltway (I-495) and Frederick. Nicknamed the "Main Street of America", the road's presence in towns on its route and effective access to surrounding towns attracted wealthy residents to build their houses along the road in towns such as in Richmond, Indiana , and Springfield, Ohio , creating Millionaires' Rows . In 1976,
1702-548: Is the Wheeling Suspension Bridge at Wheeling, West Virginia . Opened in 1849 to carry the road over the Ohio River , it was the largest suspension bridge in the world until 1851, and until 2019 was the oldest vehicular suspension bridge in the United States still in use, although it has since been closed to vehicular traffic due to repeated overweight vehicles ignoring the weight limits and damaging
1776-920: Is under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Baltimore , and is partially run by the School Sisters of Notre Dame . Lighthouse Christian Academy is a K-12 Christian school, co-located with the Central Assembly of God church on Bedford Street on the north edge of the city's limits. Approximately 39,000 people hold library cards in Allegany County, with libraries such as Washington Street Library and Lavale Public Library and several others. Cumberland has several media outlets; most carry some form of satellite programming. WCBC-AM and WFRB-FM have some local news content, but do not have reporters collecting it. The closest public radio station
1850-631: The Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers ), an important trading and military point where the city of Pittsburgh now stands. It received its name during the colonial-era French and Indian War of 1753–1763 (also known as the Seven Years' War in Europe), when it was constructed by British General Edward Braddock , who was accompanied by Colonel George Washington of the Virginia militia regiment in
1924-533: The American Society of Civil Engineers designated the National Road as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark . There are several structures associated with the National Road that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Some are listed below. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has installed five historical markers noting the historic importance of
1998-663: The Daughters of the American Revolution , were erected along the Old Trails Road. In 1927, the National Road was designated as the eastern part of US 40, which still generally follows the National Road's alignment with occasional bypasses, realignments, and newer bridges. The mostly parallel Interstate 70 (I-70) now provides a faster route for through travel without the many sharp curves, steep grades, and narrow bridges of US 40 and other segments of
2072-817: The Mississippi River . The road has also been referred to as the Cumberland Turnpike , the Cumberland–Brownsville Turnpike (or Road or Pike), the Cumberland Pike , the National Pike , and the National Turnpike . In the 20th century with the advent of the automobile, the National Road was connected with other historic routes to California under the title, National Old Trails Road . Today, much of
2146-597: The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia . It is the primary city of the Cumberland metropolitan area , which had 95,044 residents in 2020. Historically, Cumberland was known as the "Queen City" as it was once the second largest in the state. Because of its strategic location on what became known as the Cumberland Road through the Appalachians , after the American Revolution it served as
2220-491: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 10.15 square miles (26.29 km ), of which 10.08 square miles (26.11 km ) is land and 0.07 square miles (0.18 km ) is water. Cumberland lies at the beginning of the transition from a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ) to a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ), although bearing far more characteristics of the former, with
2294-587: The 1830s, it became the second U.S. road surfaced with the macadam process pioneered by Scotsman John Loudon McAdam . Construction began heading west in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland , on the Potomac River. After the Financial Panic of 1837 and the resulting economic depression, congressional funding ran dry and construction was stopped at Vandalia, Illinois , the then-capital of Illinois , 63 miles (101 km) northeast of St. Louis across
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2368-758: The 1850s, many black fugitives reached their final stop on the Underground Railroad beneath the floor of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church. A maze of tunnels beneath and an abolitionist pastor above provided refuge before the final five mile trip to freedom in Pennsylvania. The surrounding hillsides were mined for coal and iron ore, and harvested for timber that helped supply the Industrial Revolution . The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal had its western terminus here; it
2442-885: The Arteco Gallery and Institute for Creative Enterprise, Windsor Hall, the Gilchrist Museum of the Arts, the Gordon-Roberts House, the Graphicus Atelier print-making studio, and a variety of retail and specialty stores. Seasonal events include the Cumberland Comes Alive music series, Saturday Arts Walks, and the annual Mountain Maryland Artists' Studio Tour. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
2516-539: The Braddock Road turned north towards Pittsburgh, the new National Road/Cumberland Road continued west to Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia ), also on the Ohio River. The contract for the construction of the first section was awarded to Henry McKinley on May 8, 1811, and construction began later that year, with the road reaching Wheeling on August 1, 1818. For more than 100 years, a simple granite stone
2590-489: The City of Cumberland is bus service provided by Allegany County Transit . This service consists of five scheduled routes that reach most areas of the city and provide access to most public facilities. Amtrak , the national passenger rail system, provides intercity service to Cumberland via the Capitol Limited , which runs between Washington Union Station , and Union Station Chicago . The Cumberland Amtrak Station
2664-661: The Cumberland Metro as having the 6th-lowest cost of living in the US, based on an index of cost of housing, utilities, transportation and other expenditures. In 2007, The Baltimore Sun newspaper, citing the National Association of Realtors figures on home prices, stated that while most areas were stagnant, Cumberland home prices were rising by more than 17%, the highest in the country. In July 2007, The Washington Post writer Stephanie Cavanaugh wrote that
2738-564: The Cumberland Road were becoming more than Congress was willing to bear. In agreements with Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, the road was to be reconstructed and resurfaced. The section that ran over Haystack Mountain , just west of Cumberland, was abandoned and a new road was built through the Cumberland Narrows . On April 1, 1835, the section from Wheeling to Cumberland was transferred to Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia (now West Virginia). The last congressional appropriation
2812-489: The National Road across the Allegheny Plateau of West Virginia (then Virginia) to Wheeling. Construction of the National Road stopped in 1839. Much of the road through Indiana and Illinois remained unfinished and was transferred to the states. Federal construction of the road stopped at Vandalia, Illinois , which at that time was the state's capital. Illinois officials decided not to continue construction without
2886-473: The National Road. Heading west from Hancock in western Maryland, I-70 takes a more northerly path to connect with and follow the Pennsylvania Turnpike (also designated as I-76 ) across the mountains between Breezewood and New Stanton , where I-70 turns west to rejoin the National Road's route (and US 40) near Washington, Pennsylvania . The more recently constructed I-68 parallels
2960-681: The Ohio River. Subsequent efforts pushed the road across the states of Ohio and Indiana and into the Illinois Territory . The western terminus of the National Road at its greatest extent was at the Kaskaskia River in Vandalia, Illinois , near the intersection of modern US 51 and US 40. Today, travelers driving east from Vandalia travel along modern US 40 through south-central Illinois. The National Road continued into Indiana along modern US 40, passing through
3034-465: The alignment is followed by U.S. Route 40 (US 40), with various portions bearing the Alternate U.S. Route 40 (Alt. US 40) designation, or various state-road numbers (such as Maryland Route 144 for several sections between Baltimore and Cumberland). In 1976, the American Society of Civil Engineers designated the National Road as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark . In 2002,
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3108-530: The bridge. A newer bridge now carries the realigned US 40 and I-70 across the river nearby. Three of the road's original toll houses are preserved: Additionally, several Old National Pike Milestones —some well-maintained, others deteriorating, and yet others represented by modern replacements—remain intact along the route. In general, the road climbed westwards along the Amerindian trail known as Chief Nemacolin's Path , once followed and improved by
3182-564: The cities of Terre Haute and Indianapolis. Within Indianapolis, the National Road used the original alignment of US 40 along West and East Washington Street (modern US 40 is now routed along I-465 ). East of Indianapolis, the road went through the city of Richmond before entering Ohio, where the road continued along modern US 40 and passed through the northern suburbs of Dayton, Springfield, and Columbus. West of Zanesville, Ohio , despite US 40's predominantly following
3256-602: The city government employed 234 people. In the Maryland Senate , Cumberland is represented by Republican Mike McKay of District 1. In the Maryland House of Delegates , the entirety of the city of Cumberland, plus much of northwestern Allegany County, is represented by Republican and House Minority Leader Jason Buckel of District 1B. Cumberland is located in Maryland's 6th congressional district , and
3330-440: The city in an east–west direction, as does Alternate U.S. 40 , the Old National Road . U.S. Highway 220 runs north–south. Parts of Wills Mountain , Haystack Mountain , and Shriver Ridge are also within the city limits. Opposite Cumberland along the Potomac River is Ridgeley, West Virginia . The abandoned Chesapeake and Ohio Canal is now part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park . The canal 's towpath
3404-401: The city lost many jobs. As a result, its population has declined by nearly half, from 39,483 in the 1940 census to fewer than 20,000 today. Cumberland is in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians at the junction of the North Branch Potomac River and Wills Creek . The majority of the land within the city lies in a valley created by the junction of these two streams. Interstate 68 runs through
3478-419: The city of Cumberland include John Humbird Elementary, South Penn Elementary, and West Side Elementary. Some students residing in the North End of Cumberland may attend Northeast Elementary School, which sits just outside city limits in the neighborhood of Bowmans Addition . Cumberland is home to two parochial schools . Bishop Walsh School is a K-12 Catholic school, located atop Haystack Mountain. The school
3552-441: The city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female. The top employers in Cumberland are as follows. Located at the Western Maryland Railway Station is the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad . Located in Cumberland's arts and entertainment district is Saville Gallery, the Allegany Museum, the Cumberland Theatre, the Arts at Canal Place Cooperative Gallery, the New Embassy Theatre, the Cumberland Music Academy, MettleArts Studio and Foundry,
3626-452: The city was 89.4% White , 6.4% African American , 0.2% Native American , 0.9% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.3% from other races , and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.2% of the population. There were 9,223 households, of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.0% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had
3700-464: The eastern end of the Washington Street Historic District, is one of Maryland's most outstanding examples of early Gothic Revival architecture . The Allegany County Courthouse dominates the city's skyline. It was designed in 1893 by local architect Wright Butler . The Queen City Hotel was built by the B&O during the 1870s. The battle to preserve it was lost when the building was demolished in 1972. Temple B'er Chayim's 1865 Gothic Revival building
3774-516: The eastern part of the city. These schools are fed into by two middle schools, serving grades 6-8, also located in the city. Due to zoning, students attending Braddock Middle School, located on Holland Street on the city's North End, will generally attend Allegany, while students attending Washington Middle School, located on Massachusetts Avenue in the southeastern corner of the city, will generally attend Fort Hill. Public elementary schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade located in
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#17328023265653848-404: The entire road, including extensions east to Baltimore and west to St. Louis, was designated the Historic National Road , an All-American Road . The Braddock Road had been opened by the Ohio Company in 1751 between Fort Cumberland , the limit of navigation on the upper Potomac River , and the French military station at Fort Duquesne at the forks of the Ohio River , (at the confluence of
3922-404: The federal funds because two state roads from Vandalia to the St. Louis area, today's US 40 and Illinois Route 140 (known then as the Alton Road), already existed. In 1912, the National Road was chosen to become part of the National Old Trails Road , which would extend further east to New York City and west to Los Angeles, California . Five Madonna of the Trail monuments, donated by
3996-417: The great quality of living in Cumberland had attracted many urbanites to the area. Population trends Population decline from 1950 to 1990 was due to a string of industrial plant closures. Plants such as Pittsburgh Plate Glass , Allegany Munitions and Celanese closed down and relocated as part of widespread industrial restructuring after WWII. The 1987 closure of the Kelly Springfield Tire Plant marked
4070-473: The ill-fated July 1755 Braddock expedition , an attempt to assault the French-held Fort Duquesne. Construction of the Cumberland Road (which later became part of the longer National Road) was authorized on March 29, 1806, by Congress . The new Cumberland Road would replace the wagon and foot paths of the Braddock Road for travel between the Potomac and Ohio Rivers, following roughly the same alignment until just east of Uniontown, Pennsylvania . From there, where
4144-513: The inadequate local facilities. The schools were integrated in 1955, when 54 African American children attended the white schools. In 1956, 3 black students became the first to graduate from Allegany County's newly integrated schools. The offices of Allegany County Public Schools are located in Cumberland. Two public high schools serving grades 9-12 are located in the city: Allegany High School , located on Seton Drive atop Haystack Mountain, and Fort Hill High School , located on Greenway Avenue in
4218-455: The median family income 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 Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area ranked 305th out of 318 metropolitan areas in per capita income. In 2007, Forbes ranked
4292-452: The old road from Hancock through Cumberland west to Keyser's Ridge, Maryland , where the National Road and US 40 turn northwest into Pennsylvania, but I-68 continues directly west to meet I-79 near Morgantown, West Virginia . The portion of I-68 in Maryland is designated as the National Freeway. Many of the National Road's original stone arch bridges also remain on former alignments, including: Another remaining National Road bridge
4366-567: The original route, many segments of the original road can still be found. Between Old Washington and Morristown, the original roadbed has been overlaid by I-70 . The road then continued east across the Ohio River into Wheeling in West Virginia, the original western end of the National Road when it was first paved. After running 15 miles (24 km) in West Virginia, the National Road then entered Pennsylvania. The road cut across southwestern Pennsylvania, heading southeast for about 90 miles (140 km) before entering Maryland. East of Keyser's Ridge,
4440-463: The pre-existing Zane's Trace of Ebenezer Zane , and was completed in 1833 to the new state capital of Columbus, Ohio , and in 1838 to the college town of Springfield, Ohio . In 1849, a bridge was completed to carry the National Road across the Ohio River at Wheeling. The Wheeling Suspension Bridge , designed by Charles Ellet Jr. , was at the time the world's longest bridge span at 1,010 feet (310 m) from tower to tower. Maintenance costs on
4514-418: 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 Gothic Revival architecture with three large Tiffany windows, fort tunnels, and ammunition magazine cellars. The 1850 Emmanuel Episcopal Church , standing at
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#17328023265654588-470: The road used modern Alt US 40 to the city of Cumberland (modern US 40 is now routed along I-68 ). Cumberland was the original eastern terminus of the road. In the mid-19th century, a turnpike extension to Baltimore was approved—along what is now Maryland Route 144 from Cumberland to Hancock, US 40 from Hancock to Hagerstown, Alternate US 40 from Hagerstown to Frederick, and Maryland Route 144 from Frederick to Baltimore. The approval process
4662-514: The son of King George II , Prince William, the Duke of Cumberland . It is built on the site of the mid-18th century Fort Cumberland , the starting point for British General Edward Braddock 's ill-fated attack on the French stronghold of Fort Duquesne (present-day Pittsburgh) during the French and Indian War , the North American front of the Seven Years' War between the French and the British. (See Braddock expedition .) This area had been settled for thousands of years by indigenous peoples. The fort
4736-475: The south of the Potomac River. Mexico Farms Airport (Airport-ID: 1W3) is also in Cumberland. Several primary highways serve Cumberland. The most prominent of these is Interstate 68 , which runs concurrent with U.S. Route 40 through the city. I-68 and US 40 head eastward to Hancock , where they junction with Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 522 . To the west, I-68 and US 40 separate in Keysers Ridge , with I-68 continuing west to Morgantown , West Virginia and
4810-457: The third-largest city in the country, and a major maritime port on Chesapeake Bay . Completed in 1824, these feeder routes formed what is referred to as an eastern extension of the federal National Road. On May 15, 1820, Congress authorized an extension of the road to St. Louis, on the Mississippi River, and on March 3, 1825, across the Mississippi and to Jefferson City, Missouri . Work on the extension between Wheeling and Zanesville, Ohio , used
4884-399: The way down to the National Highway (U.S. Rte. 40) below. The City of Cumberland and the neighboring states of Pennsylvania and West Virginia may be seen from this point. Some of Cumberland's most architecturally significant homes are located in the Washington Street Historic District . Considered the elite residential area when the city was at its economic peak, Washington Street was home to
4958-433: The year and dipping to 10 °F (−12 °C) or below on 7 nights per winter. Average seasonal snowfall totals 30.3 inches (77 cm). The record high is 109 °F (43 °C) set in July 1936 and August 1918, both of which are state record highs, while the record low is −14 °F (−26 °C) set at the current site on January 18–19 1994 and January 20–21, 1985 . The median household income $ 25,142, and
5032-492: Was a hotly debated subject because of the removal of the original macadam construction that made this road famous. The road's route between Baltimore and Cumberland continues to use the name National Pike or Baltimore National Pike and as Main Street in Ohio today, with various portions now signed as US 40, Alt. US 40 , or Maryland Route 144 . A spur between Frederick, Maryland , and Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) , now Maryland Route 355 , bears various local names, but
5106-461: Was a key road, railroad and canal junction. It became the second-largest city in Maryland after the port city of Baltimore. It was nicknamed "The Queen City". Cumberland was the terminus, and namesake, of the Cumberland Road (begun in 1811) that extended westward to the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia . This was the first portion of what would be constructed as the National Road , which eventually reached Ohio , Indiana , and Illinois . In
5180-438: Was built to improve the movement of goods between the Midwest and Washington, DC, the eastern terminus. Construction of railroads superseded use of the canal, as trains were faster and could carry more freight. The city developed as a major manufacturing center, with industries in glass, breweries, fabrics, tires, and tinplate. With the restructuring of heavy industry in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states following World War II,
5254-466: Was by then a major outfitting center and riverboat -building emporium. Many settlers boarded boats there to travel down the Ohio and up the Missouri, or elsewhere on the Mississippi watershed . By 1818, travelers could press on, still following Chief Nemacolin's trail across the ford, or taking a ferry to West Brownsville, moving through Washington County, Pennsylvania , and passing into Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), 45 miles (72 km) away on
5328-614: Was developed along the Great Indian Warpath which tribes used to travel the backcountry. Cumberland also served as an outpost of Colonel George Washington during the French and Indian War, and his first military headquarters was built here. Washington returned as President of the United States in 1794 to Cumberland to review troops assembled to thwart the Whiskey Rebellion . During the 19th century, Cumberland
5402-400: Was made May 25, 1838, and in 1840, Congress voted against completing the unfinished portion of the road, with the deciding vote being cast by Henry Clay . By that time, railroads were proving a better method of long-distance transportation, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was being built west from Baltimore to Cumberland, mostly along the Potomac River, and then by a more direct route than
5476-561: Was the only marker of the road's beginning in Cumberland, Maryland. In June 2012, a monument and plaza were built in that town's Riverside Park, next to the historic original starting point. Beyond the National Road's eastern terminus at Cumberland and toward the Atlantic coast, a series of private toll roads and turnpikes were constructed, connecting the National Road (also known as the Old National Pike ) with Baltimore, then
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