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The
City of Cumberland is nestled
in the mountains of Western Maryland, at the confluence of the Potomac River and
Wills Creek. Since Colonial times, Cumberland been central to
the history of the region and, indeed, the history of our country.
Since
its pre-historical beginnings as an Algonquin Indian settlement where the Potomac River first becomes
navigable, through it's central role as a frontier fort, then as the
gateway to the Ohio Valley and further Western expansion via Conestoga wagon,
railroad and automobile, Cumberland has always found itself
the nexus of transportation for the developing nation.
In
frontier days, this location was where explorers rendezvoused and fur traders plied
their goods. It was from here that Christopher Gist set out to explore the Ohio
Valley. And Cumberland was where Colonel Washington met up with General Braddock's
British forces as they set out on their fateful campaign to take back Fort
Duquesne (today's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) from the French at the forks of the Ohio River during the French and
Indian War.
When
an abundance of natural resources was discovered in the region, the C&O Canal
was dug from Cumberland East to Washington, DC, to transport raw materials on flat bottomed
boats.
When
the railroads began to lay tracks across the country, it was Cumberland that
provided the main hub in the Mid-Atlantic region.
And
when the Federal Government decided to fund the first National Highway, it was
in Cumberland where the road began.

The
wealth of natural resources combined with the well established transportation
infrastructure provided incentives for industry to locate in and around
Cumberland. The region prospered through the first quarter of the 20th Century.
But
the Great Depression of the 1930's hit the region hard. Then, as coal became less
valuable as a resource and when industry converted back to peacetime operations
following World War II, Cumberland went into a steady economic decline which
continues to this day. Along with the economic decline, the population has
declined due to an out migration of the work force.
The
result has been that Cumberland's physical appearance remains much like it was
in the 1930's, which had been it's heyday. The architecture, both public
buildings and residential dwellings, remains largely intact. Contributing to
this quaint and antique appearance has been the historic preservation of the downtown business area as
well as the Washington Street Historical Preservation District. City plans are
underway to preserve more of the business and residential sections throughout
the city. The
Allegany
County Museum is preserving that history too. Our extensive historical collections
include physical artifacts and industrial archives, as well as photographs and
publications, and they provide rich materials for our exhibits and for research. And we have exciting
plans for future development and further expansion of the Museum. The
Allegany County Museum will be restoring and renovating the former District
Court and Post Office building located at 3 Pershing Street (more information,
click on "Plans" in the left column). Once the construction is
completed, the Allegany County Museum will move into this permanent location,
which is directly across from the Scenic Railroad Station at Canal Place. The
Allegany County Museum will, at that time, take its place as a major
"anchor institution" in the Canal Place Heritage Tourism Complex in
historic Downtown Cumberland. View
a map of the Canal Place Heritage Tourism Complex: http://www.alleganymuseum.org/Canal_Place_map.htm The
links to the left will give you more detailed information about the Allegany
County Museum and the historical region we serve.
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For
an article on Downtown Cumberland's revitalization, go here: http://www.arc.gov/index.do?nodeId=1559 |