Cumberland Maryland - On The Potomac and other Cumberland, MD Things to Do Tips

Cumberland is a beautiful little town in the mountains of Western Maryland. Its located on the Potomac River and Wills Creek. If you cross the Potomac you will be in West Virginia. It sits amoung some of the most beautiful mountain ridges in the area in Allegany County. Cumberland is historically known as the "Gateway To The West" as it was a major transportation center which included the first National Road. This later became Route 40 and stretched all the way across the United States.

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Western Maryland Railway Station is the starting point for many visitors to Cumberland. There is a parking lot located across the street from the station. There is a fee to use the parking lot during the week but it is free on the weekends. You can ride in a 1916 Baldwin Steam Locamotive located at the station. The train will take you on a three hour round trip across the mountains to Frostburg Maryland. There is also a small museum at the train station with many historical photos of Cumberland and its residents. The museum is very impressive for a small town museum in my opinion. The museum is free although there is a place to leave donations for the upkeep of the museum.

The day I visited Cumberland I arrived just as the train was preparing to take off. The loud whistle blew and the train began to make its chugging sound as I watched it pull out of the station.

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If you have read any of my other pages on Virtual Tourist you will notice that I always mention street art, sculptures and memorials. I really love to see these when I travel to different cities. Here is a small statue and fountain located just in front of the Western Maryland Railway Station.

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Cumberland is noted for its large spires on the rooftops dotted across the city. The city is very Victorian in its architecture. You definately get the feeling of going back in time as you walk the streets and look at the buildings. Cumberland is still under renovation. Much is being done to beautify the old city and bring it back to its once Victorian gandeur.

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Cumberlands history dates back to Fort Cumberland. The city was established in 1787. George Washington had his headquarters here during the French and Indian War. This is the original headquaters of Washington. I saw this and had to have a picture of it and began planning my VT tip. But I do hate it when a perfect VT is ruined by true facts and history. This little headquarters building is located on Wills Creek just next to the Potomac River. Its almost directly underneath a large bridge thats part of the Interstate Highway going through the city. I was going to make a tip here about the irony of the headquarters located here being overshadowed by the Interstate today. However it was not actually located here. I found out later as I walked up Washington Street and followed the path of the original fort that the Headquarters was located up higher on the hill and had been moved to the spot it is now located in for easier access and to be more prominent to the tourist area. So although Washington slept in the building, here really did not sleep under the Interstate.

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Walking up Washington Street you will see many large and beautiful Victorian Mansions. These homes have been kept up and renovated. They add a lot of charm to this city. I enjoyed walking up the hills and see them.

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The main shopping district still has many of the original buildings. Most of these are on Baltimore Street. Baltimore Street has been blocked off and paved with red bricks for a pedestrian walkway. There are many resturants with out door seating and shops to be explored along Baltimore Street. There is also a farmers market here. The afternoon I was here there was a band playing at one of the stages and many folks dining at the sidewalk restaurants. There are fountains and floral gardens to complete the picture.

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Although Baltimore Street has been transformed into a Victorian looking pedestrian walkway all is not historical. There was a rock band playing on the stage the day I was here. And there are modern pieces of art like this guitar on the side of the building to remind you that you have not completely been transported to a different time.

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