Cumberland, Maryland

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For other places with the same name, see Cumberland (disambiguation).
Cumberland, Maryland
Official seal of Cumberland, Maryland
Seal
Location in Maryland
Location in Maryland
Coordinates: 39°38′52″N, 78°45′46″W
Country United States
State Maryland
County Allegany County
founded 1787
incorporated 1815
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  
 - City (2000) 21,518
 - Density 916.0/km² (2,372.7/sq mi)
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 2000, Cumberland had a population of 21,591 and the surrounding area had a population of 102,008 (2000 Census, see dataplace). Nearby towns within the metro statisitcal Area include the following:

Allegany County and nearby Mineral County are mountainous, mostly rural areas. According to the 2000 census, more than 45 percent of the people living in the Cumberland region live in non-incorporated areas.

Contents

[edit] History

Cumberland, 2000
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Cumberland, 2000

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.

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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)

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. (Also See, All Abroad for Cumberland: Cumberland History)

Panoramic view of Cumberland, 1919
Panoramic view of Cumberland, 1919
Bird's Eye Map of cumberland, 1909
Bird's Eye Map of cumberland, 1909

[edit] Pre-History: The Cumberland Bone Cave

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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 late 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] Geography

Map showing Cumberland, MD
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Map showing Cumberland, MD

Cumberland is located in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians at 39°38′52″N, 78°45′46″W (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 Shrivers Ridge are also within the city limits. It 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] Noted residents and natives

[edit] Education

[edit] Regional Businesses & 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 empolyer
  • 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 Locomative Maintenance Facity is a vital point on CSX'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 empolyed)
  • 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

[edit] Tourism

[edit] Downtown

Downtown Cumberland Maryland
Downtown Cumberland Maryland

Cumberland's historic downtownis 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

Baldwin steam locomotive.
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Baldwin steam locomotive.

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. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad offers 3 hour round trip tours from Cumberland to Frostburg, Maryland on a 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.

[edit] Canal Place Heritage Area

Canal at Swain's Lock
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Canal at Swain's Lock

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 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 rewatering project is underway which when completed will allow visitors to ride in replica canal boats through a portion of the old canal.

[edit] The Great Allegheny Passage

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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

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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 romantisized 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 leep 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 Cumberland Attractions

[edit] Nearby Attractions & Points of Interest

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  • 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 & Seasonal Events

  • Sunday in the Park: free concerts every Sunday evening in Constitution Park Amphitheatre in South Cumberland, sponsored by the Allegany Arts Council. (From May to September)
  • CanalFest, located at Canel Place (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 chorial 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)
  • 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.

[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

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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 Alleghany County Courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which Cumberland's Courthouse strongly resembles.

[edit] Queen City Hotel & Station

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The Queen City Hotel was located was one of Five Combination Station-Hotels Built by the B&O during the 1870's. It was Designed by Thomas N. Heskett of the RailRoad's Road Department, was Italianate in Style, and was opened for the Accommodation and Entertainment of passengers in 1872. Though No Longer in existence, The Queen City was one of the last Remaining Grand, Railroad Hotels in the US in the early 1970's. Efforts to preserve this ornate, Victorian-era Structure was one of the classic preservation battles of the early 1970's. The battle was lost when the building was demolished in 1972.

[edit] Industrial Legacies of the Cumberland Region

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 1890's, 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.

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 1920's. These companies along with [[PPG Industries and Westvaco were major employers through much of the twentieth century.

Plant layoffs and closures during the 1970's and 1980's 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, battering the local populace, but the natives of Cumberland were resilient. Today, a torism trade has emerged focusing around Cumberland's rich history and tranquil bueaty, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of Western Maryland. Between 2001-2005 alone, the Cumberland Arts, entertainment, and recreation industry has grown tremendously by 29.2 percent. The economy continued to re-awaken as a number of technology and service firms have moved into area. The future looks brighter now than it has in years as companies realize that the high quality of life and excellent infrastructure provided by the city.

[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.

[edit] Electric Trolleys

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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 buisness by builting 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

  • The Cumberland Brewing Company (1890-1958) produced Old Export Beer and Gamecock Ale Cumberland Brewing Company was the oldest brewery 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) produced Old German Beer Premium Lager. In the 1970's 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

  • PPG Cumberland Works No. 7 (1954-1992): 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.
  • Cumberland Glassware Manufacturers:
    • 1884-1904: Cumberland Glass Works
    • 1889-1890: National Glass formerly Cumberland Glass Works.
    • 1889-1890: South Cumberland Glass
    • 1890-1909: Queen City Glass
    • 1893-1930: Maryland Glass Etching Works
    • 1895-1896: Enterprise Glass Decorating
    • 1904-1924: Potomac Glass
    • 1909-1913: Eastern Glass
    • 1908-1920: Wellington Glass
    • 1911-1912: Cumberland Glass Tube Company
    • 1914-1915: Dugan Glass - Lonaconing, Maryland
    • 1914-1918: Lonaconing Glass- Lonaconing, Maryland
    • 1918-1935: Maryland Glass
    • 1936-1938: Maryland Glass Inc., formerly Maryland Glass
    • 1938-1941: NU Glass
    • 1919-1929: Utility Glass- Lonaconing, Maryland
    • 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
    • 1930-1934: Lonaconing Cut Glass - Lonaconing, 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
    • 1956-1968: Knocke Cut Glass
    • 1987-present: Snyder’s Cut Crystal

(Also See, Cumberland Glass Org)

[edit] Tire Industry

The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company 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.

[edit] Textiles

  • 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 1974, the Celanese establishes a Cytrel Tobacco Supplement plant in Cumberland with a peak capacity of 20 million lbs a year.

[edit] Transportation

  • Public Transportation: The primary public transportation in the City of Cumberland is bus service provided by the Allegany County Transit Authority. 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 County Transit Authority also serves LaVale, Frostburg, Lonaconing, Mt. Savage, and Cresaptown.
  • Roadway System: 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] Trivial

  • There was once a working oil well that pumped crude from a location near today’s Fruit Bowl in the narrows.

[edit] Hospitals

[edit] References to Cumberland in Popular Culture

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  • In the classic 1960's horror film the Night of the Living Dead, Barbara listens transfixed to radio broadcast from civial defense officials in the City of Cumberland, Md. The Cumberland Officials emphasize the predatory nature of the cannibalistic ghouls, and their unsavoury 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 Newsguy, "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 (which is, of course, not true, since Cumberland is at least 100 miles from the nearest body of salt water). (The Office, Session 2, Episode 5, Title "Halloween")

[edit] Radio Stations

  • WNTR (1230 AM; 1 kW; CUMBERLAND, MD; Owner: TSCHUDY RADIO, INC)
  • WTBO (1450 AM; 1 kW; CUMBERLAND, MD; Owner: WTBO-WKGO CORPORATION, L.L.C.)
  • WROG (102.9 FM; CUMBERLAND, MD; Owner: TSCHUDY RADIO, INC)
  • WKGO "Go 106" (106.1 FM; CUMBERLAND, MD; Owner: WTBO-WKGO CORPORATION, L.L.C.)
  • WDZN "Radio Disney" (100.1 FM; CUMBERLAND, MD; Owner: CHARTER EQUITIES, INC.)
  • WFWM "Local NPR Station" (91.9 FM; FROSTBURG, MD; Owner: FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY)
  • W253AB (98.5 FM; CUMBERLAND, MD; Owner: WTBO-WKGO CORPORATION, L.L.C.)
  • W280CF (103.9 FM; CUMBERLAND, ETC., MD; Owner: CEDAR RIDGE CHILDREN'S HOME & SCHOOL, INC)
  • WFRB (560 AM; 5 kW; FROSTBURG, MD; Owner: WTBO-WKGO CORPORATION, L.L.C.)
  • WCBC (1270 AM; 5 kW; CUMBERLAND, MD; Owner: CUMBERLAND BROADCASTING COMPANY)
  • WLIC (97.1 FM; FROSTBURG, MD; Owner: HE'S ALIVE, INC.)
  • WFRB-FM (105.3 FM; FROSTBURG, MD; Owner: WTBO-WKGO CORPORATION, L.L.C.)
  • WVSC (990 AM; 10 kW; SOMERSET, PA; Owner: FOREVER OF JOHNSTOWN, INC.)
  • WYSN (1330 AM; 5 kW; SOMERSET, PA; Owner: DAME BROADCASTING, LLC)
  • WLYE (850 AM; 10 kW; JOHNSTOWN, PA; Owner: FOREVER OF JOHNSTOWN, INC.)
  • WZSK (1040 AM; daytime; 10 kW; EVERETT, PA; Owner: NEW MILLENNIUM COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.)
  • KDKA (1020 AM; 50 kW; PITTSBURGH, PA; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.)
  • WKCW (1420 AM; 50 kW; WARRENTON, VA; Owner: WAY BROADCASTING, INC.)
  • WCBM (680 AM; 50 kW; BALTIMORE, MD; Owner: WCBM MARYLAND, INC.)
  • WMET (1150 AM; 50 kW; GAITHERSBURG, MD; Owner: BELTWAY ACQUISITION CORPORATION)
  • WHJB (1600 AM; 5 kW; BEDFORD, PA; Owner: JOHN H. CESSNA)
  • WCBC-FM (107.1 FM; KEYSER, WV; Owner: PROSPERITAS BROADCASTING SYSTEM, L P)
  • WWPN (101.1 FM; WESTERNPORT, MD; Owner: ERNEST F. SANTMYIRE)
  • WQZK-FM (94.1 FM; KEYSER, WV; Owner: STARCAST SYSTEMS, INC.)
  • WBVE (107.5 FM; BEDFORD, PA; Owner: CESSNA COMMUNICATIONS, INC.)
  • WQZS (93.3 FM; MEYERSDALE, PA; Owner: ROGER WAHL)
  • WAYC (100.9 FM; BEDFORD, PA; Owner: CESSNA COMMUNICATIONS, INC.)
  • WVSB (104.1 FM; ROMNEY, WV; Owner: WEST VA. SCHS. FOR DEAF AND BLIND)
  • WAIJ (90.3 FM; GRANTSVILLE, MD; Owner: HE'S ALIVE, INC.)
  • WTRM (91.3 FM; WINCHESTER, VA; Owner: TIMBER RIDGE MINISTRIES, INC.)
  • WQWV (103.7 FM; FISHER, WV; Owner: MCGUIRE BROADCASTING, L.L.C.)
  • WSKE (104.3 FM; EVERETT, PA; Owner: NEW MILLENNIUM COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.)

[edit] TV Stations

  • W43BP (Channel 43; CRESAPTOWN, MD; Owner: TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK)

[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:

[edit] Neighborhoods and Surrounding Areas

[edit] Nearby Cities and Towns

[edit] Cumberland's Ancestries

[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] References

Image:Cumberland_book_paul_2003.jpg

  • Amanda Paul, Tom Robertson, Joe Weaver, "Cumberland", Arcadia Publishing, Copyright Oct 1, 2003, Paperback, ISBN 0-7385-1498-5
  • Will H. Lowdermilk, "History of Cumberland", Clearfield Co., October 1997, Paperback, ISBN 0-8063-7983-9.
  • 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 1900's. 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.)

[edit] External links

[edit] Local Heritage & Recreation

[edit] Local Clubs and Groups

[edit] Local Search Engines and Directories

[edit] Local Forums and Message Boards

[edit] Local Shopping

[edit] Local Restaurants

[edit] Local Art & Culture

[edit] Local Universities, Colleges, and Schools

[edit] Local Government and Community Organizations

[edit] Local Newspapers and Classified

[edit] Local Publishers of Books & Magazines

[edit] Local Musician's Scene

[edit] Local Bands

[edit] Local Accommodations

[edit] Regional Ski Resorts

[edit] Local Maps

[edit] Other Locations In the State of Maryland

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