Cumberland Narrows
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cumberland Narrows is a compact notched valley that Wills Creek has carved into Wills Mountain in the United States. The National Highway (Route 40) and numerous railroad lines pass through this steep, narrow, and rocky river valley on the edge of Cumberland, Maryland. 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 romanticized 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 leap 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.)
The portion of the mountain forming the southern face of the narrows is known as Haystack Mountain, having been carved off from Wills Mountain over the course of millions of years to form a district mountain with narrow proximity to Wills mountain.
The Narrows valley acts as a physical western gateway to the city of Cumberland, Maryland; placing the city against the backdrop of the mountains and the narrows valley.
Located on the Wills Mt. side of the Cumberland Narrows is 'Artmor Plastics Corp.', a textile factory used during World War II. Following the war, Artmor was used for use making household items such as plastic dishes and table tops. The factory now houses a museum chronicling the life of Arthur Morgan, founder of Artmor Plastics.
[edit] References
- Will H. Lowdermilk, "History of Cumberland", Clearfield Co., October 1997, Paperback, ISBN 0-8063-7983-9. Full Text Online
- McGuinness, "Along the Baltimore & Ohio Railroads", Arcadia Publishing, 2004, ISBN 073853742X
- Rogers, "Adventure Guide to the Chesapeake Bay By Stillman D. Rogers, Barbara Radcliffe Rogers",
Hunter Publishing, 2001, ISBN 1556508891
