Cumberland Maryland
“Come For A Visit, But Stay For A Lifetime.”
City of Cumberland MD
Cumberland, Maryland is a western gateway city and the seat of Allegany County. Cumberland boasts tree-lined streets, small town ambiance and an arts community that will surprise you, tucked away in the Western Maryland mountains. If quality of life is important to you, your family, your business, your lifestyle – then take the time to discover Cumberland. You’ll come for a visit, but stay for a lifetime.
Downtown Cumberland looks like a model-railroad town, criss-crossed with train tracks and bridges crossing Will’s Creek and the Potomac River, with lots of steeples and pretty old buildings and homes on its hills and the blue-green Allegheny Mountains rising up all around the town.
History of Cumberland MD
Cumberland was named by English colonists after the son of King George II, Prince William, the Duke of Cumberland. The city 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 fort was developed along the Great Indian Warpath which tribes used to travel the back-country.
Cumberland also served as an outpost and his first military headquarters was built here for Colonel George Washington during the French and Indian War. Washington returned as President of the United States in 1794 to Cumberland to review troops assembled to thwart the Whiskey Rebellion.
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 was built to improve the movement of goods between the Midwest and Washington, DC. Construction of railroads superseded use of the canal, as trains were faster and could carry more freight.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 and tinplate.
Cumberland was known as the “Queen City,” because of its strategic location on what became known as the Cumberland Road through the Appalachians. After the American Revolution it served as a historical outfitting and staging point for the westward emigrant trail migrations throughout the first half of the 1800s. The City of Cumberland supported the settlement of the Ohio Country and the lands within the Louisiana Purchase.
Downtown Cumberland and Main Street
The downtown area of Cumberland, a historic town has evolved into a thriving arts community. Cumberland downtown offers fine dining, unique shops, stylish living and blossoming artist colony, all housed in significant turn-of-the-century architecture.
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
Your adventure begins at the historic Western Maryland Railway Station in the “Queen City” of Cumberland. Enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of your journey behind a vintage steam or diesel engines from the comfort of one of our restored coaches. The train excursion travels west from downtown Cumberland, through a natural cut in the mountains, around a horseshoe curve, over bridges, and through a tunnel. As you glide past scenic ridges, valleys, and small towns, you’ll ascend 1,300 feet in elevation to the “Mountain City” of Frostburg. A narrator will be your guide to the views and history along the way!
Cumberland MD Highlights
- Heritage Days Festival
- National Road Autosport
- Del Fest
- Annual Tri-State Wing Off
Back to Maryland Mountains Cities & Towns Travel Guide
Cumberland MD Tourism Listings
Early Rise Flies guides out of Cumberland, Maryland, on the local trout waters of Maryland and West Virginia. Early Rise Flies is a retail store offering trout fishing supplies and equipment rentals. Early Rise Flies guides out of Cumberland, Maryland, on the local trout waters of Maryland and West Virginia. They specialize in wade fishing with Fly Rod and Spin Tackle. Savage River, Barnum (N. Branch Potomac River), Town Creek, Casselman are where they ply the craft. They also guide for Steelhead in the Tribs in Erie, Pennsylvania, during October – March. They are eager to get you on the water and can guide to a range of skill levels from the beginner angler looking to a wet line for the first time or to the avid angler looking for the perfect hole.
Located in the award-winning Rocky Gap Casino Resort, A Little Munch offers tasty baked goods, a variety of sandwiches, and a full-service bar. Enjoy specialty coffee and a pastry, grab a sandwich and a beer or have a cocktail while playing at Rocky Gap Casino Resort’s video poker bar. A Little Munch at Rocky Gap Casino Resort offers tasty baked goods, a variety of sandwiches and a full-service bar. Stop by the lobby and grab a bite, your stomach will thank you.
ONE OF THE BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY ITALIAN, STEAK, & SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS
Welcome to Oscar’s Restaurant, one of the best family-friendly Italian-American restaurants. Located in the heart of Cumberland, Maryland, only two miles from downtown, Oscar’s has a wide variety of food and drink selections for lunch and dinner, including exceptional steak and seafood. Our full-service bar has 13 beers on tap, and we have been family owned since 1993.
Skewers is a new aged cyber café in Cumberland, MD and has been serving up fresh, delicious salads, rice bowls, wraps, sandwiches, and more since our founding in 2016. Our staff strives to provide fresh food in a welcoming, friendly, and clean environment. We grill our meats fresh for your meal, and we offer a variety of bases, toppings, and sauces to let you customize your meal to your exact tastes. If you need a caterer for your business’ next luncheon or party, count on Skewers! Check out our selection of homemade desserts. Stop by our location on Bedford Road in Cumberland to discover why our customers keep coming back for more.
Don’t let the word cabin fool you! We offer a beautiful hotel room nestled in a cabin with all the comforts of home in a rural setting with your own private parking. Each cabin interior is knotty pine (some also have stone) with contemporary air conditioning and heating, an eating area with a microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker and condiments, dish network television, cathedral ceiling and a complete bath with shower and modern amenities. Each cabin also has a front porch where you can just sit, relax and enjoy the mountain scenery.
Our goal is to bring a touch of country and relaxation into a fast paced world. Just in case you are wondering, the 7 C’s stand for cozy, convenient, comfortable, clean, classic, country, cabins. With a cabin so tidy and clean, you are sure to enjoy your stay.
We’re right off I-68, perched on a hill with great views of Cumberland and the surrounding area. Allegany College and the regional medical center are five minutes away. Go back in time on the Scenic Railroad, 1.5 miles west, or roll the dice 10 minutes away at Rocky Gap Casino. Enjoy free hot breakfast, free WiFi, and our heated indoor saline pool.
Drive-in Campgrounds
- Reservation only, http://www.recreation.gov
- $20 per site per night, pass holders may be entitled to additional discounts
- Trailer length may not exceed 20 feet
- No RV Hookups
- Drive-in campsites are equipped with grills, chemical toilets, and water.
- Antietam Creek and Paw Paw have adjacent parking, but visitors cannot park at the actual campsite. Visitors may not park and sleep in Recreational Vehicles in these parking areas.
- Stay is limited to 14 days between May 1 and October 1. Stay is limited to a total of 30 days for the entire calendar year. There is a limit of eight people per site.
Group Campsites
- Reservation only, http://www.recreation.gov
- $40 per site per night during peak season, and $20 during non-peak season.
- Groups with more than eight people need to use the group campsites or register for more than one site in the campground.
- Mile 11.5 Marsden Tract (civic and scout organizations only)
- Mile 110.4 McCoys Ferry
- Mile 140.9 Fifteenmile Creek
- Mile 173.3 Spring Gap
Regulations
- Camp only in designated sites.
- No overnight permits required for vehicles in Chesapeake and Ohio Canal parking lots. The National Park Service is not responsible for cars or their contents; do not store valuables in cars.
- This is a trash free park; take all trash away.
- Quiet hours: 10 pm and 6 am
- Pets must be leashed at all times.
- Do no bring firewood into the park; it may be collected from grounded dead material and used in campgrounds only, do not remove wood.
- Fires restricted to grills and fire rings provided or portable grills positioned off the ground. Coals must be extinguished and removed from the park.
- Single campsites at drive in campgrounds allow a maximum of two tents and eight people.
- Hiker-Biker campsites can fix a maximum of five to ten tents, depending on the campsite. Please refer to signage at the campsite for specific details.
- Do not tie ropes to trees and structures.
- The use of hammocks at the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal NHP is permitted at designated hiker-biker campsites and within campgrounds where reservations are required. If attaching to trees, hammocks must have straps that are at least one inch wide. Plastic zip cords, nails or screws are not permitted for the purpose of anchoring a hammock.
- Do not wash dishes, bathe, or clean fish near wells.
- Draining or dumping refuse from trailers or other vehicles is prohibited.
