Cumberland, Maryland, is located in the mountainous western panhandle of the state near West Virginia, 135 mi/215 km west of Baltimore. Cumberland (founded in 1754) was once a colonial fort; George Washington headed up his first military command there. You can see the small cabin that was his headquarters at Riverside Park. The town has also been an important crossroads in U.S. history.
Cumberland is at the north end of the famous Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, which, in its heyday, ran south 184 mi/296 km along the Potomac River to Georgetown (in the District of Columbia). Today, the towpath, lockhouses, aqueducts, lift locks and much of the canal itself have been restored. To see a section of it, take a guided or self-guided tour (on foot, bicycle or by canoe) of the nearby Chesapeake & Ohio National Historic Park (you can see a replica of one of the old canal boats, too).
Some won't want to miss the Paw Paw Tunnel, bored 3,000 ft/915 m through solid rock. If you plan to walk through the tunnel, be sure to take along a flashlight. You can also learn more about the canal at the C&O Canal Museum and Visitors Center in Hancock (about 25 mi/40 km east of Cumberland).
Cumberland was also the starting point for the Cumberland Trail, which was important to the country's westward expansion. Be sure to see where the trail began at the Narrows, a beautiful gorge area. Other sights in Cumberland include the Bell Tower, the History House (historical displays in a building from the 1800s) and the Western Maryland Station Center (a museum and railroad station). In autumn, the 32-mi/50-km trip on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is a great way to enjoy the fall colors.
Nearby Frostburg has the Thrasher Carriage Museum, one of the best collections of sleighs and carriages in the country, including the carriage President Teddy Roosevelt took to his inauguration in 1905. If you're in Cumberland in June, join the town in celebrating Heritage Days (arts and crafts, food and tours).
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