Discover 15 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Cumberland (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Canal Place, B'er Chayim Temple, and Washington Street Library. Also, be sure to include Emmanuel Episcopal Church in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Cumberland (Maryland).
Table of Contents
Canal Place
State park in Cumberland, Maryland. For the building in New Orleans often called "Canal Place", see One Canal Place
Canal Place is a 58.1-acre state park located in Cumberland, Maryland at the western terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.[1]
Address: 13 Canal St, 21502-3052 Cumberland
B'er Chayim Temple
Synagogue in Cumberland, Maryland. B'er Chayim Temple is a synagogue in Cumberland, Maryland that is currently affiliated with the Reform movement. B'er Chayim counts approximately 72 families as members.
B'er Chayim is the oldest synagogue building in continuous use as a synagogue in Maryland and the sixth oldest in the United States.[2]
Washington Street Library
Public library in Cumberland, Maryland. Located in the historic district of Cumberland, Maryland, the Washington Street Library first opened its doors on June 19, 1934. This Greek Revival style building was constructed between 1849 and 1850, as a larger building for the Allegany County Academy, the first public school in Allegany County which was founded in 1799. A new addition was constructed in 1966, allowing for the expansion of the library collection.
Today, the Washington Street Library houses the largest reference collection in the Allegany County Library System, and offers an extensive local history area in the Maryland Room. Free internet access, books on tape, Interlibrary Loan services, and an impressive collection of fiction and non-fiction materials are just a few of the services offered. Children's programs take place weekly.[3]
Address: 31 Washington St, 21502-2947 Cumberland
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Episcopal church in Cumberland, Maryland. The Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Cumberland, Maryland in Cumberland's Historic District is built on the foundations of Fort Cumberland, where George Washington began his military career; earthworks from the fort still lie beneath the church. Although the Emmanuel parish dates from 1803, the cornerstone of the current native sandstone building was laid in 1849 and completed in 1851. The church contains original Tiffany stained-glass windows from three different periods and a scale model of Fort Cumberland. The grounds are part of the Fort Cumberland Walking Trail, signposted with plaques and detailed in a leaflet available from the visitor center.
Standing at the eastern end of the Washington Street Historic District, it is one of Maryland's examples of early Gothic Revival architecture. The church is 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 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. 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 at 16 Washington Street 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.[4]
Address: 16 Washington St, 21502 Cumberland
City Hall
City hall in Cumberland, Maryland. Cumberland City Hall is a historic city hall in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland, United States. It was built between 1911 and 1912 and replaced the Cumberland, Maryland City Hall & Academy of Music. It is a 7-by-7-bay, two-story, stone-faced, neo-classical structure. It features an irregular corner, into which the architect has recessed a curving bay; the upper window in this curving bay has been filled with glass block. A mural by artist Gertrude du Brau on the interior of the rotunda dome depicts the early history of the city, including representations of General Edward Braddock and of George Washington.
The Cumberland City Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[5]
Address: 57 N Liberty St, Cumberland
George Washington's Headquarters
Museum in Cumberland, Maryland. The Headquarters of George Washington is a historic site located at 38 Greene Street in Cumberland, Maryland in central Allegany County. The centerpiece and primary attraction at the site is a historic log cabin twice occupied by George Washington, the first President of the United States of America. The cabin resides in an area known today as Riverside Park, but was originally built about 2 blocks away, the original site is located nearby at 16 Washington Street.[6]
Address: 43 Greene St, 21502 Cumberland
Allegany County Courthouse
District court in Cumberland, Maryland. The Allegany County Courthouse is the Maryland Circuit court for Allegany County, Maryland, United States. It is located in Cumberland's Washington Street Historic District. 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.[7]
Address: 30 Washington St, Cumberland
Bell Tower Building
Building in Cumberland, Maryland. Bell Tower Building, or the Allegany County League for Crippled Children building, is a historic building in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. It was built in 1887 and is a two-story brick structure topped by a small wooden tower with an open belfry. This was the first separate building to be used as police headquarters and jail in Cumberland.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[8]
Address: Bedford & Liberty Streest, 21502 Cumberland
The Gordon-Roberts House
Historical place, Museum
Address: 218 Washington St, 21502-2827 Cumberland
First Baptist Church
Church in Cumberland, Maryland. First Baptist Church is a historic church in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. It is a T-shaped gable-front brick structure of one and a half stories, with a white glazed brick facade that was added in 1917 to the existing church structure erected in 1849. The architecture is a modest interpretation of the late Gothic Revival style.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[9]
Address: 212 Bedford St, 21502-1701 Cumberland
Canada Hose Company Building
Building in Cumberland, Maryland. The Canada Hose Company Building is a historic firehouse in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland, United States. It is a two-story gable-front brick structure. Above the doors used for the fire engines is a sign which reads "Cumberland Hose Co. No. 1." The building is the oldest of a number of old firehouses built in Cumberland during the 19th century; it was completed in 1845.
The Canada Hose Company Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[10]
Washington Street Historic District
The Washington Street Historic District is a national historic district named after George Washington in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. It is an approximately 35-acre residential area to the west of downtown Cumberland and consists primarily of six blocks of Washington Street. It contains large-scale 19th- and 20th-century houses representing most of the major architectural styles, including examples of Greek Revival, Italianate, Gothic, Queen Anne, Romanesque, Colonial Revival, and bungalow. Also included in the district are the 1890s Romanesque courthouse, the 1850s Greek Revival academy building, and the Algonquin Hotel. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The Washington Street Historic District is home to the Washington Street Library, the Circuit Courthouse for Allegany County, the Allegany County Board of Education, and the Allegany County Historical Society. The remains of Fort Cumberland are also in the Washington Street Historic District.[11]
Cumberland YMCA
Building in Cumberland, Maryland. The Cumberland YMCA building is a three-story wedge-shaped brick structure with a partially raised basement, built in 1925 in the Classical Revival style, located in Cumberland, Maryland, United States. It is an excellent example of institutional architecture of its time. At the time of its construction, it offered the only indoor swimming pool in the area.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.[12]
Public Safety Building
Building in Cumberland, Maryland. Public Safety Building, or Old Post Office, is a historic building in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. It was constructed between 1902 and 1904, in the Classical Revival style. It is built of brick, rising from a monumental stone base. There is a slightly projecting pavilion with four engaged Ionic columns on the second and third floors. The building was built originally as the United States Courthouse and Post Office during the tenure of James Knox Taylor, who was Supervising Architect for the U.S. Treasury. It served as a courthouse of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland from 1904 to 1933. It is considered to be typical of buildings constructed during Taylor's tenure to the specifications of the Tarsney Act, which required competition in the design of federal buildings.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[13]
African Methodist Episcopal Church
The African Methodist Episcopal Church in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland, was built in 1892 to replace a previous church which the congregation had outgrown. The congregation was founded in 1847 by a group of African-American Methodists who had previously worshiped from the balcony of the Centre Street Methodist Episcopal Church. The first church was built in 1848, then rebuilt and enlarged in 1871 and again in 1875.
The church follows Methodist practice by placing Sunday school and meeting space on the street level, with the sanctuary above.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[14]