Historic National Road - Maryland
ein Tag / 179 Meilen / 5 Stunden 58 Minuten
The Historic National Road stands for adventure, freedom and exploration. A ribbon of roadway from the Chesapeake Bay to the mighty Allegheny Mountains, it is the road that built the nation. Today, you can experience more than 300 years of American culture, including inns, tollhouses, taverns, theaters, parks, and shops along the byway.
Tag 1
9:00 - 10.5 Meilen / 20 Minuten - 9:20
Before the American Revolution, three Quaker brothers moved from Pennsylvania to build the first of their two flour mills on the Patapsco River. John, Joseph, and Andrew Ellicott established Ellicott's Mills in 1772. To ensure that they had wheat for their mills and flour to market, the Ellicotts then either built or financed a network of farm roads that ultimately became the Baltimore to Frederick Turnpike, which eventually became the Historic National Pike. Ellicott City grew to be the largest flour milling center in the colonies, and the turnpike saw a heavy flow of wagon and coach traffic. In 1830, the B&O Railroad built "The Old Main Line," which extended from Baltimore City to the rugged mill town, and constructed the first railroad station in the Nation. In the summer of 1830, the famous steam locomotive, the Tom Thumb, made its debut on the 13 mile run from Baltimore to Ellicott City. On Main Street, opposite the depot, is the former Patapsco Hotel, a popular lodging place in the town's heyday. The coming of the railroad did not stop the town's decline as the Ellicotts' mills succumbed to western competition. Today, this town of stone and brick buildings, narrow streets, and steep granite cliffs attracts modern travelers lured by the town's history, its rugged charm, and a host of antique and specialty shops and unique restaurants. One such is the Trolley Stop, which has been serving the traveling public since the 1800s. The Ellicott City B&O Railroad Station museum interprets the role of the railroad to visitors. Today, the town is a destination unto itself for antique collectors and flea market aficionados. The town also offers historic sites, restaurants, walking trails and shopping. A visitor center provides local tourist information. The town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
11:20 - 28.9 Meilen / 57 Minuten - 12:18
Founded in 1793, New Market became a popular stopover town for travelers in need of food, lodging, and services during the Heyday of the National Pike. The town was home to eight drovers barns and pens in the back for livestock on their way to Baltimore markets. Today the picturesque town contains specialty and antique shops, bricked sidewalks, numerous restaurants, and bed & breakfast inns. New Market is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
13:18 - 7.8 Meilen / 15 Minuten - 13:34
The Barbara Fritchie House preserves the personal effects and memory of Barbara Fritchie, the 95-year-old Civil-War-era patriot and star of John Greenleaf Whittier's poem about Stonewall Jackson's march through Frederick, Maryland.
13:34 - 1.8 Meilen / 3 Minuten - 13:37
South Mountain is rich in both history and landscape. U.S. 40 climbs the mountain through Turner's Gap, passing several early farmsteads. Near this gap, important Civil War actions occurred days before the Battle of Antietam in 1862. On top of South Mountain, the historic South Mountain Inn still greets hungry travelers. Across the road is the historic Dahlgren Chapel (private). Washington Monument State Park, located 0.3 miles to the north, boasts the nation's first monument to George Washington, erected by the citizens of Boonsboro in 1827. The park also provides a magnificent scenic overlook just minutes from U.S. 40. Recreation features include picnic shelters and playing fields, as well as excellent bird watching opportunities for the wildlife enthusiast.
13:37 - 34.4 Meilen / eine Stunde 8 Minuten - 14:46
In between the hamlet of Wilson and the town of Clear Spring, many farmsteads dating from the mid-19th and early 20ths century are visible from the Byway. Their plowed fields and rolling pastureland create an especially scenic series of views for the traveler. Several historic farmsteads dating from the mid to late 1800's can be seen from the road. The architecture enthusiast will notice interesting barn designs that reveal the vernacular building traditions of the immigrants and their descendants who settled in this region.
15:46 - 22.3 Meilen / 44 Minuten - 16:31
Western Maryland Station Center
The Western Maryland Station Center, home of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, C&O Canal National Park Visitor's Center, and the Allegany County Visitor's Information Center, provides ample parking and information about Cumberland. From the depot, you can ride the Scenic Western Maryland Railroad aboard a train pulled by a 1916 Baldwin Steam Locomotive. The train climbs 1,300-feet through the mountains from Cumberland to Frostburg. The C&O Canal National Park Visitor Center and C&O Canal Place provide information on canal life in the Cumberland area and celebrate the city's unique transportation heritage.
16:51 - 36.4 Meilen / eine Stunde 12 Minuten - 18:03
The only remaining toll house in Maryland along the Historic National Road Scenic Byway is located in LaVale. The Toll House, restored and open to the public, sports an original sign listing the prices charged for heads of cattle, hogs, and the like, commonly driven to market along the Pike. Allegany County has recently installed a park with covered pavilions and restrooms at the site, and parking is available. The old toll gates can be viewed, as well as a remnant section of the National Road. The LaVale Toll House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
18:18 - 3.7 Meilen / 7 Minuten - 18:26
Tomlinson's Inn at Little Meadows
Built in 1816 at Little Meadows by a veteran of the Revolutionary War, Jesse Tomlinson's inn catered to travelers along the new National Road, and hosted Presidents-elect James K. Polk and William Henry Harrison. Now a private residence, the striking stone house is located at Little Meadows. As a state marker indicates, the scenic meadows were the site of General Braddock's 4th camp on his march to Fort Duquesne in western Pennsylvania, July 15, 1755.
18:41 - 33.6 Meilen / eine Stunde 7 Minuten - 19:48