Cumberland, MD Summary

Cumberland is the largest town in western Maryland, with a population of nearly 24,000. It is set amid the Allegheny Mountains, 21⁄2 hours’ drive from Baltimore and Washington DC. It occupies a spot on the Potomac River where it makes a large northward loop reaching to within 6 miles of the border with Pennsylvania.

Cumberland’s architectural gems include the 1820 Cowden House, a Georgian-style B&B. The Dent House (1890), a Queen Anne style B&B, is named for George Dent, the surveyor of Cumberland. Together the houses are known as the Inn at Walnut Bottom and are located on historic Greene Street.

Cumberland was Maryland’s first Heritage Area and one of the state’s first “Main Street” communities. History House has a museum with antiques. The Emmanuel Episcopal Church is located on the site of the former Fort Cumberland, established as a western outpost by British General Edward Braddock in 1755. By prior arrangement it is possible to tour the catacombs beneath this Gothic Revival church.

Cumberland’s must-see attraction is the 184-mile long Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, opened in 1850 and operated until 1924 as a transportation route hauling coal from western Maryland to Georgetown in the District of Columbia. Original structures include locks, lockhouses, and aqueducts, as well as the impressive 3,118-foot, brick-lined Paw Paw Tunnel. The canal’s towpath provides a near-level trail through spectacular natural scenery and is perfect for hiking and biking. The National Park Service has a visitor center at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Terminus in Canal Street.

Cumberland is located off I-68 and is also served by the Cumberland Municipal Airport.