Learn the History of Western Maryland

The Allegany Museum contains diverse collections about the culture of Western Maryland and Greater Appalachia and is well-worth a stop.  One exhibit covers George Washington’s work in the region as a surveyor, his exploits from the French and Indian War period, and his efforts as president to quell the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.  The evolution of American transportation between 1750 and 1900 via roads, canals, and trains and the role they played in encouraging westward colonization is another primary theme, and exhibits covering Nemacolin’s Path and the eventual National Road are highlights.  This collection is augmented by the Thrasher Carriage Museum — complete with a restored 1825 Conestoga wagon — housed in the former railroad depot in Frostburg.  Other exhibits show off the region’s prominence in glassmaking, rubber, brewing, and coal mining.  

The main museum is housed in Cumberland’s grand wood-paneled federal courthouse, and renovations are underway to transform the building’s first floor, a former post office, into exhibit space.

Visitor Information

The Allegany Museum opens for the 2023 season on April 12, and receives visitors on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 11:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and Sundays 1:00 to 5:00 pm.  Metered parking is available nearby.