Note that I visited the Washington Street Library, there are a couple others including another one…read morein Cumberland as well as in Frostburg. This review is specifically for the one on Washington Street across from the court. This was a great little library. Centrally located with easy parking and in a very cute part of town. Staff was relatively helpful. I had some issues reserving a room, but the librarian on duty was very accommodating when the system wasn't quite working right. The wifi works well and there are a number of cozy places to sit and read or do work. While there was only one conference room you could realistically have a call or meeting in, there is also a nice study corner (pictured with the glass) that was a very productive place for me to work. All in all the library is well laid out, with a separate children's section away from the more quiet study and work areas. Note that the study/conference room is right next to the children's area. But the door is relatively insulated and the fact that children might be noisy nearby makes one less likely to feel bad about having an animated phone call or meeting.

Congratulations to the Allegany County Library System - celebrating 50 years. They are a great…read moreresource for geneology. Always have different programs for all ages. A great resource to our community.

I stopped by the Allegany County Courthouse in mid-June 2025 during a walk up the hill from…read moreBasecamp Coffee on Greene St. This is a pretty building with a historic memorial to Fort Cumberland and George Washington's stay at this location. The courthouse was completed in 1893 in the Richardson Romanesque style (brick and stone). George Washington stopped at this location (Fort Cumberland) many times. Once was an expedition led by General Braddock to contest the French presence at Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburgh). A second stop occurred before the expedition leading to the 1754 battle at Fort Necessity (on US-40) which sparked the French-Indian War. And finally, General Washington stopped here before marching federal troops to quell the Whiskey Rebellion. In front of the courthouse, there's a lovely memorial and statue of George Washington. This historic district of Washington Street has lovely houses from the 1800s. It's well worth a 30-minute walk up the hill if you're in town for a pit stop at Basecamp Coffee on Greene St.

Has the best customer service of all the libraries in the area. They help you with the computers,…read morewill help you find a book if you don't feel like looking for something and will get you anything you need from down state if they don't have it in stock. Also, the new remodel makes the place super inviting and comfortable if you have the time to hang out and read. Its super cool.

Welcome to West Virginia. Wild and Wonderful…read more Yes, there is a wide spot on the road where you can stop here to get a picture of the sign. The trucks whizzing past were quite scary. I wouldn't recommend it but hey, I'm insane. [Review 19596 overall - 70 in West Virginia - 567 of 2023.]

Scenic views, beautiful drive into this state. Nice overlook at the rest area. There's a dog walk…read morearea with poo bags.

A great place to stop and do some unique shopping. This little village off I68 and 219 has lots to…read morelook out. The restaurant has some wholesome food and also a gift shop. They have done quite a few improvements since a few years ago a big storm knocked down alit of trees. The Savage river runs right next to it. Unfortunately right now 6/25, you cannot go on the stone bridge over the river due to repairs. Just down the road is Candy-land that has a nice assortment of loose candy that you can mix and match. This is a definite rest stop if you are traveling I68.

A very cool place with a lot to offer…read more Funny thing is, I used to travel back and forth to Baltimore and DC for years for work and I would always pass by this place and I'd think, I wonder if that Penn Alps Restaurant is any good? I even had several of my customers who had businesses right up the road from this place who'd praise their food, but I have never once ate it. Hopefully one day :) Then not long ago me and a good friend of mine went on a little hiking adventure in the surrounding area with her kids and we decided to stop by here to look around and check things out. I was pleasantly surprised at all of the stuff they have here and the history tied to it all. It's such a cute little Swiss village and honestly has a decent amount of stuff to offer and learn about. Plus, there is a newer building behind all of this that looked to me like it was a super cool cafe at one time, but it was closed when I was there. It did have a sign on the door that said it would be reopening soon. The Cornucopia Cafe, which I hope to try soon as well. There is a lot to do and see here. Take your time and look around, buy some local merchandise, learn some history, and eat some good food. If you're on 68 heading East or West take a little break here to check it out and learn about a time period in which George Washington was a part of. Enjoy :)

This is a visitors center for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and it has a great location and…read moreexhibit space. It was really neat to see that it has a mini replica of the nearby Paw Paw Tunnel to access interactive exhibits and a section of a canal boat. The towpath is located nearby and we enjoyed taking a stroll on the gorgeous day to enjoy the area. To access the actual Paw Paw Tunnel, which is an amazing feat of engineering, we drove out to the Paw Paw Tunnel Campground and walked out and back from there.

Excellent educational exhibit of the history of the region and life on the canal. Call ahead as…read morethe current regime has cut funding for staffing.

History is worth looking at. This is an interesting spot if you're a Washington fan. Get to know…read morehis early days.

Borrowed from the below site:…read more www.mdmountainside.com/listing/george-washingtons-headquarters/2042/#:~:text=The%20Headquarters%20of%20George%20Washington,the%20United%20States%20of%20America. "The Headquarters of George Washington is a historic site, located at 38 Greene Street, in the historic downtown district of Cumberland, Maryland. 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. The cabin was originally built by General Edward Braddock's men, between 1755 and 1758, for then Colonel George Washington's use during his service in the French and Indian War. He later returned and used it briefly during 1794, then as the Commander in Chief, in order to review the troops gathered to put down the Whiskey Rebellion. This site is notable, as it signifies Washington's first military command. The original site lies on a hill that overlooks Wills Creek and the Potomac River. It was once the location of Fort Cumberland (Maryland) and today, The Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Cumberland, Maryland). The headquarters was part of Fort Cumberland during the French and Indian War, and it is the only building to survive from the original Fort. Though closed to the public, the cabin has windows visitors can peer into and see historical displays and artifacts of what the cabin may have looked like including a bed, desk, and fireplace as well as a life-size wax replica of Washington." If you come here, parking in the area is somewhat tight. During our visit, Greene and Baltimore Streets were under a lot of construction so we parked two blocks away for a buck in a pay lot near Basecamp Coffee. If you're so inclined, you could also park on the other side of the creek at the visitor center and walk over the bridge to get here. We came, read the placards, took a few pictures, walked a short distance to read a few more of the placards that go under 68 but then saw a few loud locals (i.e. homeless-hobo-vagrant) and thought better of going any further. With that said, this is by no means a stop that you're going out of your way for. At best, this is a few minutes passing curiosity just to say that you saw it. If you want something more substantive about Washington's time in the general area as a British officer, the NPS site Fort Necessity is the place. Tons of stuff there that George did including surrendering to the French. www.nps.gov/fone/index.htm

Serendipitous - an adjective that describes accidentally being in the right place at the right…read moretime, like bumping into a good friend in some unusual location, or finding a hundred dollar bill on the ground [vocabulary.com] I've had people give me awesome compliments on yelp about the adventures I take my family on, but I should probably admit that my family doesn't always want to go. Rarely do they even get out of the car when I stop to see covered bridges and I think I maxed them out on this particular road trip because we saw about 15 on our 3 week adventure to Canada. Honestly I don't blame them, but sometimes my determination gets in the way of my common sense. A STORY OF A SERENDIPITOUS ENCOUNTER Take our drive to Packsaddle Bridge for example. Our navigation led us down Pine Valley Road from our comfortable drive on Interstate 70. There were lots of twists, turns and near death experiences to get to Pack Saddle Road and to be honest, Pine Valley isn't a road at all by city slicker standards. It was a mud & gravel pit of the worst uneven surface you would ever expect to find anything other than a SUV trying to cross. I bottomed the car out a few times! My wife gave me the stank-eye nearly the entire time we drove along this road as we were shaken around like we were inside a Mexican piñata. But I kept my focus straight ahead to avoid any eye contact (and of course to watch for any dip in the road that might get us stuck). What was worse is we lost our cell phone signal and were truly on our own on what had to be the back-woodiest road you may possibly find in all of the United States. If I blew a tire or hit a mud pit too deep I was gonna be in some serious stank eye trouble. So it was like an angelic choir began to sing when we finally made it back on pavement @ Pack Saddle Road. Within a few hundred yards the bridge came into view and I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that asking my wife and kids to get out and see it was gonna result in my decapitation. To be honest, I wasn't entirely confident they might not drive off and leave me there, so I took the keys with me! Hahaha There was an elderly gentleman parked in the tiny parking area near the bridge when I got out to explore and we exchanged hellos. I went about my usual business taking pics and writing notes about what I saw before heading back to my family. As I approached our vehicle, the elder gentleman struck up a conversation with me and told me all about the bridge and how he has been coming here since he was a tyke. He shared with me a beautiful picture he took several decades ago when the bridge was covered in snow. He asked if I was a bridge lover and I said "AM I EVER! So much so that I think I've gotten my family lost and upset with me for going so far off road to find this place." Well, to my surprise, the elderly gentleman handed me the picture and told me he wanted me to have it. He then asked me where was I trying to go and started his truck. After telling him our next destination, he turned his truck around and drove us far enough in the right direction that we would not get lost. Along the way he stopped and showed us a rehabilitation center for elephants, but unfortunately there were no elephants roaming where we could see them. How awesome would that have been! I goggled the place when I got home and found this article: http://www.post-gazette.com/life/lifestyle/2009/07/28/African-elephants-make-themselves-at-home-in-Somerset-County/stories/200907280205 After a few miles he pulled off to the side of the road. A honk of his horn and a wave of his hand informed us we were heading in the right direction and soon after our cell phone signal returned. How good was our fortune that he just happened to be at this bridge when we arrived! BRIDGE FACTS Year Built - 1870, rehabilitated in 1998 (after flood damage in 1996) Builder - Unknown Total length: 48 ft. AKA - Doc Miler Bridge Truss: Multiple Kingpost Crosses: Brush Creek in Fairhope Township Vehicular traffic: Yes Features: Small waterfall, an old outpost building and parking FINAL THOUGHTS To borrow from Forest Gump - Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get! My family was so excited about the elephant farm that they forgave me for nearly getting us lost and stuck in the middle of nowhere. Truly we had angels looking out for us on this day and I am grateful. Life indeed is a glorious adventure if you'll just drive!