The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-10-01
FROM BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, TO WHEELING, WEST
VIRGINIA, ALONG The HISTORIC NATIONAL HIGHWAY

| IolIl, IAoG passing IuIOuSh NIdhIS-
vile, founded by one Daniel Grant.
Although the population is less than
a thousand, it had three hotels in
stagecoach days and at least one of
them is still doing business.
Negro Mountain, the highest ridge
between Baltimore and Wheeling, is
said to have received its name from
the fact that Negro was killed on
this mountain in fight with an In
dian.
You will notice that cars coming
down the mountain proceed almost
as slowly as those going up. There's
reason. On the top of each noun
tain there's a sign telling the driver
to go in second gear. And usually
about half way down the mountain
there's sign which tells him to "Stay
in Second Gear"
Of course, there's no law compelling
you to obey these suggestions, and
probably you could get somebody to
help you pick up the pieces.
The next mountain, Keyser's Ridge,
is the last one in Maryland on the pike
but when we got to tn etop of it we
decided that we would run along the
ridge for a few miles before crossing
into Pennsylvania, and accordingly
followed a road that was marked
for Accident, Oakland, Mountain Lake
Park, Deer Park and McHenry, all of
which are mountain summer resorts.
There's plenty of mountain scenery in
every direction.
Returning to the pike and continu-
ing on your way you are almost i'm
mediately in Somerset county, Penn
sylvania. You have to watch closely
along the road or you will fail to see
the marker at the state line, which is
also the Mason and Dixon line.
Just little way beyond-a fraction
of a mile-is the tablet set into a
stone along the road telling the pas
serby that here Braddock's Trail
crosses the highway. But the chances
are that by this time you are quite
fed up on Mr.. Braddock. After all,
why make so much fuss about an ar
rogant British general who penetrated
all the way into the wilds Of North
America with some of the best troops
of England in order to get properly
beaten up by handful of French and
Indians?
So let's continue up Winding Ridge.
think you will find on the top of this
ridge a Dew Drop Inn. There are
about At of them between Baltimore
and Wheeling, and by the time you
have seen that name that many times
the only thing you feel like dropping
is a bomb. Still, 1 suppose the name
is as good as Ducum Inn or Okum
Inn or Comrite Inn or Always Inn.
Two miles beyond the state line you
will find toll house-a different kind
of toll house from those you have
seen in Maryland, for it has six sides
Of course, no toll is collected now, al
though it is still the property of the
State of Pennsylvania. You'll proba-
, bly, want to stop long enough to read
the charges that were made for cattle
and vehicles passing along the road
The little town just beyond the toll
house is Addison. If you have been
examining the mile posts (short iron
markers at every mile along the road)
you have probably noticed that some
of them mentioned that the distance
was so many miles to Petersburgh
When those markers were put in place
} Addison was Petersburgh.
Somerfield is three miles the other
side of Addison. Here you cross the
Youghiogheny Il dare you to pro-
nounce it) on stone bridge, near
. which is stone building which was
|, the Endsley House long ago and
which is still a hotel. The stream
was known to those who stopped there
as "Big Crossings" and the town was
, called Smithfield. Perhaps in chang
ing the name the good people felt
that there were too many Smiths
There's a tablet on the bridge to the
effect that George Washington crossed
the stream here with his little army
on his expedition against the French
in 1854. Both bridge and hotel were
built in 1918.
After crossing the bridge beyond the
. stream (there's always a ridge be-
) yond the stream) you drop down tc
, what was known in other days (and
! still may beg as Jockey Hollow. There
} is a long, level stretch, with pleas
|, ant meadows on both sides, over which
! boys and young men used to race
: their horses. Thomasdale is next to
it, but 1 saw nothing interesting there
, except an abandoned mill. Then up to
: Humbertson and the Humbertsor
Hotel, which sign tells you was built