The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-06-23
WALKING TRIP OVER =
OLD BRADDOCK TRAIL In
HONOR OF WASHINGTON

versary of the Birth of George Wash
ington is the interest aroused turnout
the various parts of the State in the
places most intimately associated with
George Washington.
No part of Maryland can claim
greater portion of Washington's time
than Cumberland and the old Brad
dock Road from that point to Fort
Pitt (Pittsburgh), along which Wash
ington, for nearly ten years, spent the
greater part of his time during the
French and Indian War. His training
in overcoming difficulties, cold and
hunger, changed orders from head
quarters, and a thousand other trials
fitted him, as no other schooling could
have done, to successfully carry
through the Revolution ten years
later. No one else could ever have
done it.
Maryland can justly say that, while
Washington's Body may have been
born in Virginia, his Soul was born in
Western Maryland.
Between June 81 and July A, 1882,
a body of one hundred enthusiastic
men and women will start from Cum
berland, Maryland, on walking expe-
dition over the Washington raddock
road to Pittsburgh. This will be under
the charge of Professor John Kennedy
Lacock, of Boston, Massachusetts, a
close associate of Professor Albert
Bushnell Hart, the official historian of
the National Bi-Centennial Commits
sion, who will also accompany the ex-
petition part of the way. Mr.. ]. AL
exis Shriver, Chairman of the Mary
land Bi-Centennial Commission, will
also be one of the pilgrims on this
walking expedition through the State
of Maryland portion of the trip.
Already the Boy Scouts and other
groups are actively engaged in clear
ing the path the entire length from
Cumberland, Maryland, to Braddock
Pa, a distance of 120 miles, for the
old National Highway left Braddock's
Road at a number of points in order
to improve the grades over the Ale
ghany Mountains, and, while closely,
does not actually follow the alignment
of what was, first of all, "Nemecolin's
Indian Trail" blazed and trod by
George Washington under the guild
,ance of Nemecolin and Christopher
Gist Ia Marylander), on his first trip
in 1853 to the Ohio and Fort LeBouef.
Braddock's Road was cut out of the
forest, twelve feet wide, in 1775 by his
army, which progressed at the rate of
two miles per day, SO slow was the
work of cutting the path through the
primeval forest. Crossing some of the
ranges, the grades were so steep that
it was necessary to let down wagons
and guns with 'block and fall" man.
aged by seamen who accompanied
Braddock for the original purpose Of
navigating boats on the Potomac and
on the Ohio.
The party will be under the charge
of Phalanx Fraternity Alpha Chap
ter Henry Stimmel, secretary, Y.
M. C. A., Connellsville, Pennsylvania,
and they have arranged for walk of
an average of not more than ten miles
per day. The trip will cross over six
ranges of the Alleghaney Mountains.
A physician and nurse will be included
in the party and sleeping accommoda-
tons will be arranged at the end of
each days trip, to which point the
baggage will be brought forward by
automobile from the last nights stop.
The first stop after Cumberland will
be Frostburg, Maryland; the second
will be at Grantsville, Maryland; and
the third days trip will be from
Grantsville to Somerfeld, Pa. The
next will be to Fort Necessity, where
Washington met his first defeat. Fort
Necessity has been rebuilt by the
State of Pennsylvania and the United
States Government, and will be open
ed with great ceremony on the 18th of
July.
The Maryland Commission for the
Celebration of the Two Hundredth
Anniversary of the Birth of George
Washington is arranging not only to
mark the road with it's standard
markers, GEORGE WASHINGTON
TRAVELLED THIS ROAD" but also
will cooperate in having marked
Spindloe's Camp, the first camp be-
yond Cumberland; Martins Planta-
ton, the second camp beyond Cum
berland; the "Shades of DEATH" the
Small Meadows camp, the fourth be-
yond Cumberland; the fifth camp near
the Little Crossings of the Casselman
River near Grantsville, Maryland, and
the sixth camp at Oakton, on the
Maryland and Pennsylvania line.
The D. A. R., The Society of Colon
ial Wars and others are taking an i'm
mense interest in this work and it
promises to be as unique an expedition