Evening star., 1936-09-06

Wide Variety of Diversions
Offered Travellers in
Maryland Country.
Many Points of Historic
Interest in Region-AIter-
nate Routes Suggested.
BvJameS Nevin Miller.

Dp pJUWeS NeUIU MHteT.
~ ROBABLY no week end motor |
trip, consuming less than four
hours driving time. offers
L more variety of diversions
these early September days than the
134-mile stretch over Route 40 to
Cumberland. The metropolis of Mary
lands mountain region is situated on
a natural amphitheater, is surround
ed by lofty peaks of the Alleghenies
and offers some truly wonderful views
of turbulent gorges and dense timber
land.
En- route, the Washington motor
Isl may tarry while in Hagerstown,
third city IN size in the State, and
visit some of the famous Civil War
battlefields in the vicinity, notably
Antietam National Military Park at
Sharpsburg, 10 miles south.
More ambitious travellers, with two
or more days to spare, can remain
longer on the broad highway and en-
Joy journey Of not quite 200 miles,
one way, that permits brief sojourn
at Fort Necessity National Battlefield
site, near Uniontown, Pa. Near here
was the battle of Great Meadows, in
which George Washington and a
small company of Virginians fought a
force of French and Indians on July
8, 1757. This was the first conflict
in which the immortal Washington
served as commander prior to becom-
ing commander in chief Of the Revo-
lutionary force. 1t was also the only
battle in which the Father Of His
Country was forced to surrender. An
exact duplicate of his rough stockade
has been built and museum con-
tains relics of Washingtons time.
There is no admission fee and the
countless points Of historical interest
will kindle the visitors imagination.
TODAY, therefore, whether or not
you decide upon taking the ap-
proximately four-hour drive to Cum
berland or the six to seven hour motor
trip to Uniontown, why not head for
somewhere along Route 40 in the
Alleghenies? Roads are in grand
shape, there is not a single congested
area to traverse and you will have no
trouble at all finding your way about
if you clip the map on this page. espe-
cially prepared for The Sunday Star
by the American Automobile Associa-
ton.
First of all, take Route 240 through
Bethesda and Rockville and follow
1t to Frederick. There you will con-
meet with Route 40, which will lead
to all the other major points Of at
I traction, except for several which will
be mentioned later.
For your convenience, mileages be-
tween the main visiting places are as
follows: Washington to Frederick, 43
miles: Frederick to Hagerstown, 26;
Hagerstown to Cumberland, "a; Cum
berland to Keysers Ridge, 81; Keysers
Ridge to Fort Necessity, 20: Fort Ne
cessity to Uniontown. IL; total dis
tance to Uniontown, 1856 miles.
You really should spend at least an
hour looking around Hagerstown. The
county seat of Washington County
is located in the wide and fertile Ha-
|
South Mountains and is the trade
center for a great fruit and limestone
belt.
Hagerstown was settled about 1740
and laid out in 1852 by Jonothan
Hager, for whom the town was named.
AS mentioned earlier. the famous
Antietam Battlefield National Military
Park is situated at Sharpsburg, 10
miles south. Fort Frederick State For
est. about is miles west, is an excel
Iently preserved pre-Revolutionary
fort.
Be sure to visit Zion Reformed
| Church, built in 1774, in the church.
yard of which are the graves Of Jono-
than Hager, founder of the city, and
John Gruber, first editor Of the Hagers-
town Almanac.
Another interesting place Is Wash
ington County Museum Of Fine Arts
in City Park 1t contains magnificent
collections of sculpture and paintings.
including 10 ancient Tibetan pictures.
Admission is free. Visiting hours are.
weekdays, 10 am. to pm, and, Sun
days, to pm.
THEN there's Rose Hill Cemetery,
containing the monument to
Thomas Kennedy. who in 1918 intro
duced into the Maryland Legislature
a bill to secure for Jews the right to
hold public Office in the State.
Drive leisurely through Cumberland,
county seat of Allegany County. on the
Potomac River. The city affords some
wonderful views, an outstanding one
being from the top of Town Hall.
Looking northeast is the beautiful
Cumberland Valley and Bell Grove
State Forest, near Piney Grove.
Lovers Leap. a scenic point high
above Route 40 and the Cumberland
Narrows, offers magnificent PAN
oramic sweep Of the gorge. Legend
has it that young Indian, son of the
chieftain viii, threw himself to death
from this rocky ledge because of his
hopeless love for a pretty Redskin
maiden.
| 4WO WSA-kIlOWH UOOIcS VI WdtcI dIC
Lakes Gordon and Koon, 10 miles
southeast of the city, in valley be-
tween Evitts Mountain and Wills
Mountain. The source Of the city's
water supply was formed by damming
Evitts Greek. The lakes cover about
$50 acres, with an irregular shore line.
There was trading post at Cumber-
land, originally called Wills Greek, as
early as 1728. About 1750. at the out
break of the French and Indian War.
Fort Cumberland was built. In 1755
it was selected as the base Of opera
tions for Gen. Braddock, and WASH
ington was named as one OF his aides
de camp.
Located on the eastern edge of the
Georges Greek coal region, Cumber-
land is the shipping point for vast
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