The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-08-19

This historic locality is the site of
Jesse Tomlinson's "Stone House Inn"
three miles east of Grantsville, on the
old National Pike, now known as the
Old Trails Highway, U. S. 40.
No other place in Garrett county
can claim so much of early historic
interest; in fact it is still a question
whether Little Meadows on the Brad
dock Road, settled by Joseph Tomlin-
son, or Friendsville on the Youghio-
gheny, home of the pioneer Friends, is
the site of the first settlement in our
county.
Little Meadows was treeless noun
tain glade in the valley between Mea-
dow Mountain and Chestnut Ridge,
drained by the Meadow Branch, which
flows north into Meadow Run in Penn
sylvania.
An open glade in dense forest, with
an excellent spring, conveniently To-
Gated on an old Indian trail leading
from the Potomac to the Ohio, the
Little Meadows was favorite stop
ping place for Indians, for traders
and settlers travelling from east lowest
or vice versa. Not the least Of its at
fractions was the abundant glade
grass which provided forage for the
pack horses-food for domestic ami
mails being difficult to secure in the
forested mountains before farms were
cleared.
Gist's Journal of 1851
The first account we have of Little
Meadows is from Christopher Gist's
Journal of 1851. In that year the Ohio
Company sent Gist from its new store
house on the Potomac opposite Wills
Creek to find "the nearest and most
convenient road" to a landing on the
Monongahela River.
On November 4th Gist and his COM
panions set out from Wills Creek with
pack horses over the old Indian trail
which he notes "is now very full OF
old Trees and Stones" On November
9Th the party camped for several
days at Little Meadows. He wrote:
owe hunted all the ground for 10 m.
or more and killed several Deer &
Bears, and one large Elk. The Bot
toms upon the Branches are but mar
row with some Indian Fields" No
vember to 19-"We were employed in
searching the Lands and discovering
the Branches, Greeks, &C."
Thus, in 1851, was the Little Mead
ows (now Grantsville) neighborhood
first explored by white men. Gist does
not give the names or number of his
companions or mention Indian guides
but he probably had two or more In.
dams in his party. At least they had
meat for a large party.
On November 20 and 81 they trav-
eled northwest, cutting through some
great loarel thickets". to Turkeyfoot
Confluence, Pa.), where they found 9
small hunting town Of the Delewares'
from whom Gist bought some corn.
NemacoIin's Trail Thru Little
Meadows
In 1850 the Ohio Company employed
Colonel Thomas Cresap to open up q
pack horse trail from the store house
at the mouth of Wills Creek to the
Monongahela River. Cresap secured
the services of Nemacolin and othel
Indians as guides and laborers, hence
the name "Nemacolin's Trail" They
followed generally an older 1ndiar
trail, removing fallen trees, rocks ane
underground, so that loaded pacl
horses could pass readily.
Washington's Expedition of 1854
Colonel Washington led his expedi
ton against the French in 1854 ovel
this trail, widening and otherwise i'm
proving it somewhat. Washington''
troops camped at Little Meadows OF
their march west on May 9th ant
doubtless again camped here on July
7th or 9Th, on the return march after
surrendering on July Bird to the French
at the Great Meadows in Pennsylva
MIA.
Colonel Washington's Journal was
captured by the French. Part of it was
published in Paris, but the details Of