Frostburg, Maryland
Encyclopedia
- For the NSA computer, see FROSTBURGFROSTBURGFROSTBURG was a Connection Machine 5 supercomputer used by the US National Security Agency to perform higher-level mathematical calculations. The CM-5 was built by the Thinking Machines Corporation, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at a cost of US$25 million. The system was installed at NSA in...
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Frostburg is a city in Allegany County
Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
located at the head of the Georges Creek Valley
Georges Creek Valley
Georges Creek Valley is located in Allegany County, Maryland along the George's Creek. The valley is rich in wide veins of coal, known historically as the "The Big Vein." Coal was once extracted by deep mines but is only mined today through surface mining...
. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,873 at the 2000 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
. Located eight miles (13 km) west of Cumberland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
, the town is one of the first cities on the "National Road
National Road
The National Road or Cumberland Road was the first major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. Construction began heading west in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River. It crossed the Allegheny Mountains and southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching...
", US 40, and the western terminus of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad based in Cumberland, Maryland. It operates over ex-Western Maryland Railway trackage to Frostburg, Maryland and back using both steam and diesel locomotives....
. Since 1991, the city has been served by Interstate 68
Interstate 68
Interstate 68 is a Interstate highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting in Morgantown to in Hancock. is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. From 1965 until the freeway's construction was completed in 1991, it was designated as...
.
The City of Frostburg has an approximate year-round population of 8,075. In addition, 5,400 students attend Frostburg State University
Frostburg State University
Frostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:...
, a public university within the University System of Maryland
University System of Maryland
The University System of Maryland is a public corporation and charter school system comprising 12 Maryland institutions of higher education. It is the 12th-largest university system in the United States, with over 125,000 undergraduate, 43,000 graduate and roughly 13,000 combined full-time and...
.
There have been several annexations in the City of Frostburg during 2009, and it is the only area of Allegany County which has shown growth within the last five years.
Frostburg was originally called Mount Pleasant until 1820, when the government developed a postal service, and the town was renamed Frostburg.
Geography
Frostburg is located at 39.654687°N 78.927773°W (39.654687, -78.927773).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8 km²), all of it land.
Frostburg is located in the Allegheny Mountains
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
on the eastern slope of Big Savage Mountain. The closest cities to Frostburg are Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
, 8 miles (12.9 km) to the east, and Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
, 62 miles (99.8 km) to the west.
19th century
Frostburg had its beginnings back in 1811 when surveying began for the National Pike, a road used to transport crops and raw materials to East Coast markets. President Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
had authorized construction of the road in 1806. Meshach Frost built the first house in present-day Frostburg in 1812 and named it Highland Hall. This building was a popular stopping point for celebrities and dignitaries who traveled the National Pike. This would be followed by the Franklin Hotel and other hotels.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(B&O) and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal, and occasionally referred to as the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1831 until 1924 parallel to the Potomac River in Maryland from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, D.C. The total length of the canal is about . The elevation change of...
reached Cumberland in 1842 and 1850, respectively. Consequently, travel on the National Pike saw a steady decline, although travel through Frostburg did not. Coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
was the first major economic draw, but the industry faced problems in its early manifestation. The mountains of western Maryland and Frostburg proved to make transportation of coal very difficult. Not until the completion of the railroads did the coal industry in Frostburg began to flourish. The first major coal producer was Meshech Frost, who owned a significant amount of land for mining and founded the Frostburg Coal Company. This eventually was sold to the much larger Consolidated Coal Company.
Structures from the coal industry's dominant period still remain. One of the major freight depots for coal is located at 19 Depot St. in Frostburg and is one the few remaining depots in western Maryland. The Mount Savage Railroad
Mount Savage Railroad
The Mount Savage Railroad was a railroad operated by the Mount Savage Coal and Iron Company of Mount Savage, Maryland between 1845 and 1854. The 14.9 miles rail line ran from Frostburg to Cumberland, Maryland.-History:...
was the first to build a rail line to Frostburg in 1852, and it connected to the B&O Railroad in Cumberland, as well as the C&O Canal. The Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad
Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad
The Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad was an American railroad which operated in Western Maryland. Primarily a coal hauler, it was owned by the Consolidation Coal Company, and was absorbed into the Western Maryland Railway in 1944....
(C&P) took over the Mount Savage line in 1854, and expanded with the construction of a tunnel under Frostburg, and a rail line southward to Piedmont, West Virginia
Piedmont, West Virginia
Piedmont is a town in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the 'Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 1,014 at the 2000 census. Piedmont was chartered in 1856...
. This railroad and tunnel were used to transport coal between Frostburg and George's Creek. Another major economic turn for Frostburg was the manufacture of fire brick
Fire brick
A fire brick, firebrick, or refractory brick is a block of refractory ceramic material used in lining furnaces, kilns, fireboxes, and fireplaces. A refractory brick is built primarily to withstand high temperature, but will also usually have a low thermal conductivity for greater energy efficiency...
beginning in 1864, utilizing the high-grade fire clays which are found in the area. One of the main businesses that formed was the Big Savage Fire Brick Company, still one of the main suppliers of fire bricks on the East Coast.
President Truman's visit
After his presidency, Harry Truman was of surprisingly meager economic status. He did, however, receive a ChryslerChrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
automobile as a gift, and decided that he and his wife would use it to its maximum potential. On Father's Day in 1953, his travels took him to Frostburg, and the town rolled out the red carpet. In an attempt not to come across as being too good for people, the Trumans were very kind, signed autographs, and talked with people who recognized them. Harry Truman even went so far as to visit a bedridden elderly woman who had broken her hip. The Trumans also visited the Princess Restaurant. This is the only family-owned business from the time period that still exists, and it attracts customers with its Truman photographs and the Truman booth, where the Trumans dined.
History of Frostburg State University
In 1898 the Maryland General Assembly authorized State Normal School #2 and a $20,000 appropriation to construct a building, though no money to buy land. The money for the land was collected among local citizens, many of them coal miners and their families.Two years later Old Main, the first building in the school's history, opened. Two years after that, the first classes were held. The only available course of study at that point was a two-year elementary-education program. In 1904, the first class graduated.
In 1934, State Normal School #2 introduced its first four-year program. Nearly 30 years later (1963), the school finally was renamed Frostburg State College. In the next ten years more programs sprouted, including the university’s first graduate program (Master's of Science in Management).
In 1988, Frostburg State College joined the Maryland state university system and was renamed Frostburg State University
Frostburg State University
Frostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:...
. FSU celebrated its centennial in 1998 and is now 111 years old.
Fires
- August 1996. An accidental fire destroyed three buildings on East Main Street while serving a devastating blow to seven businesses.
- February 1, 2004. A fire at 16-24 East Main Street, the Lyric Building, began when radiant heat from a coal-fired boiler ignited. Damaged were Gandalf’s Restaurant and Bar and a clothing store. A D.C. developer, Michael Joy, bought the Lyric in June 2007. Nearly $2 million from a private donor was invested in a restoration of the building. The space is now home to several Frostburg State University operations, including the Off-Campus Book Store, the Center for Creative Writing, and the FSU Foundation.
- May 21, 2005. A fire destroyed the Mary Carol Shop on 19 East Main Street. The fire was ruled arson.
- May 26, 2009. A fire destroyed Gianni’s Pizza Shop at 1 West Main Street and damaged Crestmont Gentlemen’s Apparel. The fire caused an estimated $300,000 in damages.
National Register Sites
The Hocking HouseHocking House
Hocking House is a historic home in Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland, United States. It is a -story, three-bay, hip-roofed dwelling, built about 1855 in the transitional Greek Revival-Italianate architecture style. Local tradition suggests that it was one of three stations of the Underground...
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1982. The Frostburg Historic District
Frostburg Historic District
The Frostburg Historic District is a national historic district in Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland. It comprises 356 resources within the city of Frostburg, along U.S. Route 40, which forms the main axis of the district...
was listed in 1983 and the Borden Mines Superintendent's House
Borden Mines Superintendent's House
The Borden Mines Superintendent's House was built in 1850 in Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland. The Italianate style villa was built for Albert C. Green, first superintendent of the Borden Mining Company, one of the oldest mining companies in the United States...
in 1984.
Tornado
On June 2, 1998, an F4Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
struck Frostburg, damaging 125 homes and Frost Elementary School. This tornado refutes the myth that tornadoes do not occur in rough terrain.
Schools and universities
- Beall Elementary School, Grades K-5
- Frost Elementary School, Grades K-5
- Mount Savage School, Grades K-8, in Mount Savage, MarylandMount Savage, MarylandMount Savage is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. A small blue-collar community, Mount Savage lies at the base of Big Savage Mountain in the Allegheny Mountains, between the cities of Frostburg and Cumberland...
- Mountain Ridge High SchoolMountain Ridge High School (Frostburg, Maryland)Mountain Ridge High School is a high school in Frostburg, Maryland, that houses over 1000 students from the Georges Creek Valley, the Greater Frostburg vicinity, and the Westernport region...
, Grades 9-12 - St. Michael Early Childhood Center http://www.stmichaelschoolfrostburg.org/
- Frostburg State UniversityFrostburg State UniversityFrostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:...
General climate
Frostburg is located in the Allegheny MountainsAllegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
and has an average elevation of 2000 feet (609.6 m) above sea level. Because of the elevation and location near the Allegheny Front
Allegheny Front
The Allegheny Front is the major southeast- or east-facing escarpment in the Allegheny Mountains in southern Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern West Virginia, USA. The Allegheny Front delineates the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians to its east from the Appalachian Plateau to its west...
, about 2900+ feet, Frostburg has a colder, wetter climate than the rest of Allegany County
Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
. Average summer temperatures peak at only 79 °F (26.1 °C) in July. In December, January, and February, average monthly temperatures range from 32-37°F. Driving conditions on I-68 and US 40 can be very hazardous despite timely state and local road maintenance services. Frostburg averages over 100 inches (2.5 m) of snowfall a year, and significant amounts can fall as early as October and as late as May.
Blizzards and snowfall
Frostburg’s greatest one-month snowfall was 67 inches in January 1978. Frostburg is second in Maryland for the greatest single-season snowfall with a total of 180 inches in winter 1995-96.Demographics
At the 2000 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 7,873 people, 2,840 households and 1,252 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,576.5 per square mile (993.4/km2). There were 3,123 housing units at an average density of 1,022.0 per square mile (394.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.42% White, 6.40% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.98% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.22% of the population.
There were 2,840 households of which 18.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 55.9% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.85.
12.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 41.0% from 18 to 24, 17.2% from 25 to 44, 14.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was of 2007 was $25,485, and the median family income was $53,234. Males had a median income of $35,417 versus $26,094 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,437. About 6.1% of families and 28.6% of the population were below the poverty line in 2007, with 17.4% below 50% of the poverty level. The cost of living index in 2008 was 84.3.
The estimated house value in 2007 was $126,106. The median real estate property tax for housing units in 2000 was 1.1%.
Business and economy
Frostburg is home to numerous small businesses in addition to chains of larger companies. The town is particularly known for its variety of restaurants, from pizza shops to family establishments.Largest employers
| Number of Employees | Employer | Business Type |
|---|---|---|
| 930 | Frostburg State University Frostburg State University Frostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:... |
Higher education. |
| 592 | Affiliated Computer Services Affiliated Computer Services Affiliated Computer Services Inc. provides information technology services as well as business process outsourcing solutions to businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. ACS is based in Dallas, Texas and the current CEO is Lynn Blodgett. ACS is ranked at number 341 on the 2010... |
Provides business outsourcing and IT "services and solutions to commercial and government clients worldwide" |
| 525 | Infospherix | A communications company headquartered in Clarksburg, Maryland Clarksburg, Maryland Clarksburg is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Northern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, located along the Interstate 270 technology corridor about 4 miles north of Germantown, MD. As of Census 2010 its population is 13,766.... |
| 104 | Bill Miller Equipment Sales, Inc. | A heavy machine company based in nearby Eckhart, Maryland |
| 61 | Maryland Relay, a division of Hamilton Telecommunications | A telecommunications company for customers with hearing disabilities |
| 40 | Mt. Savage Firebrick | An industrial refractories company, "providing ceramics for high-grade high-temperature applications" |
Other major companies
- Coddington Lumber (20)
- Quest Industries, LLC (16) - provides containers for the beverage and personal care industries
- Kenney Signs, Inc. (18)- specializes in the design and manufacture of business signs
- Marshall Ruby and Sons (20) - a machine shop also offering welding services
Small business
Frostburg's small business interests are represented through SCORE Counselors to America's Small Business in nearby Cumberland, as well as through the Small Business Development Center at Frostburg State University. FrostburgFirst is the name of Frostburg's Maryland Main Street Community.Local art and culture
- Arion BandArion BandthumbThe Arion Band is one of the oldest community bands in the United States, based in Frostburg, Maryland. Established in 1877, the band has now been performing for 131 years. Its current director is Dr. Ronald Horner, professor of percussion at Frostburg State University, and its current...
is a community band based in Frostburg. Established in 1877, the band has now been performing for 129 years. The band gives five to ten performances in the Frostburg and Cumberland areas during the summer. During prohibition, the Arion band helped the speakeasy in the basement of the Hotel Gunter sneak in booze. While the band would play music on the balcony, liquor was smuggled into the back.
- The General Art Store is located on Main Street and has a variety of art supplies and offers custom framing.
Frostburg Museum and The Museum Gallery
Located at the corner of Hill and Oak Streets, the building in which the museum is housed was built in 1899 and was formerly the Hill Street School. The museum was established in 1976 and, with more than 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) of exhibit space, offers exhibits and artifacts from Frostburg and the surrounding area including the Arion Band, coal mining, genealogy, and the National Road. The Museum Gallery features a different artist's work every month.Mountain City Traditional Arts
Located at 25 East Main St., Mountain City Traditional Arts is dedicated to the education, sales, and documentation of regional Appalachian art. There is a constant display of local art of various mediums, some of which is available for purchase. Frequently offered are live performances, literary readings, and music. They also offer classes such as knitting, card-making and holiday music.Frostburg Arts and Entertainment District
In July 2009, a portion of downtown Frostburg that includes the Frostburg Museum and Frostburg State University was officially designated as the 18th Arts & Entertainment District of the state of Maryland, in recognition of the neighborhood's rich artistic history, its contemporary arts scene and its promise for the future. The district is administered by the Allegany Arts Council, which also administers the award-winning downtown Arts & Entertainment District in nearby Cumberland. Maryland is the first state to create art districts to help stimulate the economy.Frostburg Freeze Lacrosse Tournament
A new annual tournament hosted by the Frostburg Club Lacrosse team, which is in the National College Lacrosse League (NCLL). Frostburg Freeze tournament name says it all. The tournament takes place the first week in November and showcases some of the top teams in the NCLL. This is a new tradition that should be around for years to come.Frostburg Art Walks
Twice a year, Frostburg sponsors art walks through the arts and entertainment district. They occur in April and October. Visitors are invited for a self-guided tour through the district. Local businesses open their doors with special exhibits and demonstrations.Performing Arts Center
Located on the Frostburg State UniversityFrostburg State University
Frostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:...
campus, the Performing Arts Center (PAC) has regular programs held in one of their three theaters. The Cultural Events Series is open to students, faculty, and the general public. The students who are studying dance, music, theater and communication can excel in the Performing Arts Center because it has the basic essentials plus more needed for these majors. It has three main theaters: Pealer Recital Hall, Drama Theater and the Studio Theater. This building also has rehearsal spaces, music practice rooms and electronic labs, shops, offices, classrooms and facilities for the hearing impaired. The community and the campus audiences are welcome to a variety of concerts and many performances. Also many famous comedians and jazz artists that perform there as well.
Roper Gallery
Located in the Fine Arts building on Frostburg State UniversityFrostburg State University
Frostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:...
's campus, the Roper gallery hosts fine art exhibits from both senior year art students and traveling exhibits.
Libraries
Ort LibraryThe Ort Library, located on Frostburg State University
Frostburg State University
Frostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:...
's campus, was opened in 1975. The library offers an online catalog of all books and articles in the Maryland state school system. Those materials can be transferred to Frostburg for students and staff. Another service they offer, Ask a Librarian, allows you to ask a librarian's advice for a multitude of problems. Their website also houses Research Port, a database of databases of articles from journals, magazines, and print. The library also offers special collections, archives, subject guides, government document research guide, and genealogy resources. The library has five floors. There are a large number of computers available for use.
- The library has a regularly updated blog.
- Ort Library Blog
- Ort Library Website
Frostburg Public Library
Located at 65 Main St, the Frostburg Library offers members of the community 10000 square feet (929 m²) of books, a children's area, and new technology. They offer services such as children's, teen, and adult book sections, magazines, large print, paperbacks, audio books, music, DVDs, and video games. There are computers in the facility, and the staff offers classes on computer use. There is a meeting room in the library that can be rented.
Movie theaters
There are two movie theaters located in the Frostburg area. R/C Cinemas 1-2-3 is located in the Frostburg Shopping Center and offers current movies at a discounted price. They were not only the first building in the plaza, but they were the first movie theatre in the area to have 3-D capabilities. AMC Country Club Mall 6 is located in nearby LaVale inside the Country Club Mall. The Frostburg Palace Theatre, located on Main St., shows foreign and independent films.Planetarium
The Frostburg State UniversityFrostburg State University
Frostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:...
planetarium is located in Tawes Hall. The planetarium offers a different show every month, which are shown on Sundays at 4PM and 7PM.
Planetarium Website
Appalachian Festival
The Appalachian Festival occurs every year on the third weekend in September on Frostburg State UniversityFrostburg State University
Frostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:...
's upper quad. The festival highlights music, food, and crafts of the Appalachian region. Artisans from the area come and sell their wares in areas of woodworking, quilts, and glasswork. There are children's activities offered and educational opportunities. There are often live animals in a petting zoo format. There are tents that offer instruction in folk skills such as dancing, soap making, and basket making.Appalachian Festival
The Bottom Line
Frostburg State UniversityFrostburg State University
Frostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:...
publishes a student newspaper called The Bottom Line. It is published weekly, and it currently has a circulation of 2,500 copies. The paper covers news, local crime, lifestyle topics, sex, music and sports. Its BurgList feature (a Frostburg State University
Frostburg State University
Frostburg State University is a four-year university located on a campus in Frostburg, Maryland, in Western Maryland, and is part of the University System of Maryland. FSU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.-History:...
version of Craigslist
Craigslist
Craigslist is a centralized network of online communities featuring free online classified advertisements, with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums....
) allows students and members of the community to post advertisements for goods for sale, housing and local events.
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
The WMSRWestern Maryland Scenic Railroad
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad based in Cumberland, Maryland. It operates over ex-Western Maryland Railway trackage to Frostburg, Maryland and back using both steam and diesel locomotives....
runs a loop that begins/ends in Cumberland at Canal Place
Canal Place
Canal Place is a park owned by the State of Maryland and located in Cumberland, MD. The park includes the Western Maryland Railway Station, station plaza, a picnic area, a canal boat replica, a pedestrian bridge to George Washington’s Headquarters , picnic area, Shops at Canal Place, and the...
. The line stops in Frostburg
FROSTBURG
FROSTBURG was a Connection Machine 5 supercomputer used by the US National Security Agency to perform higher-level mathematical calculations. The CM-5 was built by the Thinking Machines Corporation, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at a cost of US$25 million. The system was installed at NSA in...
at the Frostburg Depot for ninety minutes so passengers may shop or eat lunch. Surrounding the depot are Linns Bar and Grill, The Trail Inn and Cafe, The Great Allegheny Passage Hiking/Biking Trail, and the Thrasher Carriage Museum. The standard train ride departs at 11:30AM from the Cumberland station and lasts approximately 3.5 hours. The railroad also offers caboose rentals and a variety of specialty trains such as a Murder Mystery train, a Christmas themed train, and a night-time Santa Express.
- Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Website
- Linns Bar and Grill
- Great Allegheny Passage
- Trail Inn and Cafe
Thrasher Carriage Museum
The museum gives visitors the chance to take a look back in time to the nineteenth century to see how the people in that century were transported. There are examples of the different types of vehicles there. For example, there are funeral wagons, carts, pleasure vehicles, carts a milkman would have used and a lot more. There are docents who dress up in the Victorian American clothing from that time. It gives the visitors the feeling that they are going back in time. This museum really gives visitors a chance to look into the life of a person from the 19th century. The Thrasher Carriage Museum was named after James Richard Thrasher. He lived in Midland, Maryland and was born in 1913. Mr. Thrasher developed a love of horses at a very early age which led him into collecting carriages and participating in various parades just to show off his collection. He died in 1987.Thrasher Carriage Museum
Historic Downtown Frostburg
Historical Downtown Frostburg was constructed between the years of 1870-1915 when the town was entrenched in the mining and brick making industry.The Princess Restaurant, located on Main St., has been in business since 1939. Former President Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
visited the restaurant shortly after he left office; a framed sign hangs above the booth in which he sat.
The Hotel Gunter, located on Main St across the street from the Princess Restaurant, opened in 1897. Originally named Hotel Gladstone, the original hotel had 100 rooms, a cafe, a barbershop, and a sample room for displaying traveling salesmen's wares. The hotel tanked and was sold in 1903 to William Gunter, who renamed it the Hotel Gunter in 1925. He installed a jail for prisoners being transferred and a cock-fighting ring in the basement. The hotel's basement was also used as a speakeasy during prohibition.
Bars/nightlife
There are eleven bars within city limits.Duncan's bar and grill was established in 1945 in various incarnations. It offers live music on Wednesdays. At least once a week, during the school year, a variety of rock, punk and metal music is performed at least once a week on the weekends.
Dante's was established in 1970 and has an open mic night every Thursday, traditional Irish music on the first Wednesday of each month, and a variety of music on the weekends.
Municipal activities
The Frostbug Community Swimming Pool is located at 200 South Water St.The Frostburg Public Rifle Range is located at Clifton Terrace just off Rt. 40. The range has four 100 yard firing lanes, one 200 yard firing lane, and a 6 lane 25 meter pistol range.
The Mapelhurst Country Club golf course features 18 holes, and 6,677 yards of course.
Parks
- Paris N. Glendening Recreation Complex, is located at Shaw St. and Rynex Ave. The park offers two basketball courts, two pavilions, a playground, two fishing ponds, and a half-mile walking trail.
- Frostburg Community Park is located on South Water St. The park has two baseball fields, two pavilions, a basketball court, a playground, and a pool.
- Mount Pleasant Street Park is located on Maryland Ave. and Mt. Pleasant St. The park has a basketball court, a playground, and a baseball field.
- East End Park is located at Cemetery Road and McCulloh St. The park offers a playground and an indoor pavilion with a kitchen area.
- West End Park is located on Mechanic St. and Wenck's Lane. The park has a large pavilion and a field.
- Calhoun Park, on Willow Lane, has a full-size baseball field.
Center for Creative Writing
Located on Main Street, the Center for Creative Writing aims to bring creative writers to Frostburg and to expand the writing ability and exposure to literature of the residents and students of Frostburg. They host a variety of events open to the public. There are also workshops that can be attended for a small fee. They sponsor the 3 AM Society, an organization of student writers.Radio stations
- 560 AM/105.3/98.5 WFRB FM Country, local talk, offers online streaming
- 91.9/96.3 WFWM FM 24hr informational/educational/cultural radio station
- 100.9 Today's and yesterday's favourites
- 97.1 WLIC FM religious radio, talks on separation of religion and state, offer online streaming
- 94.1 QZK FM top 40 hits
- 101.1 WWPN FM Disney hits
- 101.7 WCCL FM Oldies station; features "Pet of the Week" to aid in the adoption of shelter pets
Facilities at Frostburg State University
FSU allows members of the community to purchase a one year gold, silver, or bronze membership to use their gym facilities. Gold members are allowed use of the Cordts Physical Education Center including the swimming pool, weight room, raquetball courts, squash courts, tennis courts, practice gym, main arena, aerobics classes (for an extra fee) and track. Silver members are allowed use of the pool, weight room, and aerobic classes. Bronze members are allowed use of either the weight room or the pool. http://www.frostburg.edu/events/afl/community.htmFSU Activities for Life also offer classes for both children and adults. Children can learn beginning rock climbing, tumbling, swimming, and dance. Adults can learn Qigong, yoga, pilates, water aerobics, aerobics, and tumbling.
City officials
- Mayor: W. Robert Flannigan
- City Administrator: John R. Kirby, Jr.
- Chief of Police: Royce C. Douty
Notable landmarks
Churches- Frostburg is home to the God's Ark of SafetyGod's Ark of SafetyGod's Ark of Safety is a non-denominational Christian ministry in Frostburg, Maryland led by Pastor Richard Greene. On Easter, 1976, Greene began building a replica of Noah's Ark atop a prominent hillside along Interstate 68 featuring a sign that announces "Noah's Ark Being Rebuilt Here!" to...
ministry and its associated roadside landmark, a skeletal steel structure representing the biblical Noah's ArkNoah's ArkNoah's Ark is a vessel appearing in the Book of Genesis and the Quran . These narratives describe the construction of the ark by Noah at God's command to save himself, his family, and the world's animals from the worldwide deluge of the Great Flood.In the narrative of the ark, God sees the...
being built on the I-68Interstate 68Interstate 68 is a Interstate highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting in Morgantown to in Hancock. is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. From 1965 until the freeway's construction was completed in 1991, it was designated as...
highway hillside since 1976. - Welsh Memorial Baptist Church is located on Charles and Beal Streets. built by Welsh Immigrants in the 1860s. The Church is still committed to serving the community after more than 140 years.
- Frostburg United Methodist Church is located on 48 W. Main Street. It is one of the oldest churches in Frostburg being established around 1836. The building that is located on 48 W. Main Street was erected in 1871-72.
- Dickerson African Methodist Episcopal Church is located on 146 W. Mechanic St. It is one of the oldest churches in Allegany County, being established in 1845. It is also one of the oldest African American churches still in operation in the state of Maryland.
- There are twelve churches within Frostburg's city limits.
Service centers
- Failinger's Hotel Gunter
- Princess Restaurant
- The Palace Theatre is located on 31 east Main Street. Since as early as 1907, the local people of Frostburg have gone there to see good films. In 1912, the Palace Theatre company bought the building and remodeled it as a movie theatre until 1981. Beginning in 1981, it rooted itself into the community through having local school performances and really rooted itself into the community. The theatre shows foreign, classic and independent films.
- The Great Allegheny Passage was a 150 miles (241.4 km) system of biking and hiking trails for the public that is planned to connect Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh, PA. Atatrail.org reports that this trail has a very scenic route as it is a segment of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail which goes from Washington D.C. to Cumberland to Pittsburgh. Part of this trail is a giant canal that is used for activities ranging from fishing and biking to camping. In 2006, a section of the trail was completed, the connection from Cumberland, MD to the C&O Canal Towpath creating a 320 miles (515 km) long trail from Duquesne, near Pittsburgh, to Washington, DC(2009). The final few miles from Duquesne to Pittsburgh are still under construction and are hoped to be finished soon.
- Au Petit Paris or “A Little Bit of Paris” is a restaurant with history dating back to the 1950s. Located on Main Street, this French restaurant has come a long way since its beginning as a private club for French airmen at Amarillo Air Force Base. On June 20, 1960, Au Petit Paris began anew in Frostburg, owned by one of the original chefs, Louis St. Marie.
- Frostburg State University was founded in 1898. Beginning as a university for teachers, Frostburg became a liberal arts school in 1960. Today, Frostburg State University has 4,755 undergraduate students, 630 graduates, and an 18:1 student faculty ratio.
Notable residents
- Brad BarkleyBrad BarkleyBrad Barkley is a U.S. fiction writer, young adult novelist and a professor at Frostburg State University in Maryland.He has received four Individual Artist Awards from the Maryland Arts Council, and a creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.-Select bibliography:*Money,...
, novelist and short-story writer - James Glenn BeallJames Glenn BeallJames Glenn Beall was a Republican member of the United States Senate, representing the State of Maryland from 1953–1965. He was also a United States Congressman, representing the sixth district of Maryland from 1943–1953.-Biography:...
, Republican U.S. senator from Maryland, 1953–1965 - Fred Davis, former sheriff of Charles County, Maryland, 1994–2006
- Andy Duncan (writer)Andy Duncan (writer)Andy Duncan is an award-winning American science fiction and fantasy writer whose work frequently deals with Southern U.S. themes. He was born in Batesburg, South Carolina in 1964. He graduated from high school from W. W...
, American science fiction and fantasy writer - Stephen DunnStephen DunnStephen Dunn is an American poet. Dunn has written fifteen collections of poetry. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his 2001 collection, Different Hours and has received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Dunn completed his B.A. in English at...
, poet and winner of the Pulitzer Prize - John J. HaferJohn J. HaferJohn J. Hafer represented District 1 in the Maryland Senate, which covers Garrett, Allegany, and Washington Counties. He retired from office in 2007.-Education:...
, Republican Maryland state senator, 1991–2007 - Lucius "Pete" Carlton Harper, jazz pioneer, musician, civil rights activist, and businessman
- Ray KuhlmanRay KuhlmanJoseph Raymond "Ray" Kuhlman was a pilot, businessman, and minor league baseball owner. Ray joined the military prior to World War II and graduated from a new program as a Flying Sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corps in December 1941...
, pilot and minor league baseball owner - Franklin Clarence Mars, founder of the Mars candy empire.
- Bob RobertsonBob RobertsonRobert Eugene Robertson is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball. Robertson, who batted and threw right-handed, played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays...
, professional baseball player - James SpriggJames SpriggJames Cresap Sprigg was a United States Representative from Kentucky. He was the brother of Michael Cresap Sprigg. He was born in Frostburg, Maryland in 1802 where he completed preparatory studies. Later, he moved to Shelbyville, Kentucky...
, Whig U.S. congressman from Kentucky, 1841–1843
Smaller communities
- Barton, MarylandBarton, MarylandBarton is a town in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, located along the Georges Creek Valley. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 478 at the 2000 census.- History :...
- Callimont, PennsylvaniaCallimont, PennsylvaniaCallimont is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 51 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- Carpendale, West VirginiaCarpendale, West VirginiaCarpendale is a town in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States, and part of the 'Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 954 at the 2000 census. Carpendale was incorporated on January 2, 1990 by the Circuit Court. The town is a combination of three subdivisions...
- Cresaptown, MarylandCresaptown, MarylandCresaptown is a community located in Allegany County, Maryland, United States of America. It is an unincorporated community which, for United States Census Bureau purposes, is united with Bel Air to form the census-designated place of Cresaptown-Bel Air. Cresaptown's post office was established...
- Klondike, MarylandKlondike, MarylandKlondike is an unincorporated community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States....
- La Vale, MarylandLa Vale, MarylandLa Vale is a census-designated place in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. It is part of the 'Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area'...
- Lonaconing, MarylandLonaconing, MarylandLonaconing is a town in Allegany County, Maryland, United States located along the Georges Creek Valley. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,205 at the 2000 census.- History :...
- Midland, MarylandMidland, MarylandMidland is a town in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, located along the Georges Creek Valley. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 473 at the 2000 census....
- Wellersburg, PennsylvaniaWellersburg, PennsylvaniaWellersburg is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Woodland, MarylandWoodland, MarylandWoodland is a small unincorporated community located in Allegany County, Maryland, U.S. about three miles outside of Frostburg. Woodland feeds directly into another community called Klondike. It started as a coal town sometime around the beginning of the 20th century. Many years ago, the town had a...
- Eckhart Mines, MarylandEckhart Mines, MarylandEckhart Mines is an unincorporated town in Allegany County, Maryland, USA. Eckhart Mines lies at the southwestern base of Federal Hill, 2.9 km east of Frostburg and 1.3 km northwest of Clarysville. The town was originally founded as a company town for the nearby Eckhart Mines. The...
Knapps Meadow, Maryland
Harpersville, Maryland
Gilmore, Maryland