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Western Maryland Railway Station (Cumberland, Maryland)
Encyclopedia
Western Maryland Railway Station is a historic railway station in Cumberland
, Allegany County, Maryland
. It was built in 1913 as a stop for the Western Maryland Railway
(WM), and is a large commercial-style building that expresses the architectural functionalism of the turn of the 20th century. The brick structure is nine bays long and three bays wide, with two monumental stories on the west facade and three stories on the east. A one-story platform shelter runs along the west facade and extends out toward the tracks.
The WM began daily through-train passenger service between Baltimore
and Chicago
, by way of Cumberland, on June 15, 1913. For several years the premier trains on the route, the Chicago Limited and Baltimore Limited, featured Pullman
sleeping car
service. Other WM trains ran between Cumberland and Elkins, West Virginia
. The number and variety of passenger trains decreased through the years of the Great Depression
and aftwerward. The WM ended its passenger train service between Cumberland and Baltimore in 1953, and the Cumberland to Elkins trains ended in 1959.
The station served as control tower for the WM until the railway was absorbed by Chessie System
in 1973. The building slowly fell into disrepair, and for a time was used by the Kelly Tire Company
to store tires. With the advent of the initiative in Cumberland to create a scenic railroad using the former WM trackage north out of Cumberland, the Station was partially restored in 1990. Full restoration did not begin, however, until the creation of the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority in 1996. This restoration created a museum area for the National Park Service
on the first floor; a waiting area, gift shop, and cafe on the second floor; and office spaces on the third and fourth floors. Exterior work included the construction of an elevator tower; third, display track; a second platform; handicapped passenger accessibility
ramp; and the restoration of the platform shelters, WM employee memorial, and the pedestrian railroad underpass.
Today the building is part of a preservation district called Canal Place
, a facility operated by the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority. The station houses offices of the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority, Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
, a visitors center for the National Park Service
's C&O Canal National Historic Park
, and leased offices to local officials and businesses.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973.
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...
, Allegany County, Maryland
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...
. It was built in 1913 as a stop for the Western Maryland Railway
Western Maryland Railway
The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became part of the Chessie System in 1973 and ceased operating its lines...
(WM), and is a large commercial-style building that expresses the architectural functionalism of the turn of the 20th century. The brick structure is nine bays long and three bays wide, with two monumental stories on the west facade and three stories on the east. A one-story platform shelter runs along the west facade and extends out toward the tracks.
The WM began daily through-train passenger service between Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, by way of Cumberland, on June 15, 1913. For several years the premier trains on the route, the Chicago Limited and Baltimore Limited, featured Pullman
Pullman (car or coach)
In the United States, Pullman was used to refer to railroad sleeping cars which were built and operated on most U.S. railroads by the Pullman Company from 1867 to December 31, 1968....
sleeping car
Sleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
service. Other WM trains ran between Cumberland and Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins is a city in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins , a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 7,032 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County...
. The number and variety of passenger trains decreased through the years of the Great Depression
Great Depression in the United States
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement...
and aftwerward. The WM ended its passenger train service between Cumberland and Baltimore in 1953, and the Cumberland to Elkins trains ended in 1959.
The station served as control tower for the WM until the railway was absorbed by Chessie System
Chessie System
Chessie System, Inc. was a holding company that owned the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway , the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , the Western Maryland Railway , and several smaller carriers. It was incorporated in Virginia on February 26, 1973, and it acquired the C&O on June 15...
in 1973. The building slowly fell into disrepair, and for a time was used by the Kelly Tire Company
The Kelly Springfield Tire Company
The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company was founded in Springfield, Ohio by Edwin Kelly and Arthur Grant in 1894.-Formation:Edwin Kelly originally called the company The Rubber Tire Wheel Company because it made rubber carriage wheels. Arthur Grant was issued for his solid rubber tire in a rim channel...
to store tires. With the advent of the initiative in Cumberland to create a scenic railroad using the former WM trackage north out of Cumberland, the Station was partially restored in 1990. Full restoration did not begin, however, until the creation of the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority in 1996. This restoration created a museum area for the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
on the first floor; a waiting area, gift shop, and cafe on the second floor; and office spaces on the third and fourth floors. Exterior work included the construction of an elevator tower; third, display track; a second platform; handicapped passenger accessibility
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
ramp; and the restoration of the platform shelters, WM employee memorial, and the pedestrian railroad underpass.
Today the building is part of a preservation district called 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...
, a facility operated by the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority. The station houses offices of the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority, 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....
, a visitors center for the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
's C&O Canal National Historic Park
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in the District of Columbia and the states of Maryland and West Virginia. The park was established as a National Monument in 1961 by President Dwight D...
, and leased offices to local officials and businesses.
It 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 1973.
External links
- Western Maryland Railway Station, Allegany County, including photo from 1998, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Western Maryland Railway Station, 13 Canal Street, Cumberland, Allegany County, MD: 6 photos, 1 data page, 1 photo caption page, and 1 color transparency at Historic American Building Survey