The Narrows-An Easier Route for the National Road - Cumberland MD
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 39° 39.776 W 078° 46.867
17S E 690340 N 4392700
At first, the National Road climbed west from Cumberland up and over Haystack Mountain. In the 1830s, when the road was rebuilt, a new route was chosen. The new route took advantage of the Narrows, a natural gorge cut by Wills Creek.
Waymark Code: WM15HWM
Location: Maryland, United States
Date Posted: 01/09/2022
Views: 0
TEXT from the historical marker:
The Narrows-An Easier Route for the National Road
At first, the National Road climbed west from Cumberland up and over Haystack Mountain. In the 1830s, when the road was rebuilt, a new route was chosen. It would be a mile longer but the grade was substantially decreased so that horse teams could pull twice the weight. The new route took advantage of the Narrows, a natural gorge cut by Wills Creek between Haystack Mountain and Wills Mountain.
Traffic along the National Road grew rapidly when the new route was completed in 1834 and a new bridge opened in 1836. When the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad reached Cumberland in 1842, National Road travel to and from the west increased even more. The region prospered.
Railroad tracks were soon laid through the Narrows. Two short line railroads connected Cumberland to the growing Georges Creek Valley coal region. Ultimately, travel by rail eclipsed that of the National Road, and traffic declined substantially in the years that followed. The invention of the automobile brought a revival to the old road as motorists enjoyed sightseeing in the Narrows.
The Legend of Lovers’ Leap
There is a local legend about the cliffs above the Narrows. When a young Indian princess and her lover were forbidden to marry, they leapt to their death from the cliff.
Americana: Roadside Attraction
Significant Interest: Natural Formation
Milestone / Marker: Historical Marker
Web Address: [Web Link]
|
Visit Instructions:
To visit a Waymark in this category, just give a brief description of your visit. Maybe why you were there, what you found interesting, or something along those lines. Photos are NOT required to log a visit, but they are encouraged.