At one point in its history Cumberland was the 2nd largest city in Maryland and a gateway from the Eastern seaboard to the interior of the country during the 1800s. It became an industrial center and was served by railroads and a canal that ran all the way to Washington, DC. Today the city is a shadow of its former self and its grand buildings such as the Western Maryland Railway railroad station and courthouse seem incongruous with its current size of 18,000. The C&O canal trail is now a cycling path and one can ride all the way from Pittsburgh (along the GAP) trail to Cumberland and then on to DC.

(pic from MDMountainside.com)