"We have gathered together this morning to begin the ceremonies and festivities which are to take place today and the two days succeeding, in commemoration of an event which occurred one hundred years ago—the beginning of the existence of Allegany County.
"The thought of such a celebration should arouse in us all, as I have no doubt it does, a strong feeling of affection for the county, "Old Allegany," as she is often familiarly and fondly called.
"But why should we have so much affection for this small bit of territory? It is circumscribed in its area, many parts of it rough in aspect, and forms but a little corner of our State. Again Maryland is only a small fragment of the United States, and for her we also have warm affection. But for the United States, reaching from ocean to ocean, from lakes to the gulf and stretching out towards the pole, our country, over which proudly floats the starry emblem so dear to every American, for her we hold that grandest affection, patriotic love. Yet we love "Old Allegany." Her hills and valleys, rough though they are, her meadows and crystal streams, all have a charm for us. Her very ruggedness becomes beauty in our eyes. Yes, we venerate her. But why? Because she is our home, filled with fragrant memories of our youth—the place toward which, tho’ we wander far away from it, our thoughts ever turn, the place for which our hearts constantly yearn, our home.
"I do not know whether the spot on which we are assembled was selected for the opening ceremonies because of any special associations, or merely as a matter of convenience. However that may be, it was well chosen. The selection was fortunately or wisely made and most appropriate. There is perhaps no other spot in all the county, more closely surrounded than this is, with historical reminiscences and associations. On this hill was the actual beginning of the county's life, its very birthplace. What spot of ground, then, could be more appropriate, on which to begin the celebration of its centennial birthday?
"Two centuries ago these hills and valleys were covered with primeval forests, through which roamed wild beasts and in which the Indians found a home. The beautiful Potomac flowed on its way to "mother ocean," undisturbed, save by the Indian’s "dug-out" canoe. The settlements of the white men were near the coast, and what we now know as "Old Allegany" was beyond the frontier, and a part of the unknown "great west."
"One century and a half ago, civilization on its westward way had crept out this far. And a little later, 1754, in order to protect the few settlers, and to furnish a military outpost on the frontier, as it then was, a fort was erected at the mouth of Will’s Creek. It was built of logs, and called "Fort Cumberland" in honor of the English duke of that name, who had directed its construction, for Maryland was then one of the colonies of England.
"It stood on the summit of this hill, occupying the ground extending from near this spot to where time Episcopal church now stands, and overlooked Will’s Creek and the Potomac River. It became a very prominent post during the early part of the history of our country. Many prominent men of their day helped to make its history. In 1775 General Braddock occupied it with his troops on the way to the battlefield, near Fort DuQuesne, where he met defeat and death.
"General Washington was here many times. At one time he had his headquarters in a little one-story log house, which then stood on yonder lot on which now stands the residence of Mr. O. C. Gephart, and on the spot where we now stand he reviewed his troops.
"In those days the principal thoroughfare for travel to and from the west was the route of the old Braddock Road, which, crossing Will’s Creek by a ford at the foot of Green street, skirted along under the brow of the hill, following near the course of that street and the old turnpike, and crossed Will’s Mountain yonder at "Sandy Gap." Most of the settlements were along that road and near the intersection of Green and Smallwood streets, and the community was known as Washington town. In the year 1787, the west side of Will’s Creek was laid out and erected into a "town" by an act of the Legislature of Maryland, which was then one of the United States, for the war of the Revolution had been fought, and Maryland no longer owed allegiance to England. About thirty-five families constituted the population of the town, and this act was passed at their solicitation, and the name was changed from Washington town to Cumberland, in honor of the old fort and the Duke for whom it was named.
"But Allegany county had not yet come into existance [sic]. In the early days of the State of Maryland Prince George’s county comprised within its bounds the present Prince George’s county and all the territory west and north-west of it, extending to the western boundary of the State. In 1746 Frederick county was lopped off from Prince George’s, and it, in turn, extended to the western boundary. In 1776 Washington county was cut off from Frederick, and it, too, comprised all the west end. In 1789 Allegany was taken from Washington county, also reaching to the western boundary, and finally Garrett county was cut off from Allegany in 1872 leaving Allegany as she now is.
"It is interesting to note that the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, the inauguration of Washington as the first President, and the creation of Allegany County all occurred in the same year, 1789.
"It is also interesting to recall the fact that the southern boundary of our county and Garrett was established by General Washington. Lord Fairfax, of Virginia, to whom a grant was made of lands in that State, south of the Potomac River, in order to locate the boundary, sent out George Washington, then a young man and surveyor, to find the source of the Potomac, Naturally, acting in the interest of his employer, he desired to secure as large a territory as possible, and so, following closely his instructions, he pushed his way up the largest most northernly branch of the Potomac.
"As soon as the county was formed, it required all the paraphernalia of a full-fledged county. Cumberland was made the county seat. For a court house an old two-story log house used as a tavern, did service. It stood on Green street on the site now owned and occupied by Josiah Holmes, and continued to be so used about ten years, until 1800.
"A jail was wanted, too, for they had miscreants then as well as now, and for that purpose a log house at the corner of Lee and Green streets, one story high, without windows, and with its stout oaken door studded closely with wrought iron nails, tightly clinched, was used until 1850.
"About this time a building erected for the county’s use was completed. It stood on this lot. It was of brick, one story high, with an attic and a basement. The first story was the court room, the attic the jury room, and the basement the jail, and it was surmounted with a quaint little cupola, in which was hung a triangle, in lieu of a bell, with which the assembling of court was announced.
"In a little while the clerk and register of wills required better facilities for attending to their business. For their accommodation a little one story brick building, containing two small rooms, was erected in time year 1806, on the adjoining lot, where the Academy now stands.
"In 1883 a new court house of imposing dimensions was built on the lot immediately opposite, but the old jail was used until about the year 1850, when the building on this lot took its place. About the year 1873 the court house was remodeled and the jail removed to its present location.
"When the coal mines were first opened and in their infancy, there was no railroad or canal on which to transport the coal to market. It found its way there by the Potomac river, which had been navigated to some extent by boats specially provided for the purpose, and which had been improved in its channel way by the Potomac Company, of which Washington was at one time the foremost spirit.
"The coal was brought in wagons from the mines near where Frostburg now is, dumped along the shore of the river at the foot of this hill, where the water works are now located. By the aid of wheelbarrows it was transferred to boats built for the purpose. These were floated down the river to Washington, amid there the coal found its way to the consumer, while many of the boats were sold for the lumber contained in their construction.
"Many are the interesting incidents connected with the growth of that trade and the opening of the railroads and canal, but I must not attempt to rehearse them now.
"The early settlers were soon alive to the interests of their children, and so early as the year 1799 they obtained from the Legislature of Maryland an act to incorporate a public school in Allegany County by the name of Allegany County School. Under time provisions of this act the first school of a public nature was established in this county, though it was not public, as we know from published sheets. Time building erected for the purpose was located on the lot at the summit of the hill now occupied by the school building of SS. Peter and Paul’s church.
"It was at first a one story building with one room, surmounted by a copula. At the time it was built it was probably the only building in the neighborhood, and the scenery from its elevated position must have been very beautiful. The building at a later day had a second room attached, and the school held in it was the only school of a public character in the county. It was not abandoned by the trustees of the Academy until the erection of the present handsome building was ready for use in the year 1850. It was then sold to SS. Peter and Paul’s church, and used by that body as a parochial school for several years, their present school building taking the place and occupying nearly the same site.
"Many of our prominent citizens obtained the most, if not all, of their education there, and some of those who hear me will no doubt, while I am talking, recall some of the many jolly pranks and games in which they indulged and which they then enjoyed, the very happiest days of their lives.
"I might go on to tell you of the National Road, of the coming of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, the stage coaches, wagons, filling the air along the great thoroughfare—The National Road—with almost incessant crack of the whip and clatter of wheels, of the increase of the population and the springing up of new towns, but all this is not my mission interesting as it is."
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