TimManBlog

The Mansions of Cumberland, Maryland

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October 31, 2025

What a cool town!

I came to Cumberland, Maryland, to see the Allegany County Courthouse. I found a parking space on a shaded part of Washington Street, a block from the courthouse.

Before I could enter the courthouse, I was captivated by the sight of Victorian mansions along Washington Street that overlooked the county government building. As I began walking up the hillside with my camera, I took photos of the most magnificent ones — which turned out to be almost every house. Many of these homes had plaques indicating their construction dates, with some dating back to the 1870s. One of the mansions even had a French name on its plaque. I was amazed to discover that Cumberland had once been so wealthy.

All I need do now is show you a gallery of some of the best:

Below: I included the middle photo on the left to show its plaque. The plaque says:
“Mansion DeVeauxelle D’Evecquemont.” The home carries the name of French immigrant Pierre DeVeauxelle D’Evecquemont, who came to America to escape a death sentence for shooting a man in a duel. He served with the Marquis de LaFayette during the American Revolution. D’Evecquemont died in 1803 and is buried in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

After that detour, I made my way back down the hill to photograph the Allegany County Courthouse. This building is located near the remnants of Fort Cumberland, perched on a hill overlooking the present-day downtown business district. Constructed in 1894, this three-story structure features Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. The courthouse is made of red-and-white checkerboard granite and features a striking central tower that gives it a castle-like appearance.

I went inside to explore the first floor, where I admired the beautiful stained-glass windows and the carved wood banisters on the staircase leading to the second and third floors.

A striking statue of a young George Washington stands just a few feet from the corner of the courthouse. Surrounding the monument are plaques on six sides that explain Washington’s connection to the area.

Washington visited this region three times during his lifetime:
— In 1754, as a colonel in the Virginia militia before the outbreak of the French and Indian War.
— From 1755 to 1758, during the War, he used a nearby cabin as his headquarters.
— In 1794, as President of the United States, he visited the American troops assembled here to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion.

Next to the courthouse stands Emmanuel Episcopal Church. The church was built in 1851 on the actual foundations of old Fort Cumberland. The church was a key stop on the “Underground Railroad” before the Civil War. Tunnels beneath the church were used to hide escaping slaves — especially from Virginia, which lies directly across the Potomac River from Cumberland.

When I finally visited downtown, I found Baltimore Street lined with impressive three- and four-story, ornate brick buildings built in the late 19th century. The tall buildings create a striking little canyon with a view toward the old Episcopal Church above.

Here are some of the more notable buildings along Baltimore Street:

Although Cumberland’s current population is only 19,000, the town obviously once had a much larger population — in fact, in 1940 its population (39,000) was nearly double what it is today.

I love finding old Italian bakeries in Eastern cities. Here is Caporale’s in downtown Cumberland. Photographs on the wall of this family bakery include a signed photo of legendary Atlanta Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone, a native of the Cumberland area.

That’s all. Hope you can visit Cumberland — it’s well worth the trip!

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The photos in this post were taken on October 21, 2024, and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.

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