Historic National Road - Maryland
Culture and History Along Historic National Road

Departure:	Casselman River Bridge State Park, Maryland
Destination:	Baltimore, Maryland
Time to allow:	2 days

Experience American history and natural beauty while on the Maryland section of the Historic National Road.

Day 1

• Start: Casselman River Bridge State Park

  

  The Casselman River Bridge is located east of Grantsville, in an area known as Little Crossings. The bridge was the longest span of its kind when it was constructed in 1813 for the National Road. It is one of the many beautiful and innovative stone bridges designed specifically for the National Road. The structure can be seen easily from the National Freeway (I-68) as well as Alternate U.S. 40.

  Other features located near the bridge include the Penn Alps Restaurant and Crafts Shop, Spruce Forest Artisans Village, and Stanton’s Mill. A Western Gateway Visitor Facility is being planned to link the bridge with these resources. The Casselman River Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as is Stanton's Mill.

• Stop 1: Tomlinson's Inn at Little Meadows

  

  Directions from previous place:	From Casselman, get onto Highway 40 and head east to Grantsville. The Inn is 3 miles east of the town.
  Suggested Time at This Site:	15 minutes

  Built in 1816 at Little Meadows by a veteran of the Revolutionary War, Jesse Tomlinson's inn catered to travelers along the new National Road, and hosted Presidents-elect James K. Polk and William Henry Harrison.

• Stop 2: LaVale Toll House

  

  Directions from previous place:	Continue along byway to Lavale. The La Vale Toll House is on the right side of the road while traveling east on the byway.
  Suggested Time at This Site:	15 minutes

  The only remaining toll house in Maryland along the Historic National Road Scenic Byway is located in LaVale.

• Stop 3: Western Maryland Station Center

  

  Directions from previous place:	Head along Highway 40 to Cumberland and turn right onto 28. The station is located on Canal Street.
  Suggested Time at This Site:	20 minutes

  The Western Maryland Station Center, home of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, C&O Canal National Park Visitor's Center, and the Allegany County Visitor's Information Center, provides ample parking and information about Cumberland.

• Stop 4: Cumberland

  

  Directions from previous place:	The Western Maryland Station Center is located in Cumberland.
  Suggested Time at This Site:	2 hours

  Cumberland was chosen by Congress in 1806 as a natural starting point for the National Road for several reasons, , including proximity to Washington, D.C., and a pass through the Allegheny Mountains known as “the Narrows.” Other points of interest in Cumberland include Canal Place and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. Cumberland contains several National Register Historic Districts.

• Stop 5: Clear Spring

  

  Directions from previous place:	From Cumberland, return to Highway 40 and head East. Clear Spring is located east of Wilson.
  Suggested Time at This Site:	1 hour

  In between the hamlet of Wilson and the town of Clear Spring, many farmsteads dating from the mid-19th and early 20ths century are visible from the Byway.

• Overnight Point: City of Frederick

  

  Directions from previous place:	Follow Highway 40 and head southeast to Frederick.

  Settled in 1745, the National Pike opened this city to trade both east and west in the early 1800's. Railroad and canal connections boosted the economy a few decades later. Frederick has one of the nation's most famous historic districts.

Day 2

• Stop 1: New Market

  

  Directions from previous place:	From Frederick, get back onto Highway 40 and head east. New Market is the next town along.
  Suggested Time at This Site:	1 hour

  Founded in 1793, New Market became a popular stopover town for travelers in need of food, lodging, and services during the Heyday of the National Pike.

• Stop 2: Ellicott City

  

  Directions from previous place:	From New Market head onto state road 144 and go east.
  Suggested Time at This Site:	2 hours

  Before the American Revolution, three Quaker brothers moved from Pennsylvania to build the first of their two flour mills on the Patapsco River. Today, this town of stone and brick buildings, narrow streets, and steep granite cliffs attracts modern travelers lured by the town’s history, its rugged charm, and a host of antique and specialty shops and unique restaurants. One such is the Trolley Stop, which has been serving the traveling public since the 1800s.

• Stop 3: Hollins Market

  

  Directions from previous place:	Take 144 to Baltimore. Hollins Market is located in Union Square Historic District.
  Suggested Time at This Site:	2 hours

  Hollins Market first opened in 1836. At the turn of the 19th century, the market contained hundreds of stalls, reaching from Poppleton to Carey Streets. Wares sold and purchased by a diverse group of merchants and shoppers included farm produce, baked goods, meats, and homeproduced wares. Although the market is smaller today, the high quality goods can still be found. Visit the Hollins Market at 26 S. Arlington Street in the heart of the Union Square Historic District. The Market is closed on Monday.

• Stop 4: B&O Railroad Museum, Baltimore City

  

  Directions from previous place:	Located at 901 West Pratt Street in Baltimore, MD, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum is approximately ten minutes from Baltimore's popular Inner Harbor area.

  To learn more about the era of railroad travel, visit the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore. Located south of Lombard and Pratt streets, the oldest passenger railroad station in the country and the birthplace of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum’s collection includes more than 120 railroad cars and engines used from 1830 to the 1960s. Guided group tours are also available.

• End: Baltimore