Allegany County at Roadside America

Last night at dinner, Amy Armiento asked what I would write about first. 

This was a reasonable question, but one I hadn't thought about. I have amassed a very long list of weird local topics complex and simple, clear-cut and mysterious, current and historical. Some will require lots of research, others could be written off the top of my head. Where to begin?

On the spot, I decided a good start for this blog, at least, would be to list some of the obvious items that everyone who knows the area would expect to see covered, given how often they come up in conversation. I think of this starter list as The Canon.

Two pioneering websites that cater to the weird traveler are Roadside America*, "your online guide to offbeat tourist attractions," and Atlas Obscura, "the definitive guide to the world's hidden wonders." Each has a narrower remit than my project, but as both include a handful of canonical sites in Western Maryland, I'll begin simply by listing them, county by county, with links to the articles.

We begin with the eight locations covered by Roadside America in Allegany County. Don't worry, we'll do better than that! Cautionary note: Some of this information I'm linking to is out of date, or was in error to begin with, as we shall see ...

Frostburg: America’s Oldest Road Sign. “The one-ton stone was engraved with distances and directions in the mid-1700s … . Now preserved in a fancy outdoor glass-enclosed case.”

Frostburg: Hotel’s Local History Museum. “The basement of the … Hotel Gunter is a very quirky museum.” Also at Atlas Obscura.

Frostburg: Noah’s Ark Being Rebuilt. “Way back in 1974, Pastor Richard Greene was repeatedly told by Jesus to build an Ark next to the interstate.”

LaVale: First Toll Gate on the National Road. “Seven-sided house was built ~ 1833; no longer collects tolls.” Also at Atlas Obscura.

LaVale: Large Golden Ear. “A large human ear, carved from a tree stump and painted glittering gold, stands in someone's front yard.”

Luke: Deadly Curve of Crosses. “White crosses are painted on a cement retaining wall where 24 people, mostly truckers, have lost their lives by slamming into it.”

Oldtown: Paw Paw Tunnel. “It's an official park attraction, complete with dripping water and bats.” Also at Atlas Obscura.

Oldtown: Private Toll Bridge. “Drive on creaky wooden planks between Maryland and West Virginia.”

Next: Garrett County at Roadside America!

==

*Not to be confused with the sadly defunct Roadside America Miniature Village in Shartlesville, Pa.

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