Weird Western Maryland

Previously, I listed the five Washington County locations covered by Atlas Obscura . The site has six locations in Frederick County. Frederick: National Museum of Civil War Medicine . “A Civil War Museum with some notable medical antiques.” Also at Roadside America . Frederick: One-Million-Liter Test Sphere . “This four-story steel sphere in Maryland was used to test biological weapons.” Jefferson: War Correspondents Memorial . “One of the only memorials dedicated to journalists who died in combat.” Middletown: The (First) Washington Monument . “Built by the patriotic residents of Boonsboro in a single day.” Thurmont: Lawyer’s Farm . “This Maryland farm is known for its amazing corn mazes and its 30-foot junkbots.” Also at Roadside America . Thurmont: Catoctin Furnace . “A pre-Industrial Age iron furnace and the site of a nearly-forgotten piece of Black history.” Next: A project dedication!    

Previously, I linked to the Roadside America entries for Allegany , Garrett , Washington and Frederick counties, as a baby step toward establishing a canonical list of well-known Western Maryland Weirdness. In the same spirit, I turn now to Atlas Obscura , beginning with Allegany County's five entries. Never fear, Allegany, we will do much better than that! Cumberland: George Washington’s Headquarters . “This one-room cabin where the young colonel slept during the French and Indian War.” Cumberland [actually LaVale]: LaVale Toll Gate House . “Maryland’s first (and last standing) toll house on America’s first federal road established the state as the ‘Gateway to the West.’” Also at Roadside America. Frostburg: The Jail in the Gunter Hotel . “The antique hotel still has a jail in the basement, though the cockfighting ring is long gone.” Also at Roadside America. Lonaconing: Klotz Throwing Company . “A remarkable time capsule of American manufacturing deep in Maryland co...