Allegany Co (MD)

Melvin "Mel" Collins was passionate about the history of Western Maryland, in particular the architectural history, and was a photographer and collector. This collection covers the bridges of Allegany County, Maryland, both Mel's photographs and older historical photographs. 

The legal documents for Allegany County, Maryland’s enslaved population, from 1792 to 1865 have been researched and transcribed by William Bauman

Photographs of the National Road from Town Hill in Allegany County to the Pennsylvania Line north of Grantsville, taken in 1900 to 1915,  show the need for repair of this road. Irvin Gilbert was a Frostburg photographer whose work was published in Good Roads and the Annual Report of the Maryland State Roads Commission 

The Allegany High School Golden Jubilee Magazine spans the school years of 1889 to 1938; a range of nearly 50 years. The pages are full of student and faculty photos and honorable mentions, comments about the several men and women’s sports teams (like basketball, baseball, football, soccer, tennis, track, and volleyball), the band and orchestra performances over the years, theatre events and plays, clubs, graduations, and other fun, unique remarks from each class.

Margaret Durst Cupler, under the auspices of the Cresap Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Cumberland, transcribed many records from the Allegany County Courthouse. This is part of her work, Early Allegany County Records, 1788-1812. Abstracts of Land Records - Deed Book A. 1788-1795 and Real Estate Tax Lists 1804-1812.

City of Cumberland 1873 Directory, compiled and printed by William H Lowdermilk in Cumberland, lists the names, occupations, and residences of heads of households in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland in 1873. It also lists the Street Directory, Church Directory, Government Directory, County Officers, various societies and foundations, and Educational Institutions. There’s also a group of names listed under Schriver’s Addition to the city of Cumberland Directory, and another List of Names of people omitted from the directory.

Hazel Groves Hansrote was a well-known preservationist and long-time historian, writer, and researcher of Allegany County and state history. In the early 1970s she served as Chair of the Allegany County Committee of the Maryland Historical Trust. Along with Mary C. Miltenberger (1934-2024) she also served as a co-editor of the Heritage Press, a monthly newspaper published by the Preservation Society of Allegany County which was founded in 1970. 

The Coal Talk Oral History project includes stories and memories from Western Maryland coal communities. This includes perspectives of the women and men in the coal mining families, as well as the insights, experiences, and contributions of those who went into the mines. Interviews are also available for viewing. The oral history project was directed by Dr. Gail N. Herman, assisted by Reverend John Grant. The project was sponsored in 1989-1993 by Garrett Recreation, Parks, and Tourism with partial funding from Garrett County Development Corporation.

The Way We Worked is a Smithsonian traveling exhibition that was displayed February 2017 in Allegany County, Maryland. The Western Maryland Heritage Association presented exhibitions about ‘the way we worked’ at six locations in Allegany County in conjunction with Maryland Humanities and the Smithsonian. The Allegany Museum in Cumberland traced the changes that have affected the American workforce and work environments over the past 150 years.

"Rosie the Riveter" became a nickname for the millions of women from all backgrounds and across the country who worked in wartime industries and support services, including aircraft factories, shipyards, steel mills, foundries, lumber mills, warehouses, offices, hospitals and daycare centers. Some of the stories of the Western Maryland Rosies are recorded on these pages, as these women did indeed "make history."