“Grantsville”
Town of Grantsville
Grantsville is located in the western part of the state of Maryland in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The town is about 30 miles northeast of Oakland, 20 miles west of Cumberland. Grantsville is mainly a town of small business owners, with restaurants, groceries, goods and services, medical offices and other businesses that make up the community that is in place today. With its unique location Grantsville has easy access to a lot of outdoor recreation and state parks such as; Big Run State Park, Casselman River Bridge State Park, New Germany State Park, and Savage River State Forest. The popular Deep Creek Lake area is only 20 short miles from Grantsville as well. Grantsville is also about three hours to the “big cities” of Baltimore and Washington D.C.
Not only does our climate allow for four seasons of outdoor recreation with world class white-water rafting nearby and excellent cross-country skiing, but we are very close to the Great Allegheny Passage for those who enjoy hiking and biking and a new trail, the Continental Divide Loop, will enter into Grantsville and tie us in with that network.
Elevation: 2,414
www.grantsvillemd.us
History of Grantsville
In 1785 Daniel Grant of Baltimore Maryland acquired an 1100 acre tract of land called “Cornucopia.” The town of Grantsville is located in the center of this tract, named in honor of Daniel Grant. When he moved to the area in 1796 he was the wealthiest person in the county. We were part of Allegany County at that time. Garrett was established as a separate county in 1872, named after John Garrett, president of the B&O Railroad.
Little Crossings was the town center of those days. It was located where we find Stanton’s Mill and the old Casselman Bridge today. Prior to Mr. Grant’s arrival on the scene, this area was mostly wilderness but saw traffic from such famous men as George Washington and General Braddock. They passed through here in 1755 on their way to Pittsburgh as part of the ill-fated campaign against Fort Duquesne and the French. They had camps near Hilltop and Little Crossings. These travels prompted the construction of the Braddock Road which roughly followed the Indian trail Nemacolin’s Path.
Between 1811 and 1818, the National Road was constructed along the general route of Braddock’s Road. Currently Alt. Route 40, the National Road was the first federally funded highway in the U.S and brought much traffic through our area as settlers moved west. Most heavily traveled in the 1840’s, an abundance of accommodations existed for the traveler, some of which can still be seen today. As part of the National Road project, the Casselman Bridge was built in 1813. A handsome stone arch, it was the largest single span bridge of its day and was used until the early 1950’s. You can now enjoy its beauty from the state park at its feet.
Stanton’s Mill
The Drane house is a historical site portraying and preserving thew way of life with the early settlement of Garrett County. The James Drane House is a historic home located at Accident, Garrett County, Maryland. It is a 1 1⁄2-story, long rectangular log and frame structure with a pitched gable roof, and an exterior stone chimney. The house was constructed circa 1800 by James Drane, the first permanent settler in the Accident. The Drane House serves additional significance from its architecture, representing a highly unusual combination of the log and frame construction techniques and an uncommon variant of the hall-and-parlor plan type. This historical site will be open for tour by individuals and groups at specified times and upon request, donations are accepted.
Grantsville Museum
Opening May 18 to October, the Grantsville Community Museum holds a wealth of information on the history and life in Grantsville. Open Friday and Saturday from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Special tours available at 301-895-5314 or the Museum at 301-895-5454.
Big Run State Park
Casselman River Bridge State Park
Grantsville Town Park
Little Meadows Lake
New Germany State Park
Savage River State Forest
Deep Creek Lake
Wisp Ski Resort