Visit Mountain Maryland Destination Guide 2025 - Flipbook - Page 68
Rooted in History
Ruth davis-rogers
Summers in Fort Ashby, WV, felt like
stepping into the past for Ruth DavisRogers as a child. Her family’s deep roots
stretched back to when the land was
still part of Virginia. Weekly trips into
Cumberland were an event—paying bills,
shopping downtown, and, if luck was
on her side, a stop at the Dairy Queen in
Ridgely. “In my young mind, Cumberland
was a huge, bustling city,” she recalls. The
historic architecture, the hum of industry,
and the ever-changing streets left an
impression that never faded.
HIDDEN GEMS:
The stunning interiors of Cumberland’s
historic churches and the city overlook
behind the Shrine of St. Peter and Paul.
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2025 Destination Guide
As an adult, life took Ruth through Kansas
and Florida, but Maryland always
pulled her back. When reassessing her
future, she made a list: a small, historic
community near colleges. The answer
had been there all along. “I already knew
this place—it was Cumberland.” In 2017,
she bought a home in Johnson Heights
and never looked back.
Becoming a local was seamless.
“People were welcoming everywhere
I went,” she says. The Cumberland of
today differs from the one she visited
MUST-TRY EXPERIENCE:
A scenic train ride on the Western
Maryland Scenic Railroad through
Mountain Maryland.
as a child—its industry has changed,
and some buildings need care—but its
heart remains in its people. “The stories,
the layers, the connections—that’s what
makes this place special.”
Now, as Cumberland’s historic planner,
Ruth helps preserve the past while
shaping the future. Her advice? “Slow
down. Walk downtown, talk to
strangers, and take in the details. The
real Allegany County isn’t just a place—
it’s a story waiting to be discovered.”
ADVICE FOR NEWCOMERS:
“Choosing where to live is like dating—
spend time getting to know a place
before making it home.”
