African American Heritage in Allegany County, Maryland

Allegany County’s mountains, rivers, and historic communities hold powerful stories of courage, resilience, and freedom. From Underground Railroad routes to self-sustaining Black settlements and remarkable individuals who shaped local history, Mountain Maryland offers visitors a meaningful journey through African American heritage in the heart of Western Maryland.

Explore sites across Cumberland, Frostburg, and the C&O Canal that reflect the rich legacy of Black life in this region.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church — Cumberland, MD

The historic Emmanuel Episcopal Church sits atop Fort Cumberland’s old earthworks, a strategic frontier site dating back to the French and Indian War. Beneath the church are tunnels once part of the fort’s defenses that became an important refuge on the Underground Railroad.

In the 1850s, the rector and church sexton provided food, shelter, and safe passage to freedom seekers arriving from the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal. Oral histories tell of coded bell signals that alerted escaping enslaved people when it was safe to enter the tunnels — often their final stop before reaching the Mason-Dixon Line and freedom.

Today, visitors can schedule tours to see the underground passageways and learn more about Cumberland’s role in this courageous chapter of America's history.

Brownsville — Frostburg, MD

Brownsville was a thriving, self-sustaining African American community in Frostburg founded soon after the Civil War. In 1866, formerly enslaved women Tamar Brown and Elizabeth Jackson purchased adjacent plots, laying the foundation for a neighborhood where Black families-built homes, forged livelihoods, and supported one another for nearly a century.

As Frostburg State University expanded in the 1920s and beyond, Brownsville families were gradually displaced. Although much of the original neighborhood was absorbed into the campus, the story remains alive through community memory and a memorial on the university’s Upper Quad that commemorates this important place in Allegany County’s African American history.

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath — Cumberland & Oldtown, MD

The C&O Canal Towpath offered both opportunity and escape for African Americans in the 19th century. Freedom seekers followed the towpath north from the Potomac River toward Pennsylvania — a free state — blending in with canal workers to avoid detection.

Today, this scenic trail is part of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. Walking or biking along the same path once trod by those seeking freedom bridges past and present, connecting landscapes of natural beauty with powerful stories of determination and hope.

Jane Gates House — Cumberland, MD

After the Civil War, Jane Gates — born into slavery and denied formal education — emerged as a remarkable figure in Allegany County. In 1871, she became the first Black woman in the county documented to hold a bank account, purchasing her home at 515 Greene Street.

Today, the Jane Gates House remains in the Gates family. Community members and descendants are working to preserve the structure and share Jane’s inspiring story with visitors, honoring her spirit and legacy as an early African American homeowner, worker, and community member.


 

Rose Hill Cemetery — Cumberland, MD

Rose Hill Cemetery is one of Cumberland’s oldest and most historic burial grounds, reflecting the city’s rich cultural and social history. Within its landscaped grounds you’ll find the final resting places of community members from many eras, including African Americans whose lives and legacies shaped Allegany County.

Among those buried here is Jane Gates (c.1819–1888), a formerly enslaved woman who overcame tremendous barriers after the Civil War to become a property owner and community figure in Cumberland. Jane’s grave connects this peaceful historic landscape with the broader story of freedom, resilience, and Black entrepreneurship in Mountain Maryland.

Members of Jane’s extended family, including her descendants, are also interred at Rose Hill — further linking this cemetery with the multi-generational legacy of African American life and community in Cumberland. Noted scholars who have explored this heritage (including Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. in his genealogical work) have referenced these family burials as part of understanding how African American families thrived and persevered here.

Today, Rose Hill provides a place of reflection, remembrance, and learning. It’s a reminder that history exists not only in museums and heritage sites, but also in the lived experiences and resting places of the people who helped build this region.
 

Please note: Rose Hill Cemetery is an active historic burial ground and a place of remembrance for families and the community. Visitors are encouraged to explore respectfully, remain on designated paths, and honor the quiet, reflective nature of the site.

Plan Your Visit

These sites and stories are part of the broader African American heritage woven through Allegany County’s landscapes. Whether you’re tracing Underground Railroad routes, connecting with community history in Frostburg, or learning about remarkable local trailblazers, Mountain Maryland offers meaningful ways to explore and reflect on this vital chapter of American history.