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Garrett County Recognized Heritage Area
 Goals
The Garrett County Heritage Area will tell the story of Maryland’s westernmost County, the state’s “Gateway to the West.” Specific goals of the Garrett County Heritage Area include:
Raise public awareness about Garrett County’s unique and rich heritage, and protect and enhance local quality of life by conserving, enhancing, and promoting the County’s unique historical, cultural and natural resources.
Present Garrett County as an outstanding example of a frontier region by communicating the story of the county from its Native American heritage to current times as Maryland’s Western Frontier.
Use the Heritage Plan and heritage designation to strengthen the county’s economy through increased tourism.
Offer adequate types of heritage-related support facilities that are attractive and well-designed.
Encourage visitors to heritage sites to stop at visitor information centers that have exhibits and displays, and provide special maps, brochures, and other interpretive literature.
Establish and use an organizational framework that involves cooperation among many diverse interests, including groups in both the private and public sectors.
Establish additional historic districts within towns and other areas where historic buildings are concentrated.
 Six historical periods provide the framework for interpreting the Garrett County’s long and rich heritage: the Native American presence, the Colonial period, the National Road era, the Age of the Railroad, the Early Automobile period, and the Post-World War II period. The County’s unique history as a frontier region, and its varied geography and natural features provide the primary and unifying heritage theme of Garrett County-Maryland’s Western Frontier. Four secondary themes support and contribute to the primary “frontier” theme: Transportation-from Indian trails to the National Road to the strong influence of railroads and waterways on the region’s history; Man and Nature-highlighting the unique natural resources of this mountainous County, its still-strong agricultural heritage, and the influence of natural resources such as coal on the region’s history; Historic Recreation-for generations American presidents, the rich and powerful of Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and today’s heritage tourists have come to enjoy the cool mountain summers, natural beauty, and wealth of recreational opportunities, historic towns and sites to visit; and Cultural Uniqueness-the climate and terrain of Maryland’s western frontier create a type of isolation which has appealed to many including the Amish and Mennonites in search of religious freedom, Germans, Irish, and many others who have given rise to a special form of Appalachian mountain culture that has developed unique foods, music, and other cultural characteristics.
 Location
The Garrett County Recognized Heritage Area as currently defined encompasses much of Maryland’s westernmost County. As work proceeds to develop a Garrett County Heritage Area Management Plan in order to apply for Certified Heritage Area status, the boundaries of the heritage area will be refined. The heritage area as currently envisioned, includes 20 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the historic districts of Oakland and Mountain Lake Park. Over 1,000 historic buildings and archeological sites are listed in the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties, with significant concentrations of sites in and around the Towns of Grantsville, Oakland, Accident, Mountain Lake Park, and various other locations. Numerous greenways including Garrett State Forest Greenway, Savage River State Forest Greenway, the proposed Potomac River Greenway, and the Youghiogheny Scenic and Wild River Greenway. Recreational resources include parks such as Deep Creek Lake, New Germany, Swallow Falls, Big Run, and Finzel Park. Nearly one-quarter of the County’s total area is farmland. Every year a list of “working farms” that are open to the public is available. Scenic Byways, roads with outstanding scenic, natural, and historical value traverse the County, including the Historic National Road, the National Freeway, Savage River Road, Coal Heritage Tour Byway, the Cunningham Swamp Byway, and The Glades Byway.
 Management
The Garrett County Board of County Commissioners appointed a Heritage Committee with representatives from heritage tourism-related private businesses, local jurisdictions, the Chamber of Commerce, the Oakland Main Street program, the Garrett County Planning and Zoning Office, and the Maryland Department of Planning. A permanent management entity will be designated prior to submission of the application for Certified Heritage Area status.
 Contact Information
Mr. Charlie Ross
President/CEO
Garrett County Chamber of Commerce
15 Visitors Center Drive
McHenry, MD 21541
301-387-4386
301-387-2080 (fax)
E-mail: charlie@garrettchamber.com
Website: www.garrettchamber.com
Last updated: August 5, 2005
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