Category:deep creek lake
Famous Travelers: Edison, Ford, Firestone: A Memorial Service is Held for John Burroughs at Camp Harding
By Francis Champ Zumbrun
“The woods will get you if you don’t watch out…Stay out close to nature and you won’t want to come back to the civilizing influences of trolley cars, telephones, porcelain bathtubs and nickel plumbing.” – Thomas Edison at Muddy Creek, MD July 1921
The general public read with great interest the articles that appeared in newspapers across the country reporting the camping adventures of the vagabonds in western Maryland. The Maryland newspapers included photographs showing the famous men participating in various outdoor activities with President Harding, from relaxing in canvas-backed wooden folding chairs to horseback riding.
One photograph captured Edison napping comfortably on the bare ground. Soon after that photograph was taken, President Harding gently put a newspaper over Edison’s face and smiled at child looking on in the crowd and said, “we can’t let the gnats eat him up, now can we?”
After returning to the campsite from a horseback ride, the men went fishing for about 30 minutes in Licking Creek, catching nothing. Edison was overheard saying,” I don’t believe there ever were any fish in this creek.”
A local music dealer from Hagerstown made arrangements for a player piano to be at the campsite. After dinner, the camping party danced to popular music on a small wooden platform. Afterwards they sat around the campfire in a large circle listening to Thomas Edison tell tall-tales.
Read More Here: http://dnr.maryland.gov/feature_stories/FamousTravelersPart3.asp
Famous Travelers: Edison, Ford, Firestone Promote Outdoor Recreation with a President
By Francis Champ Zumbrun
“Imagine a scenario in which an outdoors-loving president takes a sudden weekend leave from the White House to join up with three of the most powerful industrialists in the Western world at a campsite in the mountains of Western Maryland, where they ride horses, shoot rifles, chop wood, and eat and sleep in tents beside a babbling brook.” – Norman Brauer, author of “There to Breathe the Beauty.”
During the week of July 21-27, 1921, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone camped at a site about six miles east of Hancock in Washington County. During the weekend, President Warren G. Harding joined the “vagabonds” — the name the wealthy industrialists gave themselves when they camped together. The 200-acre farm where they made camp was located about one mile north of the National Turnpike along Licking Creek. Today, the campsite lies inside Camp Harding County Park. A plaque memorializes the gathering of these famous campers.
This was not the first time the vagabonds had been in the Old Line State. In 1918, while traveling from their camp site near Greensburg, Pa., to Leadmine, W.Va., the group passed through Garrett County. They stopped to eat lunch at Swallow Falls and purchased supplies in Oakland.
Read More Here: http://dnr.maryland.gov/feature_stories/FamousTravelersPart2.asp
Famous Travelers: Edison, Ford, Firestone Travel Through Allegany County
By Francis Champ Zumbrun
“I like to get out in the woods and live close to nature. Every man does. It is in his blood. It is his feeble protest against civilization.’’ – -Thomas Edison at Muddy Creek Falls, 1921
In the summer of 1921, Thomas Edison, world famous inventor; Henry Ford, automobile manufacturer; and Harvey Firestone, tire magnate; camped out at two different locations in Western Maryland. Traveling on Route 40 from one campsite to the other took these well-known men from east to west through the entire width of Allegany County.
From July 21 to 27, they camped in Washington County on a 200-acre farm located along Licking Creek, about six miles east of Hancock. From July 27 to 31, they camped in Garrett County along Muddy Creek, at present-day Swallow Falls State Park.
Edison, Ford and Firestone were business partners and knew each other from working together on various business projects over the years. Their working relationship transformed into a bond of great friendship through the experiences they shared camping together about two weeks each summer from 1915 through 1924. On these camping trips, these wealthy captains of industry called themselves “vagabonds” as they roughed it together in the great outdoors away from civilizati
on.
The publicity that followed these celebrated men on their summer adventures helped to introduce to the general public the pleasure of motorized recreational touring, outdoor recreation and camping. Historians have noted that these camping trips were “the first notable linking of the automobile and outdoor recreation.”
The loud sounds of the motor caravan breaking the quiet of the rural countryside would have certainly drawn the attention of anyone within hearing distance. An Allegany County citizen standing at the right place at the right time along the National Road on the afternoon of July 27, 1921 would have certainly noticed the long caravan of vehicles passing through the area.
Read More Here: http://dnr.maryland.gov/feature_stories/FamousTravelersPart1.asp
100+ Maryland businesses call for fracking moratorium
More than 100 businesses in western Maryland have come out in support of a bill that would establish a moratorium on oil and gas exploration via hydraulic fracturing, citing concerns over pollution, health and tourism consequences.
Lawmakers in Maryland are currently considering bills that would either place an eight-year moratorium on fracking or ban the practice completely, much like New York did late last year.
However, state Gov. Larry Hogan believes the time is right to allow the practice – which involves blasting highly pressurized water, sand and other chemicals into layers of rock to free up oil and gas – as long as strict regulations are in place. According to the Baltimore Sun, the Maryland Environmental Department is considering regulations that would pave the way for fracking to begin in the state.
Read More Here: http://rt.com/usa/240293-maryland-businesses-fracking-moratorium/
Bill Seeks to Impose Moratorium on Fracking Until 2023
March 12th, 2015 by WCBC Radio
Efforts to see that hydraulic fracturing won’t be considered in Maryland for at least another eight years continue in Annapolis as a hearing in the House Environmental and Transportation placing a moratorium on banning fracking was held Wednesday. The bill would impose a moratorium on fracking until 2023. Local residents and officials planned to testify on both sides of the bill. Members of Don’t Frack Maryland also planned to present a petition supporting the moratorium to the legislators. Supporters of fracking say that the bill may have an adverse impact on small businesses engaged in providing services related to hydraulic fracturing, and that the region is missing out on a potential revenue stream of hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Delegate Wendell Beitzel, who represents Garrett County, is frustrated with the opposition. He says a moratorium may not even be required given the potential strictest in the nation regulations being considered…..
– See more at: http://www.wcbcradio.com/?news=bill-seeks-to-impose-moratorium-on-fracking-until-2023#sthash.qrLPP5yI.dpuf
Throw Back Thursday!
Throw Back Thursday! This photo is incredible~ Record historical snowdrift that had to be cut out so cars could pass through!
This was taken near Deer Park in 1936! (Picture is part of the collection from the Western Maryland Historical Library)
