Some intersting opinions on Garrett County..

hole punch · Sep 11, 2009

just some notes from members at another message board:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/maryland/35607-what-can-anyone-tell-me-about-2.html

i enjoyed reading and thought I might share.

i thought the confusion about where "western maryland" begins and ends was interesting. what do you guys think? sidling hill or south mountain?

Karl/PA · Sep 11, 2009

Thats a fair description. I always thought of WM starting at South Mtn.

whis · Sep 11, 2009

I always thought the boundry was a point in the dividing line where good ole' fashion "down home" foke and the morons of the world played Hatfield and McCoy!! :clap:

Ben · Sep 18, 2009

Boundary of Western MD

In terms of culture and climate, I'd say you'd have to be climbing uphill out of Frostburg to be in real Western MD. Cumberland was a heavy industry city, Frostburg's a college town.

Garrett County by contrast is hard core Appalachia with the primary industries being farming, timbering and coal mining, plus the business generated by the ski/lake resort. We certainly have more in common with our neighbors in nearby PA and WV than we do with any place in MD.

One comment about the linked article. I agree with most of it, but recently the lake area has begun to see a migration of residents, often businessmen or professional, who are retiring from the metro areas. These folks are supporting the arts so there's increasingly available "culture" for those who care about it. It's going to be interesting to see how, over time, this migration impacts the county. Will they bring big-city liberalism up here, or are they coming up here because they like the social climate?

Inigoes · Sep 18, 2009

Depends, who wants to claim Hagerstown?

chiefstrum · Sep 22, 2009

I'm with Ben. I was born and raised in Garrett County and moved to Allegany for awhile. They are night and day different. Not to mention Garrett is always 10 degrees colder than Cumberland.

SamW · Sep 23, 2009

Let me tell ya boys when you come thru the "Cut" on Sideling you can begin to hear the banjos playing.

j8064 · Sep 23, 2009

SamW said:
Let me tell ya boys when you come thru the "Cut" on Sideling you can begin to hear the banjos playing.

Well, maybe... But in my experience you don't truly get into the culture of Garrett County until you pass the Eastern Continental Divide. GC is a very different and unique place.

We've owned a second home in McHenry for over 10 years. I get there as often as possible, just not often enough. If there was a major airport I could drive to within an hour or so from the house...I'd already be living there.

Sometimes there are more "touristas" in the Deep Creek area than I want to dodge or deal with, but their $'s drive much of the economy so it's not a bad thing. This site is fun to watch for local Deep Creek info:
http://www.deepcreektimes.com/

The tourist "draw" to Deep Creek isn't all Garrett County has to offer. The Savage River area is beautiful. The forests are spectacular. Oakland (the county seat) is a "one of a kind" place. And there are plenty of other locations in GC worth visiting.

Over all the years I haven't met any "local" folks I couldn't handle as full time neighbors. Since I already have an isolated house...next door neighbors aren't an issue. Full time Garrett County residents are terrific folks IMHO.

The Savage River shooting range is my personal favorite "fun place to shoot". I've met many terrific people there. In fact I plan on hauling some of my toys up to the mountains this Friday and will be at the range on Saturday (rain or shine). If any of the local Garrett County forum members are there, please introduce yourselves!

drking2 · Sep 26, 2009

Growing up in Garrett/Allegany county I would think Big Savage Mtn as the cutoff. Allegany county is rural for the most part, but nothing beats Garrett county. Residents of Allegany county would refer to Garrett county as the country. As far as where western maryland begins, I always figured at sidling.

bigpapa1080 · Sep 28, 2009

I think that last dude in Hole Punch's link had it just about dead on. I've never lived there but I've spent more than my fair share of time in GC, and all the people I know up there definitely identify more with WV than the rest of MD. Some Choose to identify themselves with PA, but not as many as WV (hell I can't blame them for not wanting to be part of the state the Eagles are in). I think of the Allegany/Garrett line at the top of Big Savage mountain. The western MD split at Sideling hill, just like everyone else seems to think. I still consider Green Ridge to be very much western MD as well. If I could live anywhere in the state of MD, I would probably say somewhere in GC, like Accident.

j8064 · Sep 28, 2009

And, since no MD Shooters members apparently were there to introduce themselves, a quick Garrett County range report:

I was at the Savage River range in the rain both Saturday (9/26) and Sunday (9/27) for ~ 3 hours each day. I had a ball. The leaves are turning, there's a fall nip in the air and it was great in spite of the rain.

Many folks came and went while I was there. Some local, some from WV and PA and some from the Cumberland area. All nice folks to meet and talk with.

As I was driving back early this morning I remembered this thread. I think drking2 may be right. Big Savage is probably where the GC culture begins. GC is much more intertwined with WV and western PA. It's a very different place than anything east of Sidling.

Sorry you GC locals missed a couple of fun shooting days. Maybe we should organize a shoot?

Dizzy · Oct 15, 2009

I just find it amazing that I-68 tends to be repaved every 2 years and they just repaired all the bridges in the County in one year. It takes 5-10 years just to do a bridge here in the DC/MD/VA area. Go figure.

I love DCL. That's the reason I had a cabin built up there and I spend my weekends up there with my family. We're lucky to have a great neighbor who watches over our house when we're not in town. It really is a great place live. I love snow and am an avid skier so I'm not afraid of the winters there

2500yards · Oct 18, 2009

snowing right now

Llyrin · Oct 19, 2009

I always though of Western MD as Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties, but that's just my suburban, PG opinion.

Side note: While working for PG County Govt, we once got a memo from Paris Glendenning, while he was still County Exec, to cease and desist using the initials when referring to the county in writing or conversation. The memo had no effect. Yes, he was as good a governor as he was an exec, wasn't he? :sarcasm:

Treeguy · Jan 22, 2010

SM is it for sure...everything gets a bit more country as you head over the hill...

Man good thing i live on the right side of it!

hole punch · Jan 22, 2010

Treeguy said:
SM is it for sure...everything gets a bit more country as you head over the hill...

Man good thing i live on the right side of it!

+1

I grew up in Frederick and always wanted to be able to afford to move back, but lately I'm beginning to think it's not really the same town anymore. I like my peace & quiet.

ktm rider · Feb 21, 2011

I live on top of Savage Mountain in GC. I grew up in Frostburg. I agree with most of the postings here about GC except for the "banjo" part. It is rural but not really appalachia inbred kind of rural. It is mostly farmland with nice middle class homes scattered about. ( of course their are exceptions.) but if you guys form "down the road" want think it is red neck that is fine. that way we won't be overrun and our secret will be safe...lol..

Oh, and to the person that thought Pittsburgh got more snow, We got 267 inches last winter.. ( that is just under 22 FEET !)

... · Feb 21, 2011

what way does the Potomac Flow in Garret Co? It is mostly NE right?

ktm rider · Feb 21, 2011

... said:
what way does the Potomac Flow in Garret Co? It is mostly NE right?

Uh, the Potomac doesn't run through GC at all. But the Eastern Continental Divide runs roughly through eastern GC if that is what you are getting at. West of that the creeks and rivers flow to the Gulf. east they run to the Atlantic.

Gigantopithicus · Feb 21, 2011

ktm rider said:
Uh, the Potomac doesn't run through GC at all. But the Eastern Continental Divide runs roughly through eastern GC if that is what you are getting at. West of that the creeks and rivers flow to the Gulf. east they run to the Atlantic.

So that's where western MD starts! :lol2:

Some intersting opinions on Garrett County..

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Paper Target Slayer

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Member

Head'n for the hills

Member

Active Member

Garrett Co Hooligan #1

Ultimate Member

They call me Horseface

Garrett Co Hooligan #1

Active Member

Active Member

Yankee-Rebel

Active Member

Paper Target Slayer

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Damn Dirty Ape

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics