Students from West Virginia University (WVU) are bringing fresh ideas to community revitalization efforts in Allegany County. Through a partnership with the WVU Landscape Architecture Program, the City of Cumberland, and Allegany County Economic and Community Development (ACECD), the Wills Creek corridor in Cumberland, Maryland, has been the focus of a student-led design project to consider its potential as a central connector for the city and a catalyst for economic prosperity.Wills Creek, a 38.6-mile-long tributary of the North Branch Potomac River, has long been both an asset and a challenge for the city of Cumberland. Concrete walls added in the 1950s to mitigate flooding have effectively protected the area but also created a physical barrier between the east and west sides.Supported by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the project focuses on improving Wills Creek’s role in the community, examining how environmental and social design could create new opportunities for businesses, residents, and visitors.The initiative, led by Dr. Stefania Staniscia, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture in WVU’s School of Design and Community Development, gave senior students in the landscape architecture program an opportunity to apply their expertise to real-world challenges while encouraging fresh perspectives on how the creek might be used in the future. This valuable offering from WVU allows landscape architecture students to apply their skills to real-world community design challenges.One of those students, Erik Moses, saw the project as an exciting opportunity to put his skills to use. “At first glance, Wills Creek is almost like a scar through the city, but if you look at it in a new way, it could be the new central vein that flows life into Cumberland,” he notes about the corridor. His team proposed a multipurpose, mixed-use green corridor emphasizing accessibility, livability, and tourism. Their design also considered ways to connect existing and proposed urban green spaces along the creek. Moses and his team emphasized strengthening the connection between both sides of the creek and downtown Cumberland to the east, as well as between the creek and the GAP Trail to the west. 

Allegany County is on the rise. With growth and innovation at the forefront, Allegany County Economic and Community Development (ACECD) is blending economic development, tourism, and quality-of-life improvements into a bold vision for the future. “Maryland is a highly innovative state,” said Jeffery Barclay, ACECD Director. “To keep Allegany County competitive, we’ve made significant investments in recent years to capitalize on our unique strengths…residents are starting to see these efforts pay off, generating an enthusiasm we haven’t seen in some time. We plan to continue that momentum by prioritizing forward-thinking projects in the new year.” This future-forward approach underscores the importance of ACECD’s upcoming strategic plan, which will establish broad economic development goals for years to come.

Local pride meets holiday cheer in Allegany County's Shop Small, Win Big campaign! Now in its fifth year, this popular initiative has become a county-wide holiday tradition, inspiring residents to shop locally and rewarding them with exciting prizes—all while increasing foot traffic and visibility for Allegany County’s local businesses.Created by Allegany County Tourism in 2020, the Shop Small, Win Big campaign was initially intended as a creative pivot in response to COVID-19 limitations.Ashli Workman, Director of Allegany County Tourism, explains, “We couldn’t advertise to our traditional markets in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and elsewhere because of the travel restrictions,” Workman said. “We turned inward and focused on encouraging our community to support local businesses, which had also struggled during the pandemic. What started as a temporary initiative grew into an annual highlight for residents and businesses alike.”

Western Maryland’s outdoor recreation attractions are increasingly recognized globally for their natural beauty, accessibility, and variety. Top destinations such as the Great Allegany Passage and the C&O Canal National Historical Park—ranked as the 16th most visited U.S. National Park Service site—continue to draw visitors near and far. A new research project and Make It. In the Mountains. marketing campaign, spearheaded by Allegany and Garrett County Governments and the Maryland Department of Commerce and Office of Tourism, aims to leverage the region’s leading natural resources to attract more outdoor-focused businesses and manufacturers to the area, driving further investment into Western Maryland. Ashli Workman, Director of Allegany County Tourism, explains, “We have seen Allegany’s outdoor-based amenities drive destination awareness and visitor volume, but they’ve also acted like an ambassador for our economic development. Companies are interested in our region because of the lifestyle that their workforce can have after the nine-to-five.” 

Ristorante Ottaviani believes that family and community are the same. As it approaches its 17th year in business, the classic Italian restaurant continues to serve authentic recipes, employ family members across the generations, and welcome all visitors to Cumberland as if they are a part of the Ottaviani family. “Family is at the center of everything we do,” shares founder Adrienne Ottaviani. “Whether that is with our staff or those who come in to eat—everyone becomes family with us.” Now under her son Tony’s ownership, the restaurant has branched into new ventures with the Ottaviani’s Tasting Room and Lounge, next door to the original restaurant. 

In its 25th year, the Hooley Pub Crawl draws crowds from Allegany County and beyond to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with food, drink, and entertainment. The event invites visitors to patronize 22 participating establishments in downtown, north, and south Cumberland and explore the region's attractions. The Pub Crawl begins on Saturday, March 16th, at 12:00 pm and continues through 1:00 am the next day. “This has been a long-standing tradition in Downtown Cumberland,” shares Melinda Kelleher, Executive Director of the Downtown Development Commission, which is coordinating and promoting the event. “The Hooley Pub Crawl is always well attended and important for downtown foot traffic. This year is especially important since construction has limited pedestrians to the area.” She continues, “We’re encouraging everyone to come downtown, have a great time, and support the local businesses.” 

After years of vacancy, 118 Baltimore Street is now the focus of a transformative renovation in downtown Cumberland. Now known as “The Rosenbaum,” this former department store is being renovated by CG Enterprises into a mixed-use commercial and residential space. The aim is to draw businesses, create jobs, and provide residential living options. Given its central location, The Rosenbaum will serve as a hub where residents, businesses, and tourists intersect, fostering connections and providing a chance to explore and engage with the distinct offerings of Allegany County.The five-story building, built in 1899, was home to the Rosenbaum Brothers Department store. Owned by Jewish-German immigrants, the store employed 200 people at its peak. Even after its closure in 1971, the site left a lasting impression on Cumberland residents. CG Enterprises’ principal team members, Garrett Eagan and Chris Hendershot, remember the building from their childhood in Cumberland. Eagan shares, “My family knows local Cumberland history. Between their stories and seeing the building in paintings of old downtown, Chris and I were aware of the Rosenbaums even though the department store had closed before our time. The building’s facade remains a focal point of Baltimore Street.”

Established in 2021 by Adam Forshee and his wife, Julie, Tracks and Yaks is an outdoor adventure company combining rail biking and kayaking into guided tours along the Western Maryland Railway. Forshee initially conceived a plan to offer kayak rentals. However, upon noticing the proximity of train tracks to numerous rivers, he was inspired to explore the concept of rail biking—a popular activity in Asia and Europe but still relatively new in the U.S.Rail bikes are custom-built, pedal-powered vehicles that glide smoothly along railroad tracks. Designed to accommodate groups of varying sizes, these bikes offer both tandem and quad options. The experience is crafted to be easygoing, allowing guests to soak in the natural surroundings and the rich history of the railroad.“I had been searching for a place to do this, and Allegany County was the first to welcome us,” says Forshee. “We operate in Frostburg and opened a second location earlier this year on the Eastern Shore in Berlin, Maryland.”

Owning and operating a brewery was not something initially in the plans for her family, says Terri McCagh. However, since the family opened 1812 Brewery less than a decade ago, they’ve experienced a lot of success and enjoyed the process, she says. Soon, they’ll expand with help from a $750,000 state grant.Located outside of Cumberland’s city limits, 1812 Brewery sits off the beaten path on a historic farm owned by the McCagh family. Visitors can sample beer brewed in the converted barn — which was first built in 1812 and is the brewery’s namesake — while enjoying the farm’s views of the county’s sprawling green mountains. 

The project known as the River Park at Canal Place Trails and Trail Connections has been earmarked for $6 million through direct federal funding. The omnibus spending appropriations bill that funds the federal government for the next nine months was signed into law on December 30 and includes funding for over $35 million for projects across Western Maryland, which represents a large portion of the $200 million secured for the State of Maryland at large."I view the River Park at Canal Place project as another way to promote Allegany County's diverse outdoor recreational economy" said Canal Place Preservation & Development Authority Executive Director Deidra "Dee Dee" Ritchie. "The park will help foster community revitalization, enhance water quality, create jobs, support economic growth and diversification and offer new opportunities for people to connect with the natural environment."Ritchie also recognized the role that federal legislators representing the region played. She states "I cannot thank our Federal, District 6 Legislators (Senators Cardin and Van Hollen, and Congressman Trone) enough for securing this money for our area. The initial river park discussions began over 20 years ago. And now here we are."