Near Grantsville in Garrett County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Keyser's Ridge
Living with Extreme Weather
| | The Road That Built The Nation | |
"I saw the wind blow so hard on Keyser's Ridge, that it took six men to hold the hair on one man's head."
In the early days of the National Road, this stretch was often "snowed up" with drifts up to twenty feet deep. Stagecoaches and freight wagons were stopped here for days at a time. When they could travel, they sometimes left the blocked roadbeds and rolled across the nearby "skirting glades."
Keyser's Ridge is no place for the faint hearted. It tops a bald, bleak range, the last of three mountains west of Cumberland that are nearly 3,000 feet high. The weather here is extreme. Dense fog, howling winds, and deep snow stop even modern day travelers in their tracks.
In spite of the treacherous winter weather, numerous inns were tucked into the eastern slope of the mountain. They have welcomed hardy travelers throughout the seasons since the early nineteenth century.
[Caption:]
Leo Beachy photographed Keysers Ridge in the 1930s. In the days before large snow plows, hired men had to shovel pathways through the huge snow drifts.
Erected by America's Byways.
Topics and series. This historical marker
this page online
Location. 39° 41.65′ N, 79° 14.797′ W. Marker is near Grantsville, Maryland, in Garrett County. It is on National Pike (Alternate U.S. 40) 0.1 miles east of U.S. 40, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4098 National Pike, Grantsville MD 21536, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Baltimore Metro Region and in Western Maryland. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A different marker also named Negro Mountain
Other markers no longer nearby. Keysers Ridge (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Negro Mountain (was approx. 2.1 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The Fuller-Baker House (was approx. 4 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 19, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 4,241 times since then and 299 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 19, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
