Blazing Braddock's Road

Photo of this Marker is Missing image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Hmdb

1. Photo of this Marker is Missing

Placeholder pending photo of marker face.

Inscription. “We this day passed the ‘Aligany’ Mountain (Big Savage Mountain) which is a rocky ascent of more than two miles, in many places extremely steep…”

Captain Robert Orme, June 15, 1755

British General Edward Braddock led a 2,100-man army through this wild country in 1755. The troops intended to dislodge the French from the “Forks of the Ohio” (Pittsburgh) almost 100 miles away. They were blazing a new trail, forever known as “Braddock’s Road.”

As they crossed this formidable mountain about a mile south of here, Braddock’s aide, Captain Robert Orme, recorded the difficulties. “Its descent is very rugged and almost perpendicular; in passing which we entirely demolished three wagons and shattered several.” After Orme listed the passage of 2100 soldiers, 30 wagons, 400 horses, siege artillery and tons of supplies, General Braddock took a young George Washington’s advice. He soon created a “flying column,” shedding most of the cumbersome equipment and moving more quickly to his objective.

(Sidebar): Retracing General Braddock’s Route

More than 150 years after Braddock’s march to a disastrous defeat, John Kennedy Lacock, a Harvard Professor, led an expedition to retrace the original route of Braddock’s Road. Here, Lacock and his colleagues rest near the summit of Big Savage Mountain. The old twelve-footwide road is clearly visible between them.

Erected by America's Byways.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • War, French and Indian. In addition, it is included in the Braddock’s Road and Maj. Gen. Edward Braddock, and the The Historic National Road series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is June 15, 1755.

Location. Marker is missing. It was located near 39° 40.465′ N, 78° 57.739′ W. Marker was in Frostburg, Maryland, in Allegany County.

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It was on Historic National Road (Alternate U.S. 40), on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Frostburg MD 21532, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was in the Baltimore Metro Region

and in Western Maryland.

It was also in the American Mid-Atlantic,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this location, measured as the crow flies: Historic Braddock Road (approx. 0.7 miles away); Savage River Camp (approx. 1.1 miles away); Dickerson AME Church (approx. 1.9 miles away); Westminster Hall (approx. 2 miles away); Cumberland Hall (approx. 2.1 miles away); The Memorial Window (approx. 2.1 miles away); Frederick Hall (approx. 2.1 miles away); Frostburg (approx. 2.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Frostburg.

More about this marker. A postcard is reproduced

Marker atop Savage Mountain image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Christopher Busta-Peck, September 22, 2007

2. Marker atop Savage Mountain

A former service station, built to serve motorists of another era, sits in the background.

in the lower left showing "The Mountain Inn Hotel, later called Anton’s Big Savage Inn, served the National Highway travelers until it burned in the 1970s. Directly on top of the 2,850 foot summit, the Inn boasted the 'highest sleeping quarters on the National Highway east of the Mississippi.' Motorists on the mountain top were warned to “snub” not “drag” their brakes during the descent."

The sidebar contains an illustration of Lacock's group resting at Big Savage Mountain. The background of the marker is "National Road at Fairview Inn" which is the standard for markers in this series. An elevation diagram of the national road is displayed on the bottom of the marker's face.

Missing Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by F. Robby, January 10, 2015

3. Missing Marker

Recreation of the 2007 Busta-Peck photo, albeit in winter, with no marker to be found.

View from Savage Mountain image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Christopher Busta-Peck, September 22, 2007

4. View from Savage Mountain

Blazing Braddock's Road Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 25, 2021

5. Blazing Braddock's Road Marker

Marker and stand are now missing.

Photographed by Postcard Circa 1940, 1940

6. Blazing Braddock's Road Marker

Route over Big Savage Mountain image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Postcard, circa 1940

7. Route over Big Savage Mountain

Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 25, 2021

8. Blazing Braddock's Road Marker

Marker and stand are no longer there. Possibly removed with the installation of the cellular tower.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 26, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 27, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio. This page has been viewed 4,413 times since then and 41 times this year. Last updated on July 25, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on January 28, 2008. 2. submitted on January 27, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio. 3. submitted on January 14, 2015, by F. Robby of Baltimore, Maryland. 4. submitted on January 27, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio. 5. submitted on July 25, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. 6, 7. submitted on May 29, 2020, by Bill Dwyer of Northridge, California. 8. submitted on July 25, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. A photo of this marker • Can you help?