Oakland in Garrett County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Oakland Hotel
In addition to the main building, there were auxiliary buildings of which one was a laundry for both the hotel and its guests.
Two large 250,000-gallon railroad water tanks, originally designed to supply water to steam locomotives, were situated on the crest of the hill behind the building to provide water for hotel use.
The Oakland Hotel was well advertised every season and many of the same patrons returned year after year to spend part of the summer.
One of the unique features of the hotel was the telegraph office in the hotel's lobby. The telegraph office had a line that connected it to the lobby of the Deer Park Hotel. although they only extended six miles, in the early 1890's the hotel -to-hotel wires were attached to telephones and became the first telephone line in Garrett County.
In 1900, due to dwindling patronage, the railroad sold the Oakland Hotel to a medical group for a proposed sanatorium. The venture was unsuccessful and hotel was torn down in 1909 for its lumber.
Only this stone "gas house," in front of you where artificial gas was generated for lights and cooking stoves during the hotel's early days, remains to document the existence of the 300 room Oakland Hotel.
Location. 39° 24.546′ N, 79° 24.64′ W. Marker is in Oakland, Maryland, in Garrett County. Marker can be reached from Oak Street. Touch for map. Along the Town Trail just south of 20 Oak Street, The Garrett County Lighthouse, Inc. Marker is in this post office area: Oakland MD 21550, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Garrett County Courthouse (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); MaryLandscapes (about 300 feet away); Railroad Street (about 600 feet away); The Glades Hotel (about 600 feet away); 1884 Oakland Train Station (about 700 feet away); Gettysburg Campaign (about 700 feet away); Garrett Memorial Church (about 700 feet away); Oakland (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oakland.
Categories. • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars •
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on September 29, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 384 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. submitted on September 29, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.