Then & Now: Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Cumberland, Maryland) 1912

Cumberland is known as the “Queen City of the Alleganys.” The National Road, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal pass through the town, which was once an Ohio Company outpost and the westernmost part of the British Empire in North America. Cumberland has changed from a trading site to a manufacturing locality, to a tourist haven over many generations.

For this post, I have used one of Lewis Reed’s original photographs for “then” and a google stock image for “now”. Taken over 113 years apart, you can see how the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Cumberland, Maryland looks almost the same from over a century ago.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church (THEN): The Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Cumberland, Maryland in Cumberland’s Historic District is built on the foundations of Fort Cumberland, where George Washington began his military career. Although the Emmanuel parish dates from 1803, the cornerstone of the current native sandstone building was laid in 1849 and completed in 1851.

Standing at the eastern end of the Washington Street Historic District, it is one of Maryland’s examples of early Gothic Revival architecture. The church is on the former site of Fort Cumberland, and earthwork tunnels remaining from the fort run under the church. The church was constructed around 1850 and designed by Philadelphia architect John Notman.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church Cumberland, 1912. Photo by Lewis Reed

Emmanuel Episcopal Church (NOW): Emmanuel Episcopal Church is active and continues to service the city of Cumberland. Emmanuel Church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. The church allows self-guided tours of the stained glass; the church also offers guided tours of the tunnels. Make contact with the church in order to arrange a tour. Emmanuel Episcopal Church is part of the Washington Street Historic District, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church Cumberland today. Google image.

Source: Wikipedia