|
The town of Friendsville
is Maryland’s western-most municipality, situated in the corner
of the state adjacent to the borders of Pennsylvania and West
Virginia. Friendsville’s first known white settlers were John
and Mary Friend who came to the area in the 1760s and gained
permission from the Shawnee Indians to build a log cabin near
their encampment along the Youghiogheny River. The “Yough,” as
the river is known locally, flows northward from Friendsville
into Pennsylvania, which accounts for the Shawnee name which
translates as “waters that flow in a contrary direction.”
By the early 1900s, Friendsville was a thriving community
with a number of homes, hotels, stores, and an opera house. The
local economy was supported by a booming timber and coal-mining
industry and by a railroad that serviced the area.
During World War II, a flood-control dam was constructed on
the river down-stream from the town, leading to abandonment of
the railroad. Many of the mines closed, and the logging industry
became stagnant, resulting in fewer and fewer jobs for local
residents.
Friendsville today has become synonymous with white-water
rafting because of the town’s proximity to the Youghiogheny
River, which boasts some of the best rafting and kayaking east
of the Mississippi. The boom in that sport and the popularity of
the area for vacationers and fishermen has been most beneficial
to Friendsville. The healthy economy supports an active
community that strives in many ways to maintain a supportive and
congenial environment for its residents. Friendsville Community
Park provides a variety of recreational and cultural
opportunities; a community and senior citizens center meets a
diversity of residents’ needs; and the Friend’s Museum provides
a genealogical library and a glimpse of the town’s past. The
museum also serves as the headquarters of the Friend Family
Association of America.
Friendsville takes pride in its motto — “The friendliest
little town in Maryland.”
|
