|
Washington County Line- Sideling Hill Creek to Sideling Hill Mtn. Summit
Click photo to enlarge
New photos by Steve Colby unless noted.
The old National Road in Washington County, MD travels east from the county line at Sideling Hill Creek. The road is now known as McFarland Road and, traveling eastward, it ends at the junction with Route 40, circa 1950s. To travel the original road, turn right off of McFarland Rd. at Hixson Rd. There is a hard left at the top of Hixson that marks the point the road, once again, leaves its original alignment. Beyond the wire barrier at the top of Hixson, you can see the old Road as it travels to the top of the hill. (MAP IT)
|
|
Sideling Hill Creek Bridge
(McFarland Road/ Old National Road)
As noted above, Sideling Hill Creek is the line between Allegany and Washington Counties. The stone abutments of the original Sideling Creek bridge hug the current, circa 1930, concrete bridge.
From Thomas Searight's book "The Old Pike":
The road (National Road) crosses a stream at Sideling Hill, called Sideling Hill Creek. There was a covered bridge over this Creek. In 1841 John Moss and Billy George, old wagoners, drove their teams on this bridge, and stopping a while to rest under the shade afforded by the roof. The bridge broke down, precipitating horses, wagons and drivers a distance of fourteen feet to the water, causing considerable damage to the wagons and the goods therein, but strange to say inflicting but slight injuries upon the drivers and teams. The teams and wagons belonged to Robert Newlove, of Wheeling.
|
|
Sideling Hill Creek Bridge (County Line) - The white bridge is 1930's era while the stone abutment, beside it, is the early National Road bridge.
|
Sideling Hill Creek Bridge - Looking west (Map It)
|
|
Looking west from the Bear Creek Bridge on the old National Road (now McFarland Rd.). Sideling Hill Creek Bridge in background.
|
Looking east along the old National Road at the Sideling Hill Creek Bridge. Photo was taken from Allegany County side of creek.
Déjà View
|
|
Closer look at early stone abutment
|
Side view of the old stone Sideling Hill Bridge from the southwest side (Allegany County)
|
|
Bear Creek Bridge
(McFarland Road/ Old National Road)
Bear Creek empties into Sideling Hill Creek and the bridge is within 100 feet or so east of the Sideling Creek Bridge. The current Bear Creek Bridge abutments are stone but probably date to the same time as the concrete Sideling Bridge. The road was straightened in the early 1930s and the remains of the original bridge are about 50 or so feet to the north of the current bridge. Stones from the old bridge may have been used in the construction of the new bridge. I believe the stream course originally flowed under the large concrete slab in the photo. The stone abutment in the photos was on the west side of the creek.
|
|
Current Bear Creek Bridge. Glue laminated timber deck made in 1996.
|
The current Bear Creek Bridge looking south from the old bridge.
|
|
The original Bear Creek Bridge on the old National Road before the road was straightened in the early 1930s. (Courtesy Christopher Busta-Peck)
|
The remains of the original (pre-1930s) stone Bear Creek Bridge. Stones from the original bridge may have been used in the later bridge. (Zoomified)
|
|
The current bridge as seen from the remains of the old bridge
|
Side view of the old stone bridge abutment
|
|
Abandoned Section of old National Road
Between McFarland Rd. and Hixson Rd.
This section of road is seen in the circa 1930s MD State Roads photo and appears on the 1908 USGS Quad map. It was abandoned during the straightening of the roadway in the early 1930s.
|
|
Abandoned section as it appeared circa 1933.
(MD SHA photo: Christopher Busta-Peck/Enoch Pratt Library
|
Abandon section as it appears today (From McFarland Rd.)
|
|
This concrete culvert is visible on the SHA photo. (Next to the utility pole.)
|
Former commercial structure on old alignment
|
|
Former commercial structure where the abandoned section meets Hixson Rd. (Probably a gas station.)
|
|
|
Hixon Road / Old National Road
|
|
Former tourist cabins on Hixon Rd. opposite old gas station shown above.
|
Old "Cities Service Ahead" sign on Hixon Rd (Former route of the National Road.). See what the sign originally looked like.
|
|
Hixon's Feed on Hixon Rd. The store and outbuildings have the classic look of early roadside establishments. (Map It)
|
Hixon's Feed on Hixon Rd (Old National Road)
|
|
Hixon's Feed looking east up the driveway.
|
Hixon's Feed Public Outhouses - For the Ladies and the Gents
|
|
Hixon's Feed - On the old National Road
|
The old National Road continues beyond the Hixon Road cut-off.
|
|
Summit of Sideling Hill Mtn. - Old National Road
Scenic Route 40 travels up the west side of Sideling Hill Mtn. on a circa 1950s alignment. This section of road was in everyday use until the completion of the Sideling Hill Cut on I-68. Excavation began on the Cut in April 1983 and blasting was completed 16 months later in August 1984. The completed
highway was opened in August 1985. (Read more...)
|
|
Former rest area on west side of Sideling near summit
|
Rest area (closed) on the 1950s alignment of the old National Road - West side of Sidleing Hill Mtn
|
|
The top of Sideling Hill. According to the 1928 Mohawk Hobbs Guide, this was a lunch stand.
|
View from the top of Sideling Hill Mtn - Old National Road
|
|
Sideling Hill Summit - Another incarnation. There appears to be two gas pumps on the right side. Looks to be circa 1940s-50s
|
Top of Sideling Hill - Looks like the card is dated 1929.
|
|
Vintage postcard of the Imperial Lunch atop Sideling Hill Mtn circa 1930
|
Riser Rd / old National Road on summit of Sideling Hill Mtn looking east
|
|
The former location of the Lunch Stand and Gas Station
|
View from the top of Sidleing Hill Mtn. toward Hancock on the old National Road
|
|
Fruit and Cider Stand still standing at the summit of Sideling Hill today. (In the trees to the right of the radio tower. Map It)
|
This appears to be an old fire tower that is serving a new purpose. (Top of Sideling Hill.)
|
