Memorial Day, the day Americans set aside to remember those who fell in the service of the nation, is a day filled with parades, speeches and moving remembrances of the loved and lost.
As work on the Jonathan Street cabin progresses and the once-stripped structure gradually forms into a cozy abode, it seems appropriate to reflect on those who once called 417 home. While not everyone left their marks on the dwelling like H. May, each resident’s time in the cabin is noteworthy.
Historic structures require significant repair and upkeep – but with routine maintenance the time and expense associated with those repairs can be substantially reduced. Equally important as maintaining the structure is making sure that those repairs are safe for historic buildings. Often, preservation-safe repairs cost the same or slightly more but can save property owners in the long-run. These preservation best practices are not a comprehensive or complete guide to every issue a property owner will confront but are a jumping off point for your next preservation project.
The City of Frostburg in Allegany County, Maryland is currently accepting proposals for the purchase and redevelopment of the historic Nickel Building on Main Street through an open RFP process.
The building, which formerly housed the popular “Au Petit Paris,” a French Restaurant, has been vacant since the restaurant’s closing in 2012. The City of Frostburg, with the support of Allegany County and the State of Maryland, has acquired the structure and has been awarded $150,000 in Community Legacy state grant funds to be allocated to the future developer.
The oldest known use of the site was for McCulloh’s Tannery, which is not believed to have had a large structure. The current building is believe to have existed by 1871 and served a variety of uses including a furniture store, apartment complex and auto-repair shop before its last use as a French restaurant.
There is no minimum purchase price and proposals will be accepted on an ongoing basis until a successful completion.
From Frostburg First, the Main Street organization of the City of Frostburg:
Located off I-68 exits 33 & 34, Frostburg is just 2.5 hours from Baltimore and Washington, D.C., one hour from Morgantown, WV, and two hours from Pittsburgh, PA. Those who visit discover a small-town Main Street, historic homes, friendly residents, a vibrant arts scene, and four-season beauty.
Frostburg, population of 9,000, owes its beginnings to the authorization of the National Road in 1806. Originally called the village of Mt. Pleasant, Josiah Frost bought a tract of land lying across the route and laid out a series of ‘town lots.’ His son, Meshach, built a log house on Lot 1 (site of the current St. Michael’s Church Rectory) and brought his bride to it in June, 1812. When stagecoach service was inaugurated in 1818, the village of Mt. Pleasant became a regular stopping point for east-west travelers. The cluster of taverns, smithies, and houses was also known as Frost Town. The Post Office Department identified the community as Frostburg in 1820.
Coal was discovered near Frostburg as early as 1782. The completion of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to Cumberland in 1842 and the Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad to Frostburg in 1852 made it possible to ship coal in large quantities. Frostburg became a commercial center for mining, both thriving and suffering with the fluctuation of coal prices.
In 1898, the lobbying of local citizens led to the legislature’s $20,000 appropriation for State Normal School #2. In 1902, fifty-seven students attended the two-year elementary school teacher training program. Today, Frostburg State University (FSU) serves 4,755 undergraduate students, 630 graduate students, and employs 1,068 faculty and staff. FSU serves as a center of multi-cultural activity for the residents of our region.
Learn more about Downtown Frostburg