Oakland

Welcome to Oakland

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Oakland, MD, is a small town in the west-central part of Garrett County, Maryland. It is located near Deep Creek Lake and only a few miles from the source of the Potomac River. Oakland Historic District has several beautifully restored Victorian buildings, which today house galleries, a pharmacy, a library, and fashionable boutiques. Swallow Falls State Park is located on the bank of the Youghiogheny River and is the location of the 53-foot Muddy Creek Falls, the highest falls in Maryland.

Oakland is a town in the west-central part of Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The town has a population of 1,925, according to the 2010 United States Census. The town is also the county seat of Garrett County and is located within the Pittsburgh media area.

Oakland is situated only miles from the source of the Potomac River, which flows directly into the Chesapeake Bay. It is also near the Wisp Resort at Deep Creek Lake, a major ski resort for many Marylanders and other visitors.

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Owning in Oakland

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History

Oakland was formally incorporated as a town in 1862.

The town is home to a historic B&O railroad station, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and restored in the 2000s. Trains still run on the rail tracks behind the station, but it is mainly used for special organizations or gatherings at present. A gift shop is located within the station. In front of the station, there are a plethora of festivities that go on, mainly seasonal activities such as housing the town Christmas tree, decorating the plaza for a holiday, and sometimes parties.

Main Street of Oakland consists mainly of historic two to four story edifices that house the main shopping facilities in the area, such as a theatre, museum, book store, a local pharmacy, antique shops, clothing stores and banks. Many of the homes and businesses in the downtown area are examples of Victorian architecture. Much of the central section of Oakland is part of the Oakland Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Also listed on the National Register are the Garrett County Courthouse and Hoye Site.

One of the most prominent and historic churches in Oakland is St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, where U.S. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, James Garfield, Grover Cleveland, and Benjamin Harrison have all attended services. Because of this, it is now called the “Church of Presidents.” Another prominent and historic church is St. Peter the Apostle Church, a Catholic church located on Fourth Street. A large neoclassical courthouse is also very prominent and dominates the town center.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, a large hotel named the Oakland Hotel was located near the downtown railroad station. It was constructed in 1878 by the B&O Railroad. The hotel was a major tourist attraction for that time period until it was torn down in the early 20th century.

Climate

Oakland, MD, owing to its high elevation and valley location, is among the coldest and snowiest locales in the state of Maryland, and has a warm-summer humid continental climate, with 106 inches or 2.69 metres of snowfall in an average season. The monthly mean temperature ranges from 25.1 °F in January to 68.4 °F in July, with temperatures not reaching above freezing on an average 34 afternoons and falling to 0°F or below on an average of 5.8 mornings; from 1981 to 2010, only thirteen years ever reached 90 °F. The average first and last dates for freezing temperatures are September 28 and May 15, respectively; for measurable snowfall, they are November 13 and April 7. The state record low of -40 °F was recorded here on January 13, 1912; the record high is 101 °F on August 7, 1918, which, together with the preceding day, are the only two instances of 100 °F+ readings on record in Oakland. The most snow in 24 hours was 40.0 inches (1.02 m) on February 16, 1908.

According to weather data tallied between July 1, 1985 and June 30, 2015 for every location in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s official climate database, Oakland is the snowiest place in the state of Maryland with an average of 106.1 inches or 2.69 metres of snow per year.

Transportation

Several state-maintained highways serve Oakland. The most prominent of these is U.S. Route 219, which follows Garrett Highway, Oak Street and Third Street through the town. To the north, US 219 connects to Maryland Route 42, Interstate 68 and U.S. Route 40, along with the towns of Accident and Grantsville, before passing into Pennsylvania. Heading south, US 219 briefly passes through Mountain Lake Park and connects with U.S. Route 50 before entering West Virginia. Two other state highways, Maryland Route 39 and Maryland Route 135 also serve Oakland. MD 39 heads northwest to West Virginia, while MD 135 heads east, connecting to Maryland Route 560, Maryland Route 38 and Maryland Route 495, as well as the towns of Mountain Lake Park and Deer Park, before entering Allegany County near the town of Luke.

Attractions and events

The Oakland post office is home to a Depression-era mural, Buckwheat Harvest, painted by American artist Robert Franklin Gates. Gates was funded by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts to complete the mural as part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Gates was probably inspired by Garrett County’s strong tradition of growing buckwheat.

Oakland is home to the Oakland B&O Museum and the Garrett County Museum of Transportation.

Content Courtesy of Wikipedia.org