The town of Friendsville lays claim to being 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 for Pittsburgh 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.
Another gem in this pastoral setting is the Riverside Hotel. In
1889, the new C&O Railroad connected the little town of
Friendsville with the outside world. In that same year, the
Riverside Hotel was built to accommodate the growing number of
travelers and workmen. It housed nine rooms for guests and a bar
where a history of shootings occurred. As times slowed in the
1930's, it served as a school room for the students awaiting the
completion of the first elementary school in town and eventually
closed its doors in the 1940's when constructions of the
Youghiogheny River Lake terminated the rail line. In 2003 the
present owners, who spent two years on renovations, purchased the
rundown property. The historical character of the hotel has been
preserved while adding necessary improvements to offer the public
three guest rooms and an organic, vegetarian restaurant.
Coordinates are hard to get down in this valley. Pull into the
Hotel’s parking lot and check out the foundation upon which
it has been built. If you see the owners, stop by for a chat!
Friendsville takes pride in its motto — “The
friendliest little town in Maryland.”
Friendsville Thanks You for Visiting
