Think life in the country is boring?

You won’t after you read this collection.

From the unsolved to the unusual. From the historical to the hysterical. From the famous to the friendly. This is life in the Maryland mountains.

• Did you know that a Russian prince once worked as a priest in Cumberland?
• Have you heard the story about the German POW camp near Flintstone during WWII?
• Somewhere in or near Western Maryland is a hidden cache of gold that disappeared nearly 300 years ago.
• The election of Pres. James Garfield once hung on the word of a Cumberland man.

Stories you won’t read in textbooks

These are the stories of Allegany and Garrett counties in Maryland found in old newspapers, history books and other places. It’s the stories of people who tamed the mountains, established cities, raised families and lived their lives. Journey back in time and look beyond the photos that so well document the region’s history. This collection of Looking Back I & II contains 87 stories spans 220 years of life in Western Maryland. Originally published in the Cumberland Times-News and Allegany Magazine, some of these stories have been expanded as new information has been uncovered and new photos accompany some of the stories.