Eight years ago, knowing less than little about Cumberland, Maryland, I picked it for a weekend trip after looking at the map and thinking how interesting it would be to explore the far flung Western part of the state.

The few days spent there made for a memorable break, one that left me with a lasting thought –whenever I wish to escape DC, this is where I’ll run to.

An evening gathering of mostly residents, sitting casually around a table of cheese and wine in an art gallery, reading their own poetry and prose, struck me particularly. Here surely was the core of a revival for a small industrial town, surrounded by magnificent countryside. It was a handsome town, but that had obviously seen far better times. Recently I returned. And discovered that my “lasting thought” is not original. It’s one that is shared, and acted on by an assortment of inspiring, interesting folk.

As a result Cumberland has been injected with a new spirit of life that has turned a shabby-around-the-edges community into one that is zooming into its 221st year with energy and flair. And it is pulling this off without wrecking the reason it’s great in the first place – impressive architecture, genuine small-town feel and wonderful people that are spread across the social spectrum.

The first view of Cumberland, as you approach from Washington on Route 68, is of a fulsome town lying in a lush, undulating valley flanked by the Appalachians. Mill chimneys, towering steeples and red-brick edifices dominate. Even without having read the history, you know this is a town established on industrial wealth. And once you get close enough to see properly, you know the historic architecture – from the factories to the shops to the homes – was paid for out of deep, deep pockets lined with coal, railroad and manufacturing money.

In the old days Cumberland was a microcosm of all the grand industrial cities and nicknamed “Queen City.” Now it’s tackling its renaissance with a style that is allowing the old and new, the smooth and gritty, to co-exist in compelling harmony.

The ideal stop after the 135 mile drive, is the Queen City Creamery. By the time you’ve downed a coffee, done some people-watching, scoured the notice-board for things to do, and chatted with manager Janet Carder – Cumberland born and bred – to glean riveting information about where you’ve landed, you’ll have a good beginning handle on the town. And you’ll have discovered that while the Creamery looks as though it’s been a part of Cumberland for ever, it is in fact relatively new. Opened five years ago in a historic but broken-down building that had been allowed to turn into a pigeon coo, its motto is: “Bring Back the Good Ol’ Days.” And with the authentic look and feel of a 1940’s soda fountain, thanks salvaged flooring, paneling, light-globes, swivel counter chairs and booths, it’s fulfilled its mission. A tasty one too. Frozen custard is its speciality. Last year, owners Terry and Rick Michels came home from the annual convention of the National Ice Cream Retailers Association with a blue-ribbon top honor for their vanilla version.

And if you enjoy the easy ambience of the Queen City Creamery, you will share something with star actor William H. Macy of Fargo and Wild

Hog fame. He grew up in Cumberland where his family still lives and he is a regular visitor. To the Creamery too. “I love coming to your place. Great food and wonderful people,” he’s written to Terry and Rick in a note that’s framed and takes pride of place on the wall.

The Creamery is a perfect example of how newcomers have “invaded” and altered Cumberland -- for the better! The Michels, a physical therapist and micro-biologist from Indiana, had the foresight to look beyond the depressed, run-down air of Cumberland and chose it to make their old-time dream come true.

Others, tired of the fast-track life in the big-city, have done the same. They’ve left New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, DC, and bought abandoned historic properties and created galleries and speciality shops, with gorgeous living
space above.

The most illuminating story here is that of Pam Reynolds. She quit the Hollywood high-life to open a business in Cumberland. Pam, a Fairfax, Virginia native, was living high as a movie advertising and public relations executive. When she decided she’d had enough, she turned to Cumberland for her new life. She started searching for a property. In a town that boasts more historic styles of architecture –Federal, Queen Anne, Gothic and Greek Revival, Second Empire, Italiante, Romanesque, Victoria and Art Deco – than almost any small community in the US, she had a tough choice. But Pam settled on one of Cumberland’s most historic homes, the 1840 Bruce House, built by an ancestor of the great Scottish hero, Robert the Bruce -- and next month, after extensive renovation, she will open it as a bed and breakfast.

So what was it about Cumberland that captured Pam’s heart? “Between the history, the architecture and the people, the town has such an amazing charm,” she says. Adding: “I’ve traveled all over the world but there’s something special about Cumberland. And while there’s a lot of growth, it’s all wonderful and nothing that’s going to spoil it.”

Like everything else she’s done in her life, Pam is throwing herself with gusto into this new venture. She’s been taking classes at Cumberland’s Culinary School to ensure that the breakfasts she plans to serve are not going to be run-of-the-mill. The cooking school operates a restaurant downtown. Open for lunch only, it is one of the most popular eating spots for locals, as they indulge in the specialized offerings of future gourmet chefs.

Another restaurant epitomizes the new times. The Manhattan is owned and operated by the Hill’s very own Jorge Zamorano, owner of Banana and Starfish Cafes. He converted the long-closed men’s outfitters building three years ago, also creating an apartment for himself. As a pioneer in the re-invention of Cumberland, Jorge says: “I fell in love with the place on my first visit 14 years ago. On subsequent visits I realized what enormous potential it offered, for both business and living. It is so full of character and history. I spend every other week in Cumberland and I still get that “wow” feeling. Time spent in Cumberland is as good as therapy.”

But for an eating experience that has kept Cumberland residents fueled for generations, you must not miss Curtis’ Coney Islands Famous Weiners. A Cumberland institution, as famous as any of its historic landmark buildings, it serves nothing but hot-dogs smothered in a secret sauce and piled high with raw onions. Started by Greek immigrant George Giatras in 1918, his great-grandson Gino is the one in charge now. Not only has the family running the “joint” not changed, neither has the menu or the interior. It’s a joy to step inside and know instinctively that there is nothing remotely fast-food familiar about it. With plain wooden booths, counter high stools, and every inch of every wall plastered haphazardly with old family photographs, Cumberland memorabilia, bric-a-brac and fading newspaper clippings, it is totally genuine.

As the guardian of the oldest downtown business to survive first the depression, then the recession, Gino proudly points out: “We’ve seen the whole transformation, from a main street bursting with shops to a skeleton. We’re one of the few who survived. We saw the exodus from downtown – now we’re seeing a rebirth. People are coming back downtown and it’s wonderful.”

And they’re returning not just by car, but in fun “green” ways - by train, bike and foot. There is daily Amtrak service to Cumberland and the C & O Canal tow path is an increasingly popular way of arriving – be it on two wheels or two feet. Bikers routinely make the 184 miles in a day. For hikers it’s a great 10 day “stroll”, with lots of lodging available on the way. And with last month’s opening of the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150 mile trail that links the tow-path with Pittsburgh, the outdoor adventure potential based on Cumberland is endless.

Trains have always been at the center of Cumberland life and a stream train ride is Cumberland’s best known tourist attraction. It’s hard to resist the 32-mile round-trip to Frostburg, another charming old town, as the 1916-era engine hauls its way through the raw grandeur of “The Narrows” – a natural cut through the Alleghenies, the very route that earned Cumberland the name “Gateway to the West.” And as if that’s not enough entertainment, many trips feature lunch, murder-mystery dinners and for the kids, Thomas the Tank Engine excursions.

Although Cumberland is a feasible day-trip destination, it really demands an overnight stay, if you want to soak-up everything it has to offer. You wouldn’t want to miss “Friday after Five,” when the downtown is blocked-off, the restaurants put tables out in the street, bands play and people dine and dance al fresco. There’s also two professional theaters – the art deco New Embassy Theatre and the Cumberland Theatre – both of which offer a full program of plays year-round.

The Mayor, Lee Fiedler, staged his own “show” last month. In a bid to boost tourism, he went on a DC morning TV program to lure people away from the seashore. In a cool bid to get them to visit Cumberland instead of Ocean City or Rehoboth, Mayor Fiedler promised a free scoop of the previously mentioned award-winning frozen custard to any Washingtonian who turned-up over Memorial Day Weekend.

The yummy offer is in the past. But just sampling the many delights that Cumberland has to offer will be sufficient reward for making the trip any time of the year. And who knows, you might act on the town’s official slogan: “Come For a Visit - Stay for Life.”