Historic Inn at Hancock, Md.]

We are in a region of fine old stone bridges, and of beautiful orchard
country, alternating with rolling hills covered with heavy forest. At
Grantsville we pass the old Dorsey House, now called the Hotel
Castleman. This used to be a hostel much frequented by the farmers. A
small boy who is playing in the street and who is sojourning here for
the summer gives us this information, and adds that at the Hotel
Castleman you have "lots to eat, and plenty of it." We are sorry that it
is not luncheon time so that we could put his statement to the test.
Passing through Grantsville we cross the old Castleman Bridge, an
immense single span of stone. Another fine old bridge with very solid
buttresses spans Conococheague Creek.

After luncheon in Cumberland, we press east to Hagerstown. We are
advised that we will find the road far better if we drive east to
Hagerstown and then southwest to Winchester, instead of taking the
direct southeast route to Winchester from Cumberland. We have an
excellent road from Cumberland to Hagerstown, and find the rich orchard
country very beautiful. Ten miles from Cumberland, we come upon a point
of vantage from which we have a most lovely view. As we near the town of
Hancock with its famous old inn the country is still more interesting.
We look down on the gleaming Potomac, winding through green fields and
beautifully cultivated orchards. This is famous apple and peach country.
Every year more of the virgin forest on the mountainside is cleared and
planted to young apple and peach trees. The soil and the climate are
most admirably adapted to the growing of fruit, and there are immense
investments in these beautiful orchards. What a fair, fair country!
After we pass Hancock we look down on the canal near which our road
runs. A canal boat passes, the mules walking leisurely along the
towpath. A boy stands at the helm looking out on the beautiful landscape
of forest, orchard, and field. Clothes flap from the clothes-line on the
boat. It is a fine life, we think, this gliding along so securely
between green fields and orchards and clumps of forest.

Hagerstown is a pleasant town in which to spend the night. We enjoy
walking about the streets and seeing some of the old houses. Even the
main street of Hagerstown still has one fine old stone house, low and
solid, painted yellow. It is the only residence left on the business
street, its owner not yet having been tempted by