2 m o u n t a i n d i s c o v e r i e s m o u n t a i n d i s c o v e r i e s 3 Open 7 Days a Week – Breakfast Served Every Day, ALL DAY www.ShopDeepCreek.com 301-387-5800 24584 Garrett Highway • McHenry, MD PERKINS DEEP CREEK LAKE Located in Market Square Shopping Center © 2016 Perkins & Marie Callender’s, LLC ® Table of Contents Changing Lives with Robotics ....................................6 Mountain Discoveries is a FREE publication printed The Evergreen Barn ......................................................10 twice yearly – Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. Mountain Discoveries is focused on the Western Maryland region Remembering the Whiskey Rebellion ...................12 including neighboring Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Celebrating the National Park Service Centennial ..14 Virginia. The magazine features people, activities, places and articles of interest, and is written and produced by Ace’s Run – Built on a Family Legacy .....................20 people in this area. Washington County Museum of Fine Arts Mountain Discoveries web site (www.mountain Celebrates its 85th Year ........................................23 discoveries.com) is an active part of this publication, and is used to communicate and showcase feature stories and Felix Robinson .........................................................26 our advertisers. Also see us on Facebook. Eleanor’s Little Village ............................................30 Mountain Discoveries is for entertainment and to provide visitors with information in getting to know For Love of Lavender ..............................................38 this region. It is owned and produced by AAD-INC. Floyd Presley Memorial ..........................................41 (Advertising Art Design, Inc.) of Cumberland, Maryland. Comments and suggestions should be sent to “Mountain It’s Worth Dawdling at the Dawdy Haus ..............44 Discoveries” c/o AAD-INC., 6 Commerce Dr., Cum- berland, MD 21502 or email: questions@mountain A New Day at the Western MD Scenic Railroad ......48 discoveries.com, or phone 301-759-2707. New adver- Chef Pascal and the Deer Park Inn ............................50 tisers are welcome— contact us for a rate sheet and information on advertising. Western Trails Riding Stable .....................................53 Story suggestions are also welcome…human interest, Outdoor School – It’s a Lot of Fun! ..........................54 activities, places, dining and shopping in this region will be considered. Please include your name, address, phone Thrasher Carriage Museum: Work & Play ..............58 number and email (if available). We cannot promise the return of unsolicited materials, but we will make every The Chicken Coupe.....................................................61 effort to do so. Harvest Moon Market & Catering ...........................62 AAD-INC. supports and is a member of the Allegany McKee Sky Ranch 2016 Motorcycle Event ..............65 & Garrett County, MD and Hampshire County, WV Chambers of Commerce. Cover: Will Baker, Juan Aleman, and Blake Smith, G-FORCE FTC Robotics Team 2818 with a FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Lance C. Bell robot. See article on page 6. owner / editor / photographer staff writers Dan Whetzel Kathie L. Smith Sara Mullins owner / editor / art Staff office manager archaeology Shelby Calhoun Robert L. Pyle Mountain Discoveries As a free publication, Mountain Discoveries magazines are Mountain Discoveries is a FREE publication and is produced twice available at our advertiser’s places of business as well as many yearly by AAD-INC., 6 Commerce Drive, Cumberland, MD 21502. of Maryland’s Visitor’s Centers along I-68, I-70, and I-95. They are All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written also available at the C&O Canal Visitor Center in Cumberland, permission is prohibited. Neither Mountain Discoveries nor AAD-INC. is responsible for errors or omissions. The advertisements and listings in Maryland and McDonald’s restaurants along the I-81 corridor, this publication do not imply any endorsement by Mountain Discoveries Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. The Washington, Allegany and or AAD-INC. Address all correspondence to Mountain Discoveries, 6 Garrett County, Maryland and Mineral and Hampshire County, Commerce Drive, Cumberland, MD 21502 and include your full name, West Virginia Chambers of Commerce also make Mountain address, and phone number. Printed in the USA. Copyright, 2016, by AAD-INC, 301-759-2707. Discoveries available to the public. m o u n t a i n d i s c o v e r i e s 5 • Site of the first English courts west of the For information on Allegheny Mountains nearby attractions, visit • Antiques & Collectibles Market: www.westmorelandheritage.org 2nd Sunday of the month, May – October For information: www.hannastown.org 724-532-1935 6 m o u n t a i n d i s c o v e r i e s Building up STEAM and Changing Lives with Robotics Written by: Sara Mullins Photography by: Lance C. Bell Starting SuGO free-for-all with five robots! trigonometry are important, science teachers should say, ‘Let’s build a LEGO robot!’ With a little assistance, the kids build one and it solves a problem. Suddenly, they realize that math and science are very powerful tools. Suddenly, math and science are relevant and fun.” To establish a robotics program that would engage kids in STEAM, Kamen founded FIRST, “For In- spiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.” FIRST was created “to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology Math and science are two cars – the need for educa- of Art, to promote a more skills, that inspire innova- academic subjects that have tion in these fields has holistic learning approach tion, and that foster well- struck fear into many a increased to fill growing that recognizes the value of rounded life capabilities student not predisposed demand for a technically creativity and encourages including self-confidence, toward either discipline. skilled workforce. participation from students communication, and leader- Traditional classroom who are less technically To reverse this trend, the ship.” Since its founding in lectures and problems that inclined. National Science Founda- 1989, FIRST now sponsors can seem abstract, difficult tion (NSF) developed an So how can all of those competitions involving and dull often alienate such educational initiative called lofty goals be realized in a 3,128 teams, with roughly students to the point that STEM, an acronym for way that fires kids up about 75,000 students and 19,000 they become intimidated, STEAM learning and makes mentors from 24 countries. Science, Technology, Engin- lose hope of succeeding, it fun? How can families and and drop out of their math eering and Math, designed The FIRST robotics craze members of communities and science classes. Inter- to foster critical thinking has infiltrated the bucolic get involved? national rankings have and creative problem solving. landscape of Garrett County, shown that American stu- By integrating and apply- Dean Kamen, inventor of Maryland, and found a home dents lag behind many of ing their math and science the Segway personal trans- in Accident’s industrial park, their contemporaries over- knowledge, students could porter and holder of 441 where GEARS (Garrett seas in math and science learn to develop solutions patents, has some answers: Engineering and Robotics skills. Yet given the ongoing to real-world problems “Kids need access to hands- Society) serves as headquar- explosion of technology through engineering and on projects that result in a ters for the area’s robotics and its expanding effect on technology. STEM has tangible product. Instead of teams and projects. To everyday life – think cell recently morphed into telling them why abstract fulfill its stated mission – phones and self-driving STEAM with the addition concepts like algebra or “Creating a world where m o u n t a i n d i s c o v e r i e s 7 First is the “build” with certain guidelines in preparation for the final event — building is enjoyed by all ages and skill levels. Then it‘s off to battle in a double elimination tournament where two contestants try to knock each other off of the ring. Juan Aleman (left) and Griff Kane Eanes (left) and Garret Speis compare construction. Scardina busy building. Science and Technology “Everyone loves fighting are celebrated” – GEARS robots,” says Mr. Phil, serves as the community “since LEGO blocks are a hub, running FIRST and familiar play environment, 4-H robotics for grades SuGO is simple to learn K-12, plus STEAM-related but difficult to master. activities. GEARS was It’s adaptable to different formed in 2006 to provide ages and groups. It helps a home for on-going robot- develop technical and ics activities year-round, and strategic skills. It’s STEAM to develop new programs all over the place.” that would attract more participants. In Garrett County, SuGO has served as a pipeline for One of the most popular students in grades 6 – 12 GEARS programs is SuGO™ moving up to the “First Tech Sunday, when young Challenge” (FTC), a more robotics fans gather on the advanced competition that first Sunday of the month Evan and Serena Lewis working together. challenges participants to to build Sumo Wrestling design, build, program, and Robots, form teams, and operate robots that can play compete. SuGO, a Sumo- SuGO robots using Mind- in the field, and the a floor game in an alliance wrestling robotics event storms™ kits that are pre- robots try to knock each based on the LEGO programmed with specially other off the ring. Con- (team) format. GEARS Mindstorms™ platform, was designed SuGO software. testants earn points when and 4-H have teamed up developed by Phil Malone, Then it’s off to battle they win or when their to create the G-FORCE aka Mr. Phil, a native in a double elimination opponents fail to comply FTC Team 2818. The team’s Australian and retired tournament that takes with the rules. The match mission: “To promote 4-H robotics software engineer place on a raised circular continues until one of the and robotics while having who retired to Deep Creek playing field. Two con- contestants scores four fun and fostering gracious Lake. Participants build testants place their robots SuGO points. professionalism.” 8 m o u n t a i n d i s c o v e r i e s This year, they competed with their G-FORCE Res-Q robot, which featured custom tracks, designed to scale a steep mountain. The tracks were constructed with custom fabricated nylon rods, covered with neoprene tubing and bolted to a pair of bicycle chains driven by 4” stealth wheels. After the robot autonomously scores two Climbers in a perimeter basket, a team of two takes over to operate the ingenious device by remote control. While under driver control, the robot performs the following tasks: collects 2" plastic cubes into a container in the rear end of the robot; moves up the mountain to drop the collected cubes into low, medium and high “goals.” Along the way, the robot uses a special Gyro Sensor to maintain stability and avoid roll-overs as it moves up and down the ramp. Since 2005, a group of students from Northern B and Southern High Schools have found a com- mon mission as First Robotics Competition (FRC) Team 1629, the Garrett Coalition other- wise known as GaCo. For this year’s FIRST STRONGHOLD competition, the team built a sizable robot resembling a large platform on wheels – but this one holds a large ball and zips around in multiple directions on a playing field. In competition, the robot heads toward A goal posts, spins around and hurls the ball backwards, up and over the goal posts. Community outreach and involvement are key elements of Garrett County’s robotics program. Mr. Phil and Arlene Lantz, a Swan Meadow School Math & Technology Resource Teacher, serve as key mentors, with the assistance of other volunteers and family members. An active, year-round schedule includes competitions ranging from local to national levels, Navy Youth STEAM Camps, Summer Tech Camps and demonstrations at home and at public locations like libraries and hospitals. “A reminder – the FIRST competition is more than robots,” says John Abele, former board chairman of FIRST. “It’s about people, it’s about…working together on a shared goal…and it’s about finding and using each individual’s unique talent to make the project team greater than the sum of its parts. It’s about applying skills that will lead to success in whatever you do in life.” Top photo: SuGO robots face off to begin the battle. To foster a spirit of teamwork among robotics participants, FIRST values emphasizes “Gracious Profes- Middle photo: Robot “B” tumbles off the platform after getting a shove from robot “A,“ thereby losing the bout. sionalism” that values people, the community and high- quality work, and “Coopertition,” a spirit of “cooperation” Bottom photo: 2818 G-FORCE FTC Res-Q robot picking and “competition” that encourages teams to help each other up and dropping yellow cubes scattered among white wiffle balls. even as they compete. Right photo: Noah Aiken with a much larger robot. The robot holds a large ball and zips around in multiple directions on a playing field, then tosses the ball backwards over goal posts. “Robotics overlaps so many disciplines that being on a team is 100 percent relevant to anyone consid- ering a career in science, technology or engineering,” Mr. Phil says. “As team members learn problem- solving and communication skills, they also discover issues with group dynamics, scheduling, budgeting and logistics.” According to “FIRST Impact,” a report based on ten years of data evaluated by Brandeis University, participants in robotics programs like FIRST are twice as likely to major in science or engineering and almost 90 percent are students or professionals in a STEM field. About 88 percent are more engaged in school, almost 90 percent plan to take more challenging math or science courses, and about 90 percent are more interested in attending college. Kamen had additional goals in mind. “FIRST is more than robots. The robots are a vehicle for students to learn important life skills. Kids often come in not knowing what to expect – of the program or of themselves. They leave, even after the first vision, with confidence, and with a sense that they can create their own future.” In the end, robotics is just plain fun. “Kids don’t get a chance to build things,” Mr. Phil says. “Anything that allows them to do this is cool. This program gives them a chance to create.” Build Robots on SuGO Sundays On the first Sunday of every month SuGO teams form at 1 pm, and build until 3 pm. Teams can be families or friends and no experience is necessary. All equipment is provided, and help is available for rookie teams. At 3 pm, teams move to the arena and the SuGO bots battle it out tournament style. Ask for a guided tour of the Robotics Center. GEARS Inc. 116 Industrial Park Dr., Accident MD First Sunday of every Month – 1:00-5:00 pm Contact Phil Malone (301) 387-2331 Fees/Admission: $10 per team or free for GEARS members. Yearly Membership is $25. Robotics competitions will be part of the excitement at the Second Annual Power of Possibilities Makers Fest, set for Saturday, August 13, at the Garrett College CTTC Building in Accident, Maryland. Building on last year’s event that attracted 300 people, the 2016 Makers Fest will recognize and bring together those interested in creating, making and innovating. For more information, contact Sarah Miles at 301- 387-3771 or Mike Tumbarello at 301-387-3167 or mike.tumbarello@ garrettcollege.edu. 10 m o u n t a i n d i s c o v e r i e s Written by: Dan Whetzel Photography by: Lance C. Bell The Evergreen Barn A “Pennsylvania Colonial“ Style Barn Barns represent the most iconic images of America’s rural landscape. The structures uniquely capture traditions, customs, and a way of life like no other images in our collective memories. In recent decades changing agricultural practices have left many barns abandoned, neglected, and even subject to dismantling. Fortunately, not all barns have suffered sad endings. Nestled in the mountains of Consultants are currently documenting and recording the Western Maryland is a unique barn that has managed to structure’s architectural features, artifacts, and construction escape agricultural trends and the ravages of time, while techniques to assist future restoration efforts. During the maintaining its historic character. investigative process fascinating discoveries have been made by the researchers. “We found a wooden Dutch door The Evergreen barn, located on the grounds of the Ever- underneath 200 year-old hay. From marks on the stable green Heritage Center (EHC) near Frostburg, Maryland, represents one of the best examples of an 18th century frame, we know the door was originally used here. The structure to be found in Western Maryland. The barn has Dutch door will be installed on the stable and additional been dated to the 1700s by historical consultants who also matching ones will be recreated for the adjacent stalls. describe its style as “Pennsylvania Colonial.” According to Various farm implements were found in the old hay and Janice Keene, President of the Evergreen Heritage Center hand-written markings on the joists. We also have saddles Foundation that is overseeing the barn’s preservation, the and bridles covered in antique dust. Our work is exciting Evergreen property was listed on the Maryland Inventory and similar to finding clues in a mystery novel,” stated of Historic Properties (MIHP) in 1976, but not until Janice. The additional documentation made possible the recently has the building been closely studied. barn’s inclusion on the National Registry in April 2015.