North River Mills was once a vibrant community. The main road west from Winchester, the Great Wagon Road, passed through a gap known as Parker's Gap, probably the earliest name for North River Mills. During the French and Indian War there were deadly encounters and abductions around North River Mills. Dr. James Craik, Washington's personal physician, purchased many acres in North River Mills. Gustavus Croston, Revolutionary War veteran, lived in the village. The name, North River Mills, came into use in the 19th century. In the mid 19th century North River Mills was bypassed by the new east-west road, Route 50. North River Mills was destined to decline while communities along Route 50 would grow. During the Civil War, the presence of hostile Union and Confederate troops forced many residents to make hard choices. In addition to agriculture, over the years North River Mills had much industry. Now there are only two residents, but the town hosts an annual festival or homecoming the day before Mothers Day.
New Germany State Park: Raising Maryland’s Alps
When Western Maryland was a mysterious and distant territory to most Americans, for German immigrants, it felt just like home. Among the villages they settled in, one in present-day Garrett County came to be known nostalgically as New Germany. Today, this village is the location of New Germany State Park. Over a century after its settlement, New Germany hosted the first ski resort south of the Mason-Dixon Line and earned the region the moniker of “Maryland’s Alps.” In between the first German settlers and the ski resort, the land was transformed and made anew. To return to its alpine reputation, New Germany has witnessed the rise and fall of timbering, the growth of scientific forestry, and the snowballing success of outdoor recreation.
Education and Community at Paw Paw's Black School
After nearly 100 years since its construction, the former Paw Paw Black School continues to convey its historic association with the Town of Paw Paw's education and social history. For more than 25 years the building served to educate Black students, and as a place of social gathering for the small number of Black families in Paw Paw who lived in the vicinity of the school. The building remains largely unchanged since that time. The important role the school played in Black education and the Black community led to the building being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.
