INFRASTRUCTURE

B&O RAILROAD

The Baltimore and Ohio railroad has been integral to the development and industrialization of Maryland. It sustained trading and transport between Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland for many decades. The demonstration train, shown here, is located in Oakland, Garrett County, which is one of the stops that it used prior to its discontinuation.

DEEP CREEK LAKE

Deep Creek Lake, as it stands today, is a fairly popular place for vacationers, campers, hikers, and even skiiers-- there's a ski resort close by. However, it was not originally a recreational hub: the lake itself was the result of a project from the Youghiogheny hydroelectric company, who dammed the river in the early 20th century. The power plant operated for a while, but near the end of the century, Maryland purchased the lake, and it became the recreational area it is today.

ROCKVILLE TOWN SQUARE

Rockville is located in the center of Montgomery County, and it's an example of the modernization of urban centers across Maryland. It's not a bustling city by any means, but the town square holds events and has dining and shopping places all around it. Arguably, this shift towards a more commercial and modern style may have less soul than a small town, but it's clear that this is where more populous areas of Maryland are heading.

MARYLAND/DELAWARE RAILROAD

Pictured here is a train station owned by the Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company, in the town of Federalsburg. Similar to the B&O railroad, it has served a variety of areas in the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia peninsula, but is still in operation today, transporting agricultural and industrial goods.

C&O CANAL

The C&O canal was one of Maryland's most useful pieces of infrastructure in its history. The canal allowed the movement of materials, such as logs, up and down the Potomac River. It makes use of locks to move vertically, filling them with water or draining them to raise and lower the vessels. The canal stretched for over 150 miles, and aided in the construction of Washington, DC in the 19th century. Pictured here is one of the northern parts of the canal, in the town of Hancock.

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This photo is also the C&O canal, but 100 miles south, near Great Falls. This boat is a tourist attraction, but it can be ridden in the canal, similar to how other vessels would have been.

CUMBERLAND

Cumberland is a city in northwest Maryland, and its infrastructure is rather unique. Because of its position in the mountainous area of the state, along with its history as one of the largest cities in Maryland, it was a hub for westward travel, as well a center of industry, due to its position on the C&O canal. Today, it has a very unique urban feel, with its brick buildings and downtown. Entering the city from the outside is also quite surreal, since it stretches onto the mountains. Worth noting is that Cumberland's population has been relatively stagnant over the past decade or two, compared to other urban centers that have trended towards more modern appearances. In this way, it can retain some of its notoriety.

CONOWINGO DAM

The Conowingo Dam, located on the border of Harford and Cecil counties, is another hydroelectric dam that formed Conowingo reservoir. It was built around 100 years ago, and is still used today by the Susquehanna Electric Company-- its current purpose is as a backup in the event of a power grid shutdown. It was a difficult dam to build and power plant to operate: Cecil County estimates that 14 workers died during its construction, due to precarious conditions involving dangerous electricity and heights.

UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND

Maryland's public higher-education system is quite extensive today. It comprises 11 schools across the state-- University of Maryland, College Park (pictured), Frostburg State University, St. Mary's College, and University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, to name a few. The purpose of this system is to make higher education more efficient and manageable, by having a place of central authority to oversee operations. As it stands, these institutions provide education to almost 200,000 people.

OCEAN CITY

Ocean City, located on Maryland's eastern shore, is Maryland's flagship beach town. It hosts 8 million visitors annually, and features a 9 mile long strip consisting of a beach, a boardwalk with attractions all along it, some temporary and permanent residential areas, and 2 amusement parks. It's very well-developed and commercial as a result of its popularity, which may be less appealing to people who prefer a more relaxed scene. That said, it represents Maryland's eastern shore, and even draws in people from out of state.