Emmanuel Episcopal Church and Fort Cumberland Tunnels

In the 1750s the ridge above the Potomac at present-day Cumberland was the western edge of the British colonies, a contested frontier during the French and Indian War. Fort Cumberland was built here as a supply base and staging point, and it became one of the most important strongholds on the mountain frontier. It gave the town that grew up around it its name.

A young George Washington was stationed at Fort Cumberland during this period, early in the military life that would eventually make him a national figure. The fort saw the passage of soldiers and supplies bound west into the mountains, and for a time it stood at the very hinge between the settled colonies and the wilderness beyond the Appalachians.

After the fort's military days ended and the town grew up over its site, the earthworks were largely built upon and forgotten. But beneath the ground a network of brick-lined tunnels survived, passages associated with the fort and the buildings that succeeded it. When Emmanuel Episcopal Church rose on the hilltop in the mid-nineteenth century, these older works remained below its foundations.

Today the parish leads guided tours down into the surviving tunnels, low brick corridors that carry visitors quite literally beneath the story of the town. Local tradition has long linked such passages to escape routes and to the movement of people in secret, and the cool, dim brickwork gives a vivid sense of the layered past hidden under an ordinary city block.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church itself is a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture, its pointed arches, tall windows, and steep roofline crowning the hill above Cumberland. Inside, the sanctuary is known for its rich stained glass, including work of notable craftsmanship, and for the quiet dignity of its high, vaulted space.

The congregation has worshiped on this hilltop for generations, keeping alive both the spiritual life of the parish and the memory of the fort beneath. The pairing is unusual and moving: a place of peace built directly over a place of war, with the tunnels of one and the arches of the other bound into a single hill.

Cumberland grew into a great transportation hub, the western terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and a major junction of the mountain railroads, and its Victorian downtown reflects that prosperous era. The church and fort site sit at the historic heart of town, within easy walking distance of the canal terminus and the depot of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.

The surrounding country is the rugged Appalachian corner of Maryland, where the Potomac has carved a dramatic gap through the mountains. Cumberland makes a natural base for exploring that terrain, and the layered story of fort, tunnels, and church is one of the most memorable stops in the historic district.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church, a striking Gothic Revival sandstone church in downtown Cumberland, Maryland, stands on the original site of Fort Cumberland, a colonial-era frontier fort tied to a young George Washington. Beneath the church survive tunnels and a powder magazine dating from the fort's era in the seventeen hundreds. The church itself is known for its beautiful Tiffany stained-glass windows, making the site a rare combination of colonial military history, church architecture, and hidden underground passages.

The tunnels and powder magazine date to the days of Fort Cumberland in the seventeen hundreds, when the fort guarded the frontier. Long-standing tradition and research indicate the passages later served as a station on the Underground Railroad in the eighteen hundreds, sheltering people escaping slavery, as the church's rector of that era was a known Union sympathizer. This layered history, from colonial fort to a refuge on the path to freedom, gives the tunnels remarkable significance.

The tunnels are typically opened for tours on special occasions, such as the city's Heritage Days festival in June, and at other times by appointment, rather than on a daily walk-in basis, so arranging a visit in advance is important. The passages have steep stairs and uneven gravel footing and can be tight, so sturdy shoes and care are needed, and they may not suit everyone. Checking current tour availability with the parish before you go is essential.

The church and its lovely Tiffany windows can often be seen around services or by arrangement, while the best chance to tour the underground tunnels is during the Heritage Days festival in June or by scheduling an appointment ahead of time. Because access to the church interior and the tunnels depends on services, events, and volunteer availability, contacting the parish in advance to confirm current tour times is the key to a rewarding visit.

The church sits in historic downtown Cumberland in western Maryland, near the C&O Canal Cumberland Visitor Center marking the canal's western end, the departure point for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, and the Great Allegheny Passage biking trail. Cumberland's walkable downtown offers dining and shops. That makes Emmanuel Episcopal an easy and fascinating stop to combine with the rail, canal, and history attractions of Cumberland and the western Maryland mountains.