A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.
– MARCUS GARVEY
Welcome!
The Mountain Lake Park Historical Association collects, preserves, and shares the history of this beloved mountaintop community that began in 1881.
Join us in learning more about the town’s rich history and what remains.
Your tax-deductible donation to the Mountain Lake Park Historical Association helps with expenses and programming costs.
Thank you, for your support!
A small group of Methodist ministers and businessmen dreamed of a Chautauqua resort along the B&O Railroad.
How it began.
Pictured Above: Rev. C.P. Masden, Major J.C. Alderson, C.W. Conner, Dr. C.W. Baldwin, Dr. J. Goucher, Rev. J. McMillen Davis, S.L. Allen
The Allegheny Mountains of Western Maryland became the perfect setting for a Chautauqua resort that would closely resemble the original Chautauqua in New York State. A group of seven investors was so taken by what was unfolding with the Methodist movement in New York, they wanted to create a similar and more convenient experience for travelers further south along the B&O railroad.
They formed an association named Mountain Lake Park that would quickly grow over the next several decades to become one of the nation’s top five Chautauqua destinations. The quaint town catered to travelers seeking cultural, educational, and spiritual programs with a side of outdoor recreation. After purchasing an 800-acre tract of land called The Glades, the lackluster name didn’t have the appeal for which the gentlemen were looking. To increase the planned community’s appeal, the group decided a man-made lake was a necessary centerpiece to attract visitors.
The new town ultimately included Mountain Lake which was fed by the Youghiogheny River and contained by a dam and spillway at the lower end. Although it was not deep, the lake served as a popular recreation area for swimming, boating, fishing, and ice harvesting in the cold season. The ice would provide income for the town as well through purchase agreements with the railroad, hotels, boarding homes, and private residences.
The only known group photo of leaders who were pivotal in the Chautauqua resort’s success is shown above. Some of the actual founders are pictured but in the 1881 meeting document from Wheeling, West Virginia, the following founding members were named; Rev. C.P. Masden (president), Rev. E.W. Ryan (vice president ), A. S. List (treasurer), Rev. T.B. Hughes (corresponding treasurer), and executive committee and By-Laws committee members, G.W. Atkinson, C.W. Connor, and J.C. Alderson.
Mountain Lake Park is a Historic District on the National Registry.
The Mountain Lake Dam and Spilway
House on Mountain Lake
On July 10, 2022, The Victorian Chautauqua featured a special ceremony honoring the late Julia Walker Ruhl [1861-1956] at her original summer cottage. Julia was a suffragist who became instrumental in helping to pass the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. The roadside marker is placed at 105 G Street in Mountain Lake Park, Maryland, in front of Julia's former residence. The marker was funded by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation as part of the "National Votes For Women Trail" roadside marker program. Maryland now has ten markers across the state recognizing important women who contributed to passing the 19th Amendment.
One of Mountain Lake Park’s first buildings to be erected was the Assembly Hall located on 5 acres in the middle of Mountain Lake Park. Although a bit different after over a century of renovations, It still stands today. The newly formed association set out to sell lots to seasonal residents who would summer in “The Park” and enjoy the attributes of cultural, spiritual, and educational programs. Camp meeting under the Methodist faith would draw all ages by the thousands. Accommodations would consist of anything from camping and boarding homes to lavish hotel stays. Many families built summer residences where they would stay while the summer programs were in full swing.
Town lots sold for $300 each, and under the strict town rules, a home had to be constructed of equal value within the first year of ownership. This insured that new homes would fill the Park and grow the summer population in short order. Many of the original cottages remain and have been renovated for year-round living.
A Place To Meet
Mountain Chautauqua Stories
A five-part digital film tells the story of Mountain Lake Park’s history from its founding to the reimagined Victorian Chautauqua that kicked off in 2021. Through a series of interviews and a collection of over 500 images and archived films, you can learn how Mountain Lake Park rose to national acclaim as a top tourist destination at the turn of the last century.
The Trailer
Part II – The Faithful
Part IV – The Robinsons
Part I – The Founders
Part III – The Culture
Part V – The Legacy
