About
Charles Friend's Home is a roadside state historical marker on MD 39 (Hutton Road), just west of Old Crellin Road on the western edge of Oakland. It recalls a stop George Washington made here in the fall of 1784, and it makes an easy roadside history stop on a drive around Oakland.
Washington's 1784 Trip West
In September 1784, a year after the Revolutionary War ended, George Washington rode through the Allegheny highlands looking for a practical way to link the Potomac and Ohio river systems. His idea was that a canal, or a short overland carry between the rivers, could connect Atlantic ports with the western territory. The marker records that he stopped at the home of Charles Friend on September 26, 1784, during that search. Washington kept a diary of the trip, and the HMDB page links to an annotated edition if you want to read his own account.
About the Marker
The sign was erected by the State Roads Commission and belongs to Maryland's roadside marker program, now listed under the Maryland Historical Trust. It stands on the north side of the road, on your right as you head west. A handful of other markers sit within about a mile and a half, including Tradition of Washington Spring, The Kildow Mill and the Garrett County Courthouse, so it's easy to string several together.
Before You Go
The house Washington visited is no longer standing. According to a 2008 note on HMDB, the house on the site today dates from the late 1800s, so there is nothing from Washington's time to tour. Read the marker from the roadside and leave the neighbouring property in peace.
Pair it with the Washington Spring marker nearby for a short, self-guided look at Washington's footsteps in Garrett County.
Address
4153 MD-39, Oakland, MD 21550