About
The Friends Store is a historic country store at Sang Run State Park, 3735 Sang Run Road in McHenry, about four miles past Wisp. Run by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, it lets you step into a 1920s-style store, pick up penny candy, old-fashioned soda, local jams and souvenirs, and hear stories of Appalachian life. It's a good fit for families and anyone exploring the Youghiogheny River valley.
A Store at the Heart of Sang Run
For more than a century the store and the neighbouring Election House were the centre of the small Sang Run community. The store sold food staples and gasoline, traded ginseng ("sang") with local residents and served as the post office until the early 1970s. It is part of a homestead once known as Friends Delight, dating to the early 1800s; the homestead, farm and store were donated to the state in 2008, and the property became Sang Run State Park in 2017.
What to Expect
Inside, shelves recreate an early 20th-century country store, and a storekeeper shares stories of life in the last century and Appalachian folklore. Kids' crafts are on offer, and park volunteers support programs in summer and fall such as hayrides, guided hikes, Dutch oven cooking demonstrations and candle dipping.
Around the Park
Next door stands the restored 1872 Election House, which the park describes as the only documented standing election house in Western Maryland; it hosted 25 presidential elections, the last in 1972, and its restoration was finished in 2020. The park also has more than 2.5 miles of trails, a picnic pavilion, a whitewater put-in on the Wild and Scenic Youghiogheny and a waterless toilet in the store's parking lot.
The store keeps a seasonal schedule, so check the DNR page or call the park before you head out.
Address
3735 Sang Run Rd, McHenry, MD 21541