About
Mountain Lake Park Historic District covers the heart of Mountain Lake Park, the summer resort town just east of Oakland that the Methodist-led Mountain Lake Park Association founded in 1881. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and takes in about 110 acres and 145 buildings, so it suits anyone who likes old houses, small-town history or an easy self-guided walk.
A Chautauqua Resort Town
Mountain Lake Park grew up as a center of the Chautauqua movement, the summer program of lectures, music and religious meetings that drew families to the mountains. In summer the B&O Railroad brought visitors from cities such as Baltimore, Washington, Wheeling and Chicago, and many families stayed for the season for the cooler air. The Bashford Amphitheater, which the local historical association says could seat 5,000, hosted speakers including President William Howard Taft and William Jennings Bryan before it was razed in the 1940s.
What You Can See Today
The district is known for its late-19th and early-20th-century summer cottages in Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and rural "Country Gothic" styles. Along 301 G Street (Route 825) you'll find a cluster of interpretive markers for the Victorian Chautauqua, the Amphitheater, the Assembly Hall and the Flag Monument, and nearby plaques mark homes such as The Colonial and the Ruhl Cottage, tied to suffragist Julia Walker Ruhl.
- Free self-guided Historic District map from the Mountain Lake Park Historical Association's Ticket Office Museum on H Street
- "Mountain Chautauqua" walking and driving tour on the STQRY app, with stops at cottages, the Assembly Hall, the tennis courts and the Deaconess Home
Before You Go
Most buildings in the district are private homes, so enjoy them from the street and sidewalks. The Ticket Office Museum is a good first stop if you want postcards, photographs and background on the town before you walk.
Plan an unhurried stroll along G Street and the side streets, and let the old cottages tell the story.
Address
301 G St, Oakland, MD 21550