Town Hill’s long, winding ascent reached a height just beyond that of Sideling Hill but was much more easily crossed, though early automobiles still struggled with the steep grades and tight turns along this section of the National Road. At the turn of the twentieth century, the area was considered practically uninhabited, wild and beautiful, with clear, bracing air and more bridges than people. Travelers coming upon a service area with a gas station, a restaurant offering home cooked meals, and a place to stay found welcome relief. From the overlook, visitors could see three states and seven counties, and with apple orchards surrounding it in the 1920s, tourists began to call the area the Beauty Spot of Maryland. The Town Hill Hotel was one of the first to serve the twentieth-century pleasure traveler along the old National Road, and similar hotels were soon strategically placed on the tops of Sideling Hill, Green Ridge, Polish Mountain, Martins Mountain, Big Savage, and Negro Mountains.

Photo: Christopher Busta-Peck

Photo: Christopher Busta-Peck

Photo: Christopher Busta-Peck

Photo: Christopher Busta-Peck

Little Orleans, Maryland · USA