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Cumberland, Maryland City Hall & Academy of Music

Buildings and structures in Cumberland, MarylandCity and town halls in MarylandClock towers in MarylandHistory of Cumberland, MD-WV MSATheatres in Maryland
Academy of music cumberland
Academy of music cumberland

The Academy of Music (1874-1910) was a civic theater and the first city hall for the city of Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. It was a grand building with 18-inch (460 mm) thick walls, 78 feet (24 m) high from street to roof crest, and was 140 feet (43 m) high to the top of the tower. At the time, the building was built for a cost of $127,000 (approximately 2 million dollars in 2006 dollars). Construction began in 1874 and was finished in 1876. The entire south portion of the building was devoted to entertainment and was referred to as the Academy of Music. The Academy of Music was opened Tuesday night, March 7, 1876 under the auspices of John T. Ford, when his company presented "The Big Bonanza." The academy featured a 30x30 foot stage, four VIP theater boxes, and a seating capacity of 1,300. At various times it was packed to the walls with over 2,000 people. The ground floor was occupied by a Market House, and above were located the beautiful frescoed mayor's office and council chamber. In 1878, Lowermilk describes the interior of the Academy of Music as "one of the most beautiful interiors to be found in any place of amusement in the country." The ceiling work of art, upon which was expended the skill of the best painters in the employment of Emmart & Quarterly, of Baltimore. The lower floor of the Academy was divided into the "Orchestra," and "Orchestra Circle," and was supplied with nearly 500 patent folding chairs. The next floor was the "Dress Circle," and above this the "Balcony." The balconies were supported by handsome iron columns, and the fronts were of iron open ornamental work, in soft colors, picked with gold, and a vermilion background. The "Sunlight" reflector in the centre of the ceiling illumined the house, but was supplemented by handsome brackets on the wall. The drop curtain was a handsome painting, representing the "Decline of Carthage." On the apron border was a faithful portrait of Shakespeare, with suitable surroundings. Dressing rooms, with water, heat, and all conveniences occupy a portion of the space under the stage, and a door leads directly from the stage to a comfortable room for the "stars." The Academy of Music was ultimately destroyed by fire on March 14, 1910. The remaining structure was razed and construction of a smaller replacement city hall was built during 1911-1912 at a cost of $87,000 (approximately 1.8 million dollars in 2006 dollars). The replacement city hall stands upon the site of the old City Hall and Academy of Music. Plans called for a dome on the new building, but at $6,000 it was considered too expensive. The circular foundation for the canceled dome is still visible on the roof. the interior rotunda features a mural by artist Gertude Dubrau depicting the city's early history, Fort Cumberland, General Edward Braddock, and George Washington.

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Cumberland, Maryland City Hall & Academy of Music
North Centre Street, Cumberland

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N 39.652847222222 ° E -78.762477777778 °
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Cumberland City Hall

North Centre Street
21502 Cumberland
Maryland, United States
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Academy of music cumberland
Academy of music cumberland
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Nearby Places

Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Cumberland, Maryland)
Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Cumberland, Maryland)

The Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Cumberland, Maryland in Cumberland's Historic District is built on the foundations of Fort Cumberland, where George Washington began his military career; earthworks from the fort (built in 1755) still lie beneath the church. Although the Emmanuel parish dates from 1803, the cornerstone of the current native sandstone building was laid in 1849 and completed in 1851. The church contains original Tiffany stained-glass windows from three different periods and a scale model of Fort Cumberland. The grounds are part of the Fort Cumberland Walking Trail, signposted with plaques and detailed in a leaflet available from the visitor center. Standing at the eastern end of the Washington Street Historic District, it is one of Maryland's examples of early Gothic Revival architecture. The church is on the former site of Fort Cumberland, and earthwork tunnels remaining from the fort run under the church. The church was constructed around 1850 and designed by Philadelphia architect John Notman. It is modeled after St. Paul's Church in Brighton, England. The design is typical ecclesiastical architecture of the second quarter of the 19th century, especially that of the Episcopal Church. The Cumberland Parish House was built in 1903 and designed by Cumberland native Bruce Price. Price chose elements of the popular Second Empire style for the Parish House, an eclectic style based loosely on French architecture during the reign of Napoleon. The Parish house features elements typical of this style, such as a projecting pavilion, tall windows and roof, and deep architectural details. Many other houses of the Washington Street Historic District resemble the Parish House, but also feature a mansard roof, this style's central characteristic. The church and parish house sit on land that was originally Fort Cumberland, which served as a frontier outpost during the French and Indian War. The only building to remain from the fort is the small cabin that was used by George Washington as his headquarters when he was in the Cumberland area with his Virginia troops. It has been moved to nearby Riverside Park. Emmanuel Episcopal Church and Parish House are at 16 Washington Street and are contributing buildings to the Washington Street Historic District. Church services are open to the public, and the tunnels are open for tours during the Heritage Days festival in June.