Our fourth stop on this tour of historic Cumberland was the C&O Canal Museum. This place interpreted the building of the Canal which I think is 186 miles in length from Washington D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland.
Building this was quite an enterprise, and living and working along it was a way of life for many people.
Coal was shoveled onto the barges and pulled along the canal by donkeys (or was it mules? There is a difference!), who walked on each side of the Tow path. Then the coal was shoveled off the barge in its new location.
There were fun things for kids to do in this museum.
Now the C&O Canal is used for recreation along its long trails. We have seen it in many little towns like Harper's Ferry, Paw Paw, Hancock and now Cumberland.
The kids played on this train shaped playground as this museum is located in a working Train Station!
See the highway above? That is route 68 which cuts right through this town although elevated, Thankfully!
The children stretched their legs before we headed back to Cecilia's and the Dairy Queen.
What a fabulous day after which we all made it safely home.
I look forward to returning again to this quaint town with my family to experience all that it has to offer!
