OFF TO THE RACES
Horse racing was a
popular amusement at
the turn of the
twentieth century in
Cumberland. In the
early 1900s races
were held at the old
fairgrounds off
Virginia Avenue in
South Cumberland.
Then in 1924,
stockholders of the
Cumberland Fair
Association bought
125 acres of land on
McMullen Highway.
That site would
become Allegany
County's new
fairgrounds and race
track. Each year
horse races
were held in
conjunction with the
fair. Allegany
County's beautiful
race track would
provide enjoyment to
horse fanciers from
1924 until the last
race was run in
September of 1961.
Three horse-drawn
racing vehicles and
a portable
grandstand are
featured in the
exhibit.
Mexico Farms
Airfield,
Cumberland's first
airport dates back
to 1923. The
airfield, on Long
Farm, was developed
at the request of
the United States
Aviation Service.
The government
landing field would
be along a proposed
model airway from
Bolling Field,
Washington D.C.
proceeding to Wright
Field, Dayton,
Ohio. Ronald
"Torque" Landis,
Cumberland's "Mr.
Aviation" owned the
1927 Pitcairn PA-4
Fleetwood II
aircraft which is
featured in the
exhibit. In 1970
the Pitcairn was
purchased by retired
Air Force Pilot, Lt.
Colonel C. Harold
Armstrong and in the
fall of 1983, he
began a restoration
on the Pitcairn that
would require
several years and
over 4000 man-hours
of labor. On May 8,
1990, the Pitcairn
was test flown by
Harold's son, Robert
K. "Bob" Armstrong.
In July of 1991
Harold and Bob flew
the Pitcairn to the
Experimental
Aircrafts
Association's annual
convention in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
where it was judged
Grand Champion and
awarded the
prestigious Lindberg
Trophy. This
beautiful pristine
flying aircraft is
in a hangar at Bob
Armstrong's private
High Rock Field and
is still flown on
historic occasions
today. A model of
the plane is on
display in the
museum.
1913 MODEL T TOURING
CAR
When the first Model
T Ford rolled off
the assembly line on
October 1, 1908 in
Detroit, Michigan it
took fourteen hours
and eight minutes to
construct. When
Ford Motor Company
stopped building
Model T's in 1927,
there was a Model T
rolling off the
assembly line every
twenty four
seconds. It is
generally regarded
as the first
affordable
automobile, and the
car which "put
America on wheels".
The museum has two
Model T's on
exhibit.
