Frostburg is a city in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. It is located at the head of the Georges Creek Valley, west of the county seat of Cumberland. The town is one of the first cities on the "National Road", US 40, and the western terminus of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. It is part of the Cumberland metropolitan area.

Frostburg was originally called Mount Pleasant until 1820, when the government developed a postal service. Since 1973, the city has been served by what is now Interstate 68.

As of the 2020 census, Frostburg had a population of 7,027. In addition, 5,400 students attend Frostburg State University, a public university within the University System of Maryland.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Frostburg is located in the Allegheny Mountains on the eastern slope of Big Savage Mountain. The closest cities to Frostburg are Cumberland, Maryland, to the east, and Morgantown, West Virginia, to the west.

Climate Due to its average elevation of above sea level and location near the Allegheny Front, Frostburg has a colder, wetter climate than most of Maryland, and falls in USDA hardiness zone 6b. Under the Köppen climate classification, it has a humid continental climate (Dfb), with cold, snowy winters, and warm, humid summers. The daily mean temperature ranges from in January to in July. Sub- occur on 3.8 nights per year, while, on average, there are 1.4 days with + highs, though these are not recorded every year. Due to orographic lift, driving conditions on Interstate 68 and U.S. Route 40 can be very hazardous despite timely state and local road maintenance services, and the town averages just over of snowfall a season; significant falls can occur as early as October and as late as May. Frostburg's greatest one-month snowfall was in January 1978, and Frostburg is second in Maryland for the greatest single-season snowfall with a total of in the winter of 1995−96.NWS Sterling, VA – Maryland winters

History

Frostburg had its beginnings in 1811 when surveying began for the National Road, a highway which ran west from nearby Cumberland, Maryland. President Thomas Jefferson had authorized construction of the road in 1806. Meshach Frost built the first house in present-day Frostburg in 1812 and named it Highland Hall (on the present-day the site of St. Michael's Church and Rectory). This building was a popular stopping point for celebrities and dignitaries who traveled the National Pike. This would be followed by the Franklin Hotel and other hotels.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal reached Cumberland in 1842 and 1850, respectively. Consequently, travel on the National Pike saw a steady decline, although travel through Frostburg did not.City of Frostburg, MD. Accessed January 12, 2010. Coal mining was the first major economic draw, but the industry faced problems in its early manifestation. The mountains of western Maryland and Frostburg proved to make transportation of coal very difficult. Not until the completion of the railroads did the coal industry in Frostburg began to flourish. The first major coal producer was Meshech Frost, who owned a significant amount of land for mining and founded the Frostburg Coal Company. This eventually was sold to the much larger Consolidated Coal Company.

Structures from the coal industry's dominant period still remain. One of the major freight depots for coal is located at 19 Depot St. in Frostburg and is one of the few remaining depots in western Maryland. The Mount Savage Railroad was the first to build a rail line to Frostburg in 1852, and it connected to the B&O Railroad in Cumberland, as well as the C&O Canal. The Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad (C&P) took over the Mount Savage line in 1854, and expanded with the construction of a tunnel under Frostburg, and a rail line southward to Piedmont, West Virginia. This railroad and tunnel were used to transport coal between Frostburg and George's Creek. Another major economic turn for Frostburg was the manufacture of fire brick beginning in 1864, utilizing the high-grade fire clays which are found in the area. One of the main businesses that formed was the Big Savage Fire Brick Company, still one of the main suppliers of fire bricks on the East Coast.

In 1898, the Maryland General Assembly authorized State Normal School #2 and a $20,000 appropriation to construct a building, though no money to buy land. The money for the land was collected among local citizens, many of them coal miners and their families. Two years later the first building, Old Main, opened. Two years after that, the first classes were held. The only available course of study at that point was a two-year elementary-education program. In 1904, the first class graduated.

In 1934, State Normal School #2 introduced its first four-year program. Nearly 30 years later (1963), the school was renamed Frostburg State College. In the next ten years more programs sprouted, including the university's first graduate program. In 1987, Frostburg State College joined the University System of Maryland and was renamed Frostburg State University. FSU celebrated its centennial in 1998.

National Register Sites The Hocking House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The Frostburg Historic District was listed in 1983 and the Borden Mines Superintendent's House in 1984.

1998 Tornado

On June 2, 1998, an F4 tornado struck Frostburg and the adjacent Eckhart Mines valley, damaging more than 125 homes and Frost Elementary School.June 2, 1998 PA-MD-WV Tornado Outbreak

Schools and universities Beall Elementary School, Grades K–5 Eckhart Alternative School, Grades 6–12 Frost Elementary School, Grades K–5 Mount Savage School, Grades K–8, in Mount Savage, Maryland Mountain Ridge High School, Grades 9–12 St. Michael School, Grades K–5 (closed, 2009 or 2012) Frostburg State University

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Frostburg had a population of 7,027. The median age was 31.9 years. 16.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.9 males age 18 and over.

99.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.5% lived in rural areas.

There were 2,968 households in Frostburg, of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 31.0% were married-couple households, 25.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 36.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 43.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 3,756 housing units, of which 21.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.7%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 5,690 81.0% Black or African American 699 9.9% American Indian and Alaska Native 19 0.3% Asian 220 3.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 4 0.1% Some other race 91 1.3% Two or more races 304 4.3% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 139 2.0%

Demographic estimates Area population in 2023 was 8,684. In 2021, the self-identified racial and cultural profile was 72% White alone, 14% Black alone, 5% Hispanic, 4% two or more races, 3% Asian alone, and 2% other alone.

Income and housing The median household income in 2021 was $42,416. Median house or condo value in 2021 was $153,419. Mean detached house price in 2021 was $196,999, and mean townhouse/attached unit price in 2021 was $188,876. The cost of living index in 2023 was 84.3.

Public safety Full-time law enforcement employees in 2020, including police officers, numbered 17. The crime index was 46% of the U.S. average.

Transportation

The main transportation means to and from Frostburg are by road. The main highway directly serving Frostburg is U.S. Route 40 Alternate, which follows Main Street through downtown. Interstate 68/U.S. Route 40 is the main highway serving the region around Frostburg, which is accessible from Frostburg proper via Maryland Route 36 and Maryland Route 736.

Local art and culture

Arion Band is a community band based in Frostburg. Established in 1877, the band has now been performing for 148 years. The band gives five to ten performances in the Frostburg and Cumberland areas during the summer. During prohibition, the Arion band helped the speakeasy in the basement of the Hotel Gunter sneak in booze. While the band would play music on the balcony, liquor was smuggled into the back.

Frostburg Museum and The Museum Gallery Located at the corner of Hill and Oak Streets, the building in which the museum is housed was built in 1899 and was formerly the Hill Street School. The museum was established in 1976 and, with more than of exhibit space, offers exhibits and artifacts from Frostburg and the surrounding area including the Arion Band, coal mining, genealogy, and the National Road. The Museum Gallery features a different artist's work every month.

Mountain City Traditional Arts Located at 25 East Main St., Mountain City Traditional Arts is dedicated to the education, sales, and documentation of regional Appalachian art. There is a constant display of local art of various mediums, some of which is available for purchase. Frequently offered are live performances, literary readings, and music. They also offer classes such as knitting, card-making and holiday music.

Frostburg Arts and Entertainment District In July 2009, a portion of downtown Frostburg that includes the Frostburg Museum and Frostburg State University was officially designated as the 18th Arts & Entertainment District of the state of Maryland, in recognition of the neighborhood's rich artistic history, its contemporary arts scene and its promise for the future. The district is administered by the Allegany Arts Council, which also administers the award-winning downtown Arts & Entertainment District in nearby Cumberland. Maryland is the first state to create art districts to help stimulate the economy.Allegany Arts Council

Frostburg Art Walk In the spring of each year, Frostburg sponsors an art walk through the arts and entertainment district. Visitors are invited for a self-guided tour through the district. Local businesses open their doors with special exhibits and demonstrations.

Performing Arts Center Located on the Frostburg State University campus, the Performing Arts Center (PAC) has regular programs held in one of their three theaters. The Cultural Events Series is open to students, faculty, and the general public. The students who are studying dance, music, theater and communication can excel in the Performing Arts Center because it has the basic essentials plus more needed for these majors. It has three main theaters: Pealer Recital Hall, Drama Theater and the Studio Theater. This building also has rehearsal spaces, music practice rooms and electronic labs, shops, offices, classrooms and facilities for the hearing impaired. The community and the campus audiences are welcome to a variety of concerts and many performances. Also many famous comedians and jazz artists that perform there as well.Cultural Events Series Website

Roper Gallery Located in the Fine Arts building on Frostburg State University's campus, the Roper gallery hosts fine art exhibits from both senior year art students and traveling exhibits.

Planetarium The Frostburg State University planetarium is located in GIRA CCIT. The planetarium offers a different show every month, which are shown on Sundays at 4PM and 7PM.Planetarium Website

Appalachian Festival