Penn Alps, MD

In September 2004 we started at Cumberland, MD and followed the National Road for a history lesson.  We prepared for this camping trip by thoroughly studying the National Road (we had toured in the past, but not as in-depth) so that we could drive on every available part of the original route all the way to Vandalia, IL.  Unfortunately, we had a vehicle breakdown in Zanesville, OH, got a jerry-rigged repair to get us to a dealer in Columbus, where our car sat from Thursday afternoon until Monday afternoon as they waited for parts to be sent in from VW of America (we were in a 1993 Eurovan MV).  While waiting for repairs, we stayed in a motel and rented a car to finish the Ohio portion.  Friday we drove back to Zanesville to pick where we left off and then finished the day at Columbus.  Saturday we took the road from Columbus to the Indiana border, and then Sunday we did Columbus.  We had to wait until the next year to finish the tour from the Indiana border to Vandalia.

The first schools we found were these two, which had been moved to Spruce Village at Penn Alps, by the Casselmann River Bridge near Grantsville, MD.  The first school is the 1913 Bear Hill School from near Jennings, MD.  The second school was built ca. 1820-1830.  It is the Compton School from New Germany Road near the Casselmann River area.