Iron Furnace Main Street Lonaconing, Maryland

Visitor Information Miscellaneous Information

DIRECTIONS - - - -

(map to be added) >

From Interstate 68, turn onto State Route 36 toward "Westernport" Follow highway 9 miles to Lonaconing -- state 36 becomes "Main Street"

VISITOR INFORMATION - - - -
Once a boom town of the coal and iron mining industries, Lonaconing has evolved into a small, quiet, residential community of about a thousand population. Narrow streets and old-fashioned houses grace this incorporated town. Thick forests rise up from the town's 1300 foot elevation to the high point of Dan's Mountan, now boasting a very modern cell-phone tower.

The principal in-town industries were a hand-blown glass factory (now entirely gone) and a silk-thread manufacturing operation (building still standing, complete with machinery, but not at present open to the general public).

In addition to the Iron Furnace Park, Lonaconing has several small parks along Main Street, a baseball field, and a basket ball court. The "local swimming pool" is at the Dan's Mountain State Park, an outdoor heated swimming pool of considerable size just a few miles up above the town (and staffed by local volunteers) -- also there, rain shelters, picnic facilities, snack bar, and a miniature golf course.

Available along Main Street are: A pizza outlet, a convenience store, a drugstore, a bank, a post office, a gift shop & florist, a custom clothing shop and a library. There is a limited amount of free parking -- both on-street and parking lot. Just beyond city limits on the highway are two convenience stores (one with fuel) and a full service gasoline station with auto mechanic.

A quiet town; there presently are no book stores, antique shops, craft shops, movie theaters, motels or hotels, bed and breakfast inns, camp grounds, franchise restaurants, or fast food chains in the town, although such services are available in Frostburg or La Vale, approximately a dozen miles away. Streets are narrow but most have been recently paved. The town and Iron Furnace Park are well lit at night, and regularly patrolled by both a Lonaconing police officer and the Allegany County Police Department -- a safe place for late night walkers.

Questions? Comments! -- web8@midatlantic.cc
George's Creek History Exhibit
P.O.Box 240, Lonaconing, MD 21539