The Continuing Education department of Garrett College is partnering with the Oakland 1884 B&O Railroad Museum to provide a course on the history of railroads of Garrett County. This is a newly revised course with a significant new section on the B&O Railroad during the Civil War under the presidency of John W. Garrett, for whom Garrett County is named. It will cover the railroads in general terms for participants with even a mild interest in rail travel.
In this class, historian, author, and educator Dr. Neal Brooks will describe the railroads’ development, decline, and main purposes. The course will consider railroad social and business aspects and discuss two main companies, the B&O and Western Maryland, with remnants still present as part of CSX. It will focus on passenger service to this region in the 20th Century and cover smaller coal/logging railroads that disappeared but had a significant impact, including the Confluence and Oakland, Preston Railroad, and the Jennings Brothers Railroad.
This class is intended for a general audience interested in Garrett County and in general rail transportation history, not just railfans. In addition, this class has the added dimension of meeting in the renovated 1884 B&O Railroad station, one of the most significant historic buildings in Oakland, MD.
This class is offered through Continuing Education at Garrett College and is scheduled for Wednesday, May 4, 11, 18, and 25 at 3:00 PM. The costs for the course are as follows: Maryland Seniors 60+ are $45, Garrett County Residents are $49, Out of county residents are $54, and Out of State residents are $59.
To register, call 301-387-3069 or visit https://tinyurl.com/2p95dhjf. The final enrollment date is April 27, 2022.
