Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland. As of 2000, the population was 74,930. Its county seat is Cumberland. The name Allegany comes from a local Native American word, oolikhanna, which means "beautiful stream." A number of counties in the Appalachian region of the United States are named Allegany, Allegheny or Alleghany.
The western part of Maryland (including the present Allegany County) was incorporated into Prince George's County in 1696. This county included six current counties, and by repeated splitting, new ones were generated: Frederick from Prince George's in 1748; and Montgomery and Washington from Frederick in 1776.[1]
Allegany County was formed in 1789 by the splitting of Washington County. At the time it was the westernmost county in Maryland, but a later (1872) split produced Garrett County, the current westernmost county.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,113 km² (430 sq mi). 1,102 km² (425 sq mi) of it is land and 11 km² (4 sq mi) of it (1.02%) is water.
There were 29,322 households out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.60% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.60% were non-families. 30.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the county the population was spread out with 20.60% under the age of 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,821, and the median income for a family was $39,886. Males had a median income of $31,316 versus $21,334 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,780. About 9.70% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.70% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.
Occupying a middle ground between incorporated and unincorporated areas are Special Tax Districts, quasi-municipal unincorporated areas created by legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly.[2] They lack home rule authority and must petition the General Assembly for changes affecting the authority of the district. There are eight Special Tax Districts in the county:
Unincorporated areas are also considered as towns by many people and listed in many collections of towns, but they lack local government. Various organizations, such as the United States Census Bureau, the United States Postal Service, and local chambers of commerce, define the communities they wish to recognize differently, and since they are not incorporated, their boundaries have no official status outside the organizations in question. The Census Bureau recognizes the following census-designated places in the county:
Mr.Evarts, an early pioneer in Allegany County who in 1780's decided to contemplate his bachlorhood from the isolated mountain top of what is today Evitts Mountain.
Donald E. Moran, born in Westernport yet residing in Cumberland, former Assistant Coach of the NBA team, Washington Bullets, 1980 - 1986, from 1978 - 1980 Moran was the Head Scout to the NBA team, San Diego Clippers.
The primary mineral resources extracted for use in Allegany County are coal, iron, sandstone,
and limestone. Coal bearing formations are concentrated in the Georges Creek Basin in the
western part of the county.