PRESERVATION

The Foundation continues its work in the research on and preservation of the history of Western Maryland and the rich culture and heritage of the region. The following paragraphs outline the history of the Evergreen Heritage Center (EHC) and summarize the region’s coal heritage that is being preserved at the EHC.

The History of Evergreen

Eight generations ago, circa 1780, the Grimes family settled on "Federal Hill" in Allegany County Maryland, and built a stone foundation log house and barn.  In 1822, the Winter family acquired the Grimes’ farm and replaced part of the log house with a two story stone addition, creating a large plantation manor. They also added outbuildings for use by the family, their servants and slaves. After the Civil War, in 1869, when the Winters could no longer run the plantation, their neighbor Joseph Arnold Trimble (grandson of the first Trimble who settled on Federal Hill) acquired the property. Since Joseph already had a homestead, he agreed to sell the property to his oldest son Winfield Scott Trimble (who had fallen in love with the old plantation). The agreement was accompanied with the caveat, however, that Winfield would rebuild the plantation and farm the land. 

Winfield followed his father’s wishes and worked for over ten years to build a successful farm. As part of that project, he added a large center hall with a grand wooden staircase hand-carved from walnut trees on the property, a wrap-around porch and French doors, and a total of six upstairs bedrooms. The result was a large Victorian farmhouse, now part stone and part wood frame, which he painted white. Winfield also planted acres of crops, several orchards, and thirteen varieties of evergreen trees. In 1882, when Winfield had completed his renovations and officially acquired the deed to the property, he named the newly renovated farm Evergreen, in honor of the fledgling evergreen trees he had planted there.

In 1976, Evergreen was recognized by the Maryland Historical Trust and added to its inventory of historical properties. Application to the National Register of Historical Places is in progress. Two generations later, in 1993, the descendent landowners converted the family’s ancestral farmhouse to the Evergreen Museum, displaying over 200 years of antiques, artifacts, and historical deeds and documents. The Museum is open to the public on select days from May through October (see the calendar to the right for the current schedule) and is also available for private tours.  For a brochure on the Evergreen Heritage Center (EHC), click here.

Evergreen’s Coal Heritage

Beginning in 1902, the Trimble family began executing coal leases with various coal companies.  From 1902 through 1912, the Midland Mining company deep-mined Trimble coal.  The Maryland Geological Survey reported that Midland Mining employed 16 men who mined coal from a seam about four feet thick.  According to the Survey's records, "mules hauled the coal over a tram-way from the (mine) opening to the head of a gravity plane" where the coal was then lowered to the railroad below.  Hundreds of tons of coal (over 7000 in 1910) were hauled over that tram-way.

In addition to that early mining operation, one of the longest running mining projects was conducted by United Big Vein Coal (UBVC) between 1915 and 1925.  As part of its operation, UBVC expanded the tram-way rails and switches established by Midland Mining and added a bull wheel to the incline plane that could more efficiently lower the coal to the C&P Railroad.  In addition, UBVC created living quarters for the miners, a blacksmith shop, a forge, and a mule stable.  Remnants of these remain today, as well as evidence of the evolution of the tram-way transportation that began with mules and ponies, then an electric tram engine, and finally a dinky steam engine.  For more information on Evergreen’s Coal Heritage, please reference a document that provides the history of the Evergreen Coal Trail by clicking here and obtain a brochure and map of the Trail by clicking here.