Welcome to the Oakland B&O Museum
It began with a vision by two men, John Work Garrett, who ultimately became the president of the B&O, and E. Francis Baldwin, who was the primary architect of the B&O buildings. Together these men built many of the B&O buildings from the Central Building and Camden Station in Baltimore to the station in Parkersburg, WV.
Mr. Garrett became the president of the B&O in 1858 after an acrimonious stockholders fight. Mr. Garrett was bound to stockholders with a promise of a good return on their investments. While caught in a race to see to see which would be the major railroad line to the west, either the B&O or the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Railroads were trying to provide the fastest and most convenient service at the cheapest rates.
Mr. Garrett was also got caught in the divisions caused by the Civil War, promising President Lincoln to dedicate the railroad to the Union cause while the railroad ran through Confederate territory for a short distance, people in Baltimore and Maryland were ambivalent about which side to support in the war. Following the war, Mr. Garrett became powerful in Annapolis, the halls of Baltimore and very influential in the development of Western Maryland.
When the last county in Maryland was granted the right to govern itself, it was decided to take his name. He rewarded it with a beautiful train station, a church and several hotels. The railroad helped vacationers to reach these western Maryland destinations. Mr. Garrett died in September of 1884 in his cottage in Deer Park, the same year the Oakland Train Station construction was begun.
With strong support from the community, the B&O Committee and under the leadership of the Mayor and Town Council of Oakland, the 1884 B&O Railroad Station underwent a complete, historically-accurate restoration.
The exterior renovations included the repair of historic windows, roof shingles, gutters and general painting. Interior renovations included the addition of a central air system, humidity controls, ultraviolet light filters, refinished floors, painting, and upgrades to the heating and security systems.
The restoration’s goal was preserving the past and educating a new generation. The B&O Train Station is now the home of the Oakland B&O Museum. Its Queen Anne style architecture is the centerpiece of Oakland’s history and it is one of the most distinguished, historic depots in the country.
In 1974, the Station itself was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Museum features many local and regional railroad-related artifacts. It features rotating exhibits and artifacts from our partner, the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, which is an independent nonprofit education institution and it possesses the oldest, most historic and most comprehensive American railroad collections in the world.
The Oakland B&O Museum is an integral part of Garrett County and in particular, Oakland’s history. It is part of the local Main Street Community and contributes to the historic center in downtown Oakland.
Volunteers are crucial to the museum's continued operations. They keep the museum open several days a week during the summer and weekends in winter. They plan educational activities and fun railroad-themed events. They keep the gift shop stocked with unique railroad items. And they keep the excitement about our railroad history alive in the community.
The opening of the Oakland B&O Museum in Oakland marked the third museum in downtown Oakland. The Garrett County Historical Society Museum and the Transportation Museum have been popular destinations for many visitors.