MESHACH BROWNING TRAIL SYSTEM “My mind cannot imagine a more beautiful Meshach Browning (1781-1859) was one the sight than could be obtained from the highest earliest settlers of Western Maryland and a grounds of the Hoop-Pole Ridge, which prolific hunter, killing over 2,000 deer, 500 commanded a view of the valley between that bear, as well as numerous panthers, wolves and the great Back-Bone . It was a grand and rattlesnakes. His book, penned with a sight to watch the tall grass, rolling in beautiful turkey quill by candlelight, recounts many of waves with every breeze which passed over his hunting expeditions, while providing its smooth surface, as well as the herds of details about pioneer life in this area during deer skipping and playing with each other” the early 1800’s. This trail system is dedicated to him. A series of interpretive These are the words of Meshach Browning signs contains excerpts from his book, from his book, Forty-Four Years of the Life of commentary on his life and times, and a Hunter (1859), describing much of the area provides additional information on where in that would become Deep Creek Lake. Garrett County to visit to learn more. This project was made possible through the Walk in Meshach’s moccasins Deep Creek Lake Lions Club, and the support of the Garrett County Bear Creek Commissioners and staff, the Garrett County Glades Historical Society, Garrett Trails and numerous Meshach Browning enthusiasts. Browning built one of his homesteads within a mile of this spot. Although the area was infested with rattlesnakes, Meshach and his wife Mary came to Browning’s book contains a number of love the beauty of the Glades. Today, illustrations by E. Stabler – this shows you can travel our trails for a taste of the Browning clad in buckskins and flanked For full text of all signs, audio recordings of the content and scenery he enjoyed around his home. by two of his hunting dogs. more information, visit: www.deepcreeklions.org Life in Western Maryland during the Pioneer Era “The early settlers, being but few in number, The pioneers of western Maryland were had a hard time to maintain themselves; and largely self-sufficient, feeding themselves off had they not used the greatest economy, they the land, building their own cabins from local could not have lived in the wilderness at materials, and clothing themselves with all…All the settlers lived in cabins, and home-spun textiles. Today, residents of fed their children on bread, meat, Garrett County show many of the butter, honey and milk; coffee and tea same traits of perseverance and were almost out of the question…” connection with nature. Meshach Browning, Forty-Four Years of the Life of a Hunter To find out more... You can see more of Leo Beachy’s photos of Garrett County and the surrounding area at Walk in Meshach’s moccasins the Grantsville Museum. There are hundreds of his photos of everyday life and scenery Backbone Original photo caption by Leo Beachy from the early 1900’s. Mountain reads: "The old Meshach Browning home Even though none of Browning’s cabins are as it looks today (1919), after almost the left, you can visit the Drane House in What would become Garrett lapse of a century. “ This cabin was Accident, likely the oldest standing structure County was sparsely populated in the located on Sang Run and was built by in the County. Built in the early 1800’s, it was early 1800’s. Meshach described the area around the headwaters of the Meshach Browning near the year 1828, home to James Drane, Browning’s second Potomac River as “the greatest wilderness we but has been torn down since Beachy’s closest neighbor (at 5 miles away). were acquainted with.” You can experience photo. some of this remoteness by hiking up to Maryland’s highest point on Backbone Mountain in the southern tip of the County. For full text of all signs, audio recordings of the content and more information, visit: www.deepcreeklions.org Deer Hunting Although Browning killed thousands of deer, it was clear that he had a deep respect and appreciation for his natural “Presently a tremendous buck appeared. surroundings and the animals he I thought that to kill him would be to shared them with. His book abounds destroy a fine animal to no purpose, and with stories and observations about the I determined not to shoot him as I knew behavior of wildlife and good hunting he was not fit for use.” techniques. One of the more memorable tales involved Browning Meshach Browning, Forty-Four Years of wrestling for his life with a wounded the Life of a Hunter buck in the Youghiogheny River. To find out more... You can visit the Garrett County Historical Museum in Oakland to see the only known oil portrait of Browning, Walk in Meshach’s moccasins hunting artifacts and other exhibits from After reading Browning’s stirring account local history. The Yough of a hand-to-hand fight with a wounded buck in the Youghiogheny River, A. F. Tait The museum holds (1819-1905), the great Adirondack artist & the original photo of The Youghioghney River—or deer hunter, created a painting in 1861 of this exhibit Yough— is the setting for many of Browning grappling with the unexpectedly assembled for the Meshach’s rougher stories in the book. formidable opponent titled “The Life of a first Garrett County At the Yough, he is beat up by a gang of Fair in 1919. rivals, finds that rattlesnakes can’t easily be Hunter: Catching a Tartar”, thus drowned and plunges into freezing waters to immortalizing the famous incident. save his dog. You can experience some of the Yough—which the State of Maryland has designated as a Wild and Scenic River—by going to Friendsville and For full text of all signs, audio recordings of the content and hiking on the Kendall Trail along the river. more information, visit: www.deepcreeklions.org Trading "I collected all my venison . a respectable By his own account, Meshach load of fine, fat and fresh deer meat... I had Browning killed over 500 bear during eighty-seven saddles of venison and three his hunting career. Although he clearly whole deer...I also had with me seven relished the sport of hunting, it was saddles of bear-meat, together with butter, beeswax and furs of different kinds. At also a necessity which put clothing on Hagerstown it met a ready sale, and in his family’s back, food on the table Frederick City we disposed of over eighty and money in his pocket. Even in dollars' worth, all for cash, at twelve and the early 19th century, city-dwellers half cents per pound. We then went to were willing to pay premium rates Georgetown, where we sold out without for fresh, quality food from the trouble...By this means I raised money, western mountains. paid for my land, and had something left for the family, besides being able to hire a hand in a pinch of work" To find out more... Meshach Browning, Forty-Four Years of the Life of a Hunter Visit Friend’s Delight Store on Sang Run Road to get a glimpse of what a Walk in Meshach’s moccasins An illustration by E. Stabler from the book pioneer-era trading post looked like. Part of the Sang Run State Park, the store was run Savage – this shows a typical bear expedition with Browning accompanied by two of his by the Friend family which originally settled River hunting dogs. He often used his dogs to in the area in 1769. Browning also built and find, track and run down bears, then operated a grist mill along Sang Run . Although the Savage River and completing the kill with his rifle. If his Mountains were named for a surveyor working to settle a boundary dogs were too close for a clean shot , he dispute in 1736, the area lives up to its would sometimes use his knife to finish name with wild and untamed terrain. off the bear. Meshach recounts hunting a family of panthers up and down the Savage River valley in the book. Today, you’re relatively safe from a panther attack, but can experience many great hiking trails throughout For full text of all signs, audio recordings of the content and Savage River State Forest. more information, visit: www.deepcreeklions.org Browning’s Legacy In an 1859 edition of Atlantic Monthly, an uncredited book reviewer of Forty-Four Years of the Life of a Hunter notes that “Here I found my true pleasure – my wife, Meshach Browning’s progeny “fifty years dressed clean, her beauty, in my estimation, later had increased to one hundred and unsurpassed; the children, as clean as water twenty-two, of whom sixty-seven, as their and soap could make them, plenty to live on, progenitor says proudly, were "capable of and not an enemy on earth. I say, who could bearing arms for the defense of their be happier than I was at the time?” country,"” His legacy lives on today - Browning is still a common name in the area Meshach Browning, Forty-Four Years of the and the nature and wildlife that he respected Life of a Hunter and relied on are still one of the county’s main draws. He died at the age of 78 and reportedly hunted till his last days. Walk in Meshach’s moccasins To find out more... Meadow You can visit Meshach Browning’s grave alongside Maryland Rt 42, between the intersections of US Rt Mountain 219 and Hoyes-Sang Run Rd.