Lonaconing is a town in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, located along the Georges Creek Valley. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,214 at the 2010 census.
History
The first non-Native American settlers in the late 18th century were explorers, hunters and farmers. Surnames of some of the first settlers were Dye, Duckworth, Green, Grindle, Fazenbaker, Grove, VanBuskirk, Knapp, and Miller. The first stone house, built in 1790, in Knapps Meadow, just north of Lonaconing, was owned by Samuel VanBuskirk. The house still stands and is a private residence as of 2016. The Lonaconing Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Lonaconing is the birthplace of Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Robert Moses ("Lefty") Grove, (1900-1975), who played notably for the old Baltimore Orioles, 1920–1925, during their famous string of six straight championships in the "Triple A" (AAA) minor league level of the International League, and later for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics, (1925-1933) and the Boston Red Sox, 1934–1941, of the American League. Grove's "Most Valuable Player" Award is the only one not on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, as it is displayed at the George's Creek Library of the Western Maryland Regional Library system.
On January 20, 2021, the fourth largest Powerball and sixth largest lottery jackpot ticket in U.S. history was sold at Coney Market, a convenience store in Lonaconing, to an anonymous winner.
Lonaconing glassware manufacturers
1914-1915: Dugan Glass
1914-1918: Lonaconing Glass
1919-1929: Utility Glass Works
1930-1934: Sloan Bros Glass Company
Early mining railroads
Iron and coal companies in Lonaconing built railroads in the 1840s, in anticipation of connecting with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Some of these mining companies owned and operated their own railroad equipment. The Georges Creek Rail Road was built south from Lonaconing to connect with the Baltimore & Ohio at Piedmont(WV) All of the rail lines were absorbed into the Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad (C&P) by 1870.
The Lonaconing Furnace (1836–1855) The Georges Creek Coal and Iron Company constructed and operated a blast furnace in Lonaconing from 1836 to 1855 along with constructing and operating the related Georges Creek Railroad from 1851 to 1863. The Lonaconing Furnace was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,214 people, 463 households, and 303 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 525 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.1% White, 0.3% African American, 0.2% Asian, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.
There were 463 households, of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.08.
The median age in the town was 40.5 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.3% were from 25 to 44; 22.9% were from 45 to 64; and 20.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,205 people, 482 households, and 290 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 559 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.67% White, 0.66% African American, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population. At 16.1 percent Scottish, Lonaconing is the most Scottish town in the United States.
There were 482 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.15.