valley and spread into adjoining ravines. Maryland's coal production began in the 1780s, when small amounts were mined for Fort Cumberland, a frontier outpost. In 1830, the first coal shipments eastward were made by barge down the Potomac River, a route later abandoned because of the rapids in the river. The State's first coal mining company was incorporated in 1836, but coal production did not become important unit the B&O Railroad reached Cumberland in 1842. In 1850, the opening of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from Cumberland to Washington, DC provided another route for coal shipments. Over 21 million short tons of coal were transported on the canal before it closed in 1923. Maryland's coal production rose about 1 million short tons in 1865, exceeded 4 million short tons by the turn of the 20th century, and reached an all-time high of about 6 million short tons in 1907. A small amount of the coal production in the early 20th century was premium smithing coal (as in blacksmith) that was specially processed and delivered in box cars to customers throughout the United States and Canada. Coal production declined sharply after 1920, reflecting downturns in the economy recurrent labor problems and the extensive replacement of coal by the petroleum. Production fell below 1 million short tons during the 1950s and early 1960s before the trend turned up-wards, due mostly to an increasing use of coal to generate electricity. Over 3 million short tons were produced by the state of Maryland in 1992. Transportation and distribution Transportation systems have played a major role in the history and development of Cumberland. Situated on the Potomac River at a natural gateway through the mountains, Cumberland prospered in its early years as a major transportation hub. The development of the National Road, the country's first federally funded public works project, began in Cumberland in 1811 and reached Wheeling, West Virginia by 1818. Cumberland's transportation system evolved around the C&O Canal and burgeoning rail lines, shaped by the natural setting of the mountains, Potomac River, and Wills Creek. The B&O Railroad reached Cumberland in 1842, followed by the Mount Savage Railroad in 1845, Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad in 1872, the Georges Creek and Cumberland Railroad in 1876, and the Western Maryland Railway in 1906. (The Mount Savage Railroad was purchased by the Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad in 1854.) The completion of Interstate 68 in