In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson authorized the construction of the National Road - the first major highway in the United States built by the federal government and linking the western territories to east coast cities. Specifically, the 620-mile pike was built between 1811 and 1837 and allowed goods and settlers to move considerable easier between the Potomac and Ohio Rivers. Early in the surveying period, "Meshach Frost built the first house in present-day Frostburg in 1812 (on the present-day the site of St. Michael's Church and Rectory)" In 1820 the growing town was named Frostburg and the community continued to grow even as the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal reached the Cumberland area in the mid 1800s. In fact, the railroads accelerated the local economy by providing transportation for the coal industry in which Meshach Frost also helped develop through the Frostburg Coal Company. And during the Civil War the manufacture of fire brick became a leading industry.
These economic trends continued to the turn of the century when the Hotel Gladstone opened in downtown Frostburg in 1897. Eventually, William Gunter purchased the building, renamed it Hotel Gunter, and installed a jail for prisoners being transferred and a cock-fighting ring in the basement. Other vices continued through prohibition as the basement also operated as a speakeasy.
In much more recent times the hotel was purchased by local Frostburg residents Donny and Kristan Carter and is now the home of Toasted Goat Winery. The couple opened the winery a couple years back in the Arts and Entertainment District and will remain in the district as they move operations to the hotel. The arts are a major influence in the winery's theme as evident by the label paintings displayed behind the tasting bar. These labels celebrate various aspects of Frostburg such as featuring church steeples, bridges, and rail trains. Donny Carter is the winemaker and produces a range of styles using local and American sourced fruit. On the other hand, Kristan Carter is a home brewer and ensures that the tasting room includes Maryland craft beers via pints and flights. In the future, the couple plans to open a full-service restaurant to cater to both hotel guests and visitors.
During a visit to Frostburg State University (the other FSU), we stopped in for a flight of mostly white wines. The Steeple White ($14.99) was the clear favorite as the Pinot Grigio is fermented to 1% r.s. providing a fruity counter-balance to the excellent acidity. This wine was book-ended by the sweeter Moscato ($18.99) and drier Chardonnay ($18.99). For the reds, our party also enjoyed the Cabernet Sauvignon laced Steeple Red ($16.99) and the dessert Chocolate Covered Raspberries wine. We also explored the hotel's basement containing the old jail and relics from the coal mining era. We look forward to visiting again soon using theCompass Craft Beverage Finder. Cheers.
