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Place Name
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Garrett County
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Place Status (Type)
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county
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Capital is
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Oakland
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Population
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28,138 (1990)
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Location
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Garrett County, Maryland (MD), United States, North America
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Latitude
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39°32'N
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Longitude
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79°16'W
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Garrett
, county (
656 sq mi/1,699 sq km; 1990 pop.
28,138), extreme W Md.;  Oakland; 39°32'N 79°16'W. Bounded
SE by North Branch of the Potomac (forms W.Va. state line here), W by
W.Va. state line, N by Pa. state line; drained by Youghiogheny,
Casselman, Savage, and Stoney rivers. Backbone Mt.
(3,360 ft/1,024 m), the highest point in Md.,
is in this Allegheny mt. co., as is Muddy Creek Falls
(64 ft/20 m), the state's highest waterfall.
Garrett co. was called “the Switzerland of America” by John W.
Garrett, the president of the Baltimore and Ohio RR, who was the most
powerful force in the development of its resort interests. The co. was
named for him. Although only 200 mi/322 km
away from the Eastern Shore, it has 9 times the average annual
snowfall. Known for excellent hunting and fishing, the co. also
includes Savage R., Swallow Falls, Potomac State Forest, and Deep Creek
L., which is both a summer and winter resort. Mining (bituminous coal,
fireclay) as well as some lumbering; agr. (dairy prods.; grain;
livestock); maple sugar and syrup. The co.'s pop. density is low by
comparison with the rest of the state. Formed in 1872.
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