Lock 56

Very few traces remain of a bustling little community of Pearre that sprang up around Lock 56. In addition to the two-story lockhouse, homes and a small hotel that existed here, the area was chosen by the Western Maryland Railroad for a depot and one-mile section of “passing track.”

Previously, the site of the Pearre depot was the western terminus of the Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT), a restored section of track that roughly parallels the towpath back to Big Pool. With the expansion in 2019, the WMRT now runs to Little Orleans. Many locals bike what they call the “bow-tie,” which utilizes both the Rail Trail and the towpath for 40+ mile round-trip. Bikers can experience the history and terrain of both the towpath and the restored railroad bed.