Cumberland, Indiana, is a quaint town with endless opportunity.

It’s officially been fourteen years since I came to Cumberland! I still remember when I first drove into town, seeing the community for the first time. Cumberland reminded me a lot of where I grew up in Northwest Indiana—a quaint, rural community with so much opportunity to grow. It made me want to become a part of this town’s story, as we shape the future going forward. 

Located just ten miles east of downtown Indianapolis, Cumberland sits within both Marion and Hancock County. We’re outside the I-465 loop, but Cumberland is located directly adjacent to I-70 and US 40. This convenient road access makes it easy to commute downtown, across Indianapolis, or even up to Hamilton County. We’re also about 30 minutes out from the Indianapolis International Airport and only 10 minutes from the Indianapolis Regional Airport in Mount Comfort.

When I first came here, Cumberland’s prime location and historic past were the biggest draws for me. I thought it was really cool that Cumberland was built alongside Washington Street—part of the nation’s first federally funded road!

In fact, the town was once listed on Indiana Landmark’s Top 10 endangered list. The State wanted to widen Washington Street, which would have taken out many of the town’s historic structures. But determined residents made sure that the town was preserved, keeping our community’s identity intact. 

Today, our small town of 6,000 has changed so much, while still retaining its small-town character and values. Driving into Cumberland, you’re greeted by a friendly welcome sign and an idyllic streetscape with towering trees, landscaped medians, and traditional hook-style street lights. You’ll see Cumberland’s diversity unfold before your eyes, offering residents a variety of places to call home—from suburban houses to rural farms. 

Cumberland is a community brimming with history.

Back in the 1800s, Cumberland was the last stage coach stop before Indianapolis, located along the historic National Road. The National Road was the first federally funded highway in the United States, stretching from the Potomac to the Ohio River.  

This location offered a critical waypoint for cross-country travelers, which led to Cumberland becoming an officially platted town in 1831. In fact, the town was named in honor of Cumberland, Maryland, where the National Road began! 

Over the years, Cumberland prospered thanks to its transportation roots. Stage coaches and cars brought new visitors to town, while trains created opportunities for new business and trade. There also used to be an interurban rail line running through the center of Washington Street! Nowadays, I like to stand at Wayburn Pocket Park and imagine what Cumberland would’ve been like. 

The area around Cumberland is also very agricultural—with the largest concentration of historic barns in Indianapolis. The town recently acquired a few properties in the core of downtown, and they’re restoring them to their former glory. One of the buildings is a pre-Civil War barn with hand-hewn beams. Pretty cool, right?

As you travel through Cumberland, you’ll find many historic buildings that represent remnants of a time gone by. Our neighborhoods are filled with old Victorian-style homes, and downtown Cumberland has lots of properties ready for renovation.  

Down on German Church Road, you can still visit the old church that the road was named after. The church still stands tall today with a bell tower and impressive windows, serving as the town’s most iconic structure. Meanwhile, Sero’s Family Restaurant is one of the most unique buildings in town. This distinct restaurant was constructed in an Art Modern style with rounded glass walls and a beautiful mansard roof!

Our rural town is perfect for hiking trails and nature parks.

Over the last decade, Cumberland has made significant investments to make our community a beautiful, walkable place. In fact, our trail system now has over six miles of pathways connecting almost every neighborhood in town! 

If you like nature walks like I do, then Buck Creek is the perfect trail for you. With over three miles of paved paths, Buck Creek Trail is Cumberland’s main north-south artery. It starts at the Pennsy Trail and meanders through forests, farm fields, and the thriving creek bed. Along the trail, you’ll also find stunning vistas where you can stop and take in nature’s beauty. 

In the other direction, Pennsy Trail is a paved, mixed-use path that serves as our main east-west thoroughfare. The trail follows the former Pennsylvania Railroad, connecting us with downtown Indianapolis, neighborhoods like Irvington, and even Greenfield once construction is complete.

Another special thing about the Pennsy Trail is that it features a 1:1 billion scale model of the solar system. The model begins with the Sun at German Church Road and goes all the way to Neptune near the Mt. Comfort Road trailhead. Each planet is marked with an informative sign, so you can have fun walking through space!

​Explore beautiful parks in Cumberland.

Whether you’re going for a walk, a run, or a bike ride on the trails, you’ll probably meet some of your neighbors doing the same! Cumberland has four parks across town where residents can enjoy the great outdoors. Honors Park is a small neighborhood space with a basketball court and play equipment, while Wayburn Pocket Park offers a nice spot to sit and watch the streetscape. 

If you’re in downtown Cumberland, you can stop by the National Road Park on E. Washington Street. The National Road Park was recently renovated with new basketball courts, more parking, restored picnic shelters, and a new accessible playground. Altogether, nearly $1 million was invested into the park, creating a place where Cumberland residents can come together as a community. 

You can also bring the kids to Lions Park for a day out on the playground! Lions Park is a family favorite park space located just off of Buck Creek Road. There, you’ll find a colorful playground, pickleball and basketball courts, beautiful greenspaces, and plenty of spots for a family picnic!

Our community knows how to have fun!

We love a good party here in Cumberland! Our town always goes above and beyond to host amazing community events for families to get out and have some fun.  

For starters, June kicks off our annual Blues, Beer, and BBQ concert series! On the last Saturday of each summer month, we transform Saturn Street into a true community concert venue. The town brings in both national and international blues musicians to perform, and the concerts are totally free to attend. And of course, there’s plenty of beer and barbeque to go around! In June, we also end the night with one of the best fireworks shows you’ll ever see. Families tend to set up their lawn chairs in Honors Park so the kids can play, while more serious listeners sit closer to the stage.

In June, the town also comes together for Cumberland Trails Day. We love our trails so much, we celebrate them each year with a timed race and a family fun run! You can participate in either event depending on your preference, and then join us afterward for food, giveaways, safety demos, and the annual spring marketplace.  

In August, we host a Community Day to celebrate our town and emphasize the importance of public safety. Then, Saturn Street transforms into a concert venue once again for Rocktember. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy some great music while drinking a beer and catching up with your neighbors. 

For Halloween, the Trail & Treat event attracts ghouls and goblins of all ages to gather on Buck Creek Trail for a spooky evening walk packed with haunting decorations and trick-or-treating sponsored by local businesses! And finally, we end the year with our annual Weihnachtsmarkt event. This Winter Festival honors our town’s German heritage, while providing a fun way to kick off the holidays. There’s free entertainment, real reindeer, a winter marketplace, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, and lots of great food. Once it gets dark, we also enjoy a light parade followed by the annual Christmas tree lighting!

Cumberland is all about community and connection.

When I first came to Cumberland, the town’s history and location were the biggest factors in my decision. But now, I know that it’s the people who live here that make this town so special. 

Here in Cumberland, our people are all so hardworking and service-minded. We have many grassroots organizations started by passionate residents who want to give back to the community. The Friends of the Trails is a local non-profit that hosts recreational events in the town’s parks and trails. They offer community nights with kickball, pickleball, basketball, and even bicycle rodeos. 

Another local organization is The Green Collective, a group focused on improving our community through greener living. They regularly collect bottle caps and lids that can be recycled into benches, parking stops, picnic tables, and more. 

Together, groups like these make Cumberland not just a town—but a community of neighborhoods. If you’re interested in living here, our town truly has something for everyone. Downtown Cumberland has historic homes full of character. The surrounding neighborhoods offer connectivity to our trail system, and our town lets you choose whether you want a small house with less maintenance or a larger space for your family. 

With new neighborhoods planned and on the way, there’s a place for you here in Cumberland. We have a vision of a town with housing options of all types and price points, so you can find a home no matter what life you lead!