When Linda and Skip Carr started The Lake-Front magazine in 1991, they were focused on creating a useful and up-to-date guide for people trying to figure out the area. Lists of where to eat, what to do, and what was happening that month “on the mountain”. It met that need at the time (and certainly still does).
Linda and Skip Carr had recently moved to Deep Creek Lake after spending time in Ocean City, where visitor-focused publications were easy to find and widely used. You could pick one up and quickly understand what was happening: where to eat, what to do, what events were coming up. At Deep Creek, that kind of information existed, but it wasn’t centralized or updated in a way that made it easy to access. So the duo set out to create something that would do just that.
From the beginning, the goal was straightforward, but like many small businesses in Garrett County, it didn’t start as a full-time venture. Both Linda and Skip worked other jobs in the early years while building the magazine. There wasn’t a formal launch strategy or a defined timeline for success, but it was something they committed to producing consistently, month after month, while gradually growing both readership and advertiser participation.
In the early 1990s, layout was done entirely by hand. Articles were typed and printed, photos were physically handled, and advertisements were assembled piece by piece onto layout boards. Linda managed the writing, photography, and design, using a glue roller and layout sheets to build each page. If an image needed to be resized, it required a trip to a copy machine. Adjustments meant physically lifting and repositioning elements until everything aligned.
Once the pages were complete, they were delivered to the printer, which was the Dominion Post in Morgantown for many years. Turnaround required several days and, for most of those years, Skip would load stacks of magazines into the car and deliver them directly from the back of his vehicle.
One early influencer on the magazine was Ruth Beitzel. She offered practical suggestions that were implemented immediately and are still reflected in the publication today. Those suggestions included a central map, directories with contact information, and organized listings of restaurants and services.
At the same time, the magazine introduced something that set it apart from a typical directory or visitor guide. Rather than limiting content to listings and advertisements, Linda began incorporating feature stories and business spotlights. That approach added context and depth, giving readers more than just a name or location. It also provided value to advertisers in a different way, allowing them to share their story rather than relying solely on traditional ad space.
That balance between utility and storytelling became a defining characteristic of the magazine.
Another key addition was Skip Around Town, a monthly column written by Skip. He made a point of including a wide range of people: not just those running businesses, but also employees, families, and community members. Photos became a regular part of the column, and over time, many readers began looking for familiar faces and names within its pages. Since his passing, “Mrs. Skip” has picked up the torch to write a similar column called A Skip Around Town.
Today, as Lake-Front Magazine marks 35 years, it reflects aspects of its original purpose as well as embraces its evolution over time. What began as a simple guide transformed into one of the best ways to get to know the people living, working, and visiting Garrett County.
Cheers to the next 35 years!