Truly one of the most unique gift shops in the area is Sacred Ground. For 16 years, owner Bob Feeney has been bringing the distinctive flair of the Southwest right here to Deep Creek Lake in the form of jewelry, pottery and art.
Originally from Buffalo, NY, Bob and his wife Arlene made their home in nearby Meyersdale, Pennsylvania several decades ago. Bob has an abiding love for the southwestern part of our country, particularly Sedona, Arizona, his “favorite place on the planet”. Since he can’t live there year round, the second best thing was to bring their culture here, first at the Country Club Mall in LaVale, MD for 10 years, then to Deep Creek Lake in June of 2002. He even had a store at Seven Springs Resort for many years.
“The first thing I noticed when I came to Deep Creek Lake was the absence of quality jewelry available for sale,” says Bob. To that end, Sacred Ground offers nineteen different showcases of gorgeous, handmade jewelry featuring stones and shells from all over the world. You will find some beautiful turquoise pieces here, including very rare stones from Dry Creek Mine, which is now closed. One of the most popular lines is the Charoite, Navajo made jewelry created with gorgeous purple stones from Russia.
Their newest line is Mammoth Tooth Jewelry, unique stones incorporating actual mammoth teeth. They also offer a full line of copper jewelry, which is not only beautiful to look at but can help alleviate arthritis pain in some wearers.
In addition to the jewelry you’ll find unique gift ideas and souvenirs for every member of the family. You’ll find handcrafted and uniquely designed Night Lights, Candles, Mugs, coasters, all handcrafted by artisans and featuring the distinctive Southwestern flair. They even offer Mara Mugs, featuring a square bottom, and distinctive glazing.
Bob features a full line of Christian Faith based Shirts as well as other Made in America lines of clothing for every member of the family. You’ll also find sunglasses, wooden lake signs and a nice selection of Himalayan Salt Lamps, known for their ability to cleanse and purify your space.
Bob and General Manager Tammy House pride themselves on offering non-generic gift items. Their selection of Deep Creek Lake merchandise, everything from magnets to mugs, features actual photos of our beautiful area
If your decorating taste lends itself to the Southwestern style, you’ll love the metal art and wall hangings available here. They also feature an exquisite line of pottery from New Mexico and Arizona, handcrafted by the Navajo. Kids will also love the selection of puzzles, games and t-shirts available there just for them.
Bob travels frequently to the Southwest in search of the new and unique and loves trying out new products for their dedicated customer base. “We work hard to make sure nothing goes in our store that we don’t approve of,” says Bob.
This year Bob has expanded a bit and has brought a new adventure to the area in the form of the Sacred Ground Gemstone Mining Company. This huge sluice, located between Sacred Ground and the Lakeside Creamery offers kids (and adults) a chance to try their hand at mining for gemstones and fossils. Customers can purchase a 3, 5, or 10 pound bag of sand, head to the sluice and see what gems may appear. This fun activity will net loads of gems and includes an information sheet to help identify your cache and learn more about each stone’s attributes and characteristics.
In addition to whatever gems are mined, each miner will also receive a keeper bag and a free gift valued at $4.99. The sluice opened this past April and has already received rave reviews. “We’ve already had quite a few people try it and it has proven to be pretty popular,” says Bob.
Sacred Ground is located at 20294 Garrett Highway, above Deep Creek Donuts and The Popcorn Factory. The store is open daily at 10 AM during the summer. The gemstone mining sluice will also be open at 10 AM daily, weather permitting. For more information, visit them at www.sacredground.com. For a taste of the Southwest right here in Garrett County, be sure to stop by soon.