Why the Barrens Delayed Settlement of Western Maryland

Learn how the settlement of western Maryland was delayed by the psychological effect of the Great Maryland Barrens, a scarcity of timber, and lack of an effective treaty with the Five Nations of Iroquois.

Here is the scholarly paper of Frank W. Porter, III that explains the delay in PDF format: 

Porter, Frank W., III. 1975. From backcountry to county: the delayed settlement of western Maryland. Maryland Historical Magazine, Volume 70, No. 4, pp. 329-349(PDF)