The Town of Cumberland, Indiana is located approximately ten miles equidistant from downtown Indianapolis and Greenfield, Indiana. The incorporated town actually straddles the eastern edge of Marion County and the western edge of Hancock County, but the Cumberland Conservation District is entirely contained within Marion County.

Much of Cumberland's history, development and significance is directly associated with transportation. Founded in 1831 as a small, isolated settlement along the National Road, the town quickly emerged as a stopover along the National Road and provided much needed services and accommodations to America's early travelers. Interurban rail service arrived in Cumberland in 1900 and had a profound social and economic impact on the town. No longer a secluded community, Cumberland had nine trains that offered daily passenger and freight service for townspeople, which enabled them to access other cities and towns and sell their goods to a much broader market. Although Interurban service was discontinued in the 1930's, significant roadway improvements and the personal mobility provided by the automobile ultimately transformed the National Road, later renamed US 40, into a major east-west national highway.

In the residential neighborhood directly north and south of US 40, the area is characterized by widely spaced houses, the absence of sidewalks and curbs, and open space. Also significant to Cumberland are the numerous 19^th and early 20^th century accessory buildings, including barns, summer kitchens, and early storage buildings, that serve as a reminder of Cumberland's once isolated, independent existence.