Ellicott City, Maryland

Yesterday we took Jared to Ellicott City, Maryland. I thought it would be a great place for a fellow like him who likes to take photos, to take advantage of all the history and picturesque venues. He loved it.

I did learn some things, for instance, I didn’t know it was once called Ellicott Mills.

In 1772, three Quaker brothers from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, chose the picturesque wilderness, upriver from Elk Ridge Landing (known today as Elkridge, Maryland) to establish a flour mill. John, Andrew, and Joseph Ellicott founded Ellicott’s Mills, which became one of the largest milling and manufacturing towns in the East.

1830, Ellicott’s Mills became the first terminus of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad outside Baltimore. The station, built of huge blocks of locally quarried granite, stands today as a living history museum, and has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. It bears the designation as the “Oldest surviving railroad station in America”. The famous race between Peter Cooper’s iron engine, the Tom Thumb, and a horse-drawn carriage took place at Relay on the return trip from Ellicott’s Mills in August 1830. Even though the horse won the race due to a broken drive belt, steam engines steadily improved, and the railroad became a vital link in the town’s economy.

Oh, I definately enjoyed our quick visit too. I took lots of photos. Have a look HERE