4/6/11

E: Elkridge

E is for Elkridge.


That's where I live. (Yes, I know I write MoMentum for the Columbia Patch. I've moved a few times.)  I like this side of the tracks. 


I live in a great neighborhood - people are always out walking their dogs and I know most of our neighbors - something that wasn't always true where I lived in Columbia. I'm quite close to Patapsco State Park, the local library and other conveniences, and I can read the Elkridge Patch for local stories and news of interest. But I don't know that much about Elkridge itself, so here's some quick history (sources hyperlinked)...


Did you know that Elkridge is the oldest settlement in Howard County? It started, in 1733, as a settlement called "Jansen Town" on Elkridge Landing, along the Patapsco. Jansen Town burnt down in 1825, but some old buildings persist - like Melville Church which dates to the late 1700s.


In the 18th and 19th centuries, Elkridge Landing operated as an inland seaport. Belmont, built in 1738, is one of the last physical reminders of that position.


Elkridge played a role in the Civil War, when Union troops arrived to guard the Thomas Viaduct. They camped on Lawyers Hill.


By Jim Kuhn    Camera location   39° 13' 17.31" N, 76° 42' 47.81" W  This and other images at their locations on: Google Maps - Google Earth - OpenStreetMap (Info)39.22147368;-76.71328068 [CC-BY-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons


Today, Elkridge is a "Census-designated place" occupying 7.9 square miles, with 22,042 people and 8,324 households (as of the 2000 census). 


By Arkyan [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons


Interested in more of Elkridge's history? Me too. That's why I'm going to try to make the next meeting of the Elkridge Historical Society, which meets monthly at the Brumbaugh House - visit their facebook page for more information.


Also, look into a history walk in Patapsco (Apr 19) and check out this recent article about historical Elkridge on Elkridge Patch!


E is for Elkridge, where people have been making homes since 1733.



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This post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge (hocoblogs@@@). Click on The Link for more info and other participating blogs!

5 comments:

  1. Great post. I had no idea the history was so deep.

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  2. I, for one, miss when Elkridge was known as Elk Ridge. The two word version is much cooler.

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  3. Love the blog and the sound of Elkridge.

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  4. I love Elkridge. I love living here, running here, relaxing here. I love being close to Baltimore but not in it. Living in Elkridge is like living in a laid-back version of Columbia.

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