Howard Life - June 2008-September 2008 - (Page 28)

HISTORY: HOWARD COUNTY’S FAMOUS FIRSTS / BY EDWARD LILLEY Until 1608, the area now known as was mostly used by Native UHoward Countyhunting and farming. Things Americans for began to change that year when Captain John Smith (1580-1631) became the first European to set foot on land that would become Elk Ridge Landing and eventually today’s Elkridge. The Indians, of course, knew that the area was ideal for farming; that county tradition was born when the first colonial settler, Adam Shipley, arrived in 1687, having been granted land on the Patapsco River by Lord Baltimore. In the early 1700s, the Carroll family was granted nearly 13,000 acres of land by the King of England for their country estate. The Carroll descendants still live on a portion of that land today in what was once the elaborate summer residence of the family. Its name is Doughoregan Manor, affectionately known to older local residents as “the Manor.” Unfortunately, as this is a private residence, it is currently not open to the public. Charles Carroll (17371832) was an original signer of the Declaration of Independence and the only Catholic to do so. He is buried in a crypt in the chapel attached to the Manor. The easternmost region of the county, the aforementioned Elk Ridge, was once a major port that rivaled Baltimore and Annapolis. The Patapsco River was navigable to this point until silting put an end to shipping at this location. Until that time, though, finished goods were shipped in from Europe and tobacco and iron were returned. The port existed for almost 100 years and remained active until just after the Revolutionary War. The area upstream from Elkridge is the region where three Quaker brothers from Pennsylvania chose to establish a gristmill. John, Andrew, and Joseph Ellicott founded what was Ellicott Mills (1772) and eventually Ellicott City. They helped revolutionize farming in the area by 28 howardLIFE persuading local landowners to plant wheat instead of tobacco. (Charles Carroll was one of their earliest converts.) Of course, once the wheat was harvested, there was that convenient mill in town to grind the grain into flour. The Ellicotts were responsible for building roads and bridges, introducing plaster as fertilizer, and introducing the wagon brake. They also built ironworks and generously donated land to many religious denominations and schools throughout the Ellicott City area. The section of road that they constructed to Baltimore and west to Doughoregan (Frederick Road, MD Route 144, a.k.a. Main Street in Ellicott City’s Historic District) is the link from the western portion of the National Road, the nation’s first federally funded highway. Andrew Ellicott (1754-1820), son of Joseph, the town’s founder, helped map many of the territories west of the Appalachians; surveyed the boundaries of what would become the District of Columbia; took over and completed L’Enfant’s plan for Washington, DC; and served as a survey-methods teacher for Meriwether Lewis. One of Andrew’s close friends was Benjamin Banneker, born in 1731 in what was then Ellicott Mills. He is considered America’s first AfricanAmerican scientist. 1830 saw the arrival of the railroad in Howard County. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad chose Ellicott Mills as its first stop on the push west. The oldest (1830) railroad-passenger terminus in the United States is located in Historic Ellicott City and is designated a National Historic Landmark. Kenneth Losurdo, Jr. Kenneth Losurdo, Jr. Jim Rouse, visionary developer, created Columbia, MD, one of the first planned communities and gave architect Frank Gehry some of his first commissions.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Howard Life - June 2008-September 2008

Howard Life - June 2008-September 2008 Contents Important Numbers Welcome to Howard County, Maryland Join Howard County Tourism The Good Life Events Clark’s Elioak Farm: Home of the Enchanted Forest Farms Merriweather Post Pavilion Ghost Tours Howard County’s Famous Firsts History Resources Volunteerism Getaways: Trips for the Guys and the Girls Golf Resources Spas and Wellness Resources Recreation Resources Howard County Map Ellicott City Walking Tour Savage Mill Artists Art and Music Resources Dining Profiles: Aida Bistro, Jordan’s Steakhouse, and Tersiguel’s Dining Resources Shopping Shopping Resources For the Event Planner Where to Stay Relocation Resources Business and Service Listings

Howard Life - June 2008-September 2008

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