Quick Trip to Ellicott City #4 - Howard County Jail (tie to Underground Railroad)

The old Howard County Jail

This is the fourth and final blog about our short walk through the streets of Historic Ellicott

Rob and Tom mask wearing in Ellicott City

City on July 5. We discovered a building associated with the Underground Railroad that we had never seen before. It was on one of the hills overlooking the city. It appeared that it received a brand new historic marker (which is why we didn't remember it).  It was the 1851 Howard County Jail.

ABOUT THE HISTORY AND TIES TO UNDERGROUND RAILROAD -
The Howard County Jail, located at 1 Emory Street, in the Historic District of Ellicott City, Maryland, was the location where freedom seekers and those charged with encouraging enslaved persons to run away or rise up against their masters or similar charges during the age of enslavement were held from January 1852 through the end of slavery in Maryland on November 1, 1864. 

The Maryland General Assembly passed an act authorizing the Board of Commissioners of Howard District to levy taxes to create the jail. The jail was accepted for use on December 16, 1851. Among the prisoners held were runaways like Augusta Spriggs and Richard Martin, held as a fugitive without a pass.

INSIDE ALMOST TOTALLY RENOVATED- According to the Maryland Historical Trust, "The interior has been completely altered, with concrete floors, new metal cells, and a commercial kitchen in the ell. The only historic feature found was a barred door between the ell and the main block on the basement level."

back side of the Old Howard County Jail (1851) 

ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE - The Howard County Jail is a two-story, five-bay by three-bay structure of a coarse granite ashlar that faces southeast and has a gable roof with slate and a southwest-northeast ridge. There is an ell on the rear that is two stories tall, with a raised basement that is banked into the hill on the southwest, and is three bays by two bays. It is of rubble stone on the basement and first story and frame with German siding on the second story. It has a gable roof with asphalt shingles and a northwest-southeast ridge. The site is a hill that has been excavated, with two-story tall rubble stone retaining walls built to the northwest, southwest, and northeast of the jail. The main block of the jail, on the southeast elevation, has a pavilion front in the center bay that has finely-cut
quoins and a cross gable roof. The first story has double doors of iron bars. The second story of the center bay has a large, round-arched window with a finely-cut, plain granite surround and iron bars.

STONE CITING DATE AND ARCHITECT - Above the 2nd story window is a marble date stone with "John Laing C. E., Architect; James Rowles, Robert Wilson, Builders; 1878."

Quick Trip to Ellicott City #3- New Wall Mural "Car Dealership: Looking into the Past"

 "Car Dealership: Looking Into the Past" mural

This is the third blog about our short walk through the streets of Historic Ellicott City on July 5. We noticed a couple of new murals painted on the sides of buildings, and one in particular caught our eye because it cited an historic business and was beautifully done. Of course, it had 2 dogs, a cat and a little mouse in it, too, so the animals caught our eye as well.

THE BEAUTIFUL MURAL - It's called "Car Dealership: Looking Into the Past" and it was painted by Antonia Ramis Miguel in 2019.  The mural was painted on the side of a building that was a former garage and Ford dealership built in 1921. It was a Model T building.
It's located on the east wall of Sweet Elizabeth Jane at 8289 Main Street, Ellicott City, Md.

Dog and bicyclist - right side of the mural

ABOUT THE ARTIST - According to the Baltimore Sun newspaper, Miguel, 56, was selected in June as part of a mural competition organized by the Fund for Art in Ellicott City, a nonprofit founded in 2017 to bring public art to the community. She has lived in Ellicott City for 16 years.
Here's a Baltimore Sun newspaper story link about her and the mural: Baltimore Sun-Mural

Quick Trip to Ellicott City #2 - Taylor's Row, Manor Hill Tavern and Tiber River

Taylor's Row, Ellicott City, Md. 

This is the second blog about our short walk through the streets of Historic Ellicott City on July 5. One of the historic buildings we looked at was actually a group of them called "Taylor's Row." We also walked by the Tiber River which flooded in 2016 and 2018.

Taylor's Row Plaque

WHAT IS TAYLOR'S ROW? - The inscription on the historic plaque reads: This row of 19th century utilitarian structures has been the architectural orphan of Ellicott City. Referred to on early maps as barns or sheds, these buildings were built between 1830 and 1870 to serve the livery trade. Because of their relative obscurity, they have been untouched and today very much resemble the original structures. They have withstood the threat of demolition and, wearing new faces, will continue to play a role in this historic community.

WHERE IS IT LOCATED? Marker is on Old Columbia Pike (Maryland Route 144) 0.1 miles from Main Street, Ellicott City, Md.

MANOR HILL TAVERN IS NOW IN THE SERIES OF BUILDINGS- Manor Hill Tavern occupies the historic Taylor’s Row in Old Ellicott City.  Built in the mid-19th Century, this iconic series of buildings initially served the livery trade of the area.  Our bar and dining areas feature original architectural elements such as exposed stone walls, barn doors, and beams.  Local artwork hangs throughout the Tavern’s many rooms and a newly commissioned mural adorns a main wall, a nod to the eclectic and vibrant artistic community of Old Ellicott City. The result is a unique and memorable atmosphere unlike any other.

Their Menu is available here.

REVITALIZING THE TIBER RIVER- When we walked by the Tiber River, we noticed it appeared wider (since it flooded over in 2016 and 2018), so we imagine it was widened on purpose to accommodate run off and prevent more flooding.

The Tiber River

WHAT IS THE TIBER RIVER? - The main Street of Old Ellicott City, Md. follows the narrow valley formed by the Tiber River, one of four tributaries that converge in Ellicott City before emptying into the Patapsco River. Many of the buildings on the lower end of the street actually straddle the stream. The history of Ellicott City is a history of harnessing the flow of water.

Quick Trip to Ellicott City #1- Envy Salon (History and Haunting)

On July 5, we decided to finally take a short ride about 30 minutes north and briefly walk the streets of Historic Ellicott City (which is still being renovated after massive, destructive flooding a couple of years ago). One of the historic buildings we looked at now houses the Envy Salon.
  It's known as the "Day-French-Puhl" house, named for the man who built it and the families that lived in it. In today's blog you'll learn its history and see a video about its haunting (which I am included in)!

IT WAS THE "DAY-FRENCH-PUHL HOUSE" - This brick house was built in 1842. It is located at 3723 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City MD 21043. The sign on it reads: Day, a master stone mason, purchased this lot from the Ellicotts (2 brothers who founded Ellicott City) and built this federal style home, one of the oldest brick structures in the district. Rear and side additions were prior to 1887. Later home to the French’s for many years, then beginning in 1957 the Puhl’s, who restored it. In 1999 new owners carefully adapted it as Envy Salon.

Rob in 2017 Short Video: A Few Odd Minutes: Ghostly Cat in Envy Salon!

The Video series "A Few Odd Minutes (in Howard County) just published their latest video about a Ghost Cat at the Envy Salon in Ellicott City, Maryland. Rob Gutro, author/medium was interviewed about why the cat may linger 

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/a7-0IUOqoFw

Jim's Visit #2: Touring Ellicott City, Maryland!

Rob and Jim outside the first B&O Railroad passenger station

This is part two of our friend Jim's visit. This time we took him to Ellicott City, Maryland!  Here we'll just highlight the famous B&O Museum and an historic cabin. If you visit, be sure to take the ghost tour, too!

WHAT IS ELLICOTT CITY? -  Founded in 1772, the town features the B. & O. Railroad Museum's branch at the Ellicott City Station, built in 1830, and the first terminus of the initial line then constructed, and a downtown historic district in the pictureseque stream valley of the upper Western Branch of the Patapsco River, which is a very popular destination among antiques shoppers, and historical tourists with restaurants, eclectic boutique shops, coffee shops, a tea room and many historic sites.

Historic buildings along Main Street

 THE B&O RAILROAD STATION - This was a station that acted as a headquarters for Union Soldiers trying to maintain control of Baltimore from the Confederacy. It's now a museum located at 2711 Maryland Ave, Ellicott City, MD 21043. 

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum: Ellicott City Station is the oldest surviving railroad station in America, and was the original terminus of the first 13 miles of commercial railroad in the country. The site features the Main Depot building, constructed in 1830-31; the freight house, designed by E. Francis Baldwin and built in 1885; a replica of the first

Jim at the Cabin

horse-drawn passenger rail car, the Pioneer; and a 1927 "I-5" Caboose. Housed in the freight house is a 40-foot HO-gauge model train layout showing the original thirteen miles of commercial rail track stretching from Baltimore to Ellicott Mills. The operating layout features an introductory video and light show. Living historians tell the story of the development of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the nation's first common carrier railroad, and its impact on Ellicott City between 1827 and 1868.

THE  
THOMAS ISAAC LOG CABIN - This cabin sits at the top of the hill (on Main Street) on one end of the city. The other end of the city is a confluence of two rivers. Named after one of its 19th century owners, this rustic structure was built circa 1780 by an early settler of Ellicott's Mills. The cabin was reconstructed on the present site in the late 20th Century. Here, visitors can learn about the settlement and development of the region from authentically costumed historians and artisans. The cabin is located at the intersection of Main St. and Ellicott Mills Dr. in Historic Ellicott City.

NEXT: JIM'S VISIT TO ANNAPOLIS