Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Sykesville
    Sykesville
    Sykesville
    Ebook194 pages55 minutes

    Sykesville

    By Bill Hall

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    A picturesque, little town located along the banks of the rolling Patapsco River, Sykesville, Maryland has had a long and distinctive history. Though not officially incorporated until 1904, Sykesville was first put on the map when, in 1831, the mighty Baltimore and Ohio Railroad sent its "Old Main Line" from the thriving metropolis of Baltimore to Point of Rocks in Frederick County, Maryland and traveled through the small town of Sykesville on its route. After that, tourism became an important industry in the town, as well-to-do Baltimoreans searched for a country refuge during the hot summer months. Sykesville, located in Carroll County and just 30 miles from Baltimore city, was the perfect spot to enjoy a relaxed and shady holiday.

    As Sykesville grew and changed over the years, many individuals, including Suzannah Warfield, Frank Brown, Wade Warfield, J.H. Fowble, E. Francis Baldwin, and Edwin Mellor, played important roles in the town's commercial development. But it is Sykesville's unique heritage, the great value placed on preserving that past by residents, and the resilient character of the community that has made Sykesville what it is today. Following a decline in the 1970s, the town experienced a rebirth fostered by the tenacious spirit of local officials and residents who strongly believed that the town could regain its past glory. Now, as one strolls along Sykesville's downtown streets, the past seems once again alive and the community's singular story is at the heart of it all.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 18, 2012
    ISBN9781439629048
    Sykesville
    Author

    Bill Hall

    In Images of America: Sykesville, local resident and author Bill Hall has captured the special character of the town in both word and image. Containing historic photographs and other materials culled from the Gate House Museum of History, the Carroll County Historical Society, the Maryland Historical Society, and the albums of longtime Sykesville residents, this engaging visual history will entertain and educate readers of all ages.

    Related to Sykesville

    Related ebooks

    Travel For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Us Census Genealogy

      Jun 23, 2020

      Us Census Genealogy
      5 min read

    • Article

      These Honored Dead

      Apr 20, 2021

      These Honored Dead
      9 min read

    • Article

      Colfax Correction

      Aug 24, 2021

      Colfax Correction
      1 min read

    • Article

      New Kids On The Block

      Oct 26, 2020

      New Kids On The Block
      13 min read

    • Article

      'Negro' Not Allowed On Federal Forms? White House To Decide

      Dec 13, 2017

      The Trump administration has delayed announcing its decision on an Obama-era proposal to stop allowing the term "Negro" to appear on federal forms collecting information about race.

      4 min read

    • Article

      Newspapers

      Oct 31, 2023

      Newspapers
      6 min read

    • Article

      Cherokee Nation Strikes Down Language That Limits Citizenship Rights 'By Blood'

      Feb 25, 2021

      The wording in the Cherokee Nation's legal doctrine has been used to exclude Black people whose ancestors were once enslaved by the Cherokees — known as Freedmen — from their full tribal rights.

      2 min read

    • Article

      10 Free Ancestry Collections

      Jan 12, 2021

      An index to mental-hospital registers held by Surrey History Centre, listing patients’ names, ages and dates of admission. Details of local militiamen and naval militia from records at Cornwall Record Office. An index to records, with some details of

      1 min read

    • Article

      Editor’s Letter

      Jul 6, 2021

      The last of the Apache wars, the final surrender of the Chiricahuas in September 1886 and their long captivity—all these dramatic events remain as closely associated with Geronimo as his people once were with the rugged ranges of what became southeas

      3 min read

    • Article

      Headlining Search Tips

      Feb 28, 2023

      All US newspaper sleuthing should start with Chronicling America’s U.S. Newspaper Directory, where you can find newspapers that covered your ancestral hometowns. Drill down to the time periods and locales of interest, then click on entries of individ

      4 min read

    • Article

      Ladies-in-Waiting

      Feb 28, 2023

      Finding female ancestors is a notorious roadblock for researchers because of the simple fact that women’s names historically changed after marriage. In fact, a married woman’s identity became so affixed to her husband’s that even her own death record

      9 min read

    • Article

      Columbian Exposition

      May 8, 2020

      Columbian Exposition
      4 min read

    • Article

      Group Think

      Oct 19, 2021

      Group Think
      2 min read

    • Article

      Source Secrets

      Sep 29, 2022

      Source Secrets
      3 min read

    • Article

      Everything’srelative

      Feb 18, 2020

      Everything’srelative
      1 min read

    • Article

      Over The Sea To Skye

      Sep 21, 2022

      Over The Sea To Skye
      4 min read

    • Article

      Tragic Encounters

      Apr 14, 2018

      Tragic Encounters
      2 min read

    • Article

      Oregon

      Dec 20, 2022

      OREGON TERRITORY WAS CALLED “PIONEER’S Paradise” because of its rich and fertile farm land. But Oregon Trail pioneers also found high desert, valleys, mountain ranges, rivers and the Pacific Ocean, each offering their own abundance of opportunities.

      5 min read

    • Article

      One-name Studies

      Feb 9, 2021

      One-name Studies
      5 min read

    • Article

      State Guide louisiana

      Oct 20, 2020

      State Guide louisiana
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Washboard Legacy

      Sep 4, 2020

      The Washboard Legacy
      5 min read

    • Article

      My American Dream

      Apr 1, 2019

      My American Dream
      5 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Sykesville

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Sykesville - Bill Hall

      possible.

      INTRODUCTION

      The little town of Sykesville, Maryland (pop. 4,200) is resplendent with history, both local and international. Size really does not matter when national history and international intrigue invade the borders of your locale, and Sykesville is loaded with both. In fact, one international incident involved the infamous Napoleon Bonaparte himself.

      The Patterson family lived on the Springfield plantation. Betsy, the daughter of William Patterson, one of the wealthiest men in America in 1803, fell in love with Jerome, Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother, while he was on a diplomatic mission. They married later that year and when Napoleon found out about it, he annulled the marriage. Betsy never re-married while Jerome became King of Westphalia and husband to Catherine of Wurtemburg, Germany.

      In 1825, James Sykes, the man for whom the town of Sykesville is named, purchased less then 1,000 acres. It didn’t take long for Sykes to realize the tourist trade potential. He built a four-story, stone hotel on the banks of the river along with a new saw and gristmill, and the town soon became a resort for Baltimore families. The hotel plus numerous neighborhood farmhouses were used for the visiting families during the hot city summers.

      The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad exploited the area’s potential and extended its Old Main Line through Horse Train Stop (the town was not yet named Sykesville) in 1831. Since then the railroad has played a very important part in the history of this small town.

      In 1845, Sykes enlarged the stone mill and made it into the Howard Cotton Factory. This business flourished until the monetary crisis of 1857 caused work to come to a halt. Shortly thereafter, on July 24, 1868, a devastating flood washed away many of the buildings in town including the hotel.

      Sykesville also played a role in the Civil War. On October 17, 1859, Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee and Lt. J.E.B. Stuart rolled through the town on a locomotive on their way to a place called Harpers Ferry to arrest the abolitionist John Brown. Early on the morning of June 29, 1863, Stuart ordered Fitzhugh Lee, nephew of Robert E. Lee, to create mayhem in Sykesville on the way to their destination . . . Gettysburg. They burned the bridge over the Patapsco River, controlled the railroad, and cut telegraph lines. Heading north, they burned the bridge over Piney Run on present-day MD Route 32. The group joined Stuart’s Cavalry later that day for a clash with the Delaware Cavalry in Westminster.

      Iron and copper ore boosted the economy of the town. In 1851, James Tyson built the Elba Furnace just south of the town along the Patapsco River to smelt the ore, which was then taken by rail to Baltimore. Much of this was used for the construction of car wheels.

      In 1884, the B&O Railroad station, designed by E. Francis Baldwin, was built on the north side of the river. This became town property in 1988. In the 1890s, architect J.H. Fowble came to Sykesville, and he was responsible for most of the design and building of Main Street. Some of his credits include the Wade H.D. Warfield Building, the Arcade, two brick bank buildings, and the Kate McDonald home, which is now used as the Sykesville Town House.

      On January 15, 1896, Maryland purchased 759 acres from ex-Governor Frank Brown for $100,000. The purchase was for the building of the Second Hospital for the Insane in Maryland, now called Springfield State Hospital. For years the hospital employed many residents from the town and surrounding areas.

      In 1904, Sykesville became an incorporated town in Carroll County with Edwin M. Mellor Sr. as its first mayor. Presently, the government consists of a mayor and six council members. Sykesville is one of the few towns that support their own police department.

      In 1937, another disaster struck the little town. A fire consumed most of the lower Main Street business district, propelling the town deeper into the Great Depression. During World War II, Sykesville was affected by a state order by Gov. Herbert O’Connor to prohibit Japanese Americans from holding state positions. The State’s Central Laundry Correctional Camp, located next to Springfield State Hospital, was forced to fire all its Japanese-American workers.

      The 1960s and 1970s almost spelled doom for the town. A bypass was built around Sykesville re-routing traffic away from Main Street and onto MD Route 32. Businesses began to decline and fold. However, in the late 1980s and 1990s a resurgence of prosperity began as the storefronts on Main Street filled to near capacity. A renewing of the spirit of the town soared through festivals, the acquisition of old buildings to be renovated, and community involvement and activities. Currently, a Historic District Commission assures that the past will stay alive.

      Today, Sykesville stands as a beacon to those who want to preserve the past, and it is to

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1