Howard County Heritage

Mission Statement: The mission of Howard County Recreation and Parks Heritage Initiative is to capture and convey the authentic and rich history of Howard County through educational programs and historic preservation.

Heritage Sites
Heritage Volunteers
Contact Information

The Heritage staff offer a variety of educational programs, special events, tours of its museums and parks and many opportunities for people of all ages throughout the county. If you are looking for a way to bring history alive, the possibilities are endless. Volunteers are always needed to assist in the day-to-day operations of the museums and historic sites. Volunteer opportunities include docent, tour guide, gardener, and much more.

Heritage Orientation Center
The Heritage Orientation Center is located behind the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin in the County’s first Court Records building. View unique exhibits on 18th and 19th century milling techniques, floods of Ellicott Mills, and the Ellicott family. The center is open daily from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; for information, call 410-465-8500.

Heritage Sites

B&O Railroad Station Museum
Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Station in Ellicott City is the oldest railroad station in the United States. Erected in 1830-31, the station served as the terminus of the railroad’s original 13-mile section of track. In service until 1972, the station is now a living history museum offering programs and exhibits that explore the development of transportation in America and the station’s role in historical events of the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum is located at the intersection of Main St. and Maryland Ave. in the Historic District of Ellicott City (2711 Maryland Avenue, 21043). Hours are Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sun. noon-5 p.m. The last admission is 30 minutes before closing. Admission: $5 adults, $4 students and seniors, $3 ages 3-12. For information and list of events, call 410-461-1945 or visit ecborail.org.

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Blandair Farm
Blandair takes its name from Theodorick Bland, a colorful figure in early Maryland politics who served as Chancellor of Maryland from 1824 until his death in 1846. While the property was farmed as early as 1798, most of the existing buildings date from the mid-19th century, and include a granary, springhouse, tenant houses, and brick main house. Howard County purchased the property in 1998 and plans to develop the site as a regional park. While public access to Blandair is limited during restoration, occasional heritage programs are held there. The farm was also the site of the 2003 International Preservation Trade Conference.

Bollman Truss Bridge
The Bollman Truss Bridge is the only known remaining example of the revolutionary all-iron truss system patented by Baltimore engineer Wendell Bollman in the mid-19th century. Constructed in 1869, the bridge was moved to its current site in 1888 and was in use until 1915. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 2000, it is now utilized as a pedestrian bridge connecting Historic Savage Mill with the Mill Trail, a walk linking old mill sites along the Patuxent River. The bridge is located at 8650 Foundry Street, Savage, MD, 20763.

Ellicott City Colored School Restored
This one-room schoolhouse building was constructed in 1880 as the first public school for black children in Howard County. In use as a school until the early 1950’s, the building was re-purchased by the county in 1995 and restored with the assistance of public and private funding. The building, located at 8683 Frederick Rd, Ellicott City, now houses a genealogical resource center and a museum chronicling the history of African Americans in Howard County. Changing exhibits and seminars highlight the contributions by people of color to the history of the region. Tours are by appointment. For more information and information about the Docent/Tour Guide Orientation on September 18, call 410-465-8500.

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Ellicott City Firehouse Museum
Located in the County’s first firehouse at the intersection of Main Street and Church Rd. in Historic Ellicott City, the Firehouse Museum houses a wide array of fire apparatus, model toys, and an impressive visual history of Howard County’s Volunteer Fire Department. The firehouse was constructed by volunteers in 1889 and after 1923 used as a meeting hall, county office space and library reading room before opening as a museum. Starting May 14, you can visit the Firehouse Museum by appointment Sat., Sun. and Mon., 1-6 p.m.; call 410-465-8500.

Patapsco Female Institute (PFI) Historic Park
Situated on a hilltop overlooking the Patapsco River Valley, the Patapsco Female Institute was founded in 1837 and operated for more than 50 years as an elegant finishing school for young women. The stabilized ruins of the Greek Revival structure are open for tours, and serve as a beautiful setting for special events including Victorian teas and a summer open-air theatre. The Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park Visitor Center is located at Mt. Ida, 3691 Sarah’s Ln. in Historic Ellicott City. The Park is open Sat. and Sun. 1-4 p.m. April through Oct. Tours are $4 person; $3 seniors and students. Private and group tours are available year round as the weather permits. For information about programs offered at the park or tour reservations, call 410-465-8500, or sburrell@howardcountymd.gov.

• Victorian Dreams Living History Half-Day Camp
  Spend your Spring Break at the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park! Travel in time to the 1850’s. Dress in camp adapted pinafores as you make authentic crafts, play the games and sports of the 1850’s, and learn Victorian dancing. Enjoy morning tea in the parlors of Mt. Ida each day. Design and participate in your class's “own” graduation ceremony from the Patapsco Female Institute, a once nationally renowned girls’ school in Ellicott Mills, now known as Ellicott City. Friends and families are invited to attend graduation on the last day of camp.
  Gr 4-up / 3 hrs / $95 / M-Th 9am / Mar 17-20 (3055.701)
  Register (enter 3055.701 in box and click "Go."
• Digging in “The Ruins”
  Participate in an archaeology dig to learn how archaeologists reconstruct the past. Program includes surface searching, digging, sifting and mapping of artifacts. Bring a bag lunch. Fee includes participation of one adult and one child and a snack.
  Gr 4-up / 1 day / $30 pair / Sat 8:45am-1pm / May 3 (3056.701)
  Register (enter 3056.701 in box and click "Go."
• Victorian Tea at Mt. Ida
  Mt. Ida can be a perfect mother/daughter or best friend (adult) tea. What better way to spend an afternoon with family, friends or your club or organization? Let us design a program to meet the needs of your group. It’s a great way to learn about women in history, explore Mt. Ida and the Patapsco Female Institute (weather permitting), and participate in and learn about Victorian parlor games. Three sweets, three savories and tea will be served to you and your guests by docents in period attire. Come and find out what the Patapsco Female Institute is all about. For additional information or to schedule your tea, call 410-465-8500.

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Pfeiffer’s Corner School House
Originally constructed about 1883, the Pfeiffer’s Corner Schoolhouse is one of very few remaining one-room schools in Howard County. Restoration structure is now complete in its new location within Rockburn Branch Park, 6109 Rockburn Branch Park Rd., Elkridge. Children were educated within its walls for over 50 years until it was converted into a residence in the 1940’s. It was almost demolished when new homes were built on the property in the 1980’s, but was saved through the efforts of local schoolchildren. They raised funds to have it moved in 1988 to county-owned parkland along route 108 near Clarksville, where it stood for several years until a permanent location could be found. In 2003, it was moved to Rockburn Branch Park where it will illustrate the changes a 100-year time span have brought to our schools, serve as an historic exhibit in conjunction with the adjacent Clover Hill restoration, and be used for demonstration classes, interpretive tours and small meetings. Group tours will be available soon; for additional information call 410-465-8500.

Thomas Isaac Log Cabin
Named after its late 19th century owner, this rustic structure was built circa 1780 as a settler’s home of Ellicotts 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 and open Sat., Sun. and Mon. 1-6 p.m., starting May 14. Call 410-465-8500 for information about programs.

Waverly Mansion
This property is associated with many of the “founding families” of Maryland and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nathan Dorsey, son of Colonel John Dorsey, built the main section of the mansion between 1756 and 1764. The property was later sold to Revolutionary War hero, Colonel John Eager Howard, governor of Maryland from 1788 to 1790. Colonel Howard gave the house and land to his son, George, who later also served as governor of the state (1831-33). George Howard and his wife, Prudence, a member of the Ridgeley family, named their estate after the popular Sir Walter Scott novel, Waverley. The restored mansion, furnished with period antiques, is open for special programs and for tours by appointment. It is also a popular place for weddings, parties, and meetings. For additional information, call 410-313-5400 or visit the site's web page.

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Heritage Volunteers

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Contact Information

For more information about Heritage Sites and Programs, contact:
Jacquelyn Galke: e-mail or 410-465-8500 or
Susana Burrell: e-mail or 410-465-8500