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Usefull information for ECNET Surfers:
Ed Howard County Tourism

The shops and restaurants are open year round; this includes the B & O Railroad Museum (Wednesday through Sunday- 11 am to 4PM www.ecborail.org). The other historic sites are open April through November on Saturdays and Sundays (usually 1 to 4  PM - http://www.ellicottcity.net/community/). The Historical Society Museum is open Tuesday & Saturday from 1 to 4 PM www.hchsmd.org. Generally, the shops are all open by 11:00AM. The usual closing time ranges from 5 to 6PM but a few remain open later. The first Friday of each month the shops stay open until 8PM. While a number of shops are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays there would still be enough open to keep you busy.

Howard County Maryland was named for John Eager Howard, a colonel in the Continental Army who fought in numerous battles during the Revolutionary War. He held many political positions including
membership in the Continental Congress, Governor of Maryland, Maryland State Senator and United States Senator. He developed and built Waverly in Marriottsville for his son George who also later became Governor of Maryland. They are the only father & son governors in Maryland State History.
Howard County was originally part of Anne Arundel County and was known as Upper Anne Arundel County until it became the Howard District in 1838 gaining the status of a county but with no representation in the General Assembly. In 1851 it became an “official” county.
Howard County’s most famous historic town is Ellicott City, Ellicott City was founded by three Quaker brothers from Bucks County in Pennsylvania - John , Joseph and Andrew. The Ellicott’s immigrated to the United States from the town of Cullompton in Devon England probably around 1730.

Civil War
The Old Town Hall and the Patapsco Hotel were used by the Union to house troops & to hold prisoners. There is a story that an escaped confederate prisoner was shot and killed on the granite stairway to the east (left as you face) the Forget-Me-Not Factory. Apparently he’s still here as there are stories relating to him in the “Haunted History of Olde Ellicott City” Ghost Tour.

After their defeat at Monocacy by Confederate General Jubal Early, the Union troops came through Ellicott City in their retreat to Baltimore. Legend says that the blood & sweat from the troops settled the dust on Main Street. The Union forces had been outnumbered almost 3 to one but their leader, Gen. Lew  Wallace, was able to stall the Confederates long enough on their march to Washington so that the city’s defenses were able to organize & repel the rebel troops. Gen Wallace led the troops in their journey through, and brief stay in, Ellicott City. He would later write a book for which he is still known today, Ben-Hur: A tale of the Christ.

The Patapsco Guards Infantry, Maryland Volunteers, was an independent company of infantry organized at Ellicott's Mills (now Ellicott City) in 1861. Their main assignment was guarding the B & O station and rail lines but they also served time in Pennsylvania and even skirmished with some of Lee’s troops during the Gettysburg campaign. Relatives on my mother’s side of the family belonged to the Patapsco Guards.

The Civil War also proved to be the demise of The Patapsco Female Institute. A fair number of it’s students were from southern states and with the economy of the south decimated, the families could no longer afford to send their daughters north for education.

Funeral Homes
Because Ellicott City was the county seat and the largest “town” in the county, all services were available there, including burial. There was the Hilsinger Funeral Home (8267 Main Street – the buildings that housed this were torn down to build the U. S. Post Office building), Higinbothom’s at 8231 Main Street, Starr’s at 8290/94 Main Street and Easton’s Funeral Home. Easton’s, formerly Fort’s Funeral Home, was located at 8059 Main Street. There are some people who swear that on certain days you can still experience the scent of formaldehyde at that location.

Switzerland
When I was a teenager (Yes, I can remember that far back), I heard that Ellicott City was often referred to as Little Switzerland. I, of course, thought this was meant to be a joke and did consider it amusing. Then as an adult, I visited Switzerland and while in Lucerne I rounded a corner and immediately thought of Ellicott City. There were two streets that left the main road at steep angles and Church Road and Hill Street came quickly to mind. I knew then that old “joke” had, indeed, been on me.

Scanned in from Howard County Tourism's Howard Life check out what Ed has to say about the town.
More things will be added to this section so, please drop by from time to time.