Ellicott City, Maryland

Ellicott City, Maryland
Census-designated place
Main Street inHistoric Ellicott City
Nicknames: "E.C.", "Old Ellicott City", "Old Ellicott", "Historic Ellicott City"
Motto: "E.C. Strong"
Location of Ellicott City, Maryland
Coordinates:39°16′5″N76°47′56″W
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Howard
Founded	1772
Incorporated	1867–1935
Historic District	1973–present
Founded by	John,Andrew,andJoseph Ellicott
Government
• Type	County council
• Councilman	Liz Walsh District 1
Area
• Total	30.13 sq mi (78.04 km2)
• Land	30.01 sq mi (77.72 km2)
• Water	0.12 sq mi (0.32 km2)
Elevation	180 ft (55 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	75,947
• Density	2,530.98/sq mi (977.22/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5(Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4(EDT)
ZIP Codes	21041–21043
Area code(s)	410, 443, and 667
FIPS code	24-26000
GNISfeature ID	0584282

Ellicott Cityis anunincorporated communityandcensus-designated placein, and thecounty seatof,Howard County,Maryland,United States.Part of theBaltimore metropolitan area,its population was 75,947 at the2020 census,making it the most populous unincorporated county seat in the country.

Ellicott City's historic downtown – theEllicott City Historic District– lies in the valleys of theTiberandPatapscorivers. The historic district includes theEllicott City Station,which is the oldest surviving train station in the United States, having been built in 1830 as the first terminus of the originalB&O Railroadline. The historic district is often called "Historic Ellicott City" or "Old Ellicott City" to distinguish it from the surrounding suburbs that extend south toColumbiaand west toWest Friendship.

History

Milling

In 1766, James Hood used the "Maryland Mill Act of 1669" to condemn 20 acres (8.1 ha) for a mill site adjacent to his river-side 157-acre (64 ha) property. Hisgristmillwas built on the banks of thePatapsco Riverwhere theFrederickroad (later known as theNational Road,thenU.S. Route 40,thenMaryland Route 144) crossed the river. The site was later known as "Ellicott's Upper Mills".His son Benjamin rebuilt the corn grinding mill after one of the frequent Patapsco floods in 1768. Benjamin Hood then sold the mill to Joseph Ellicott in 1774 for 1,700 pounds. In later years theB&O Railroadran through the property, with track laid over the graves of the Hood family.

On 24 April 1771, threeQuakerbrothers fromBucks County, Pennsylvania,north ofPhiladelphia,chose the picturesque wilderness several miles upriver fromElk Ridge Landing(today'sElkridge, Maryland), the uppermost part of the river then navigable by tobacco-loading sailing merchant ships in the 18th century, to establish aflourmill, purchasing 50 acres (20 ha) of Baltimore County land from Emanuel Teal and 35 acres (14 ha) from William Williams. In 1775 they expanded their holdings with 30.5 acres (12.3 ha) from Bartholomew Balderson and Hood's Mill.John,Andrew,andJoseph Ellicottfounded"Ellicott's Mills",which became one of the largest milling and manufacturing towns in the East. Nathaniel sold his partnership in 1777, and Joseph sold all but his Hood's Mill ownership the next year.The town retained the name "Ellicott's Mills" when theU.S. Postal stopopened on October 7, 1797.

Thomas Isaac log cabin. Named after a 19th-century owner, the cabin was believed to have been built circa 1780 by an early Ellicott's Mills settler. This historic building has been closed and relocated while post-flood repairs on Main Street continue.

The Ellicott brothers constructed sawmills, smithies, stables, an oil mill, a grain distillery, and grain mills.They helped revolutionize farming in the area by persuading farmers to plantwheatinstead oftobaccoand also by introducingPlaster of Parisfertilizer to revitalize depleted soil. The Ellicotts produced the product until a fire on 11 January 1809.Charles Carroll of Carrollton(1737–1832), the last surviving signer of theDeclaration of Independence,a rareRoman Catholicand a wealthy landowner with the largest fortune then in colonial America, was an early influential convert from tobacco to wheat. By 1830, the founders' families could no longer support operations as "Ellicott and Company" or "Johnathan Ellicott and Sons". By 1840, the Ellicott family sold off their interests in the two flour mills, the granite quarry, the saw mill and plaster mill.

Rail

In 1830, Ellicott's Mills became the first terminus of theBaltimore and Ohio RailroadoutsideBaltimore,the first commercially operated cargo and passenger railroad in the country. The B&O was organized in 1827 and had its "first stone" laid the following year with major ceremonies on July 4,Independence Day,with the beginning of construction. TheEllicott City Station,built on an embankment across the corner of the town and along thePatapsco Riverand intersecting Tiber Creek stream, with its "Oliver Viaduct", named for a B&O board memberRobert Olivercrossing over theNational Roadof large blocks of locally quarried gray granite, stands today as a living history museum, and has been designated aNational Historic Landmarkby theU.S. Department of the Interior,administered by theNational Park Service.It bears the designation as the "Oldest surviving railroad station in America". In 1829, New York industrialist and Baltimore foundry-ownerPeter Cooperbegan testing his iron steam engine,Tom Thumb(1791–1883), on the B&O Railway. This was the first time a steam locomotive was used to transport persons over rails in the United States. The famous race betweenTom Thumband a horse-drawn rail carriage took place betweenRelay Junctionon the return trip from Ellicott's Mills towards Baltimore in August 1830. Even though the horse won the race due to a sudden broken drive belt on theTom Thumb,it heralded the time when steam engines steadily improved, and the soon-to-be steam-operated railroad became a vital link in the town's economy and later expanding to the city of Baltimore's economic supremacy along with the state in the nation.

B&O Railroad Bridge over Main Street.

The site of theHoward County Courthouse,which was built from 1840 to 1843 in the former western Howard District ofAnne Arundel County, Maryland,was so designated for the new temporary district in 1839, and continued and was expanded later whenHoward Countybecame an official independent jurisdiction in 1851, as one of the 23 counties (plus Baltimore as an independent city) in the state of Maryland. The town in 1851 was in a spate of depression as low costs shut the Maryland Machine Manufacturing Company. Over 80 vacant dwellings lined the Howard County side of the river.By 1861, Ellicott's Mills was a prosperous farming and manufacturing area.

At the start of theCivil Waron April 19, 1861, "Gaithers Raiders", part of the Confederate "Howard County Dragoons" fromOakland Manor,marched through Ellicott's Mills to Baltimore, responding to theBaltimore riot of 1861,before heading south to joinJ. E. B. Stuart.Later that month,Union Armytroops seized the "Winans Steam Gun"which had been en route toHarpers Ferry, Virginia,at Ellicott's Mills. The experimental gun had been developed by local Southern-sympathizer railroad builder and industrialistRoss Winans.In the fall of 1862, the12th New Jersey Volunteer Infantrywas assigned to guard Ellicott's Mills, setting up the 1,200-man Camp Johnson on the lawn of the nearbyPatapsco Female Institute.On July 10, 1864, the thirdConfederateinvasion of the North, led by GeneralJubal Early,forced the retreat of theFederal troopsunder the command of GeneralLew Wallacedown theNational Pikefrom theBattle of the Monocacyto theB.& O.'sEllicott's Mills station and to Baltimore. The one-day delay by Wallace's small force atMonocacy Junctionenabled Lt. Gen.Ulysses S. Grantto rush troops in time to defend the U.S. capital. Homes and churches in Ellicott's Mills were temporarily used as hospitals for the Union wounded.

In 1866,cholerabroke out.In the same year, the Granite Mills cotton factory owned by Benjamin Detford burned down.

Incorporation and disincorporation

In 1867, a city incorporation charter was secured for Ellicott's Mills forming a local government with a mayor and council, and the name was changed to "Ellicott City".

The first mayor was E. A. Talbot, who lived in a stone house and operated a lumber yard at the base of the river. His business was washed away in the flood of 1866, and again in 1868.He was offered a clear title on his home from his opponent Issacs if he threw his reelection, which he did. Talbot relocated uphill to a brick and granite store designed by Charles Timanus that houses the Ellicott City Brewing Company today.

Governor of MarylandLarry Hogantours Ellicott City, viewing damage left by the 2016 floods, accompanied by county executiveAllan Kittleman.

Howard County built its first jailhouse, theEllicott City Jail,also called Emory Jail or Willow Grove, on Emory Avenue in 1878. The stone jail intended for 12 inmates operated until the Howard County Detention Center opened in 1983.

In 1879, political gangs controlled the polling locations, shooting and woundingAfrican AmericanEllicott City voters. The deputy sheriff declined to arrest the leaders for fear of his life and further outbreaks of violence.

InH. L. Mencken's best-selling memoirHappy Days, 1880–1892,he described his childhood in the chapter "Rural Delights" while living with his parents in their rented home in Ellicott City.

Ellicott City favored thetemperance movement,enacting a law against "spiritous, fermented or intoxicating liquors" in 1882, taking effect May 1, 1883. This was shortly changed to limit sales of liquor to licensed shops that did not sell other goods, providing the primary source of the town's tax income.

Trolley service was proposed from Baltimore to Ellicott City in 1892, approved on April 20, 1895, and implemented in 1899.The service ran a double-endedstreetcarfor most of its service life until 1955, when the Baltimore Service commission recommended a bus replacement, which lasted only two years.TheCatonsville & Ellicott City Electric Railway Companyrail line was later converted to ahiking trail.

In February 1895, shop owner Daniel F. Shea was murdered by Jacob Henson. Henson was tried and sentenced to death. Fearing thatGovernor Brownmight release Henson due to insanity, a group of residents broke into the jail and lynched Henson on Merricks Lane with a sign saying "Brown cannot rule our cort". Governor Brown condemned the citizens and ordered all prisoners sentenced to death be sent to theMaryland Penitentiaryfrom then on.

After a difficult start in 1896, granite mining was started.

In 1907,Taylor Manorstarted as the Patapsco Manor Sanitarium built on property along New Cut Road. In 1939 the facility was purchased by Issac Taylor and run as the Pinel Clinic. Taylor operated anoptometristbusiness and Taylor's Furniture on Main Street. In 1948 the facility expanded to 48 beds, and in 1968 it expanded to 151 beds.Themodernistcircular rotunda stands out at the center of campus. Taylor Manor covered more than 70 acres (28 ha).In 2000, the facility became a branch ofSheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital.

In 1924, the Display Machine Doughnut Corporation moved to Ellicott City from New York, occupying the site of the 1916 Patapsco Flouring Mill built on the ruins of the former Elicott and Gambrill's mills. The company madedoughnutmix and doughnut manufacturing machines as the Doughnut Corporation of America.

The only chartered city in the county, Ellicott City lost its charter in 1935 with a proposal from Senator Joseph Donovan, as the tax base from saloon fees lost inProhibitioncaused citizen protest when taxes were shifted to residents.

On April 27, 1941, a fire gutted the eight-story doughnut factory, but it rebuilt, providing doughnut mixes to WWII troops.In January 1942, an emergency room was set up in the post office for civilian defense for the ongoing war effort.

In 1943, the Metropolitan District was formed to bring water and sewer to Ellicott City, sponsored by newspapermanP.G. Stromberg,I.H. Taylor,Charles E. Miller,Marray G. Peddicord, John A. Lane, and W. Emil Thompson.

Suburban development

In 1955, County CommissionerNorman E. Moxleycreated the city's first major subdivision, Normandy Heights. The first major shopping center, Normandy Shopping Center, was constructed.Alda Hopkins Clark purchased the Ellicott City First Presbyterian Church to donate it to the Howard County Historical Society.

In 1958,The Goddess,a film loosely based onMarilyn Monroe's life, was shot on location in the city.

Ellicott City Station,1970

Before 1962, the only polling location for Howard County voters was in Ellicott City. In May 1962, voters were offered a second location to vote, also in Ellicott City at the National Armory on Montgomery Road.

The same year, the state health department ordered the city to stop dumping its raw sewage into thePatuxent Riverand develop a modern septic system.

In 1964, the Corinthian Conservation Company was proposed to operate aTitle Iprivate-nonprofit partnership to implement a slum eradication program in Ellicott City, demolishing residences, and replacing them with 75% federal-funded apartment complexes.

In 1977, the county chose a site outside of the city for a new landfill, leading to the closure of the local New Cut Road landfill which served the county from 1944 until May 1980 for trash and hazardous materials.The New Cut landfill became the Worthington Dog Park.In 2011, a portion of the former 83-acre (34 ha) landfill site was developed with a $462,000 grant from the Maryland Energy Administration to build onsite solar arrays to power Worthington Elementary.

Ellicott City has historically been home to a population of poverty-class andworking-classAppalachian and Southern migrantswho came north looking for jobs. Many were factory workers who subsequently worked in the mills of Ellicott City. Many of the Appalachian migrants came from the mountains of Tennessee, earning Ellicott City the nickname "Little Sneedville", after the town ofSneedville, Tennesseewhere many of the migrants had come from. By the mid-1980s, the "hillbilly" community had faded. Many of the migrants from Tennessee returned, while others lived in apartments along Route 40. By 1985, Ellicott City had experiencedgentrification,becoming associated with antique shopping.

Historic Main Street has been the site of several devastating fires, most notably in November 1984, three in 1992 and again on November 9, 1999. The 1984 fire was started by Leidig's Bakery's faulty air conditioning unit and destroyed six buildings; the 1992 fires were byarson,and the 1999 six-alarm blaze which destroyed five businesses and caused an estimated $2 million in damage was accidentally started behind a restaurant by a discardedcigarette.

Thefairy tale-themed amusement park, theEnchanted Forest,was located in the western part of the area. The park closed to the general public since the early 1990s. A shopping center (called the Enchanted Forest Shopping Center) was built on its parking lot. Many of the attractions have been moved toClark's Elioak Farmin a rural area in the southwest corner of the Ellicott City CDP, where they are being restored. The Enchanted Forest was featured in the 1990John Waters-directed filmCry-Baby.

Aerial view from the south, 2017, includingCentennial Lake

At midnight on August 21, 2012, aCSXcoal train derailed on theOld Main Line Subdivision.Two 19-year-old girls who were sitting on the railroad bridge over Main Street were killed when coal was dumped on them.

In 2012, the Forest Diner closed, ending a 66-year business as a traditional polished metal roadside diner, making way for 38 apartments.

In 2014, the Hiene House and Ellicott City Jail were placed on the Preserve Howard top-ten most endangered list due to walkway and parking lot construction plans.

In 2015, Ellicott City was inducted as a new member ofTree City USA.

Koreatown

Ellicott City has been home to a largeKoreanpopulation along its Route 40 corridor, where numerous Korean-owned businesses and restaurants operate. Around 12,000 Korean-Americans currently live in Howard County, officials say. In Ellicott City, they make up 24 percent of the population.In 2017, GovernorLarry Hogandedicated a section of Route 40 from Rogers Avenue to Greenway Drive as "Korean Way", paying homage to the community's Korean culture.Ellicott City'sKoreatownhas been widely recognized for revitalizing declining shopping centers along the U.S. highway.

Floods

The town is prone to flooding from the Patapsco River and its tributary the Tiber River. These floods have had a major impact on the history of the town, often destroying important businesses and killing many. Ellicott City has had major devastating floods in 1817, 1837, 1868,1901, 1917, 1923, 1938, 1942, 1952, 1956, 1972 (Hurricane Agnes), 1975 (Hurricane Eloise), 1989, 2011, 2016, and 2018. The 1868 flood washed away 14 houses, killing 39 to 43 (accounts vary) in and around Ellicott City. It wiped out the Granite Manufacturing Cotton Mill, Charles A. Gambrill's Patapsco Mill,John Lee Carroll's mill buildings, and dozens of homes.One mill was rebuilt by Charles Gambrill, which remained in operation until a fire in 1916.

Historic flood stages marked on the B&O viaduct, c. 2006.Hurricane Agnesflood stage (14.5 feet (4.4 m)) is in the middle of the photograph.

A 1923 flood topped bridges, in 1952 an 8-foot (2.4 m) wall of water swept the shops of Ellicott City, and a 1956 flood inflicted heavy damage at the Bartigis Brothers plant. On June 21, 1972, the Patapsco River valley flooded 14.5 feet (4.4 m) from the remnants ofHurricane Agnes,taking out a concrete bridge, destroying the Jonathan Ellicott home, and the 1910 Victor Blode water filtration plant, and flooding Main Street to theOdd Fellowshall.The Old Main Line of the B&O Railroad also sustained serious damage.

On September 27, 1975, the town was flooded 9.0 feet (2.7 m) fromHurricane Eloise.Floods also occurred September 22, 1989, fromHurricane Hugo,and on September 7, 2011, flooding 11.0 feet (3.4 m) fromTropical Storm Lee.

2016 flood

Main article:2016 Maryland flood

On July 30, 2016, a storm dropped 6 inches (150 mm) of rain in two hours on the community. The resultingflash floodcaused severe damage in historic Ellicott City, especially along Main Street.Many homes, roads, businesses, sidewalks, and more were destroyed by the flooding, including the town's landmark clock.A state of emergency was declared, and two people died as a result of the flooding.

2018 flood

Main article:2018 Maryland flood

On the afternoon of May 27, 2018, historic Main Street flooded again, after the region received over eight inches of rain in the span of two hours,just days before the new flood emergency alert system was to become operational.Homes, businesses, and infrastructure, including roads and the town's clock, were again damaged or destroyed.One person died, a National Guard member swept away while trying to save others.

Flood control

In 2017, theEllicott City Watershed Master Planwas unveiled but after the 2018 flood the plans had to be re-evaluated. A $140 million multi-tiered five-year plan was chosen by County officials. The plan includes building a tunnel requiring the removal of nine historic structures.

The removal of nine or ten historic buildings was opposed by preservationists as well as residents and Democrat Calvin Ball defeated incumbent Republican Allan Kittleman as county executive.Ball halted the work of Kittleman to study five plans. One would involve removing six buildings and another only four buildings. Two plans called for boring underground tunnels that was considered too expensive.

The plan chosen involves tearing down four buildings and boring a 15-foot diameter tunnel through 1,600 feet of the granite hillside. Ten buildings were purchased and six will be stabilized and restored. The plan is not to solve the flood problem but mitigate it from over four feet to under one foot of flooding on the streets.

Geography

Ellicott City is in northeastern Howard County, bordered to the east and north by thePatapsco River,which forms theBaltimore Countyline. The Ellicott Citycensus-designated place(CDP) extends to the northwest beyond Marriottsville Road and to the southwest beyond Centennial Road. It is bordered to the south byColumbiaatMaryland Route 108and to the southeast byIlchesteratMaryland Route 104and Bonnie Branch Road. According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the CDP has a total area of 30.1 square miles (77.9 km²), of which 30.0 square miles (77.6 km²) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²), or 0.41%, are water.

Ellicott City is claimed to be built on seven hills.These hills lie southeast of the Historic District, which is in the Tiber River valley immediately west of the Patapsco River. The Tiber River is a small tributary of the Patapsco that forms the narrow valley followed by Main Street. Several deep stream valleys converge at this location, which increases the risk of flooding, but at the same time creates the town's heights.

The heart of the Historic District is Main Street, where the oldest structures of the town stand. Smaller neighborhoods within the district include Tongue Row adjacent to Old Columbia Pike, and the West End, at the western end of Main Street.

Neighborhoods

The remainder of the Ellicott City CDP ( "Greater Ellicott City" ) includes the neighborhoods of:

• Oella(Baltimore County)
• Dorsey's Search
• Centennial
• Elioak
• Turf Valley
• Font Hill
• Dunloggin
• Waverly
• Mount Hebron
• Saint Johns Lane
• Bethgate
• Valley Mede
• Bethany Manor
• Normandy
• Linwood
• Long Gate
• Taylor Village
• Worthington
• Brampton Hills
• Montgomery Meadows
• Jonestown
• Ilchester
• Wheatfield

Geology

Gaither's Quarry, Ellicott City, photographed approximately 1898

Historic Ellicott City sits on theSilurianorOrdovicianEllicott City Granodiorite.Outcrops can be seen lining Main Street.Several granite quarries were in operation in Ellicott City in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Climate

Summers are hot and humid, with frequentthunderstorms.Springand fall bring pleasant temperatures.Winteris often considered chilly by U.S. standards, with lighter rain showers of longer duration. Sporadic snowfall can occur in winter, but is usually relatively light. The Köppen classification ishumid subtropical.Rainfall is spread evenly throughout the year, with 3–5 inches (76–127 mm) falling each month.

Climate data for Ellicott City, MD
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	78 (26)	80 (27)	90 (32)	95 (35)	97 (36)	101 (38)	105 (41)	103 (39)	101 (38)	95 (35)	83 (28)	77 (25)	105 (41)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	42 (6)	46 (8)	55 (13)	67 (19)	76 (24)	84 (29)	88 (31)	86 (30)	79 (26)	68 (20)	57 (14)	46 (8)	66 (19)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	23 (−5)	25 (−4)	32 (0)	41 (5)	51 (11)	60 (16)	64 (18)	63 (17)	56 (13)	44 (7)	35 (2)	27 (−3)	43 (6)
Record low °F (°C)	−18 (−28)	−16 (−27)	−4 (−20)	12 (−11)	27 (−3)	34 (1)	44 (7)	41 (5)	29 (−2)	18 (−8)	3 (−16)	−14 (−26)	−18 (−28)
Averageprecipitationinches (mm)	3.74 (95)	3.01 (76)	4.30 (109)	3.52 (89)	4.78 (121)	4.11 (104)	3.85 (98)	3.53 (90)	4.09 (104)	3.44 (87)	3.73 (95)	3.53 (90)	45.63 (1,159)
Source: Intellicast

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1970	17,455		—
1980	21,784		24.8%
1990	41,396		90.0%
2000	52,978		28.0%
2010	65,834		24.3%
2020	75,947		15.4%
source:

Population by Race in Ellicott City Maryland (2020)
Race	Population	% of Total
Total	75,947	100
White	37,723	49.7
Asian	24,675	32.5
African American	7,279	9.6
Two or More Races	4,857	6.4
Other	1,249	1.6
American Indian	150	0.2
Pacific Islander	14	< 0.1%
Hispanic (any race)	3,409	4.5

2010

As of thecensusof 2010,there were 65,834 people, 23,734 households, and 18,150 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,188.8 inhabitants per square mile (845.1/km²). There were 24,672 housing units at an average density of 822.4 units per square mile (317.5 units/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 64.5%White,22.9%Asian,8.5%African American,0.2%Native American,0.0%Pacific Islander,1.1%some other race,and 2.8% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 3.5% of the population.

There were 23,734 households, out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.2% were headed bymarried couplesliving together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76, and the average family size was 3.20.

In the CDP, the population was distributed by age with 26.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

According to a 2007 estimate,the median income for a household in the CDP was $103,464, and the median income for a family was $120,064. Males had a median income of $63,938 versus $41,721 for females. Theper capita incomefor the CDP was $29,287. About 2.2% of families and 3.3% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

2000

As of thecensusof 2000, there were 56,397 people, 20,250 households, and 15,288 families residing in the town. Thepopulation densitywas 679.8 people/km²(1,761 people/sq mi). There were 20,789 housing units at an average density of 250.6 units/km²(649 units/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 78.33%White,7.34%African American,0.15%Native American,11.90%Asian,0.02%Pacific Islander,0.55% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. 2.14% of the population wereHispanicorLatinoof any race.

There were 20,250 households, out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the town the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $79,031, and the median income for a family was $91,968. Males had a median income of $63,938 versus $41,721 for females. The per capita income for the town was $33,316. 3.3% of the population and 2.2% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 3.3% were under the age of 18 and 4.9% were 65 or older.

Economy

Tourism

Main Street and Maryland Avenue in theEllicott City Historic District

Ellicott City has been called one of the mosthauntedsmall towns on the East Coast.The Howard County Tourism Council runs a Ghost Tour that visits several places with reputations forparanormalactivity.Among these are the mansionsLilburn,Hayden House, andMt. Ida;the B&O railroad bridge that crosses Main Street in the center of the town; the old Ellicott City Firehouse; and thePatapsco Female Institute.

Tourist attractions include:

• Centennial Park
• Ellicott City Station
• Enchanted Forest
• Shrine of St. Anthony
• The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
• Trolley Line Number 9 Trail

Government

Howard County Courthouse viewed from the Main Street stairwell

Representation in Congress

From 2003 to 2023, Ellicott City was a part ofMaryland's 7th congressional district,represented by DemocratElijah Cummingsuntil his death in 2019, followed byKweisi Mfumeuntil congressional redistricting.

Since 2023, Ellicott City, along with the rest of Howard County, has been a part ofMaryland's 3rd congressional district,represented by DemocratJohn Sarbanes.

County government

Ellicott City houses numerous county offices, departments, and courthouses. TheHoward County Circuit Courthouseis located on Court Avenue, on a hilltop north of the downtown area. The Howard County District Courthouse is located close by on Martha Bush Drive, which houses district courtrooms and the county clerk's office. The County Executive and Council, along the departments of Community Services, Education, Elections, Employment, Health, Law Offices, Licensing, Natural Resources, Planning, Public Safety, Public Works, Recreation, and Transportation are located in the George Howard Government Campus on Court House Drive.

Police and fire

TheHoward County Police Departmentheadquarters is located in the George Howard Government Campus on Court House Drive. TheHoward County Department of Fire and Rescue Servicesprovides service from two stations in Ellicott City: Station 2 onMontgomery Road,and Station 8 onOld Frederick Roadand Bethany Lane.

List of mayors

1. George Ellicott 1867
2. E.A. Talbot (served 2 terms)1867-1868
3. Daniel J. McCaulty 1873
4. James E. Vansant before 1877
5. Christian Eckert 1890
6. Dr. Mordecai Gist Sykes 1893-?, 1922-? serving three times
7. Robert Yates 1900-?, 1904-?
8. Joseph H. Leishear 1907–1909
9. John H. Kraft 1909-?

Education

Ellicott City proper is served byMount Hebron High School,Centennial High School,Wilde Lake High School,andHoward High Schoolin theHoward County Public School System;Marriotts Ridge High SchoolandRiver Hill High Schoolserve most of the rest of the CDP area.TheHomewood Centerand the system's other specialized school, along with the central offices, also have Ellicott City addresses, though in fact they are on the northern edge of Columbia.

Middle schools serving the CDP are Burleigh Manor, Dunloggin, Bonnie Branch, Mount View, Folly Quarter,Ellicott Millsand Patapsco.The elementary schools include Veterans, Ilchester, Northfield, Centennial Lane, Manor Woods, St. Johns Lane, Waverly, Worthington, Triadelphia Ridge, and Hollifield Station.

St. John's Parish Day School is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the town center, andGlenelg Country Schoolis located at the western edge of the CDP.

Transportation

The Grist Mill Trail connects Ellicott City toElkridgefor pedestrians and cyclists.

Transit

Ellicott City is served by theRegional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland(RTA) by Route 405 (Yellow Line) travelling from theColumbia Mallto the Miller Branch Public Library. TheMaryland Transit Administrationalso provides commuter bus service via Lines 150 and 345.Dorsey stationis the nearestMARC Train,located 9 miles away inElkridge.The station is accessed off ofRoute 100and is equipped with over 800 spaces.

Numerous paths and trails surround Ellicott City for recreational and commuting purposes. TheGrist Mill Trailin Patapsco Valley State Park runs parallel to the Patapsco River in Baltimore County, connectingIlchester Roadto Gun Road inRelay.The trail is known for thePatapsco Swinging Bridge.TheTrolley Line Number 9 Trailin nearby Oella also connects Ellicott City to Catonsville.

Roads

Major east–west routes in Ellicott City include:

• Maryland Route 144(Main Street)
• U.S. Route 40(Baltimore National Pike)
• Interstate 70traveling east to west fromFredericktoBaltimore
• Maryland Route 103(Montgomery Road).

Other major highways in Ellicott City include:

• U.S. Route 29(Columbia Pike) has its northern terminus at I-70, then travels southward towards Columbia andWashington, D.C.
• Maryland Route 100terminates in the south part of Ellicott City and travels eastward towardsGlen Burnie.

North-south cross routes include Bethany Lane, Centennial Lane, Chatham Road, Marriottsville Road, Ridge Road, Rogers Avenue (Maryland Route 99), and Saint Johns Lane.

Airports

Nearby airports includeBaltimore-Washington International Airport,10 miles (16 km) southeast of Ellicott City, andGlenair AirportinGlenelg,10 miles to the west.

Notable people

• Jeff Altenburg,racing driver
• Edith Clarke,pioneering electrical engineer
• Frank Cho,comics writer/artist, and creator ofLiberty Meadows
• Ray Ciccarelli,American professionalstock car racingdriver
• Taylor Cummings,lacrosse player
• Divine,actor
• Dijon Duenas,musician
• Bryce Hall,American social media personality
• Samuel Hinks,Mayor of Baltimorefrom 1854 to 1856
• Aaron Maybin,former professional football player for theNew York Jetsof theNational Football League;went to high school in Ellicott City
• Robert G. Millar,Christian Identityleader whose evangelical group was first established in Ellicott City
• Ken Navarro,contemporary jazz guitarist and composer
• Creig Northrop,real estate agent, broker, and CEO of Northrop Realty
• Alexis Ohanian,internet entrepreneur, activist and investor
• Aaron Russell,professional volleyball player for theUnited States national team
• Snail Mail,band of Mount Hebron High School alum Lindsey Jordan
• Edward Snowden,NSAleaker
• Peter Solomon,Major League Baseballplayer for theHouston Astros.
• The Dangerous Summer,American rock band
• Martha Ellicott Tyson(1795–1873), Quaker elder, author, and co-founder ofSwarthmore College

External links

• Geographic data related toEllicott City, MarylandatOpenStreetMap
• VisitEllicottCity