02-16-2023 Howard Mag - Flipbook - Page 16
COMMUNITIES & HOUSING
The Thomas Viaduct spans the Patapsco River in Elkridge. Built for the B&O Railroad in 1833, it was the largest railroad bridge in the U.S. when it was
completed.
PHOTO BY JERRY JACKSON
ELKRIDGE
AT A GLANCE
Typical home value:
$439,603
Population: 21,778
Founded: 1733
Source: datausa.io,
Zillow
16
| Winter 2023 | howardmagazine.com
T
he oldest community in
Howard County dates
to 1733, when the Maryland General Assembly
passed a law authorizing construction of a town on a 30-acre site
of what was then called Elkridge
Landing. The new community of
Jansen Town sprang up to serve
tobacco farmers bringing crops to
be loaded onto English sailing ships
docked on the Patapsco River.
Industries that thrived over
the years include pig-iron forging,
basket weaving, paper, cotton and
grist milling, and of course, the
B&O Railroad.
Today, Elkridge is divided geographically into Northern, Southern, Western and Central districts
consisting of 20 neighborhoods.
But Elkridge is hardly homogeneous; Black, Asian, Hispanic and
biracial people make up about half
the total population.
Folks can meet their neighbors
while hiking, fishing, camping,
canoeing or horseback riding in
the bucolic, 16,000-acre Patapsco
Valley State Park or at Rockburn
Branch Park, which boasts four
ball fields, two basketball courts, an
18-hole disc golf course and four
tennis courts.