Ellicott City, Maryland | |
|---|---|
 Main Street inHistoric Ellicott City | |
| Nicknames: "E.C.", "Old Ellicott City", "Old Ellicott", "Historic Ellicott City" | |
| Motto: "E.C. Strong"[1] | |
 Location of Ellicott City, Maryland | |
| Coordinates:39°16′5″N76°47′56″W / 39.26806°N 76.79889°W /39.26806; -76.79889 | |
| 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 | 2,531.0/sq mi (977.22/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 21041–21043 |
| Area codes | 410, 443, and 667 |
| FIPS code | 24-26000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0584282 |
Ellicott City (/ˈɛlɪkət/EL-ih-kət) is anunincorporated community andcensus-designated place in, and thecounty seat of,Howard County, Maryland, United States.[3] Part of theBaltimore metropolitan area, its population was 75,947 at the2020 census,[4] making it the most populous unincorporated county seat in the United States.
Ellicott City's historic downtown – theEllicott City Historic District – lies in the valleys of theTiber andPatapsco rivers. The historic district includes theEllicott City Station; it is the oldest surviving train station in the United States, having been built in 1830 as the first terminus of the originalB&O Railroad line. The historic district of the town is often called "Historic Ellicott City" or "Old Ellicott City" to distinguish it from the surrounding suburbs that extend south toColumbia and west toWest Friendship.
Prior to the establishment of Ellicott City, the main crossing of thePatapsco River connectingBaltimore with western Maryland stood about three miles north at what is now Hollifield (Old Frederick Road and Johnnycake Road). The main road continued west towardsMount Airy andFrederick along what later becameMaryland Route 99. The first mill at that site on the river had been built by Christopher Gardiner in about 1716. Near this place, 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, where he built agristmill. His son Benjamin rebuilt the corn grinding mill after one of the frequent Patapsco floods in 1768.
On 24 April 1771, threeQuaker brothers 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 bytobacco-loading sailing merchant ships in the 18th century, to establish aflour mill, purchasing 50 acres (20 ha) of Baltimore County land from Emanuel Teal and 35 acres (14 ha) from William Williams.John,Andrew, andJoseph Ellicott foundedEllicott's Mills, which became one of the largest milling and manufacturing towns in the East.
In 1774, Joseph Ellicott purchased Hood's Mill for 1,700 pounds,[5]: 7 which became known as "Ellicott's Upper Mills". In 1775 the brothers expanded their holdings with 30.5 acres (12.3 ha) from Bartholomew Balderson.[5]: 7 Nathaniel sold his partnership in 1777, and Joseph sold all but his Hood's Mill ownership the next year.[5]: 9 With the development of Ellicott's Mills, the main road connecting Baltimore to the west shifted southward from the Upper Mills to the Lower Mills at Ellicott City. This route later was incorporated into the Baltimore and Frederick-Town Turnpike and theNational Road.
The town retained the name "Ellicott's Mills" when theU.S. Postal stop opened on October 7, 1797.[6]
The Ellicott brothers constructedsawmills,smithies,stables, an oil mill, a grain distillery, and grain mills.[5]: 12 They helped revolutionize farming in the area by persuading farmers to plantwheat instead oftobacco and also by introducingPlaster of Paris fertilizer to revitalize depleted soil. The Ellicotts produced the product until a fire on 11 January 1809.[8]Charles Carroll of Carrollton (1737–1832), the last surviving signer of theDeclaration of Independence, a rareRoman Catholic and 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, and by 1840, the Ellicott family sold off their interests in the two flour mills, the granite quarry, the saw mill and plaster mill.[9]
In 1830, Ellicott's Mills became the first terminus of theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad outsideBaltimore, 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 River and intersecting Tiber Creek stream, with its "Oliver Viaduct", named for a B&O board member Robert Oliver crossing over theNational Road of large blocks of locally quarried gray granite, stands today as a living history museum, and has been designated aNational Historic Landmark by theU.S. Department of the Interior, administered by theNational Park Service.[10]: 16 It bears the designation as the "Oldest surviving railroad station in America". In 1829, New York industrialist and Baltimore foundry-ownerPeter Cooper began 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 Thumb and a horse-drawn rail carriage took place betweenRelay Junction on 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.[11]
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 County became 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.[12] By 1861, Ellicott's Mills was a prosperous farming and manufacturing area.
At the start of theCivil War on 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.[13] Later that month,Union Army troops 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.[14]: 22 In the fall of 1862, the12th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry was assigned to guard Ellicott's Mills, setting up the 1,200-man Camp Johnson on the lawn of the nearbyPatapsco Female Institute.[10]: 18 On July 10, 1864, the thirdConfederate invasion of the North, led by GeneralJubal Early, forced the retreat of theFederal troops under the command of GeneralLew Wallace down theNational Pike from theBattle of the Monocacy to theB.& O.'s Ellicott's Mills station and to Baltimore. The one-day delay by Wallace's small force atMonocacy Junction enabled Lt. Gen.Ulysses S. Grant to 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.[citation needed]
In 1866,cholera broke out.[citation needed] In the same year, the Granite Mills cotton factory owned by Benjamin Detford burned down.[15]
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".[16]
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.[17]: 43 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.[18]: 21
.jpg)
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.[19]
In 1879, political gangs controlled the polling locations, shooting and woundingAfrican American Ellicott City voters. The deputy sheriff declined to arrest the leaders for fear of his life and further outbreaks of violence.[20]
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.[21]
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.[22][14]: 26
Trolley service was proposed from Baltimore to Ellicott City in 1892, approved on April 20, 1895, and implemented in 1899.[23] The service ran a double-endedstreetcar for most of its service life until 1955, when the Baltimore Service commission recommended a bus replacement, which lasted only two years.[24] TheCatonsville & Ellicott City Electric Railway Company rail line was later converted to ahiking trail.[25]: 91 [26]
In February 1895, shop owner Daniel F. Shea was murdered by Jacob Henson. Henson was tried and sentenced to death. Fearing thatGovernor Brown might 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 Penitentiary from then on.[27]
After a difficult start in 1896, granite mining was started.[25]: 91
In 1907,Taylor Manor started 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 anoptometrist business and Taylor's Furniture on Main Street. In 1948 the facility expanded to 48 beds, and in 1968 it expanded to 151 beds.[17]: 47 Themodernist circular rotunda stands out at the center of campus. Taylor Manor covered more than 70 acres (28 ha).[28][29] 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 madedoughnut mix 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 inProhibition caused citizen protest when taxes were shifted to residents.[30]: 37
On April 27, 1941, a fire gutted the eight-story doughnut factory, but it rebuilt, providing doughnut mixes to WWII troops.[31][32] In January 1942, an emergency room was set up in the post office for civilian defense for the ongoing war effort.[33]
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.[34]
In 1955, County CommissionerNorman E. Moxley created the city's first major subdivision, Normandy Heights. The first major shopping center, Normandy Shopping Center, was constructed.[35] Alda Hopkins Clark purchased the Ellicott City First Presbyterian Church to donate it to the Howard County Historical Society.[18]: 9
In 1958,The Goddess, a film loosely based onMarilyn Monroe's life, was shot on location in the city.[25]: 104
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.[18]: 108
The same year, the state health department ordered the city to stop dumping its raw sewage into thePatuxent River and develop a modern septic system.[36]
In 1964, the Corinthian Conservation Company was proposed to operate aTitle I private-nonprofit partnership to implement a slum eradication program in Ellicott City, demolishing residences, and replacing them with 75% federal-funded apartment complexes.[37][38]
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.[39][40] The New Cut landfill became the Worthington Dog Park.[41] 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.[42]
Ellicott City has historically been home to a population of poverty-class andworking-classAppalachian and Southern migrants who 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, Tennessee where 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.[43]
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.[44]: 120 [45][46]
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 Farm in 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.[47]
At midnight on August 21, 2012, aCSX coal train derailed on theOld Main Line Subdivision.[48] Two 19-year-old girls who were sitting on the railroad bridge over Main Street were killed when coal was dumped on them.[49]
In 2012, the Forest Diner closed, ending a 66-year business as a traditional polished metal roadside diner, making way for 38 apartments.[50]
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.[51]
In 2015, Ellicott City was inducted as a new member ofTree City USA.[52]
Ellicott City has been home to a largeKorean population 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.[53] In 2017, GovernorLarry Hogan dedicated a section of Route 40 from Rogers Avenue to Greenway Drive as "Korean Way", paying homage to the community's Korean culture.[54] Ellicott City'sKoreatown has been widely recognized for revitalizing declining shopping centers along the U.S. highway.[55]
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 1780,[56] 1817, 1837, 1868,[57] 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.[57] One mill was rebuilt by Charles Gambrill, which remained in operation until a fire in 1916.[10]: 36
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 Fellows hall.[10]: 26 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.
On July 30, 2016, a storm dropped 6 inches (150 mm) of rain in two hours on the community. The resultingflash flood caused severe damage in historic Ellicott City, especially along Main Street.[58] Many homes, roads, businesses, sidewalks, and more were destroyed by the flooding, including the town's landmark clock.[59] A state of emergency was declared, and two people died as a result of the flooding.[60][61]
.jpg)
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,[62] just days before the new flood emergency alert system was to become operational.[63] Homes, businesses, and infrastructure, including roads and the town's clock, were again damaged or destroyed.[64] One person died, a National Guard member swept away while trying to save others.[65]
In 2017, theEllicott City Watershed Master Plan[66] was 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.[67][68]
The removal of the buildings was opposed by preservationists as well as residents and Howard County ExecutiveCalvin Ball.[69] 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.[70]
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 was not to solve the flood problem but mitigate it from over four feet to under one foot of flooding on the streets.[71]
The removal and construction work began in January 2024, and was completed in summer 2024. The partial removal and renovation of the other six is still underway as of February 2025.[citation needed]
Ellicott City is in northeastern Howard County, bordered to the east and north by thePatapsco River, which forms theBaltimore County line. 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 byColumbia atMaryland Route 108 and to the southeast byIlchester atMaryland Route 104 and 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.[4]
Ellicott City is claimed to be built on seven hills.[72] 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.[citation needed]
The heart of the Historic District is Main Street, where the oldest structures of the town stand. Smaller neighborhoods within the district include Tonge Row (also spelled Tongue Row) adjacent to Old Columbia Pike, and the West End, at the western end of Main Street.
The remainder of the Ellicott City CDP ("Greater Ellicott City") includes the neighborhoods of:[73]
Historic Ellicott City sits on theSilurian orOrdovicianEllicott City Granodiorite. Outcrops can be seen lining Main Street.[citation needed] Several granite quarries were in operation in Ellicott City in the late 1800s and early 1900s.[citation needed]
Summers are hot and humid, with frequentthunderstorms.Spring and fall bring pleasant temperatures.Winter is 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.[citation needed]
| 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) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (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[74] | |||||||||||||
| 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:[4][75][76][77][78][79] | |||
| 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 |
| [80] | ||
As of thecensus of 2010,[4] 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.Hispanic orLatino of 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 couples living 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.[4]
According to a 2007 estimate,[81] 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 income for 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.
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 56,397 people, 20,250 households, and 15,288 families residing in the town. Thepopulation density was 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 wereHispanic orLatino of 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.
Ellicott City has been called one of the mosthaunted small towns on the East Coast.[82] The Howard County Tourism Council runs a Ghost Tour that visits several places with reputations forparanormal activity.[83] 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.[citation needed]
Tourist attractions include:
From 2003 to 2023, Ellicott City was a part ofMaryland's 7th congressional district, represented by DemocratElijah Cummings until his death in 2019, followed byKweisi Mfume until congressional redistricting.
Since 2023, Ellicott City, along with the rest of Howard County, has been a part ofMaryland's 3rd congressional district, represented by DemocratSarah Elfreth.
Ellicott City houses numerous county offices, departments, and courthouses. TheHoward County Circuit Courthouse, originally located on Court Avenue on a hilltop north of the downtown area, moved in 2021 to a new building adjacent to the Columbia Hills neighborhood. 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.[90]
TheHoward County Police Department headquarters is located in the George Howard Government Campus on Court House Drive. TheHoward County Department of Fire and Rescue Services provides service from two stations in Ellicott City: Station 2 onMontgomery Road, and Station 8 onOld Frederick Road and Bethany Lane.
Ellicott City proper is served byMount Hebron High School,Centennial High School,Wilde Lake High School, andHoward High School in theHoward County Public School System;Marriotts Ridge High School andRiver Hill High School serve most of the rest of the CDP area.[99] TheHomewood Center and 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.[99]
Middle schools serving the CDP are Burleigh Manor, Dunloggin, Bonnie Branch, Mount View, Folly Quarter,Ellicott Mills and Patapsco.[100] The elementary schools include Veterans, Ilchester, Northfield, Centennial Lane, Manor Woods, St. Johns Lane, Waverly, Worthington, Triadelphia Ridge, and Hollifield Station.[101]
St. John's Parish Day School is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the town center, andGlenelg Country School is located at the western edge of the CDP.
Ellicott City is served by theRegional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland (RTA) by Route 405 (Yellow Line) travelling from theColumbia Mall to the Miller Branch Public Library. TheMaryland Transit Administration also provides commuter bus service via Lines 150 and 345.Dorsey station is the nearestMARC Train, located 9 miles away inElkridge. The station is accessed off ofRoute 100 and is equipped with over 800 spaces.
Numerous paths and trails surround Ellicott City for recreational and commuting purposes. TheGrist Mill Trail in Patapsco Valley State Park runs parallel to the Patapsco River in Baltimore County, connectingIlchester Road to Gun Road inRelay. The trail is known for thePatapsco Swinging Bridge. TheTrolley Line Number 9 Trail in nearby Oella also connects Ellicott City to Catonsville.
Major east–west routes in Ellicott City include:
U.S. Route 40 (Baltimore National Pike)
Interstate 70 traveling east to west fromFrederick toBaltimoreOther 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.North-south cross routes include Bethany Lane, Centennial Lane, Chatham Road, Marriottsville Road, Ridge Road, Rogers Avenue (Maryland Route 99), and Saint Johns Lane.
Nearby airports includeBaltimore-Washington International Airport, 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Ellicott City, andGlenair Airport inGlenelg, 10 miles to the west.
. Retrieved 8 January 2014.an Ellicott City native
Geographic data related toEllicott City, Maryland atOpenStreetMapPlaces adjacent to Ellicott City, Maryland | |
|---|---|
| Administration |  | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landmarks |
| ||||||||
| Education |
| ||||||||
| Transportation |
| ||||||||
Municipalities and communities ofHoward County, Maryland,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| CDPs |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Other communities |
| |
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
