History Towson, Maryland

1 history

1.1 1600s
1.2 1700s
1.3 1800s
1.4 1900s

history

the historic 1854 baltimore county courthouse located in towson, maryland


1600s

the first inhabitants of future towson , central baltimore county region susquehannock indians hunted in area. region included of baltimore county, though primary settlement farther northeast along susquehanna river.

1700s

towson settled in 1752 when 2 pennsylvania brothers, william , thomas towson, began farming area of sater s hill, northeast of present-day york , joppa roads. william s son, ezekiel, opened towson hotel serve increasing traffic of farmers bringing produce , livestock port of baltimore. towson located hotel @ current-day shealy avenue , york road, near area s main crossroads. village became known towsontown . property in west towson came 2 land grants: 400 acre gott’s hope in 1719 , gunner’s range in 1706. in 1790, businessman capt. charles ridgely completed magnificent hampton mansion north of towsontown, largest private house in america @ time. ridgelys lived there 6 generations, until 1948. preserved hampton national historic site , open public.

1800s

dr. grafton marsh surgeon during war of 1812 , brother dr. josiah marsh settled families in collection of houses known gott’s hope part of group along joppa road. consolidated 4 of structures larger dwelling called ‘marshmont’. brothers went business medical practitioners. neither had heirs joined in practice later nephew dr. grafton marsh bosley inherited medical practice, ‘marshmont’ compound, , 140-acre farm. farm extended west of york rd., south of joppa rd., north of sheppard pratt hospital, , east of woodbine ave. in 1869, dr. grafton bosley (1825-1901) , wife margaret nicholson built new home in area of property known highlands or ‘highland park’ named ‘uplands’. after ratification of second maryland constitution of 1851, provided jurisdictional separation of former baltimore town, founded 1729, had served county seat since 1767, city of baltimore, since incorporation in 1796–97 general assembly of maryland. several tortured sets of negotiations occurred divide various assets of city , county, such downtown courthouse of 1805, city/county jail of 1801 along jones falls (at east madison street) , almshouse, jointly owned. after series of elections , referendums, on february 13, 1854, towson became choice of remaining, rural, eastern, northern , western portions of county new county seat of baltimore county popular vote. court house, still in use 2015, various annexes (and separate county courts , administrative building) designed local city architectural firm of dixon, balbirnie , dixon , completed within year, constructed of limestone , marble donated well-known ridgely family of nearby hampton mansion, on land donated towson doctor grafton marsh bosley. county courthouse subsequently enlarged in 1910 through additional designs north , south wings well-known , regarded city architects, baldwin & pennington. additional expansion later in 1926 , 1958 created h-shaped plan entire older courthouse. additional modernistic baltimore county courts building, room new charter government since 1956 , administration of county executive , county council, plus administrative , executive departments erected in 1970–71 across plaza west of older historic courthouse , series of additions old baltimore county jail built in 1855, , later replaced 1980s new modern baltimore county detention center, north of town on kenilworth avenue, addition constructed in 2010s.

from 1850 1874, notable land owner, amos matthews, had farm of 150 acres (0.61 km) — exception of 17-acre (69,000 m) largely natural parcel kelso home girls (currently towson ymca), later erected — wholly developed neighborhoods of west towson, southland hills , other subdivisions beginning in middle 1920s.

the former grafton bosley estate uplands , towson maryland. after later becoming presbyterian home of maryland (photo c. 1930)

during civil war, towson scene of 2 minor engagements. many of towson s citizens sympathetic southern confederate cause, so ady s hotel, (later towson hotel) , current site of 1920s-era towson theatre (for movies) , recher theatre, flew southern flag. union army found necessary overtake town force on june 2, 1861. during raid, union army seized weapons citizens @ ady s hotel. local paper, in jest, referred towson “strongly fortified , impregnable city of towsontown” , downplays need attack, stating, “the distinguished straw, 2 hundred , fifty men, has taken whole city , frightened 2 old women out of wits.”

the second engagement took place around july 12, 1864, between union , confederate forces. on july 10, 1864, 135-man confederate cavalry detachment attacked northern central railway north in nearby cockeysville, under orders gen. bradley t. johnson, late of frederick, maryland. first , second maryland cavalry, led baltimore county native , pre-war member of towson horse guards, maj. harry w. gilmor, of glen ellen , attacked strategic targets throughout baltimore , harford counties, including cutting telegraph wires along harford road, capturing 2 trains , union general, , destroying railroad bridge in joppa, maryland. following became known gilmor s raid, cavalry encamped in towson overnight @ ady s hotel men rested , gilmor met friends. next day, large federal cavalry unit dispatched baltimore overtake gilmor s forces. though outnumbered more 2 one, confederate cavalry attacked federal unit, breaking federal unit , chasing them down york road around current day woodbourne avenue within baltimore city limits. gilmor s forces traveled south along york road far south govans, before heading west rejoin gen. johnson s main force. following war, gilmor served baltimore city police commissioner in 1870s.

the towson fire of 1878 destroyed of 500 block along york turnpike causing estimated $38,000 in damage.

during summer of 1894, towson water company laid wooden pipes , installed fire hydrants connected artesian near aigburth vale. on november 2, 1894, towson supplied electric service through connection mount washington electric light , power company.

1900s

at beginning of century, towson remained largely rural community. land continued sold acre, rather home parcels. residences lay within towson proper: no houses existed west of central avenue along allegheny or pennsylvania avenues, , there 3 homes along west chesapeake avenue corridor.

in 1910s, maryland state normal school (now known towson university) relocated towson. maryland legislature had established msns in 1865 maryland’s first teacher-training school, or normal school. institution officially opened doors on 15 january 1866, time passed, enrollment in school grew exponentially, rendering facilities inadequate. in 1910, general assembly formed committee oversee site selection, budget, , design plans new campus, settled on 80-acre (320,000 m) site in towson , general assembly financed $600,000 move in 1912. construction began in 1913 on administration building, known stephens hall. in september 1915, new campus, comprising stephens hall, newell hall, , power plant, began classes. college underwent numerous name changes, settling on towson university in 1997.

as growth of baltimore s suburbs became more pronounced after world war ii, considerable office development took place in towson s central core area. many of large victorian , colonial-style residences in vicinity of court house demolished in 1980s , 1990s offices , parking.

towson united methodist church

in 1839, epsom chapel became first christian house of worship in towson, used various denominations. population grew in late 19th , 20th centuries, several churches built serve community, such calvary baptist church, immaculate conception catholic church, trinity episcopal church, first methodist church, , towson presbyterian church. epsom chapel demolished in 1950 when goucher college sold portion of property development of towson plaza shopping center, towson town center. first methodist church moved in 1958 land acquired goucher college , towson united methodist church.

author robert coston, grew in area of towson called historic east towson, recalled in interview unique african-american history of area during mid-century:

think towson, maryland area familiar differs other parts of maryland because of proximity 1 of largest slave plantations in country. ridgely plantation owned of property baltimore county baltimore city , other surrounding areas. ...this unique place of have never heard of equal it. every african american school age child in baltimore county had attend school @ point @ carver in east towson. ...i realize youngster older african americans avoided talking slavery or nearby ridgely plantation because not far removed slavery itself.