BGuthrie Photos: MD -- Patapsco Valley State Park

MD -- Patapsco Valley State Park:

Bruce Guthrie Photos Home Page: [Click here] to go to Bruce Guthrie Photos home page.

Recognize anyone? If you recognize specific folks (or other stuff) and I haven't labeled them, please identify them for the world. Click the little pencil icon

underneath the file name (just above the picture). Spammers need not apply.

Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

Accessing as Spider: The system has identified your IP as being a spider.
IP Address: 18.117.152.251 -- Domain: Amazon Technologies
I love well-behaved spiders! They are, in fact, how most people find my site. Unfortunately, my network has a limited bandwidth and pictures take up bandwidth. Spiders ask for lots and lots of pages and chew up lots and lots of bandwidth which slows things down considerably for regular folk. To counter this, you'll see all the text on the page but the images are being suppressed. Also, some system options like merges are being blocked for you.
Note: Permission is NOT granted for spiders, robots, etc to use the site for AI-generation purposes. I'm sure you're thrilled by your ability to make revenue from my work but there's nothing in that for my human users or for me.
If you are in fact human, please email me at guthrie.bruce@gmail.com and I can check if your designation was made in error. Given your number of hits, that's unlikely but what the hell.

Help? The Medium (Email) links are for screen viewing and emailing. You'll want bigger sizes for printing. [Click here for additional help]

[1] PATAP_160103_01_STITCH.JPG

[2] PATAP_160103_04.JPG	[3] PATAP_160103_12.JPG	[4] PATAP_160103_15.JPG
[5] PATAP_160103_18.JPG	[6] PATAP_160103_21.JPG	[7] PATAP_160103_28.JPG
[8] PATAP_160103_31.JPG	[9] PATAP_160103_38.JPG	[10] PATAP_160103_43.JPG
[11] PATAP_160103_46.JPG	[12] PATAP_160103_51.JPG	[13] PATAP_160103_57.JPG
[14] PATAP_160103_64.JPG	[15] PATAP_160103_67.JPG	[16] PATAP_160103_71.JPG
[17] PATAP_160103_76.JPG

[18] PATAP_161016_001_STITCH.JPG

[19] PATAP_161016_007.JPG	[20] PATAP_161016_010.JPG	[21] PATAP_161016_016.JPG
[22] PATAP_161016_019.JPG	[23] PATAP_161016_021.JPG	[24] PATAP_161016_024.JPG
[25] PATAP_161016_027.JPG	[26] PATAP_161016_031.JPG	[27] PATAP_161016_033.JPG
[28] PATAP_161016_037.JPG	[29] PATAP_161016_041.JPG	[30] PATAP_161016_044.JPG
[31] PATAP_161016_048.JPG	[32] PATAP_161016_053.JPG	[33] PATAP_161016_055.JPG
[34] PATAP_161016_060.JPG	[35] PATAP_161016_063.JPG	[36] PATAP_161016_066.JPG
[37] PATAP_161016_072.JPG	[38] PATAP_161016_080.JPG	[39] PATAP_161016_084.JPG
[40] PATAP_161016_085.JPG	[41] PATAP_161016_088.JPG	[42] PATAP_161016_091.JPG
[43] PATAP_161016_093.JPG	[44] PATAP_161016_096.JPG	[45] PATAP_161016_099.JPG
[46] PATAP_161016_101.JPG	[47] PATAP_161016_107.JPG	[48] PATAP_161016_111.JPG
[49] PATAP_161016_113.JPG	[50] PATAP_161016_116.JPG	[51] PATAP_161016_122.JPG
[52] PATAP_161016_124.JPG	[53] PATAP_161016_128.JPG	[54] PATAP_161016_131.JPG
[55] PATAP_161016_135.JPG	[56] PATAP_161016_136.JPG	[57] PATAP_161016_144.JPG
[58] PATAP_161016_148.JPG	[59] PATAP_161016_151.JPG	[60] PATAP_161016_154.JPG
[61] PATAP_161016_158.JPG	[62] PATAP_161016_165.JPG	[63] PATAP_161016_168.JPG
[64] PATAP_161016_169.JPG	[65] PATAP_161016_174.JPG	[66] PATAP_161016_177.JPG
[67] PATAP_161016_180.JPG	[68] PATAP_161016_183.JPG	[69] PATAP_161016_187.JPG
[70] PATAP_161016_189.JPG	[71] PATAP_161016_191.JPG	[72] PATAP_161016_194.JPG
[73] PATAP_161016_197.JPG	[74] PATAP_161016_201.JPG	[75] PATAP_161016_205.JPG
[76] PATAP_161016_207.JPG	[77] PATAP_161016_213.JPG	[78] PATAP_161016_221.JPG
[79] PATAP_161016_227.JPG	[80] PATAP_161016_231.JPG	[81] PATAP_161016_234.JPG
[82] PATAP_161016_237.JPG	[83] PATAP_161016_246.JPG	[84] PATAP_161016_251.JPG
[85] PATAP_161016_255.JPG	[86] PATAP_161016_256.JPG	[87] PATAP_161016_258.JPG
[88] PATAP_161016_262.JPG	[89] PATAP_161016_276.JPG	[90] PATAP_161016_280.JPG
[91] PATAP_161016_286.JPG	[92] PATAP_161016_296.JPG	[93] PATAP_161016_300.JPG
[94] PATAP_161016_303.JPG	[95] PATAP_161016_305.JPG	[96] PATAP_161016_309.JPG
[97] PATAP_161016_311.JPG	[98] PATAP_161016_313.JPG	[99] PATAP_161016_315.JPG
[100] PATAP_161016_320.JPG	[101] PATAP_161016_322.JPG	[102] PATAP_161016_324.JPG
[103] PATAP_161016_326.JPG	[104] PATAP_161016_328.JPG	[105] PATAP_161016_331.JPG
[106] PATAP_161016_339.JPG	[107] PATAP_161016_355.JPG	[108] PATAP_161016_358.JPG
[109] PATAP_161016_361.JPG	[110] PATAP_161016_366.JPG	[111] PATAP_161016_368.JPG
[112] PATAP_161016_371.JPG	[113] PATAP_161016_377.JPG	[114] PATAP_161016_381.JPG
[115] PATAP_161016_386.JPG	[116] PATAP_161016_388.JPG	[117] PATAP_161016_390.JPG
[118] PATAP_161016_393.JPG	[119] PATAP_161016_399.JPG	[120] PATAP_161016_402.JPG
[121] PATAP_161016_404.JPG	[122] PATAP_161016_406.JPG	[123] PATAP_161016_408.JPG
[124] PATAP_161016_410.JPG	[125] PATAP_161016_415.JPG	[126] PATAP_161016_423.JPG
[127] PATAP_161016_426.JPG	[128] PATAP_161016_429.JPG	[129] PATAP_161016_434.JPG
[130] PATAP_161016_437.JPG	[131] PATAP_161016_441.JPG	[132] PATAP_161016_443.JPG
[133] PATAP_161016_448.JPG	[134] PATAP_161016_450.JPG	[135] PATAP_161016_452.JPG
[136] PATAP_161016_454.JPG	[137] PATAP_161016_456.JPG	[138] PATAP_161016_459.JPG
[139] PATAP_161016_461.JPG	[140] PATAP_161016_463.JPG	[141] PATAP_161016_467.JPG
[142] PATAP_161016_471.JPG	[143] PATAP_161016_476.JPG	[144] PATAP_161016_484.JPG
[145] PATAP_161016_486.JPG

Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. PATAP_161016_007.JPG: A Rural Vacation Spot Beginning in 1873, the picturesque Viaduct Station Hotel complimented the Thomas Viaduct. The Viaduct Hotel was built in the town of Relay as a rural vacation spot and a comfortable place for passengers to change trains. The hotel was a forerunner of many notable station hotels constructed by the B&O and other railroads. Designed by B&O architect E. Francis Baldwin, the station's gothic architecture with extravagant stonework, grand towers and many windows belied its modest size. An exquisite Victorian garden adorned the station's exterior. The town of Relay proved to be a poor location for such a magnificent structure. By the 1870s, Relay had ceased to be a major interchange point for intercity passenger trains. Though the station attracted a trickle of vacationers, by the 20th century it was used primarily for employee housing, offices and storage. It was demolished in 1950. "The station was the showplace of the line; many people, overwhelmed by the scenery and the clear air, stayed in the comfortable Viaduct Hotel all summer. Near by was a large park, a beautiful garden filled with shrubs and flowers and shade trees. usually that area was quiet and serene, but on the Fourth it was transformed into a combination carnival and county fair." -- John Randolph Stidman, Baltimore Sun, June 28, 1953. The McCartney Monument stands near the location of the former Viaduct Hotel. Erected in June 1835 by contractor John McCartney, this obelisk commemorates the extraordinary effort that went into building the Thomas Viaduct.
2. PATAP_161016_010.JPG: Masterpiece of the Early B&O Railroad Before you stands the Thomas Viaduct, named after Philip E. Thomas, the first president of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. This unique bridge has become an enduring symbol of the B&O Railroad and the Patapsco Valley, surviving several floods and outlasting many modern structures. In 1833, B&O engineers sough to build a first-class railroad line with gentle curves and low grades from Baltimore to Washington D.C. Spanning the cavernous Patapsco Valley was a formidable challenge. Benjamin Latrobe, Jr. not only met this obstacle, but designed an engineering marvel. Completed in July 1835, the Thomas Viaduct was among the largest stone-arched bridges in the world. The 704 foot curved bridge is 66 feet high and connects Relay to Elkridge on eight elliptical arches. Though critics thought it incapable of bearing its own weight, the viaduct not only carried the first steam locomotives, but also continues to support modern-day trains. The Real Heroes: Hundreds of immigrant workers built the Thomas Viaduct under the hard-driven direction of John McCartney. Working for low wages and living in improvise shantytowns, the laborers used hand tools, wheelbarrows, primitive pulleys, along with sweat and muscles to hoist 63,000 tons of granite into place. Several workers were killed building the Thomas Viaduct. Civil War Chokepoint: Prior to 1872, the B&O's Washington Branch was the federal capital's only direct rail and telegraph link with the North. During the Civil War, protecting this connection proved critical to the Union war effort. To discourage Confederate raiders and saboteurs, Union troops began a four-year occupation of Relay and Elkridge in 1861 to protect the railroad. Union General Benjamin F. Butler used the camp at Relay as a staging area for his occupation of Baltimore's Federal Hill, securing the city for the Union.
3. PATAP_161016_016.JPG: The Real Heroes: Hundreds of immigrant workers built the Thomas Viaduct under the hard-driven direction of John McCartney. Working for low wages and living in improvise shantytowns, the laborers used hand tools, wheelbarrows, primitive pulleys, along with sweat and muscles to hoist 63,000 tons of granite into place. Several workers were killed building the Thomas Viaduct.
4. PATAP_161016_019.JPG: Civil War Chokepoint: Prior to 1872, the B&O's Washington Branch was the federal capital's only direct rail and telegraph link with the North. During the Civil War, protecting this connection proved critical to the Union war effort. To discourage Confederate raiders and saboteurs, Union troops began a four-year occupation of Relay and Elkridge in 1861 to protect the railroad. Union General Benjamin F. Butler used the camp at Relay as a staging area for his occupation of Baltimore's Federal Hill, securing the city for the Union.
5. PATAP_161016_027.JPG: A Walk Through Time
6. PATAP_161016_031.JPG: Welcome to the Avalon Visitor Center in Patapsco Valley State Park, a Chesapeake Bay Gateways Site. The visitor center is housed in an 1820s stone home from the company-owned iron town of Avalon. Inside you will find exhibits with unusual historic photos of the Patapsco Valley's past, and see the connections between this valley and the Chesapeake Bay. The center provides trail maps, book sales and additional park information. The level 0.1-mile path to the visitor center meanders through woods and open fields. Along the way, discover clues and stories about the iron industry, as well as more modern enterprises that harnessed the resources of the Patapsco Valley prior to the beginning of the state park. Look for remnants of structures built centuries before. Wayside signs uncover the mysteries of these sites. From this location you can also access the 2.8-mile mostly level Patapsco Heritage Trail. On the trail you will discover how and why people have transformed this valley from forestland to farming and industry, and then back to forestland. Continue your exploration of the Chesapeake Bay's stories at other Gateway Sites in the Baltimore region. Gwynns Falls Trail and Greenway, and Gunpowder Falls State Park are related heritage sites.
7. PATAP_161016_041.JPG: A Place For Progress "Along this section of the valley, where once the vibrant hum of a thriving industry could be heard... now the silence of the tomb prevails. The gods of progress direct its movements in mysterious ways." -- L.S. LeRendu, W.J. Dickey & Sons employee. When European settlers discovered the Patapsco Valley, they found a source of untamed beauty rich in resources. Susquehannock and Pscataway Indians hunted and fished the valley full of elk, black bear, bison, gray wolves and deer. The white settlers also saw the valley's fertile and iron rich soil, fast-flowing streams, and deep shipping channels that led to Chesapeake Bay and beyond. Here emerged Maryland's industrial revolution. Beginning in the lat 1700s, the valley erupted into activity with iron, paper, grist (flour) and textile mills. Entrepreneurs dammed the river and diverted its flow to water wheels that turned machinery - grinding wheat into flour and transforming cotton fibers into cloth. The landscape changed; companies carved out factories and villages along the hollows and steep hillsides. In the struggle for progress, entrepreneurs learned that unbridled use of natural resources came with consequences. As trees were cut from the hillside, soil eroded into the river, clogging shipping channels and millraces. Chemicals and sewage tainted drinking water and poisoned wildlife. Floods and fires persistently threatened the valley's factories. Soon, new technology freed their dependence on waterpower, allowing many to relocate upland. People learned that progress meant conserving and restoring natural resources. This realization led to the establishment of the Patapsco Forest Reserve (now Patapsco Valley State Park), Maryland's first state park, in 1907. Today, the park manages its resources to benefit people, wildlife and the environment as the call of progress summons onward.
8. PATAP_161016_044.JPG: Scene of the Patapsco Valley looking upriver from Ilchester in 1859
9. PATAP_161016_048.JPG: A Place For Progress "Along this section of the valley, where once the vibrant hum of a thriving industry could be heard... now the silence of the tomb prevails. The gods of progress direct its movements in mysterious ways." -- L.S. LeRendu, W.J. Dickey & Sons employee. When European settlers discovered the Patapsco Valley, they found a source of untamed beauty rich in resources. Susquehannock and Pscataway Indians hunted and fished the valley full of elk, black bear, bison, gray wolves and deer. The white settlers also saw the valley's fertile and iron rich soil, fast-flowing streams, and deep shipping channels that led to Chesapeake Bay and beyond. Here emerged Maryland's industrial revolution. Beginning in the lat 1700s, the valley erupted into activity with iron, paper, grist (flour) and textile mills. Entrepreneurs dammed the river and diverted its flow to water wheels that turned machinery - grinding wheat into flour and transforming cotton fibers into cloth. The landscape changed; companies carved out factories and villages along the hollows and steep hillsides. In the struggle for progress, entrepreneurs learned that unbridled use of natural resources came with consequences. As trees were cut from the hillside, soil eroded into the river, clogging shipping channels and millraces. Chemicals and sewage tainted drinking water and poisoned wildlife. Floods and fires persistently threatened the valley's factories. Soon, new technology freed their dependence on waterpower, allowing many to relocate upland. People learned that progress meant conserving and restoring natural resources. This realization led to the establishment of the Patapsco Forest Reserve (now Patapsco Valley State Park), Maryland's first state park, in 1907. Today, the park manages its resources to benefit people, wildlife and the environment as the call of progress summons onward.
10. PATAP_161016_060.JPG: Iron Builds America When European settlers discovered the Patapsco Valley, they found a source of untamed beauty rich in resources. Susquehannock and Pscataway Indians hunted and fished the valley full of elk, black bear, bison, gray wolves and deer. The white settlers also saw the valley's fertile and iron rich soil, fast-flowing streams, and deep shipping channels that led to Chesapeake Bay and beyond. Here emerged Maryland's industrial revolution. Beginning in the lat 1700s, the valley erupted into activity with iron, paper, grist (flour) and textile mills. Entrepreneurs dammed the river and diverted its flow to water wheels that turned machinery - grinding wheat into flour and hammering iron into tools. The landscape changed - companies carved out factories and villages along the hollows and steep hillsides. Factory employees lived in modest homes built by the company and paid rent to their employer. The towns often included a company-owned store, school and church. The area in which you are standing was the heart of an early 1800s iron-milling town. During the colonial period, raw pig iron was shipped from Elkridge to England in exchange for British-made products. As the American Revolution neared, America's infant industries began to make products to be used in America. On this site Caleb Dorsey's iron forge made musket parts for the American militia, and the Ellicott's Avalon Iron & Nail Works made rails for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. These industries helped win America's independence and ignite Maryland's industrialization.
11. PATAP_161016_063.JPG: Iron Builds America When European settlers discovered the Patapsco Valley, they found a source of untamed beauty rich in resources. Susquehannock and Pscataway Indians hunted and fished the valley full of elk, black bear, bison, gray wolves and deer. The white settlers also saw the valley's fertile and iron rich soil, fast-flowing streams, and deep shipping channels that led to Chesapeake Bay and beyond. Here emerged Maryland's industrial revolution. Beginning in the lat 1700s, the valley erupted into activity with iron, paper, grist (flour) and textile mills. Entrepreneurs dammed the river and diverted its flow to water wheels that turned machinery - grinding wheat into flour and hammering iron into tools. The landscape changed - companies carved out factories and villages along the hollows and steep hillsides. Factory employees lived in modest homes built by the company and paid rent to their employer. The towns often included a company-owned store, school and church. The area in which you are standing was the heart of an early 1800s iron-milling town. During the colonial period, raw pig iron was shipped from Elkridge to England in exchange for British-made products. As the American Revolution neared, America's infant industries began to make products to be used in America. On this site Caleb Dorsey's iron forge made musket parts for the American militia, and the Ellicott's Avalon Iron & Nail Works made rails for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. These industries helped win America's independence and ignite Maryland's industrialization.
12. PATAP_161016_066.JPG: Powering the Patapso Valley's Industries This inconspicuous ditch is a remnant of the Avalon millrace. Originally dug in the 1700s, it supplied water from the Patapsco River to Dorsey's Forge. The millrace later served the Avalon Iron & Nail Works and the Baltimore County Water & Electric Company. Waterpower made the Patapsco Valley's industrial development possible. Mills and factories harnessed the river's waterpower by damming the river and channeling the water into a canal or "millrace." The millrace created a steady water flow that poured over a waterwheel or into a turbine. In a mill, the water whee turned a gear shaft that operated machinery. At Avalon, waterpower was used to lift and lower a hammer that pounded pig iron into bars for nails and other implements. Waterpower also opened and closed a bellows in Dorsey's Forge. The bellows fanned air into the iron forge's fire, making it hotter. More advanced facilities employed a millrace to provide water for a stationary steam engine. Close proximity to the river left mills and factories exposed to seasonal floods. With the advent of electric power in the late 1800s, many companies found waterpower unnecessary. During the 1900s, most industries abandoned the river. Some businesses closed forever following a major fire or flood, while others built new facilities on higher groun outside the Patapsco Valley.
13. PATAP_161016_072.JPG: Powering the Patapso Valley's Industries This inconspicuous ditch is a remnant of the Avalon millrace. Originally dug in the 1700s, it supplied water from the Patapsco River to Dorsey's Forge. The millrace later served the Avalon Iron & Nail Works and the Baltimore County Water & Electric Company. Waterpower made the Patapsco Valley's industrial development possible. Mills and factories harnessed the river's waterpower by damming the river and channeling the water into a canal or "millrace." The millrace created a steady water flow that poured over a waterwheel or into a turbine. In a mill, the water whee turned a gear shaft that operated machinery. At Avalon, waterpower was used to lift and lower a hammer that pounded pig iron into bars for nails and other implements. Waterpower also opened and closed a bellows in Dorsey's Forge. The bellows fanned air into the iron forge's fire, making it hotter. More advanced facilities employed a millrace to provide water for a stationary steam engine. Close proximity to the river left mills and factories exposed to seasonal floods. With the advent of electric power in the late 1800s, many companies found waterpower unnecessary. During the 1900s, most industries abandoned the river. Some businesses closed forever following a major fire or flood, while others built new facilities on higher groun outside the Patapsco Valley.
14. PATAP_161016_084.JPG: Forging Freedom and Nails Dorsey's Forge (1761-1815): "At that time there were two Negroes belonging to Edward H. Dorsey, a Negro man called Prince, who was a forgeman, and a Negro man called Sam who was a striker in a Blacksmith shop." -- Maryland Chancery Papers, May 17, 1787. An abundance of iron ore, trees, oysters shells and running water encouraged some tobacco planters of the 1700s to invest in iron making - the Patapsco Valley's first industry. On this site in 1761, Caleb Dorsey established an iron forge - a water-powered mill that worked iron into marketable products such as horseshoes, shove spades, and nails. Chronic labor shortages forced Dorsey to transfer several black slaves from his tobacco fields to the iron mill. More skilled that field slaves, Dorsey's iron slaves were given the "opportunity" to earn money by doing extra work. Despite this concession, it still took a Herculean effort to take advantage of Dorsey's "opportunity." In June 1764, for example, one slave earned 7 pounds for cutting 67 cords of wood. Though some slaves thrived under Dorsey's "overwork system," others sought freedom by saving their money and running away. According to the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser May 29, 1781, when another slave ran away, he had "plenty of money with him." Avalon Iron & Nail Works (1815-1868): In 1815, Dorsey's Forge was sold to the Ellicott family, who renamed the mill "Avalon." Employing over 100 workers and no slaves, the Ellicotts transformed the forge into a nail factory. A small company-owned town of several houses, a general store, a church and (later) a train station emerge around the mill. The Avalon Visitor Center is one of the town's two surviving buildings. The other is private property. Text with upper left drawing: (Illustration by Brian Albright, 2006). Timeline: 1755 - Caleb Dorsey establishes Elk Ridge Furnace 1761 - Caleb Dorsey establishes Dorsey's Forge 1775 - William Whetcroft leases mill to forge musket parts 1777 - Nail manufacturing begins 1815 - Benjamin and James Ellicott purchase forge, rename it Avalon 1820 - Mill operates 24 nail making machines 1848 - John McCrone purchases mill 1856 - Avalon mill produces 44,000 kegs of nails 1868 - Flood destroys mill
15. PATAP_161016_085.JPG: Forging Freedom and Nails Dorsey's Forge (1761-1815): "At that time there were two Negroes belonging to Edward H. Dorsey, a Negro man called Prince, who was a forgeman, and a Negro man called Sam who was a striker in a Blacksmith shop." -- Maryland Chancery Papers, May 17, 1787. An abundance of iron ore, trees, oysters shells and running water encouraged some tobacco planters of the 1700s to invest in iron making - the Patapsco Valley's first industry. On this site in 1761, Caleb Dorsey established an iron forge - a water-powered mill that worked iron into marketable products such as horseshoes, shove spades, and nails. Chronic labor shortages forced Dorsey to transfer several black slaves from his tobacco fields to the iron mill. More skilled that field slaves, Dorsey's iron slaves were given the "opportunity" to earn money by doing extra work. Despite this concession, it still took a Herculean effort to take advantage of Dorsey's "opportunity." In June 1764, for example, one slave earned 7 pounds for cutting 67 cords of wood. Though some slaves thrived under Dorsey's "overwork system," others sought freedom by saving their money and running away. According to the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser May 29, 1781, when another slave ran away, he had "plenty of money with him." Avalon Iron & Nail Works (1815-1868): In 1815, Dorsey's Forge was sold to the Ellicott family, who renamed the mill "Avalon." Employing over 100 workers and no slaves, the Ellicotts transformed the forge into a nail factory. A small company-owned town of several houses, a general store, a church and (later) a train station emerge around the mill. The Avalon Visitor Center is one of the town's two surviving buildings. The other is private property. Text with upper left drawing: (Illustration by Brian Albright, 2006). Timeline: 1755 - Caleb Dorsey establishes Elk Ridge Furnace 1761 - Caleb Dorsey establishes Dorsey's Forge 1775 - William Whetcroft leases mill to forge musket parts 1777 - Nail manufacturing begins 1815 - Benjamin and James Ellicott purchase forge, rename it Avalon 1820 - Mill operates 24 nail making machines 1848 - John McCrone purchases mill 1856 - Avalon mill produces 44,000 kegs of nails 1868 - Flood destroys mill
16. PATAP_161016_096.JPG: The Visitor Center is located in a 185 year-old stone house, the only remaining Avalon house that survived the 1868 flood. The Avalon site was improved by Victor G. Bloede to become the Avalon Water Works in 1910. Remnants of the Water Works remain today.
17. PATAP_161016_101.JPG: Drinking Water for the Public Demands for cleaner drinking water in Baltimore City and County compelled Catonsville banker and philanthropist Victor G. Bloede to organize and Baltimore County Water & Electric Company in 1909. In 1910, Bloede's company purchased the abandoned Avalon Iron & Nail Works and build a water filtration plant on the site. A large brick building housed the pumping machinery, and concrete holding ponds settle dirt and debris out of the water. The remnants of the holding ponds are still visible. Water purified at the filtration plant was pumped into southwestern Baltimore City and County. Bloede organized his company at a time when people were learning the value of natural resource conservation. Following the industrial revolution, resources were scarce. Citizens needed clean drinking water, industries needed power, towns were turning to water-generated electricity. Pollution, erosion, and sedimentation threatened regular clean water supply. Fortunately, the Maryland Forestry Board organized in 1906 to help address these issues. Patapsco Forest Reserve, which became Patapsco Valley State Park, began in 1907 with goals to plant trees and reforest the riverbanks. Tree roots hold soil in place, reducing erosion and sedimentation. Trees also filter water and absorb pollutants that run into the river with rainwater. People today still rely upon the Patapsco River for clean drinking water. Baltimore residents drink water from the river collected in Liberty Reservoir.
18. PATAP_161016_107.JPG: Drinking Water for the Public Demands for cleaner drinking water in Baltimore City and County compelled Catonsville banker and philanthropist Victor G. Bloede to organize and Baltimore County Water & Electric Company in 1909. In 1910, Bloede's company purchased the abandoned Avalon Iron & Nail Works and build a water filtration plant on the site. A large brick building housed the pumping machinery, and concrete holding ponds settle dirt and debris out of the water. The remnants of the holding ponds are still visible. Water purified at the filtration plant was pumped into southwestern Baltimore City and County. Bloede organized his company at a time when people were learning the value of natural resource conservation. Following the industrial revolution, resources were scarce. Citizens needed clean drinking water, industries needed power, towns were turning to water-generated electricity. Pollution, erosion, and sedimentation threatened regular clean water supply. Fortunately, the Maryland Forestry Board organized in 1906 to help address these issues. Patapsco Forest Reserve, which became Patapsco Valley State Park, began in 1907 with goals to plant trees and reforest the riverbanks. Tree roots hold soil in place, reducing erosion and sedimentation. Trees also filter water and absorb pollutants that run into the river with rainwater. People today still rely upon the Patapsco River for clean drinking water. Baltimore residents drink water from the river collected in Liberty Reservoir.
19. PATAP_161016_111.JPG: The Avalon Dam ca 1910
20. PATAP_161016_124.JPG: A Mighty Purpose The peaceful pond before you once had fruitful purpose besides beauty and recreation. Imagine the pond filling with water from the river that was diverted by a dam, while simultaneously the pond drained into a millrace. This millpond and millrace channeled water to Dorsey's Iron Forge, and later served the Avalon Iron & Nail Works and the Baltimore County Water & Electric Company. The pond became a reservoir that supplied drinking water to city residents. Entrepreneurs harnessed the forceful Patapsco River here and in many other spots to power industries from the mid-18th to the early 20th centuries. Waterpower made the Patapsco Valley's industrial development possible. Look across the river for remnants of the Avalon Dam. It appears to be a crumbling stone wall. Then follow the footpath downriver from the pond and trace the millrace to Avalon where you can discover how these industries used the water and its power.
21. PATAP_161016_128.JPG: The peaceful pond before you once had fruitful purpose besides beauty and recreation. Imagine the pond filling with water from the river that was diverted by a dam, while simultaneously the pond drained into a millrace. This millpond and millrace channeled water to Dorsey's Iron Forge, and later served the Avalon Iron & Nail Works and the Baltimore County Water & Electric Company. The pond became a reservoir that supplied drinking water to city residents. Entrepreneurs harnessed the forceful Patapsco River here and in many other spots to power industries from the mid-18th to the early 20th centuries. Waterpower made the Patapsco Valley's industrial development possible. Look across the river for remnants of the Avalon Dam. It appears to be a crumbling stone wall. Then follow the footpath downriver from the pond and trace the millrace to Avalon where you can discover how these industries used the water and its power.
22. PATAP_161016_148.JPG: Grist Mill Trail
23. PATAP_161016_151.JPG: Please Use Caution Due to the catastrophic flooding event in Ellicott City, a large amount of debris washed into the Patapsco River. Efforts are underway to clean up and remove the debris in and on the banks of the river.
24. PATAP_161016_177.JPG: The Destructive Power of the Patapsco "[Rainfall] nearly all night with a violent gale of wind. This morning the river begins to rise. The rain pours down furiously all day. The river in a freshet, rising all the time... At night the waters very high, threatening mischief to our works." -- John Pendleton Kennedy, 1859. Washed here by Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972, these truck tanker remains are a testament to the Patapsco River's flooding power. That spring, the water rose 30 ft., scattering trees and cars, gutting houses and buildings and leaving the floodplains mostly barren. Small seasonal floods are part of the river's natural cycle. Larger floods, such as in 1972, occur less often, about once every 100 years. A floodplain constantly undergoes disturbance and regrowth. A succession of plants, shrubs and trees revegetate the landscape. Notice how trees near the river are younger and some bend downstream. While flooding is part of the river's ecology, humans have accelerated the natural process by clearing trees and paving watershed land. Forest cover soaks up rainwater and releases it into streams slowly. Impervious surfaces such as asphalt increase rainwater runoff, which leads to more erosion. People have learned to place houses and businesses on higher ground. In the 1800s, the Patapsco Valley was strewn with industries and homes. People lived and worked along the river, while areas beyond the valley were forested or farmed. Today the river is partially protected by Patapsco Valley State Park as a forest buffer, while the surrounding land is developed. Efforts continue to complete a continuous buffer and add additional environmentally sensitive areas to the Park.
25. PATAP_161016_180.JPG: The Destructive Power of the Patapsco "[Rainfall] nearly all night with a violent gale of wind. This morning the river begins to rise. The rain pours down furiously all day. The river in a freshet, rising all the time... At night the waters very high, threatening mischief to our works." -- John Pendleton Kennedy, 1859. Washed here by Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972, these truck tanker remains are a testament to the Patapsco River's flooding power. That spring, the water rose 30 ft., scattering trees and cars, gutting houses and buildings and leaving the floodplains mostly barren. Small seasonal floods are part of the river's natural cycle. Larger floods, such as in 1972, occur less often, about once every 100 years. A floodplain constantly undergoes disturbance and regrowth. A succession of plants, shrubs and trees revegetate the landscape. Notice how trees near the river are younger and some bend downstream. While flooding is part of the river's ecology, humans have accelerated the natural process by clearing trees and paving watershed land. Forest cover soaks up rainwater and releases it into streams slowly. Impervious surfaces such as asphalt increase rainwater runoff, which leads to more erosion. People have learned to place houses and businesses on higher ground. In the 1800s, the Patapsco Valley was strewn with industries and homes. People lived and worked along the river, while areas beyond the valley were forested or farmed. Today the river is partially protected by Patapsco Valley State Park as a forest buffer, while the surrounding land is developed. Efforts continue to complete a continuous buffer and add additional environmentally sensitive areas to the Park.
26. PATAP_161016_183.JPG: Two photos of Avalon Dam in 1972
27. PATAP_161016_187.JPG: Damage to Ilchester area in 1868
28. PATAP_161016_191.JPG: Four photos of the damage in 1972
29. PATAP_161016_194.JPG: Ellicott Mills in 1868
30. PATAP_161016_201.JPG: I really hate dog owners who bag the poop and then leave the plastic bag out there. So, folks, the correct behavior in the bathroom includes both wiping and flushing, not just leaving the crap out there!
31. PATAP_161016_246.JPG: Please Use Caution: Due to the catastrophic flooding event in Ellicott City, a large amount of debris washed into the Patapsco River. Efforts are underway to clean up and remove the debris in and on the banks of the river.
32. PATAP_161016_251.JPG: Patapsco Superlative: "The Premiere Flour" "Any Monday morning one could hear the beginnings of the stir of activity as the heavy machinery in the mill started to move, gather speed and settle into a steady rhythmic rumble which was maintained at the same rate day and night until five o'clock of the following Saturday." -- Thomas Phillips, former mill employee. The ruins before you are the remains of the Orange Grove flourmill of the C.A. Gambrills Manufacturing Company. Built as a modest gristmill in 1856, the mill became "the largest flour mill east of Minneapolis" by 1900. At its peak the mill produced between 1,200 to 1,500 barrels of flour a day. Perched on a hillside between the B&O Railroad and the Patapsco River, the factory complex was ultimately comprised of an eight-story grain elevator, a six-story mill and a powerhouse. The grain elevator stored wheat and used gravity to feed grain into the mill's "rollers." The rollers ground the wheat into flour. The flour was then "bolted" (or cleaned) and packed and loaded into boxcars. Beginning in 1872, a stationary steam engine powered the mill. Railroad hopper cars dropped coal into the powerhouse through the shoot that is still visible at the top of the hill. A fire destroyed the mill on May 1, 1905. In addition, most remnants of the mill were destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. All that is visible today are parts of the stone retaining walls.
33. PATAP_161016_255.JPG: Mill workers lived in a small company-owned community across the river and crossed the swinging bridge to reach the factory.
34. PATAP_161016_258.JPG: Patapsco Superlative: "The Premiere Flour" "Any Monday morning one could hear the beginnings of the stir of activity as the heavy machinery in the mill started to move, gather speed and settle into a steady rhythmic rumble which was maintained at the same rate day and night until five o'clock of the following Saturday." -- Thomas Phillips, former mill employee. The ruins before you are the remains of the Orange Grove flourmill of the C.A. Gambrills Manufacturing Company. Built as a modest gristmill in 1856, the mill became "the largest flour mill east of Minneapolis" by 1900. At its peak the mill produced between 1,200 to 1,500 barrels of flour a day. Perched on a hillside between the B&O Railroad and the Patapsco River, the factory complex was ultimately comprised of an eight-story grain elevator, a six-story mill and a powerhouse. The grain elevator stored wheat and used gravity to feed grain into the mill's "rollers." The rollers ground the wheat into flour. The flour was then "bolted" (or cleaned) and packed and loaded into boxcars. Beginning in 1872, a stationary steam engine powered the mill. Railroad hopper cars dropped coal into the powerhouse through the shoot that is still visible at the top of the hill. A fire destroyed the mill on May 1, 1905. In addition, most remnants of the mill were destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. All that is visible today are parts of the stone retaining walls.
35. PATAP_161016_300.JPG: Besley Demonstration Campsite Recreational camping on Maryland's public lands began near this spot about 1916. Maryland's first state forester, Fred W. Besley, encouraged the public to participate in outdoor recreation on state forest lands in an effort to foster an appreciation for forest conservation, and to gain public support for acquiring more forest and park lands. To set an example, Besley and his family camped at the Cascade Falls area of Patapsco State Forest Reserve during the summer months. This site proved an attractive venue for Baltimore City residents, launching the tradition of recreational camping on state forest and park lands.
36. PATAP_161016_305.JPG: Back to Nature in the Patapsco Valley "[On] any weekend [you] will find from 20 to 25 of our faithful band of Gypsies enjoying nature to its fullest extent ... Enjoying watching the change in foliage from week to week, taking dips in the old Patapsco river in spite of frost, getting up at 4 A. M. to watch the daybreak, walking eight miles to church in the morning and chopping wood, preparing meals, washing dishes and taking trips through the reserve during the day." -- The Baltimore Sun, October 29, 1916 While the Patapsco Valley had proved well-suited for industrial development in the 18th and 19th centuries, it has proved ideal for recreational use in the 20th and 21st centuries. The Patapsco Valley's transformation into a public park began in 1907 when Catonsville resident John M. Glenn donated 43 acres of his Hilton Estate to the Maryland State Board of Forestry. State Forester Fred W. Besley recognized the valley's potential as a public park. By promoting the Patapsco as a park, he hoped to lure Baltimore residents out of their hot row homes into the cooler, tree-covered river valley. He hoped to show them firsthand the benefits of forest conservation, and he chose to do it right here in Orange Grove, along the Cascade Branch that tumbles down the hill before you. By 1913, families were riding the railroad or driving on backcountry roads to picnic and camp near the river. Some visited for an afternoon, others roughed it for six months. Anyone could camp in the park for free, provided they observed the strict fire regulations and registered with the State Forester's Office, or the B&O railroad. From these humble origins sprang Patapsco Valley State Park, Maryland's first state park.
37. PATAP_161016_309.JPG: Back to Nature in the Patapsco Valley "[On] any weekend [you] will find from 20 to 25 of our faithful band of Gypsies enjoying nature to its fullest extent ... Enjoying watching the change in foliage from week to week, taking dips in the old Patapsco river in spite of frost, getting up at 4 A. M. to watch the daybreak, walking eight miles to church in the morning and chopping wood, preparing meals, washing dishes and taking trips through the reserve during the day." -- The Baltimore Sun, October 29, 1916 While the Patapsco Valley had proved well-suited for industrial development in the 18th and 19th centuries, it has proved ideal for recreational use in the 20th and 21st centuries. The Patapsco Valley's transformation into a public park began in 1907 when Catonsville resident John M. Glenn donated 43 acres of his Hilton Estate to the Maryland State Board of Forestry. State Forester Fred W. Besley recognized the valley's potential as a public park. By promoting the Patapsco as a park, he hoped to lure Baltimore residents out of their hot row homes into the cooler, tree-covered river valley. He hoped to show them firsthand the benefits of forest conservation, and he chose to do it right here in Orange Grove, along the Cascade Branch that tumbles down the hill before you. By 1913, families were riding the railroad or driving on backcountry roads to picnic and camp near the river. Some visited for an afternoon, others roughed it for six months. Anyone could camp in the park for free, provided they observed the strict fire regulations and registered with the State Forester's Office, or the B&O railroad. From these humble origins sprang Patapsco Valley State Park, Maryland's first state park.
38. PATAP_161016_313.JPG: "[On] any weekend [you] will find from 20 to 25 of our faithful band of Gypsies enjoying nature to its fullest extent ... Enjoying watching the change in foliage from week to week, taking dips in the old Patapsco river in spite of frost, getting up at 4 A. M. to watch the daybreak, walking eight miles to church in the morning and chopping wood, preparing meals, washing dishes and taking trips through the reserve during the day." -- The Baltimore Sun, October 29, 1916
39. PATAP_161016_315.JPG: Orange Grove: A Small Neighborly Community "Life was quite and serene. The difference between then and now much like the difference between the raucous blare of the Diesel horn and friendly warmth of the whistle on a distant locomotive." -- Thomas Phillips, Orange Grove in 1900 Orange Grove was once home to more than a dozen flour mill workers and their families. Prior to 1905, nine houses and an combination one-room church/school lined the river. Cows grazed in the pasture where the pavilion now stands, each home owned by Patapsco Flour Mill Company, which operated a mill across the river. Neighbors gathered at the village water pump not only to collect drinking water, but also to exchange news. The minister, teacher, doctor, butcher, and produce grocer traveled on foot, horseback or horse-drawn wagon to service the community or sell their wares. Of the town's 41 people in 1900, 19 were children. Thomas Phillips, who grew up here, reminisces how the river valley was a magnificent playground with opportunities for mischief and fun. Children enjoyed snow-sledding and ice skating on the lake created by the mill's dam. One of the favored pastimes was "chestnut hunting." As you wander through the park today, imagine the different sights, sounds and smells of Orange Grove when it was a mill town.
40. PATAP_161016_320.JPG: Orange Grove: A Small Neighborly Community "Life was quite and serene. The difference between then and now much like the difference between the raucous blare of the Diesel horn and friendly warmth of the whistle on a distant locomotive." -- Thomas Phillips, Orange Grove in 1900 Orange Grove was once home to more than a dozen flour mill workers and their families. Prior to 1905, nine houses and an combination one-room church/school lined the river. Cows grazed in the pasture where the pavilion now stands, each home owned by Patapsco Flour Mill Company, which operated a mill across the river. Neighbors gathered at the village water pump not only to collect drinking water, but also to exchange news. The minister, teacher, doctor, butcher, and produce grocer traveled on foot, horseback or horse-drawn wagon to service the community or sell their wares. Of the town's 41 people in 1900, 19 were children. Thomas Phillips, who grew up here, reminisces how the river valley was a magnificent playground with opportunities for mischief and fun. Children enjoyed snow-sledding and ice skating on the lake created by the mill's dam. One of the favored pastimes was "chestnut hunting." As you wander through the park today, imagine the different sights, sounds and smells of Orange Grove when it was a mill town.
41. PATAP_161016_322.JPG: Orange Grove town and mill viewed from downstream
42. PATAP_161016_324.JPG: The Cascade Inn, one of the homes in Orange Grove, was once used as the park's headquarters.
43. PATAP_161016_326.JPG: One of the homes owned by the Orange Grove Flour Mill Company
44. PATAP_161016_366.JPG: Building America's First Railroad "There was a man killed yesterday by a fall from the centre of the 1st arch [of the Thomas Viaduct]... What a sympathy there is between these rough men. It was affecting to see his fellow laborers dressed in their best, going in a body to escort him a part of the way upon his long journey." -- Benjamin Latrobe, Jr., October 14, 1834. Barney Dougherty was one of many laborers to die during the arduous process of building the Baltimore & Ohio, America's first railroad. Building the railroad proved rigorous and dangerous. Living in improvised camps near the tracks, the laborers worked from sunrise to sunset for a meager $8 to $15 a month in unsanitary conditions. The construction gangs, who were Irish and German immigrants, free blacks, and native-born Americans, sometimes faces corrupt contractors and ethnic rivalries. For the B&O's engineers, railroad building was an experiment of trial and error. Due to differences in terrain, the B&O altered the existing British design to create a distinctively American railroad. In the late 1820's, laborers laid parallel rose of granite blocks four and one-half feet apart between Relay and Ellicott Mills. The blocks provided the base upon which iron strap rail was fastened. This "stone railroad" proved too cumbersome and costly to build. Ultimately, wooden stringers and ties, ancestors of the modern railroad track, became the preferred track structure. Some granite stringers that remain from the 1800's have been used to build bridges and retaining walls along this trail. On the wall before you, look for the impression of iron rails that have worn into the rectangular blocks by years of grinding rail traffic.
45. PATAP_161016_368.JPG: Building America's First Railroad "There was a man killed yesterday by a fall from the centre of the 1st arch [of the Thomas Viaduct]... What a sympathy there is between these rough men. It was affecting to see his fellow laborers dressed in their best, going in a body to escort him a part of the way upon his long journey." -- Benjamin Latrobe, Jr., October 14, 1834. Barney Dougherty was one of many laborers to die during the arduous process of building the Baltimore & Ohio, America's first railroad. Building the railroad proved rigorous and dangerous. Living in improvised camps near the tracks, the laborers worked from sunrise to sunset for a meager $8 to $15 a month in unsanitary conditions. The construction gangs, who were Irish and German immigrants, free blacks, and native-born Americans, sometimes faces corrupt contractors and ethnic rivalries. For the B&O's engineers, railroad building was an experiment of trial and error. Due to differences in terrain, the B&O altered the existing British design to create a distinctively American railroad. In the late 1820's, laborers laid parallel rose of granite blocks four and one-half feet apart between Relay and Ellicott Mills. The blocks provided the base upon which iron strap rail was fastened. This "stone railroad" proved too cumbersome and costly to build. Ultimately, wooden stringers and ties, ancestors of the modern railroad track, became the preferred track structure. Some granite stringers that remain from the 1800's have been used to build bridges and retaining walls along this trail. On the wall before you, look for the impression of iron rails that have worn into the rectangular blocks by years of grinding rail traffic.
46. PATAP_161016_371.JPG: Drawings illustrating the various modes of constructing and laying down a railway as adopted and used by the B&O RR Co. on different sections of their railroad.
47. PATAP_161016_377.JPG: An illustration showing the stringers at Buzzard's Rock
48. PATAP_161016_393.JPG: The River Makes Electricity Bloede Dame The Patapsco Electric & Manufacturing Company, organized by Victor Gustav Bloede, harnessed the river's waterpower to generate electricity. Completed in 1907, the Bloede Dam furnished electricity for Ellicott City, Catonsville, Carroll, Halethorpe, Arbutus, St. Denis, Elkridge, and parts west of Baltimore until 1924. Bloede's company needed an innovative design that would not flood large areas upstream. They built the turbines and generating equipment inside a small dam, making Bloede Dam the world's first submerged hydroelectric plant. This cutting edge design has highly efficient in producing electricity. While the dam's design solved one problem, it created another. Water intakes in the wall of the dam quickly became clogged with silt, because erosion of soil from the tree-less hillsides surrounding the river made the river run muddy. Tree roots help hold soil in place, especially on steep terrain. Bloede became aware of the need to reforest the Patapsco Valley for his company to provide electricity to local residents, an indication that a conservationist mindset was growing among Baltimore's urban leaders. The Patapsco Forest Reserve, which is now Patapsco Valley State Park, was established in 1907 to begin reforestation. "The steep slopes along the river that have been cultivated in years past have largely contributed to the accumulation of silt which has collected behind the dams" forcing operators to expend "large sums of money for dredging." -- F.W. Besley, State Forester, 1915.
49. PATAP_161016_399.JPG: The River Makes Electricity Bloede Dame The Patapsco Electric & Manufacturing Company, organized by Victor Gustav Bloede, harnessed the river's waterpower to generate electricity. Completed in 1907, the Bloede Dam furnished electricity for Ellicott City, Catonsville, Carroll, Halethorpe, Arbutus, St. Denis, Elkridge, and parts west of Baltimore until 1924. Bloede's company needed an innovative design that would not flood large areas upstream. They built the turbines and generating equipment inside a small dam, making Bloede Dam the world's first submerged hydroelectric plant. This cutting edge design has highly efficient in producing electricity. While the dam's design solved one problem, it created another. Water intakes in the wall of the dam quickly became clogged with silt, because erosion of soil from the tree-less hillsides surrounding the river made the river run muddy. Tree roots help hold soil in place, especially on steep terrain. Bloede became aware of the need to reforest the Patapsco Valley for his company to provide electricity to local residents, an indication that a conservationist mindset was growing among Baltimore's urban leaders. The Patapsco Forest Reserve, which is now Patapsco Valley State Park, was established in 1907 to begin reforestation. "The steep slopes along the river that have been cultivated in years past have largely contributed to the accumulation of silt which has collected behind the dams" forcing operators to expend "large sums of money for dredging." -- F.W. Besley, State Forester, 1915.
50. PATAP_161016_402.JPG: Bloede Dam in the mid-1900s. The towers were added around 1915.
51. PATAP_161016_406.JPG: An interior view of the dam
52. PATAP_161016_415.JPG: Bloede Dam Project The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is currently conducting a feasibility study to evaluate Bloede Dam's negative impact on the ecology of the Patapsco River and issues related to public safety. The dam is an obstacle for fish passage, and it fragments aquatic habitat. Bloede Dam is owned by the DNR. The Department is currently taking public comment on this project.
53. PATAP_161016_426.JPG: Bringing Trade to Baltimore "Make easy the way for them and then see what an influx of articles will be poured upon us." -- George Washington, 1786 You are standing on the original roadbed of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, North America's first common-carrier railroad. Baltimore's leading merchants and businessmen founded the B&O in 1827 to connect the city to western markets. Within a few decades, raucous steam-powered trains carried daily deliveries of coal, wheat and lumber from rural areas to the port of Baltimore, securing the city's prominence in world trade. The B&O Spawns Industries in the Patapsco Valley Waterpower and the railroad mad the Patapsco Valley an ideal place for industry. Shortly after the railroad's completion, established factories expanded and new factories were built. The railroad provided a ready supply of materials and a convenient means of shipping products in Baltimore. The B&O linked the Patapsco Valley's mill communities together and connected them with the outside world. Until 1949, daily passenger trains trundled up and down the valley carrying mail, passengers, and newspapers. Railroad stations also provided residents with telegraph services. Along the Patapsco Heritage Trail you will follow or parallel the path of the early railroad. Look for stone bridges, walls and culverts that date back to the railroad's early development. At this location, you can see the remains of stone abutments for the Patterson Viaduct, a bridge that once carried tracks across the river. It now supports a footbridge for park users.
54. PATAP_161016_429.JPG: Bringing Trade to Baltimore "Make easy the way for them and then see what an influx of articles will be poured upon us." -- George Washington, 1786 You are standing on the original roadbed of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, North America's first common-carrier railroad. Baltimore's leading merchants and businessmen founded the B&O in 1827 to connect the city to western markets. Within a few decades, raucous steam-powered trains carried daily deliveries of coal, wheat and lumber from rural areas to the port of Baltimore, securing the city's prominence in world trade. The B&O Spawns Industries in the Patapsco Valley Waterpower and the railroad mad the Patapsco Valley an ideal place for industry. Shortly after the railroad's completion, established factories expanded and new factories were built. The railroad provided a ready supply of materials and a convenient means of shipping products in Baltimore. The B&O linked the Patapsco Valley's mill communities together and connected them with the outside world. Until 1949, daily passenger trains trundled up and down the valley carrying mail, passengers, and newspapers. Railroad stations also provided residents with telegraph services. Along the Patapsco Heritage Trail you will follow or parallel the path of the early railroad. Look for stone bridges, walls and culverts that date back to the railroad's early development. At this location, you can see the remains of stone abutments for the Patterson Viaduct, a bridge that once carried tracks across the river. It now supports a footbridge for park users.
55. PATAP_161016_434.JPG: The Changing River Valley Over the last 300 years, the now tranquil Patapsco Valley has seen dramatic changes. During the industrial revolution, resource-hungry industries stripped trees from the hillsides to make charcoal. Every household needed wood as its lifeline for warmth and cooking - for survival. Hillsides were left treeless, allowing mud to slither into the river, silting shipping channels, and clogging the port of Elkridge Landing. Factories dumped chemicals into the river, changing its color from orange to green then purple. These practices took their toll on people's lives and destroyed the valley's fish and wildlife habitat. The rich bank of natural resources was not endless. A stripped landscape fostered larger floods. The wrath of the river's floodwaters removed much of the industrial burden. As new technology decreased industry's dependence on waterpower, surviving industries relocated to higher ground. Human need for clean water and forest resources swung the pendulum toward conservation. In 1907, John glenn donated the first land for Patapsco Forest Reserve. Gradually land was added, trees were planted, visitors cam, and a park was born. The Reserve became our Patapsco Valley State Park. Though the valley today will never hold the divers native species that existed when Susquehannocks and Piscatoways lived beneath the big trees, Patapsco Valley State Park continues to manage its resources to benefit people, wildlife and the environment. "We have learned a lot since the days when loggers cut everything down to six inches and entire mountains were coaled-off by the charcoal burners. This is the era of tree farms and state protected woodlands... we have come a long way." -- Karl Pfeiffer, Assistant Director of Forests and Parks, 1912-1959
56. PATAP_161016_437.JPG: Hockley Dam and former Mill site in the 1970s, after restoration
57. PATAP_161016_441.JPG: Hockley Dam taken from the Thomas Viaduct, 1870
58. PATAP_161016_443.JPG: The Changing River Valley Over the last 300 years, the now tranquil Patapsco Valley has seen dramatic changes. During the industrial revolution, resource-hungry industries stripped trees from the hillsides to make charcoal. Every household needed wood as its lifeline for warmth and cooking - for survival. Hillsides were left treeless, allowing mud to slither into the river, silting shipping channels, and clogging the port of Elkridge Landing. Factories dumped chemicals into the river, changing its color from orange to green then purple. These practices took their toll on people's lives and destroyed the valley's fish and wildlife habitat. The rich bank of natural resources was not endless. A stripped landscape fostered larger floods. The wrath of the river's floodwaters removed much of the industrial burden. As new technology decreased industry's dependence on waterpower, surviving industries relocated to higher ground. Human need for clean water and forest resources swung the pendulum toward conservation. In 1907, John glenn donated the first land for Patapsco Forest Reserve. Gradually land was added, trees were planted, visitors cam, and a park was born. The Reserve became our Patapsco Valley State Park. Though the valley today will never hold the divers native species that existed when Susquehannocks and Piscatoways lived beneath the big trees, Patapsco Valley State Park continues to manage its resources to benefit people, wildlife and the environment. "We have learned a lot since the days when loggers cut everything down to six inches and entire mountains were coaled-off by the charcoal burners. This is the era of tree farms and state protected woodlands... we have come a long way." -- Karl Pfeiffer, Assistant Director of Forests and Parks, 1912-1959
59. PATAP_161016_448.JPG: Avalon Dam control house with damage from 1972 flood
60. PATAP_161016_450.JPG: Clear cut forest in Western Maryland
61. PATAP_161016_452.JPG: Kiln for making wood into charcoal
62. PATAP_161016_454.JPG: Two CCC men in front of what is now the Avalon Visitor Center
63. PATAP_161016_471.JPG: Sahale LLC Seattle Building bridges for he next generation and beyond Span: 164 Number: 71PATA01 Year: 2006
Wikipedia Description: Patapsco Valley State Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Patapsco Valley State Park is located in Maryland and extends along 32 miles (51 km) of the Patapsco River, encompassing 14,000 acres (57 km�) and five developed recreational areas. Recreational opportunities include hiking, fishing, camping, canoeing, horseback riding and mountain bike trails, as well as picnicking for individuals or large groups in the park's many popular pavilions. It is one of Maryland's first state parks (1907), the valley and its natural resources have been enjoyed by the Native Americans, explorers, settlers and present-day citizens. With its source in Frederick and Carrol counties, the Patapsco serves the Port of Baltimore, and empties into the Chesapeake Bay. The Avalon Visitor Center houses exhibits spanning over 300 years of history along the Patapsco River. Housed in a 19th century stone dwelling in the Avalon Area, the center includes a re-creation of a 1930's forest warden's office.

Environmental concerns:

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has always set a high priority on the environment. Patapsco Valley State Park was planned with this concern in mind. The Patapsco Valley was set aside as a protected land in 1907 to protect the Patapsco River. The Patapsco River is a vital resource for fish that swim its waters and the wildlife that lives on its shores. The first parcel of land was the Avalon/Orange Grove area in what is now Ellicott, City, which was designated in part to protect the land from development. Keeping the shores and hillsides vegetated minimized erosion thus minimizing the amount of silt that could clog the turbines of Bloede's Dam which generated electricity for many of the surrounding areas. Other sections along the river were soon added making the Patapsco Valley State Park is one of the largest parks in the state of Maryland. The Maryland DNR still takes great pride in protecting the environment in all of the state parks and properties they are charged with protecting.

The 6 sections:

* Hollofield Area – This area features a scenic river valley overlook, playgrounds, picnic sites including rental pavilions, fishing and camping. There are 73 campsites, some with electric hookups. Hunting is available by permit.

* Daniels Area – This area provides year-round flatwater canoing for two miles of river behind Daniels Dam. Paddle your canoe or kayak and enjoy your lunch on rocks at the headwaters of the Patapsco. View abundant Great Blue Heron, kingfishers and beaver activity, or bring along your fishing rod. The Daniels Dam has a fish passage and accompanying exhibit.

* Pickall Area – Eleven large picnic pavilions are available for rental by reservation only. Playgrounds and ball fields are also on site. Hunting is available by permit.

* Hilton Area – Hiking trails and shaded picnic sites are available, along with a recycled tire playground. Youth group camping area is open from the end of April through Labor Day. There are 14 family campsites (tent camping only - no electricity).

* Avalon-Glen Artney-Orange Grove – Often abbreviated as simply "Avalon Area". This area offers hiking, picnicking, mountain biking, canoing, bicycling, tubing, rental pavilions, fishing, equestrian trails, ball fields and playgrounds. The Orange Grove Scenic Area has a two mile drive along the Patapsco to the Swinging Bridge. A fish passage has been installed at Bloede's Dam. This area is known for several historical sites – the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the Thomas Viaduct, remains of the Orange Grove Mill, Avalon Iron and Nail Works and Bloede's Dam.

* McKeldin Area – This area offers youth group camping, picnicking, rental pavilions, playgrounds, fishing, ball fields, hiking, mountain biking, equestrian trails and a Disc golf course. Hunting is available in designated areas by permit only. Hike, bike or horseback ride scenic valley trails.

Sites to see:

Elkridge Landing

* settled in 1690, was a prominent colonial deep water port like Annapolis and Joppa. Prior to Baltimore, Elkridge Landing was the "gateway" to shipping agriculture products, natural resources and manufactured goods from the Patapsco's plantations and mills. You can view a remnant of Elkridge Landing at the historic Furnace Inn.

Thomas Viaduct

* completed in 1835 and is the world's largest multiple arched stone railroad bridge built on an arc. Enter the Avalon Area the Thomas Viaduct is in view behind the gate house.

Old Gun Road Stone Arch Bridge

* not in use but it has since colonial times spanned the "Mill Race" supplying water power to the Dorsey Forge. George Washington reportedly laid out Gun Road to move guns for the American Revolution produced at the Dorsey Forge. Transported via Gun Road to Elkridge Landing, the guns were shipped down the River and the Bay to Annapolis for final assembly. In 1815 the Ellicott family acquired Dorsey Forge and expanded it to become the Avalon Iron and Nail Works. Floods in 1868 destroyed the Iron and Nail Works along with the village of Avalon.

The River of History and Conservation Visitor Center

* located in a 185 year old stone house, the only remaining Avalon house that survived the 1868 flood. The Avalon site was improved by Victor G. Bloede, pronounced "Blerda," to become the Avalon Water Works in 1910. Remnants of the Water Works remain today as does bits and pieces of Camp Tydings. This Civilian Conservation Corps Camp (CCC) was operational between 1933 and 1942 and was located north-west of Old Gun Road Bridge between the Mill Race and the first commercial railroad in the U.S., originally the B&O Railroad and now known as CSX]. Following the start of World War II, the CCC Camp was converted to the nation's first Conscientious Objector Camp. This part of Patapsco Valley State Park is appropriately named the Avalon area.

Swinging Bridges

* the first spans the Patapsco at Orange Grove, 1.6 miles northwest of Avalon following the Park Road in Howard County beyond shelters 104 and 105. Prior suspension foot bridges at this location enabled residents of the Orange Grove mill town to cross the river to Baltimore County to work in the five stories high Orange Grove Flour Mill of the C.A. Gambrill Manufacturing Company. This mill burned May 1, 1905. Cross the bridge to discover ruins of this large mill site that extended from the railroad tracks to the Swinging Bridge abutment.
* the newest and second swinging bridge opened November 4, 2006. It is located at the end of the Grist Mill Trail and crosses the Patapsco River to connect with Ilchester Road. This new bridge allows easy entry for residents living in Ellicott City and Catonsville for the first time since Hurricane Agnes struck in 1972

Bloede's Dam

* is believed to be the world's first submerged electrical generating plant that was housed under water inside the shell of a dam. Victor G Bloede, the same chemist and entrepreneur who created the Water Works at Avalon, hired electrical engineer Otto Wonder to oversee the development of this unique hydroelectric dam that is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Union Dam

* at the Hollofield area is located between Catonsville and Ellicott City. Access the Union Dam Trail Head just past Hollofield Shelter 300. Union Dam supplied water power for the J.W. Dickey Textile Mills in Oella, Baltimore County, across the Patapsco River from Ellicott City.

Daniels Dam

* furnished 400 horsepower for canvas and denim mills and also generated surplus electricity for Baltimore Gas and Electric. Daniels was the most recent mill town to evolve around the dam. The town started in the 1840's as Elysville. The mill changed owners a number of times and in the 1850's the mill produced canvas tents for the Union Army.

* The current name Daniels came from the C.R. Daniels Company who took ownership of the Mill in the 1950's. The mill closed in 1968 and Hurricane Agnes destroyed the town and the mill in 1972. Yet the people of Daniels, though dispersed, still keep the bonds of community strong through annual reunions and the maintenance of a community brass band that performs on a regular basis.

Cascade Falls

* One of only a handfull of waterfalls in the state of Maryland, this waterfall gently cascades down a 10-15ft foot face. It is located in the Orange Grove area of the park, and can be hiked to from a marked trail at the last parking lot in the Orange Grove area.

--

Thomas Viaduct
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Thomas Viaduct spans the Patapsco River and Patapsco Valley between Relay and Elkridge, Maryland.

Building of the bridge commenced on July 4, 1833 and was completed on July 4, 1835, it is the first multi-span masonry railroad bridge in the United States and the first to be built on a curve.

The Thomas Viaduct was the largest bridge in the nation in its day and today it remains the world's largest bridge of its kind, as well as the world's oldest multiple arched stone railroad bridge. It was named for Philip E. Thomas, the first president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). Until after the American Civil War, the B&O was the only railroad into Washington, thus the Thomas Viaduct was essential for supply trains to reach the Union's capitol during that conflict. To prevent sabotage, the bridge was heavily guarded by Union troops stationed along its length. The Thomas Viaduct is now owned and operated by CSX Transportation and still in use today making it one of the oldest railroad bridges still in service.

Design:

This Roman-arch stone bridge is divided into eight spans. It was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, II, then B&O's assistant engineer, later the chief engineer and built by John McCartney of Ohio under the supervision of Caspar Wever, the railroad's chief of construction. McCartney received the contract after the successful completion of the Patterson Viaduct. The main design problem to overcome was that of constructing such a large bridge on a curve. The design called several for variations in span and pier widths between the opposite sides of the structure. This problem was solved by having the lateral pier faces laid out on radial lines making the piers essentially wedge-shaped and fitted to the 4 degree curve. The span of the viaduct is 612 ft.(187 m) long, each arch about 58 ft.(18 m) with a height of 59 ft.(18.8 m) from the water level to the base of the rail. The width at the top of the spandrels wall copings is 26 ft, 4 in.(8.03 m). The bridge is constructed using rough-dressed Maryland granite ashlar from Patapsco River quarries. A wooden-floored walkway built for pedestrian and railway employee use is four feet wide and supported by cast iron brackets and edged with ornamental cast iron railings. The viaduct contains 24,476 cubic yards (18,713 m�) of masonry and cost $142,236.51 an estimated $276,991,7.36 today.

Renovations:

In 1929, extensive mortar work on the masonry was carried out and again in 1937. To counteract deterioration of the masonry, the Thomas Viaduct underwent more cosmetic upgrades in 1938 performed by the B&O Maintenance of Way Department. The work consisted primarily to improve facilities for drainage, relocation of loose arch ring stones and the application of a grout mixture to the stone spandrels filling. Nevertheless, the bridge is still indicative of the way in which the B&O track and major structures were put down in the most permanent manner possible. At an unknown date, railing blocks were removed from the north side of the deck and a bracketed walkway added giving more lateral clearance. Little work had been done on the viaduct until the repairs of 1937–1938 which, according to a 1949 report by the Chief Engineer of the B&O, would keep future maintenance to a minimum.

Brief history of the B&O route:

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was one of the oldest railroads in the United States. Construction began on July 4, 1828, the original route followed the Patapsco River to Ellicott's Mills (later renamed Ellicott City.) in 1835 the "Washington Branch" was constructed. This new line branched at Relay, the site of a former post-road hotel and changing point for stage horses. The Relay House served as a hotel until it was replaced by the Viaduct Hotel. The main line was rerouted in 1868 since a flood destroyed the Patterson Viaduct, which previously carried the main line over the Patapsco. Since then, Thomas Viaduct has carried entirely the railroad's freight and passenger traffic between Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

During the 1880s–1950s, Thomas Viaduct carried B&O's famed Royal Blue Line passenger trains between New York and Washington, and, until the late 1960s, B&O passenger trains to points west of Washington, such as the Capital Limited to Chicago and the National Limited to St. Louis. In 1986, CSX acquired the B&O and all of its trackage which included the Thomas Viaduct. With the advent of Amtrak on May 1, 1971, all B&O passenger train service was discontinued, except for local Baltimore–Washington commuter trains, which continue to operate on a daily basis over Thomas Viaduct as MARC's "Camden Line" train service under contract with CSX Transportation.

A testament through time:

When the structure was completed a fifteen-foot (4.6 m) obelisk with the names of the builder, directors of the railroad, the architect (engineer) and others associated with the viaduct was erected at the east end in Relay, Maryland, by builder John McCartney. On one side the monument reads: The Thomas Viaduct, Commenced July 4th, 1833 Finished, July 4th 1835. He also celebrated the completed work by having his men kneel on the deck of the viaduct while mock "baptizing" them with a pint of whiskey.

During design and construction, the Thomas Viaduct was nicknamed "Latrobe's Folly" after the designer Benjamin Latrobe, because at the time many doubted that it could even support its own weight. Yet it has proved them all wrong, the Thomas Viaduct survived the great flood of 1868 as well as Hurricane Agnes in 1972, two floods that wiped out the Patapsco Valley and destroyed nearly everything in their path; and to this day it continues to carry 300-ton (270 tonne) diesel locomotives passengers and heavy freight traffic. The Thomas Viaduct remains as impressive today as at it was at its completion. The Thomas Viaduct marked the beginning of major American railway structures, many more were to follow, very few would survive. Even after more than 170 years the Thomas Viaduct still stands to serve not only as a work of art and engineering marvel but as a vital link in U.S. railroad industry.

Historical landmark:

The bridge was designated a National Historic Landmark on January 28, 1964, and administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
Bigger photos? To save server space, the full-sized versions of these images have either not been loaded to the server or have been removed from the server. (Only some pages are loaded with full-sized images and those usually get removed after three months.) I still have them though. If you want me to email them to you, please send an email to guthrie.bruce@gmail.com and I can email them to you, or, depending on the number of images, just repost the page again will the full-sized images.
Connection Not Secure messages? Those warnings you get from your browser about this site not having secure connections worry some people. This means this site does not have SSL installed (the link is http:, not https:). That's bad if you're entering credit card numbers, passwords, or other personal information. But this site doesn't collect any personal information so SSL is not necessary. Life's good!
Photo Contact: [Email Bruce Guthrie].