Towson, Maryland

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Towson, Maryland
The Hampton in Downtown Towson
The Hampton in Downtown Towson
Location of Towson, Maryland
Location of Towson, Maryland
Coordinates: 39°23′35″N 76°36′34″W / 39.39306, -76.60944
Country United States
State Maryland
County Baltimore
Area
 - Total 14.2 sq mi (36.8 km²)
 - Land 14.0 sq mi (36.4 km²)
 - Water 0.1 sq mi (0.4 km²)
Elevation 463 ft (141 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 51,793
 - Density 3,688.7/sq mi (1,424.2/km²)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 21200-21299
Area code(s) 410
FIPS code 24-78425
GNIS feature ID 0591420

Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 51,793 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Baltimore County[1] and the second-most populated unincorporated county seat in the United States (after Ellicott City, Maryland).[2]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] 1600s

The first inhabitants of the Towson region were the Susquehannough people who hunted in the area. Though their region included all of Baltimore County, their primary settlement was along the mouth of the Susquehanna River.[3]

[edit] 1700s

Towson was settled in 1752 when two Pennsylvania brothers, William and Thomas Towson, began farming northeast of present-day York and Joppa Roads. William's son, Ezekial, started the Towson Hotel at York and Joppa Roads in 1768 to serve the increasing traffic of farmers bringing their produce and livestock to the port of Baltimore. The village became known as "Towsontown".[2][4]

In 1790, Charles Ridgely completed the magnificent Hampton Mansion just north of Towsontown, the largest private house in America at the time. The Ridgely's lived there for six generations, until 1948.[5] It is now preserved as the Hampton National Historic Site and open to the public.

[edit] 1800s

On February 13, 1854, Towson became the county seat of Baltimore County. The Court House, still in use, was constructed with stone donated by the Ridgely family, on land donated by Towson merchant Grafton Bosley.[4]

From 1850 to 1874, another notable land owner / Amos Matthews, had a farm of 150 acres that - with the exception of the 17-acre largely natural parcel where the Kelso Home for Girls (currently Towson YMCA), was later erected - was wholly developed into the neighborhoods of West Towson, Southland Hills and other subdivisions beginning in the middle 1920's.[6]

Towson was briefly the scene of a minor engagement between Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War. On July 10, 1864, a 130-man Confederate cavalry detachment attacked the Northern Central Railway in nearby Cockeysville, under orders from Gen. Bradley T. Johnson. After cutting telegraph wires along Harford Road, they encamped at Towson overnight. The next day, the Confederate cavalry skirmished with a smaller force of Union cavalry along York Road as far south as Govans, before heading west to rejoin Gen. Johnson's main force.[7]

The Towson fire of 1878 destroyed most of the 500 block along the York Turnpike causing an estimated $38,000 in damage.[8][9]

During the summer of 1894, the Towson Water Company laid wooden pipes and installed fire hydrants that were connected to an artesian well near Aigburth Vale. On November 2 1894, Towson was supplied with electric service through connection with the Mount Washington Electric Light and Power Company.[10]

[edit] 1900s

At the beginning of the century, Towson remained largely a rural community. Land continued to be sold by the acre, rather than as home parcels. Most residences lay within Towson proper: no houses existed West of Central Avenue along the Allegheny, or Pennsylvania avenues; and there were only three homes along the West Chesapeake avenue corridor.[11]

As the 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 the large Victorian and colonial-style residences in the vicinity of the Court House were demolished in the 1980s and 1990s for offices and parking.

Towson United Methodist Church
Towson United Methodist Church

In 1839, Epsom Chapel became the first Christian house of worship in Towson, used by various denominations.[2] As the population grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several churches were built to serve the community, such as Calvary Baptist Church, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Trinity Episcopal Church, First Methodist Church, and Towson Presbyterian Church. Epsom Chapel was demolished in 1950 when Goucher College sold a portion of its property for development of the Towson Plaza shopping center, now Towson Town Center. First Methodist Church moved in 1958 to land also acquired from Goucher College and is now Towson United Methodist Church.[4]

[edit] Geography

Towson is located at 39°23′35″N, 76°36′34″W (39.392980, -76.609562)[12].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 14.2 square miles (36.8 km²), of which, 14.0 square miles (36.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (1.06%) is water.

The community is located immediately north of Baltimore City, inside the Beltway (I-695), east of I-83 and along York Road. Its census boundaries include Pikesville to the west, Lutherville-Timonium and Hampton to the north, Parkville to the east, and Baltimore to the south.

Major neighborhoods in Towson include: Anneslie, Rodgers Forge, Stoneleigh, Wiltondale, Southland Hills, Hampton, Hunt Crest Estates, East Towson, and West Towson. Ruxton, which lies to the west, is sometimes considered a part of Towson.

Eudowood was a neighborhood that was named after Eudocia, the wife of Dr. John T. Stansbury - on whose estate it was situated.[13]

[edit] Climate

Lying north of the city of Baltimore, and at the southern edge of the Piedmont gives Towson an "in-between" climate, lying between the Humid subtropical climate zone to the south and the Humid continental climate zone to the north. Summers are hot and humid, with daytime highs reaching into the 90s in July and August. Spring and fall bring pleasant temperatures in the 60s and 70s with moderate rainfall. Winters are mild by American standards but can still include occasional snowfall and freezing rain, with typical highs just above 40 degrees and lows in the mid 20s. Annual rainfall totals 45 inches (114 cm).

[edit] Demographics

Towson Population History
Census year Population
1960 19,000
1970 77,768*
1980 51,083
1990 49,445
2000 51,793
*Census Boundaries in 1970 extended beyond the community proper

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 51,793 people, 21,063 households, and 11,331 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,688.7 people per square mile (1,424.3/km²). There were 21,997 housing units at an average density of 1,566.6/sq mi (604.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 69.9% White, 7.53% African American, 0.20% Native American, 7.30% Asian, 1.9% Hispanic, and 0.60% Pacific Islander.

There were 21,063 households out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.2% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 17.4% under the age of 18, 17.5% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 82.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $53,775, and the median income for a family was $75,832. Males had a median income of $49,554 versus $38,172 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $32,502. About 2.5% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Transportation

See also: Roads in Towson, Maryland

The primary mode of transportation in Towson is the automobile. The streets are wide and, with the exception of the downtown area, shops and restaurants have their own free parking for customers. Towson is accessible from exits 25 through 29B of the Baltimore Beltway (I-695).

[edit] "Ma and Pa" Railroad

"Ma & Pa" train crossing York Road, Towson, in the 1950s — the bridge was removed in 1959
"Ma & Pa" train crossing York Road, Towson, in the 1950s — the bridge was removed in 1959

Railroad service began to Towson on April 17, 1882, with construction of the Baltimore & Delta Railway Company, soon renamed the Baltimore & Lehigh Railroad and later reorganized as the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad. The "Ma and Pa", as it was affectionately known locally, formerly operated between Baltimore and York, Pennsylvania, through Towson. Its passenger station was located just west of York Road on Susquehanna Avenue. Passenger service was discontinued on August 31, 1954, and the railroad line through Towson was finally abandoned altogether on June 11, 1958, leaving only the stone abutments where the tracks crossed York Road on a steel girder bridge.[15] One passenger on the last passenger train recalled that many riders came from as far away as Boston and Washington, D.C., to partipate in the historic event, along with members of the National Railway Historical Society.[16] Historic Towson, a local group of history buffs, installed a bronze plaque on the west abutment in 1999, commemorating the defunct railroad's place in Towson's history.[17]

[edit] Public Transportation

The Towson area has several bus lines operated by the Maryland Transit Administration. These include:

  • Route 8, which operates along York Road to Lutherville and downtown Baltimore (formerly the #8 streetcar line)
  • Route 11, which serves the Charles Street corridor and GBMC hospital
  • Route 55, which operates cross-county service to Parkville, Overlea, Rosedale, and Essex
  • Route 3, which serves the Loch Raven Boulevard corridor, with selected trips along Joppa Road.

Towson also has light rail service to downtown Baltimore and BWI Airport along its periphery via the Lutherville and Falls Road stops.

Towson University and Goucher College also operate bus services for their students, and the Collegetown Shuttle has several stops in the area.

[edit] Education

[edit] Colleges and universities

Towson University is a public school in southern Towson. With 18,000 students it is part of the University System of Maryland. It was founded in 1866 as the Maryland State Normal School for the training of teachers. North of downtown is a small private liberal arts school, Goucher College, which was founded in 1885 as The Woman's College of Baltimore, the sister school to Johns Hopkins University.

[edit] Public schools

Towson High School
Towson High School

Towson is served by the Baltimore County Public Schools district, and the Baltimore County Board of Education headquarters is located here as well. There are three high schools. Towson High School was the first secondary school founded and is Towson's largest, while Loch Raven High School dates from 1972. The Carver Center for Arts and Technology is a local magnet school.

Towson is served by four public elementary schools: Rodgers Forge[1], Stoneleigh [2], Riderwood [3] and Hampton [4]. All four of the schools are now over-capacity: Rodgers Forge has 625 students, despite a stated capacity of 408; Stoneleigh has 623 students, with a capacity of 499; Hampton's enrollment stands at 377, with a capacity of just 307; and Riderwood currently enrolls 513 students, with a capacity of 501.[citation needed]

[edit] Private schools

The Towson area has a number of long-established private schools at the secondary school level, including Towson Catholic High School, Loyola Blakefield, Calvert Hall College High School, Baltimore Lutheran School, Notre Dame Preparatory SchoolBryn Mawr, Roland Park Country School, St. Paul's, St. Paul's School for Girls, McDonough and Boys' Latin.

[edit] Notable residents and natives

In fiction, the character Elaine Benes, of the 1990s NBC sitcom Seinfeld, is from Towson. The character Sam Fisher in the Splinter Cell novels by Raymond Benson, resided in a townhouse in Towson. Tom Clancy's fictional CIA Analyst character Jack Ryan was born in Towson.

[edit] Medical Facilities

[edit] References

  1. ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ a b c Towson, Maryland: A Great Place to Live, Work & Play!—A Synopsis of Towson, MD. Towson Chamber of Commerce (2006). Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
  3. ^ Towson: A Pictorial History of a Maryland Town, page 13, Henry George Hahn, Carl Behm, 1977, Donning Co. , ISBN:0915442361
  4. ^ a b c Brook Gunning and Molly O'Donovan (1999). Towson and the Villages of Ruxton and Lutherville. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-0226X. 
  5. ^ Ann Milkovich McKee (2007). Images of America — Hampton National Historic Site. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-4418-2. 
  6. ^ A Brief History of West Towson, by David A. Loizeaux http://www.bcplonline.org/info/history/hist_west_towson.html
  7. ^ Daniel Carroll Toomey (1983). The Civil War in Maryland. Baltimore, Md.: Toomey Press, pp. 127-129. ISBN 0-9612670-0-3. 
  8. ^ A History of Baltimore County, Neal A. Brooks and Eric J. Rockel, ISBN 0960232613, p. 293
  9. ^ Maryland Journal, Sept. 14, 1867, Feb., 2 1878; (Towson) Union News, June 9, 1917.
  10. ^ A History of Baltimore County, Neal A. Brooks and Eric J. Rockel, ISBN 0960232613, p. 297
  11. ^ A History of Baltimore County, Neal A. Brooks and Eric J. Rockel, ISBN 0960232613, p. 298
  12. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  13. ^ A History of Baltimore County, Neal A. Brooks and Eric J. Rockel, ISBN 0960232613, p. 292
  14. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  15. ^ George W. Hilton (1963). The Ma & Pa — A History of the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad. Berkeley, CA: Howell-North Books. LCCN 63-17444. 
  16. ^ John R. Eicker. "The Ma and Pa's Last Run from Baltimore to York", The Baltimore Sun, August 30, 1964. 
  17. ^ Loni Ingraham. "'Ma and Pa' railroad abutments get HTI plaque", The Towson Times, May 26, 1999. 
  18. ^ Baltimore County, Its History Progress and Opportunities, by T. Scott Offutt and Elmer R. Haile, The Jeffersonian Publishing Company inc. 1916 - Enoch Pratt Library REF XF Md. 182.1.03
  19. ^ A Brief History of West Towson, by David A. Loizeaux http://www.bcplonline.org/info/history/hist_west_towson.html

[edit] External links

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