Since their implementation,
dating back to at least the early part of the 19th Century, the old "turnpikes"
have witnessed an amazing amount of change. The end of the 18th Century
brought an urban expansion brought about by the streetcar, whose lines
created suburbs, and their resulting sprawl. The early days of the
20th Century saw the debut of the automobile, resulting in the old Turnpikes
being widened to accomodate ever increasing traffic. The result is
that the areas surrounding Baltimore of old are a far cry from their appearance
during the early to mid 19th Century.
So surely with all the change,
one would assume that these old markers have long since vanished in the
street widening boom of the 20th Century, right?!? Not exactly.
Sure, many of the stones have vanished in the sprawl of things, but a handful
of these fascinating markers do persist, many times loved and helped along
to survive by those who are aware of what they are, and perhaps even by
those who mistake them for something entirely different (and perhaps other
times discarded, as their surroundings have changed to the point where
something resembling a gravestone just doesn't look right in someone's
front yard!). Here's a look at some of the Milestones encountered
so far on the old "Turnpikes" into Baltimore.
YORK ROAD
| Milepost: |
Approximate
Location (in parentheses when not found but location assumed): |
Survival
State / Notes: |
| YORK
1 |
(Greenmount
& 21st) |
Not
Yet Researched |
| YORK
2 |
(Greenmount
& 34th) |
Not
Yet Researched, may even lie on Old York Road |
| YORK
3 |
(York
& Northway) |
Not
Found, believed to be gone, area occupied by Auto Shop and Storage facilty
buit in York Road Car House |
| YORK
4 |
(York
& Harwood) |
Not
Found, retail and church property |
| YORK
5 |
York
& Walker |
EXTANT
- See below |
| YORK
6 |
(York
& La Paix) |
Not
Found, residential and church development |
| YORK
7 |
(York
& Chesapeake) |
Not
Found, heavily developed commercial district |
| YORK
8 |
(York
& I-695) |
Not
Found, National Guard quarters and Beltway cloverleaf |
| YORK
9 |
York
& Seminary |
EXTANT
- See below |
|
|
|
First of the markers to be
discovered was this one, thanks to a lead from a man named Charlie in that
far off land known as California (no, not the one in Calvert County either).
This stone, located on the East side of York Road above Walker Avenue,
used to be hidden within some shrubery, but has since emerged to tell the
distance to Baltimore once again. Incidentally, the stone reads "5
M To B." Travelling inward five miles from this spot will land one
at about Greenmount Avenue and Eager Street.
Though heavily weathered,
one can still decipher the old stone's scribings.
|
This view shows that the
stone probably once suffered the indignity of an automobile collision,
as evidenced by the patching on its lower area.
|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - -
"Lucky 9" is the only way to
describe this hardy survivor on the York Road Corridor, second of the York
Road markers found. This stone sits prominently, almost flush with
the inside of the curb on York Road. With the level of traffic this
marker sees daily (it was not even easy to photograph for the busy-ness),
it's remarkable that it has not met with less fortuitous fate. Nine
may indeed be the luckiest number among mileposts yet!
Though chipped and faded,
"York 9's" impressions are remarkably clear.
|
York 9's survival is ever
more remarkable considering the constant passing of traffic at speeds averaging
40 MPH and more.
|
FREDERICK (NATIONAL)
ROAD
| Milepost: |
Approximate
Location (in parentheses when not found but location assumed): |
Survival
State/ Notes: |
| FREDERICK
1 |
(Baltimore
& Carey) |
Not
Found - long ago developed, and presumed discarded |
| FREDERICK
2 |
(Frederick
& Franklintown) |
Not
Found, Residential Development, presumed discarded |
| FREDERICK
3 |
Frederick
& McCurley |
EXTANT
- See Below |
| FREDERICK
4 |
Frederick
& Beechfield |
EXTANT
- See Below |
| FREDERICK
5 |
Frederick
& Overbrook |
EXTANT
- See Below |
| FREDERICK
6 |
Frederick
& St. Timothy's |
EXTANT
- See Below |
| FREDERICK
7 |
Frederick
& S. Rolling |
Extant
but moved to Catonsville Library |
| FREDERICK
8 |
|
Not
Found - Residential Development |
| FREDERICK
9 |
Frederick
East of Nine Mile Cir. |
EXTANT
- See Below |
| FREDERICK
10 |
Main
& Maryland - Ellicott City |
EXTANT |
| FREDERICK
11 |
Main
West of Rogers |
EXTANT
- See Below |
Another marker to survive lies
well within current city boundaries. Interestingly, I used to pass
this stone daily long before getting actively involved in artifact hunting.
At the time, I had dismissed it for being someone's solitary gravestone.
It was only after passing it one particular day that I it caught
my eye once again, and I realized just what it was. Though the number
is somewhat obscured, it's a flat headed "3." This stone lies on
the North Side of Frederick Road between Fredhilton Pass and McCurley Street
in Irvington, and is very well preserved. Interestingly, this stone
lies facing "New" Frederick Road as opposed to "Old" Frederick Road which
is just on the other side of the church, meeting the newer throrofare just
a block East.
The presence of Frederick
Turnpike's "Milestone 3" within a churchyard causes it to be readily mistaken
for a gravestone.
|
Close inspection of the
stone itself, however, clearly reveals just what this remarkable remnant
is!
|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
"Frederick 4" is a little trickier
to locate, due to it being set back from the street a bit, and rather obscured
by a fence that houses a Cellular Tower. Regardless, the stone is
alive and well in its surroundings...
To date, Frederick 4 is
the farthest from the streetbed milestone found, though this has probably
been beneficial to its survival.
|
The shadows of the chain
link fence distract, but with concentration, the inscription can be deciphered.
|
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Just inside the present City
Limits is "Frederick 5," another of the surviving stones. Unlike
every other stone discovered so far, this stone lies on the right side
of the roadway when approaching the City. The explanation for this
is that the stone was probably relocated around the time when the semi-detached
housing was constructed on the North Side of Frederick Avenue. As
such, the stone looks more fitting outside the Cemetery, though it appears
like the gravestone that escaped to those who may not know just what the
stone represents.
Frederick 5 could easily
be mistaken for a lost gravestone, considering its location outside the
National Cemetery on Frederick Road, and considering the lack of quick
identification of it as a milestone.
|
From this location, the
stone has watched the construction of detached housing across Frederick
Road. In addition, it has seen travelers to the city by horse, wagon,
horsecar, streetcar, and now, by way of the #2 bus.
|
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Frederick 6 is probably
the most celebrated of all of the "National Road" stones in this area.
Resting outside a Cifco station just to the East of Saint Timothy's Lane,
the stone carries with it a marker detailing its origin, and dating the
stones on the road to the year 1787. The Frederick stones may be
the oldest of them all, considering that most survivors are badly worn
to the point of being illegible, and Frederick 6 is no exception.
Frederick 6 is still a frequent
stop for travellers on the National Road, thanks to the Fueling Station
located behind it.
|
Frederick 6's face is basically
illegible, a far cry from the likes of Frederick 3.
|
Close up detail of the marker
plaque accompanying Frederick 6.
|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - -
Frederick 7 is something
of a strange bird. First of all, it is not in its proper location,
instead residing in a garden in front of the Catonsville Library.
To complicate things further, the stone's number is crudely reinforced,
while the original markings beneath clearly seem to show circular etchings,
giving rise to the possibility that this may in fact be Frederick 8?!?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Frederick 9 stands prominently
visible just about 2/10's of a mile East of the Eastern entrance to Nine
Mile Circle, slightly west of the intersection of Old Frederick and Frederick.
The stone is in better shape than Frederick 6, but seems to be slightly
off placement with the other well calibrated stone, seeming to be set too
far West, at least according to the Odometer in my car!
The "M" and "To B" are able
to be made out, but it seems that the number on Frederick 9 may have had
a brush with vandalism. :(
|
Despite it's proximity to
Housing, Frederick 9 appears less like a gravestone than many of it's bretheren.
|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Despite it's official location
being on Main Street in Ellicott City, I'll continue with the numbering
system for Frederick 11, what appears to be Howard County's most inward
stone on the National Road. The stone has partially emerged from the ground
in the bank West of Rogers Avenue, but still remains well anchored (no,
I didn't try to budge it!). A curiousity search along Old Columbia
Pike for an additional MP11 on that diverging thorofare yielded no clues
as to wether the old mileage system has offshoots.
Compared with Frederick
3, the lettering on Frederick 11 appears to be more crude. The 11
is at least easily discernable.
|
Frederick 9 is another of
the prominently visible National Road stones that once greeted legions
of travelers since the 18th Century.
|
FALLS ROAD
| Milepost: |
Approximate
Location (in parentheses when not found but location assumed): |
Survival
State/ Notes: |
| FALLS
1 |
(Falls
& North Ave.) |
Not
Found - Believed Discarded |
| FALLS
2 |
(Falls
@ 29th St. Bridge) |
Not
Found - Believed Discarded |
| FALLS
3 |
(Falls
& 37th) |
Not
Found - Mixed Development |
| FALLS
4 |
(Falls
opp. Western H.S.) |
Not
Found - Light Residential Development |
| FALLS
5 |
(Falls
& Northern Pkwy) |
Not
Found - Gas Station |
| FALLS
6 |
(Falls
& Jones Falls) |
Not
Found - Believed Discarded |
| FALLS
7 |
Falls
& Coppermine |
EXTANT
- See Below |
| FALLS
8 |
Falls
& Ruxton |
EXTANT
- See Below |
| FALLS
9 |
(Falls
& Jones Falls) |
Not
Found - Largely undeveloped |
| FALLS
10 |
(Falls
& Seminary) |
Not
Found - Light Res. Development |
While the York and Frederick
Roads certainly led to somewhere, Falls Road is interesting in that it
basically led out from Baltimore into fields and farms, and little else.
Thus, a casual search of the thorofare was not expected to yield any stones.
On the other hand, unlike most other old routings, much of this route remains
at two lanes wide. Thus, it was thought that if there was any corridor
in which milestones could survive, Falls Road would definitely be a candidate.
Thankfully, just this casual search netted a wonderful bonus. Just
North of Old Pimlico Road, opposite Coppermine terrace, lies Falls Road's
milestone 7, sitting in the woods as it has done spanning at least 3 centuries.
Seemingly shorter than the
other known stones is this neat stone, possibly crafted in Marble.
|
Note the differences in
lettering style between this marker and that on Frederick Road.
|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Further investigation found
another Falls Road milestone, proving that more can be found. This
one lies away from the roadbed a bit, along a historic house in Rockland.
It is visible on the East shoulder of the road just above the Ruxton Road/Old
Court Road intersection, and is in splendid shape....
The stone and the stone
house seem to complement each other perfectly.
|
Falls 8 certainly has the
sharpest inscription between the Falls, York and National Road stones.
|
PHILADELPHIA ROAD
One would assume that Philadelphia
Road would be a hotbed of milestone madness, as most of it remains a simple
two lane roadway, yet a search along the thorofare has netted only one
sighting, way out in Abingdon. This stretch of the roadway appears
to have had a drainage ditch installed, thus offering likely explanation
for the disappearance of any other stones, while this one, Philadelphia
22, appears to have been deliberately spared (and rotated 90 degrees as
well). Still, it's a welcome sight on this old thorofare that will
hopefully lead to way to further discoveries.
STILL MORE MILESTONE
MADNESS!
This photo comes courtesy
of Steve Okonski, and shows that Central Maryland is home to some other
interesting milestones as well, and showing that Baltimore is not the only
locality to mark miles from. This unique stone sits in Clarksville
at Rt 108 and Great Star Drive just waiting for an SUV to pulverize it
(Steve's remark - sad, but true!). It marks "9 M TO EC" (Ellicott
City).
Steve adds:...
A couple of interesting tidbits
here: the 9 digit is carved as a mirror image! One can assume this
was accidental, unless backwards 9 was a screwy way to indicate the EC
is to the right. Also, the initials are EC, not EM, so this was after
the town changed names from Ellicott's Mills to Ellicott City.
Route 108 was known as Clarksville
Pike. It split from Columbia Pike somewhere near the present day
intersection of US 29 and MD 108. The two Pikes created a fairly
straight route between Clarksville and
Ellicott City.
I guess purists don't want to see the markers moved at all. I can
understand that: if you move it, it's not really the same anymore.
The milestone in Clarksville seems to have forced last minute mods to the
road design: the striping is not parallel to the curb. Ironically,
this creates driver confusion that will likely
trigger the eventual demise
of the marker with help from a big SUV. Perhaps it should be moved
~10 feet back
Top photo shows just how
vulnerable this milestone is, while shot at right shows the unique inscription
style.
|
|
KNOW OF ANOTHER?!? CONTACT
US!!!
