ELLICOTT
CITY’s

anniversary with us!

250th

Celebrate

One River.
Three Brothers.
Seven Hills.

250 Years.

CELEBRATION –

then and now!

Be a part of the

Thank you to
our sponsors

who share our
pride and love of
Ellicott City.

KAREN SACHS BESSON
FOUNDATION

WELCOME!

Thank you for your interest in EC250.

The year 2022 marks Ellicott City, Maryland's Sestercentennial. It was 250 years ago when “the Ellicott Brothers arrived in The Patapsco River valley, and decided to settle in the wild place some folks called ‘the Hollow’. Nestled between what is now Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, DC, the settlement would grow to become the preeminent town within the Patapsco Valley – birthplace of the Nation's industrial revolution!

Join us as we celebrate and rediscover the history and charm of Historic Ellicott City, Maryland – the town older than America!

OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY

ENTER TO WIN

GOOD NEWS!

PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: EC250 Honorary Committee Members Jim Robey, Fred Dorsey, Martha Clark, Gwen Marable, EC250 Board members Ed Lilley and Victoria Goodman, along with Howard County Executive Dr. Calvin Ball, Honorary Committee member Roger Caplan, 3 young ladies in colonial dress, Howard County County Member Liz Walsh, and Benjamin Banneker.

Please add me to your mailing list!

I would like to be added to the mailing list so I can stay informed about updates and future events regarding Ellicott City’s 250th anniversary.

WHAT IS EC250?

EC250 aims to inspire celebrations throughout Howard County, Maryland that honor and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of historic Ellicott City, Maryland. By partnering with community groups around Howard County, we will share the unique history and national significance of historic Ellicott City, Maryland through innovative educational, entertainment, and cultural events.

WHEN IS IT?

The fun begins January 2022 and runs through December 2022! Check out our events page for more specifics.

ABOUT THE CELEBRATION

Events will highlight different aspects of historic Ellicott City’s incredible history. Don’t forget to sign up for our mailing list to stay informed of the fun happening throughout the year.

Help make it happen.

Become a sponsor or make a donation to the EC250 fund. Or host an event that celebrates the Sestercentennial.

DONATE NOW

YEARS

since Ellicott City was founded

MILES

of railroad track from Baltimore to Ellicott City

PEOPLE

who rode the train in 1830 from Baltimore to Ellicott Mills

HILLS

of Ellicott City

BROTHERS

founded Ellicott’s Mills (Joseph, Andrew and John Ellicott)

But the most stupendous thing in the history of this tiny town, the thing that overshadows everything else which has happened there, is the beginning of railroading in the United States. For Ellicott City, small as it is, marks the terminus of the first railroad ever built in America.

Grace H. Sherwood

Baltimore Sun, 1926

Ellicott City might best be described as a miniature model of an early eighteenth century mill town. Built on seven hills surrounding the Patapsco River valley, the town perches on the granite outcropping surrounding the area. Streets wind their way down Main Street and thus the river – a resource that gave the town life and on more than one occasion all but destroyed it.

Jean Hammond

Application for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places

Lush vegetation and the swiftly flowing Patapsco River must have captivated the three Ellicott brothers (Joseph, Andrew and John) when they searched for land in the late 1760’s. The brothers had searched throughout Maryland and Pennsylvania for a site where they could grow wheat and harness water power for a mill. They purchased many acres east of the river in the valley known as the ‘Hollow’.

Joetta Cramm

Historic Ellicott City Walking Tour