Maryland Route 281
Encyclopedia
Maryland Route 281 is a state highway
in the U.S. state
of Maryland
. Known for most of its length as Red Hill Road, the state highway runs 2.12 miles (3.4 km) from MD 7
east to the Delaware
state line within Elkton
. MD 281 and its continuation in Delaware were originally blazed in the 18th century as part of the Old Post Road between Baltimore and Philadelphia
. The state highway was part of the Elk and Christiana Turnpike in the early 19th century and later the Old Baltimore Pike, but was replaced as the main highway east from Elkton by U.S. Route 40
(US 40) in the early 20th century. The modern MD 281 was mostly constructed and marked around 1960.
(Delancy Road). After crossing under transmission lines, MD 281 reaches its eastern terminus at the Delaware state line. The highway continues straight as Old Baltimore Pike
toward Christiana
.
to Yorktown
during the Revolutionary War
, passing through the area in September 1781. In 1817, the Elk and Christiana Turnpike was completed along the path of the Old Post Road; the turnpike operated until 1838, when Old Baltimore Pike reverted to a public road. By the 1920s, the Old Baltimore Pike was supplanted by a parallel highway to the south from Elkton to Wilmington that was chosen as the route of US 40. The first segment of the modern MD 281 was a stub of state maintenance from MD 7 (then US 40) east a few blocks toward Big Elk Creek constructed around 1933. This stub remained until MD 281 was completed to the Delaware state line in 1959 and 1960, when the modern bridge over Big Elk Creek was completed.
in Cecil County
.
{| class=wikitable
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|0.00
|, Glasgow, DE
|rowspan=1|Western terminus
|-
|1.78
|
|-
|2.12
|Old Baltimore Pike
– Christiana, DE
|Eastern terminus; Delaware state line
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Known for most of its length as Red Hill Road, the state highway runs 2.12 miles (3.4 km) from MD 7
Maryland Route 7
Maryland Route 7 is a collection of state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These highways are sections of old alignment of U.S. Route 40 between Baltimore and Elkton that were bypassed when US 40 was moved to Pulaski Highway, a four-lane divided highway, in the late 1930s and early 1940s...
east to the Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
state line within Elkton
Elkton, Maryland
The town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census and 14,842 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Cecil County...
. MD 281 and its continuation in Delaware were originally blazed in the 18th century as part of the Old Post Road between Baltimore and Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. The state highway was part of the Elk and Christiana Turnpike in the early 19th century and later the Old Baltimore Pike, but was replaced as the main highway east from Elkton by U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 in Maryland
U.S. Route 40 in the U.S. state of Maryland runs from western Maryland to Cecil County in the state's northeastern corner. With a total length of over , it is the longest numbered highway in Maryland. Almost half of the road overlaps with Interstate 68 or Interstate 70, while the old alignment...
(US 40) in the early 20th century. The modern MD 281 was mostly constructed and marked around 1960.
Route description
MD 281 begins at an intersection with MD 7 in the town of Elkton. MD 7 continues west as Main Street and heads southeast as Delaware Avenue toward US 40. MD 281 heads east as two-lane Main Street. After crossing Big Elk Creek and leaving the town limits, the name of the state highway changes to Red Hill Road. MD 281 crosses the northern flank of Grays Hill before meeting the northern end of MD 781Maryland Route 781
Maryland Route 781 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Delancy Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 40 north to MD 281 within Elkton close to the Delaware state line. MD 781 was designated in 1987....
(Delancy Road). After crossing under transmission lines, MD 281 reaches its eastern terminus at the Delaware state line. The highway continues straight as Old Baltimore Pike
Old Baltimore Pike
Old Baltimore Pike is an unsigned highway in the U.S. state of Delaware. The road, known as New Castle County Road 26, runs from the Maryland state line near Newark, Delaware east to Christiana, ending near Delaware Route 1 . The road is mainly paralleled by Interstate 95 to the north and U.S...
toward Christiana
Christiana, Delaware
Christiana is a community near Wilmington, Delaware, USA. It is an unincorperated community in New Castle County, Delaware. It is home to the Christiana Mall and is the northern terminus to Delaware Route 1.-History:...
.
History
What is now MD 281 and its continuation in Delaware was the Old Post Road used to connect Christiana Bridge with the head of the Elk River, and by extension Philadelphia and Baltimore, in the 18th century. Alternatively known as Old Baltimore Pike, this road was used by the French army during their march from Newport, Rhode IslandNewport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
to Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, passing through the area in September 1781. In 1817, the Elk and Christiana Turnpike was completed along the path of the Old Post Road; the turnpike operated until 1838, when Old Baltimore Pike reverted to a public road. By the 1920s, the Old Baltimore Pike was supplanted by a parallel highway to the south from Elkton to Wilmington that was chosen as the route of US 40. The first segment of the modern MD 281 was a stub of state maintenance from MD 7 (then US 40) east a few blocks toward Big Elk Creek constructed around 1933. This stub remained until MD 281 was completed to the Delaware state line in 1959 and 1960, when the modern bridge over Big Elk Creek was completed.
Junction list
The entire route is in ElktonElkton, Maryland
The town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census and 14,842 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Cecil County...
in Cecil County
Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|0.00
|, Glasgow, DE
Glasgow, Delaware
Glasgow is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 12,840 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glasgow is located at ....
|rowspan=1|Western terminus
|-
|1.78
|
|-
|2.12
|Old Baltimore Pike
Old Baltimore Pike
Old Baltimore Pike is an unsigned highway in the U.S. state of Delaware. The road, known as New Castle County Road 26, runs from the Maryland state line near Newark, Delaware east to Christiana, ending near Delaware Route 1 . The road is mainly paralleled by Interstate 95 to the north and U.S...
– Christiana, DE
Christiana, Delaware
Christiana is a community near Wilmington, Delaware, USA. It is an unincorperated community in New Castle County, Delaware. It is home to the Christiana Mall and is the northern terminus to Delaware Route 1.-History:...
|Eastern terminus; Delaware state line