Old Harford Road
Encyclopedia
Old Harford Road, one of the oldest continuously-used rights-of-way in central Maryland
, United States
, is a southwest-northeast thoroughfare in northeast Baltimore and eastern Baltimore County
.
Present-day Old Harford Road begins in the 6000 block of Harford Road in the Hamilton
section of Baltimore City and continues 5½ miles northeast through the Parkville
and Carney areas of Baltimore County to near the Big Gunpowder Falls
north of Cub Hill. Old Harford Road serves as an alternate route to both Harford Road (Maryland Route 147) and Perring Parkway (Maryland Route 41), and carries between 10,000 and 16,500 vehicles per day. Old Harford Road, like Harford County
, was named for Henry Harford
(1758–1834), the son of Frederick Calvert
, 6th Lord Baltimore, and the last Proprietary of Maryland prior to the American Revolutionary War
.
, including Chinquapin Run. This suggests its likely origin as an Indian trail that later was adopted by settlers to convey farm products from northeastern Baltimore County and Harford County to the port of Baltimore in the late 18th century. The name "Old Harford Road" appears on area maps dating back to at least the 1850s (see, for example, map display in the Meeting Room of the Baltimore County Public Library in Towson). The 1850 J. C. Sidney map, for example, indicates that all or parts of today's Satyr Hill, Cromwell Bridge
and Glenarm Roads collectively were known as Old Harford Road. This naming most likely dates to the period shortly after private interests constructed the more direct "Harford Turnpike" (now known as Harford Road) between present-day Mt. Vista Road and what later became the Hamilton section of Baltimore in 1816.
While Old Harford Road has never been part of the Maryland State Highway system, rapid urban development throughout the Parkville-Carney area following World War II
brought substantial traffic increases to the city- and county-maintained road. In particular, completion of the nearby Parkville High School
and Perring Plaza Shopping Center spurred increases in the late 1950s and early 1960s, respectively. Major improvements (including widening, resurfacing and construction of curbs/sewers) occurred over various segments in the following years: 1971, 1972, 1975, 1979, 1984, 1990, 2000, and 2001. Construction of an overpass at the Baltimore Beltway (Interstate 695) in 1961 resulted in relocation of the roadway about 300 feet (91.4 m) west of the original right-of-way. This reconstruction also eliminated an existing "y" intersection with Satyr Hill Road.
The Maryland State Highway Administration currently (August 2009) is in the final engineering phase of a proposed project to widen the Baltimore Beltway between Perring Parkway and Harford Road. This project would include replacement of the Old Harford Road - Interstate 695 overpass. The new bridge will accommodate three lanes of traffic: one through lane in each direction, and a third for left turns from Old Harford onto Satyr Hill Road. The bridge also will provide shoulders for bicycle use and sidewalks.
Numerous places of worship, schools, and business areas are located on Old Harford Road. These include (listed from south to north):
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, is a southwest-northeast thoroughfare in northeast Baltimore and eastern Baltimore County
Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
.
Present-day Old Harford Road begins in the 6000 block of Harford Road in the Hamilton
Hamilton, Maryland
Hamilton is a mixed density urban neighborhood located in northeastern Baltimore City, Maryland.- History :The neighborhood was originally farmland along the Harford Road corridor, which at the time was a major arterial route out of Baltimore City into the much more rural Harford County...
section of Baltimore City and continues 5½ miles northeast through the Parkville
Parkville, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 31,118 people, 13,044 households, and 8,243 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 7,352.1 people per square mile . There were 13,550 housing units at an average density of 3,201.4 per square mile...
and Carney areas of Baltimore County to near the Big Gunpowder Falls
Gunpowder River
The Gunpowder River is a tidal inlet on the western side of Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, United States. It is formed by the joining of two freshwater rivers, Gunpowder Falls and Little Gunpowder Falls.-Gunpowder Falls:The Big Gunpowder, long, begins in the extreme southern part of Pennsylvania's...
north of Cub Hill. Old Harford Road serves as an alternate route to both Harford Road (Maryland Route 147) and Perring Parkway (Maryland Route 41), and carries between 10,000 and 16,500 vehicles per day. Old Harford Road, like Harford County
Harford County, Maryland
Harford County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 244,826. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.-History:...
, was named for Henry Harford
Henry Harford
Henry Harford, 5th Proprietor of Maryland was the last proprietary owner of the British colony of Maryland. He was born in 1758 the eldest but illegitimate son of Frederick Calvert 6th Baron Baltimore, and his mistress Hester Whelan...
(1758–1834), the son of Frederick Calvert
Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore, 4th Proprietor of Maryland was an English nobleman and last in the line of Barons Baltimore...
, 6th Lord Baltimore, and the last Proprietary of Maryland prior to the American 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...
.
History
Old Harford Road follows a curving path along relatively high land bordering streams that feed the upper Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
, including Chinquapin Run. This suggests its likely origin as an Indian trail that later was adopted by settlers to convey farm products from northeastern Baltimore County and Harford County to the port of Baltimore in the late 18th century. The name "Old Harford Road" appears on area maps dating back to at least the 1850s (see, for example, map display in the Meeting Room of the Baltimore County Public Library in Towson). The 1850 J. C. Sidney map, for example, indicates that all or parts of today's Satyr Hill, Cromwell Bridge
Cromwell Bridge Road
Cromwell Bridge Road, formerly Maryland Route 567, is a two-lane roadway in the Towson, Maryland, area of the United States. The road begins at Providence Road in Towson, and continues past the Baltimore Beltway for several miles to its end, where it splits, a left turn going onto Glen Arm Road and...
and Glenarm Roads collectively were known as Old Harford Road. This naming most likely dates to the period shortly after private interests constructed the more direct "Harford Turnpike" (now known as Harford Road) between present-day Mt. Vista Road and what later became the Hamilton section of Baltimore in 1816.
While Old Harford Road has never been part of the Maryland State Highway system, rapid urban development throughout the Parkville-Carney area following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
brought substantial traffic increases to the city- and county-maintained road. In particular, completion of the nearby Parkville High School
Parkville High School
Parkville High School is a four-year public high school in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The school was originally opened in 1953 on what has become the current location of Parkville Middle School.-About the School:...
and Perring Plaza Shopping Center spurred increases in the late 1950s and early 1960s, respectively. Major improvements (including widening, resurfacing and construction of curbs/sewers) occurred over various segments in the following years: 1971, 1972, 1975, 1979, 1984, 1990, 2000, and 2001. Construction of an overpass at the Baltimore Beltway (Interstate 695) in 1961 resulted in relocation of the roadway about 300 feet (91.4 m) west of the original right-of-way. This reconstruction also eliminated an existing "y" intersection with Satyr Hill Road.
The Maryland State Highway Administration currently (August 2009) is in the final engineering phase of a proposed project to widen the Baltimore Beltway between Perring Parkway and Harford Road
Points of interest
Several sites of historical interest exist along Old Harford Road. The first four have been placed on the Baltimore County Landmarks List and include:- The 19th century Krause lime kiln near Summit Avenue (image below). The stone arch kiln burned wood to generate heat for the pulverization of limestone into lime. This process took two to three days, and lime obtained from the kiln was used to reduce soil acidity of area vegetable farms. The kiln was restored by the County in 1979 and is now part of Krause Memorial Park.
- The 1860 Pine Grove School. This one-room school house at the southeast corner of Old Harford and Cub Hill Roads was sold in 1939 and is now a private residence.
- The Federal-style Cub Hill House at 9301 Old Harford Road (just north of Summit Ave; image below). This late 18th century - early 19th century stone structure was once the center of Cub Hill Farm, complete with blacksmith and wheelwright shops, greenhouses and tenant houses. In the mid-19th century a wooden addition (no longer existent) at the west end of the house served as a general store and as the Cub Hill Post Office. The Cub Hill land grant of which Cub Hill Farm was a part dates to the late 17th century. The farm gradually shrank from about 1000 acres (4 km²) to just 50 acres (202,343 m²) when the last owners to farm it (the Macklins) sold it for development in 1952. Cub Hill House and 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) of the farm have been owned by the Old family since then.
- The Shanklin-Carroll-Longbottom homestead just south of Waldor Drive. The land grant of which the home is a part dates to 1695. In 1845, 50 acres (202,343 m²) of the original 500 acres (2 km²) tract known as "Bear Neck" was purchased by John Wesley Shanklin. Shanklin enlarged the original home, believed to have been built in the early 19th century, and operated a general store.
- The superstructure of one of the Maryland State Forest Service's former network of fire lookout towers (image below). The tower, at 9405 Old Harford Road, Cub Hill, is located at one of the highest points in eastern Baltimore County (484 feet above sea level). The 125 feet (38.1 m) tower has not been used for lookout purposes since 1972. It is now used to support communication equipment, while the surrounding grounds serve as an ecological and atmospheric research facility of the Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesMaryland Department of Natural ResourcesThe Maryland Department of Natural Resources is a government agency in the state of Maryland charged with maintaining natural resources such as the 66 state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, wildlife and recreation areas....
in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service - The Maryland State Training School For Boys. This facility, now known as The Charles H. Hickey School after a former Baltimore County sheriff, originated as a house of refuge in southwest Baltimore. It moved to its present location at the north end of Old Harford Road in 1910, and contains several buildings displaying what might be termed "early 20th century institutional" architecture. In recent years the facility has been the subject of various proposals for conversion to other uses. (See http://www.djs.state.md.us/hickey.html and http://www.explorebaltimorecounty.com/news/2861/rezoning-sets-limits-hickey-propertys-future/)
- The Parkville Precinct (#8) of the Baltimore County Police DepartmentBaltimore County Police DepartmentThe Baltimore County Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for Baltimore County, Maryland. They have been accredited by CALEA since 1984. The current Chief is James Johnson. Chief Johnson took over as Chief on May 31, 2007, Chief James Johnson's formal ceremony was held that July...
, 8532 Old Harford Road (at southwest corner with Putty Hill Avenue), since October 1954. In August 2007 a new 17000 square feet (1,579.4 m²) facility was dedicated at the same location - The Parkville station (#10) of the Baltimore County Fire DepartmentFire departmentA fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...
(at southwest corner with Putty Hill Avenue), since October 1954. In September 2005 the station occupied a brand-new facility adjacent to the Parkville police department
Numerous places of worship, schools, and business areas are located on Old Harford Road. These include (listed from south to north):
- Calvary Tabernacle (north of Harford Road). Until 1983, the Tabernacle was housed in an 1874 structure on the same site that, for many years, served as Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church (image below)
- Christ and Country Church (at Roselawn Avenue)
- Hamilton Elementary School (at Christopher Avenue)
- Hamilton Assembly of God Church (near Pinewood Avenue)
- Calvary Lutheran Church and School (at Northern ParkwayNorthern Parkway (Baltimore)Northern Parkway is a major road that runs west–east across the northern part of the city Baltimore. For most of the way, it is at least six lanes wide, and it is used by motorists for crosstown travel....
) - Putty Hill Shopping Center (at Putty Hill Avenue)
- Morningside House (nursing facility; at Lakewood Road)
- Harford Hills Elementary School (near Joppa Road)
- Atonement Lutheran Church (south of Proctor Lane)
- Pine Grove Middle School (at Proctor Lane)
- Saint Isaac Jogues Roman Catholic Church (north of Proctor Lane)
- Loch Raven Lutheran Church (south of Summit Avenue)
Major intersections
Major intersections with commercial and/or institutional development along Old Harford Road include (listed south to north):- Harford RoadMaryland Route 147Maryland Route 147 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Harford Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 in Baltimore north to US 1 and US 1 Business in Benson. MD 147 is an alternate route to US 1 between Baltimore and Bel Air, the county seat of Harford County...
- Northern ParkwayNorthern Parkway (Baltimore)Northern Parkway is a major road that runs west–east across the northern part of the city Baltimore. For most of the way, it is at least six lanes wide, and it is used by motorists for crosstown travel....
- Taylor Avenue
- Putty Hill Avenue
- Satyr Hill Road
- Joppa RoadJoppa RoadJoppa Road is a road that runs across the northern suburbs of Baltimore, mostly parallel to the Baltimore Beltway. Joppa Road today is used by motorists as an alternative to congested I-695 traffic, which often causes the road to become congested itself....
- Cub Hill Road