Whiskey Bottom Road
Encyclopedia
Whiskey Bottom Road is a historic road north of Laurel, Maryland
that traverses Anne Arundel
and Howard
Counties.
starting at Maryland Route 198
in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
. The road continues westward across U.S. Route 1
and terminates at a dead end just prior to the I-95
and Route 216
interchange in Howard County, Maryland
.
Disused or renamed sections
Martenet's 1860 Map of Howard County Maryland, and 1861 Map of Prince George's County, Maryland
, from the Library of Congress
, clearly depict the original road. Approximately 60% of that original has been renamed after being bisected by I-95, Maryland Route 198, and I-295.
Starting from the northwest to the southeast:
Current road description
Whiskey Bottom Road maintains its original historical path and name until meeting with Maryland route 198 in Anne Arundel County. The path continues to the southeast under several different names.
In 1681, Robert Proctor, from his town on the Severn, Thomas Francis, from South River and Colonel Samuel Lane, from the same section, all wrote urgent letters stating that the Indians had killed and wounded both Negroes and English men "at a plantation of Major Welsh's," and "had attempted to enter the houses of Mr. Mareen Duvall
and Richard Snowden." The farms and their owners described are shown later as being along the original starting point of Whiskey Bottom Road.
A former owner of adjacent property placed signs listing the road's date as 1732.
The majority of the modern road falls within "Rutlands Purchase", land between Laurel
and Annapolis Junction
that was part of an accumulated 10500 acres (42.5 km²) inheritance of the Snowden family starting in 1669 with a 500 acres (2 km²) patent purchased in exchange for 1100 lb (499 kg) of tobacco.
The 1795 map of Anne Arundel County by Dennis Griffith, shows the unnamed path that is now known as Whiskey Bottom Road Starting at the Ridgley Farm in Highland, Maryland
, passing south of Whites Mill in Savage, Maryland
and terminating at the Snowden Family Property in South Laurel. Martenet's 1861 Map of Prince George's County and 1860 Map of Howard County show the route in more detail. The Howard County – District 6, Guilford, Savage Factory, Annapolis Junction, Laurel City map published by G. M. Hopkins in 1878 referenced the dirt road as Old Annapolis Road, the expanded 1878 county map from the same publisher contradicted this name and listed it as Laurel Road. The date when the road obtained its name is not well published, Others have referenced the road as Sandy Bottom, and Rural Route No. 1. A large section of the original road is now called Scaggsville Road or Maryland Route 216
.
native Americans. In the 1620s The Susquehannocks pushed tribes out to the Southeast to reduce competition.
In 1685 King Charles (via Lord Baltimore
) granted Richard Snowden Sr. 1976 acres (8 km²) of land on the Patuxent river (Robinhood's Forest). The iron works would form the start of the road heading upriver to the northwest.
, Joseph Cowman, and three other partners founded "Patuxent Iron Work Company", Maryland's first ironworks. The ironworks were built on the site of an even older forge that predated it by some time. From the 1760s to the 1780s the ironworks were managed by Samuel, John and Thomas Snowden, employing a workforce of about 45 slaves. The ironworks peaked with an annual output of 1200 tons. The owners dismantled the furnace in 1856 due to a lack of wood and ore
.
es, beet
s, eggplant, tobacco
, and apple trees
.
Slavery
was in common practice among the farmers along the road until emancipation
. Runaway slave ads were regularly placed by Whiskey Bottom residents in the Baltimore Sun
newspaper.
Born in Montgomery County
, Gustuavas Ober owned several properties along Whiskey Bottom Road. The successful entrepreneur was married into, and partnered with, the Kettleman family with residences on nearby Gorman road. Together in 1856, they formed the successful Baltimore company G Ober and Sons, marketing "Kettlewell's Manipulated Guano".
The Bacontown community along the Anne Arundel portion of Whiskey Bottom Road was established by the freed slave Maria Bacon. A road sign proclaims "Bacontown EST. 1860". Approximately 3 dozen small homes were established along with a church and schoolhouse. The community consists of multi-generational families that have worked together to drive out crime and prevent redevelopment of a community that looks much the same as it did in 20th century. Bacontown was the last neighborhood along the road to link to city water and sewer service, in 1997. The Mount Zion United Methodist Church and Bacontown Park are the most visible landmarks.
In 1862, during the Civil War, Brig.-Gen. John C. Robinson commanded troops guarding the B&O railroad. The First Michigan Regiment was assigned to the section crossing Whiskey Bottom Road.
After the great depression, many family farms were sold to pay back taxes and were subdivided into lots for owner-built homes. Construction of these homes peaked after World War II. Shortly after city water was provided to the Howard county residents in 1960s, Whiskey Bottom Road was designated a collector road
. The majority of home construction from that point on has been in the form of developments on subdivided property managed by homeowners association
s. Only one house on the historic road is listed in Howard County's Historic property inventory: The Joseph Travers House, a Folk Victorian dwelling built on land called "Sappington's Sweep" in 1890 over the site of an earlier 1862 house.
Between 1936 and 1940 the construction of the Patuxent Research Refuge
displaced all residents along the southeast section of the road. The construction of I-295 cut off access to the road, and its remaining sections were renamed. The cut-off road sections were used to train troops and tank operators during WWII, and have been returned to the wildlife research center in 1991
In 1959, the plans for construction of the I-95 highway that eventually bisected Whiskey Bottom Road were met with protests.
On the northwest corner of U.S. Route 1 and Whiskey Bottom Road, Crickett's California Inn hosted live bands from the 1960s until its relocation in 2008. The bar hosted various formats, switching to country in the 1990s and karaoke in the first decade of the 21st century. The bar was previously known as Randy's California Inn, and The California Inn.
The Edy
's Ice Cream plant on the northeast corner of U.S. Route 1 and Whiskey Bottom Road is the second-largest ice cream manufacturing facility in the world. A smaller plant was originally built by Clifford Y. Stephens at the site in 1961. The factory packaged goods for High's Dairy Stores. In 1987 the facility was acquired by Southland and later by Nestle
, which owns the Edy's and Dreyer's brands. In 2003 a $210 million expansion was built on land previously operated as Pfister's mobile home park. Seventy three families were moved out of the trailer park that had operated since World War II. Prior to that, the land was operated as a chicken farm. The adjoining office complex once occupied by High's management is now the Phillip's School for Contemporary Education.
In 1958 Melville W. Beardsley
founded National Research Associates company and settled on Whiskey Bottom Road in 1961. NRA developed and tested over 30 air cushion vehicles, with the Air Gem Air cushion vehicle produced as their first product. NRA also sold Disney's Flying Saucers attraction under license. The Company went out of business in 1963.
In 1962, 47 acres (190,202.4 m²) were rezoned at the corner of Whiskey Bottom and All Saint's Road to form the Whiskey Bottom Apartments, the first development along the road.
In 2009, the primary entrance to the North Laurel Community Center was realigned to Whiskey Bottom Road. A 63000 sq ft (5,852.9 m²) Leed Silver certified
community center and park was built at the location and opened on 3 June 2011. It features amenities similar to the Glenwood Community Center in Northern Howard County. The funding and takeover of the various undeveloped properties through eminent domain
was a multi-decade effort. The project has been supported by local leaders and community groups, with some criticism over the environmental impact, effect on adjoining properties, and the safety of the road entrance.
In 1899 a large monopoly, The Distilling Company of America, pooled $125 Million Dollars to buy all the distilleries on the east coast, and consolidate the production to a few sites, effectively wiping out all large Maryland Rye Distilleries. The path that is now Whiskey Bottom Road, would have included settlements, farms and plantations spanning from Davidsonville to Highland, any of which commonly produced whiskey in small quantities.
In the 1879 book History of Tama County, Iowa, the author states that after a prohibition vote in April 1855, the residents drank the first barrel of pure whiskey delivered by a man named Rouse
living on Whiskey Bottom Road. "The road was named from this circumstance". The Iowa Meskwaki
Reservation shares an area with the uncommon Whiskey Bottom name. The Maryland road was named about the same time, under similar circumstances, and a family named Rouse also played an influential role in the area. Due to unflattering connotations, the Meskwaki reservation eventually changed its Whiskey Bottom Road name to "Battlefield Road".
s and stills that were hosted in various farmhouses along the road. For some, the perceived negative connotation of alcohol or alcoholism prompted attempts to hide, or change the road's name.
Name change efforts were publicized as far away as Florida in an Ocala
Star-Banner
newspaper article from May 3, 1955, titled "Battle of Whiskey Bottom Road Rages".
In the 1950s, a Maryland Congressman Steele once petitioned to rename the street Patuxent Drive. A 1950 Washington Post article proclaimed that the new Patuxent Drive was now "dignified". In 1954 the matter was brought to the Maryland State Roads Commission. Markers for Patuxent Drive were placed at US Route 1.
In the ensuing battle of county vs. state rights, Howard County sided with the name of Whiskey Bottom.
Residents in this time would address their mail to both street names, but Patuxent Drive fell out of use over time.
In 1991 the name was changed because Whiskey Bottom was considered unsuitable. The new name for the school was Laurel Woods Elementary due to its proximity to the largest remaining stand of woods in Laurel. The majority of these woods were cleared in 2010 for the North Laurel Community Center.
Bottom Road and more recently, Whiskey Bottom Road. Although both are valid spellings, the later name associates it with liquor distilled in America or Ireland rather than Canada
, Japan
or Wales
.
, and have the name Scaggsville Road. Just like Whiskey Bottom, the name Scaggsville was considered distasteful enough to warrant a name change by some in 2002, but did not have enough public support to proceed.
, that has a corn base.
A partial list of local items that have adopted the theme.
Although most of the Whiskey Bottom Road neighborhoods consist of single family homes fronting the street, the various developments of Canterbury Riding, The Seasons Apartments and Whiskey Bottom Town homes, form a well defined neighborhood frequently called Whiskey Bottom or the "Whiskey Bottom Area".
The B&O Railroad crossing also was a frequent historical source of accidents with carts and pedestrians. A steep curving bridge was first built over the railroad tracks reducing train collisions, but occasionally creating its own hazardous driving conditions. In 1990, a long standing home pottery business was removed to regrade a modern bridge over the railroad. Pedestrians still travel along the tracks despite the improvements, with occasional accidents in the same place.
In 1950 Whiskey Bottom Road was straightened, widened, and paved.
By the end of the 20th century, the amount of transient traffic as well as local traffic from developments reached the point where residents of the street facing homes could not safely turn into and out of their driveways. The occasional auto accidents where vehicles struck houses became commonplace. Traffic surveys concluded that the majority of accidents were from vehicles striking turning vehicles from behind. The traffic engineering departments of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties took two different approaches to the issue. In 1993 the Anne Arundel section adopted a road widening approach, taking eminent domain of properties and adding a shared center left-hand turn lane down the middle of the road. This was partially funded by the pending Russett development as a condition of zoning approval. Howard County planned to follow suit in 2002 but opted to explore traffic calming
after 98% of roadside residents petitioned against widening the road. A series of narrow choking islands, and roundabout
s were placed along the roadway with the intention of physically restricting the maximum speed of a vehicle to the 30 mi/h limit. Transient drivers have objected to the obstacles. Howard County engineers defend their usefulness in controlling reckless driving without the need for increased traffic patrols.
Howard County Project J4229 plans to modify Whiskey Bottom Road from U.S. Route 1 to the Anne Arundel County Line in 2011 to prepare for future BRAC
-related development traffic.
Adjacent developed properties include:
In 1994, an effort to redevelop land occupied by the Laurel Racetrack and its adjacent properties would have placed a new Washington Redskins
Stadium at the crossroads of Whiskey Bottom Road and Brock Bridge Road. Citizens and clergy launched a successful effort that killed the proposal. A lack of sufficient parking space was a significant factor in the decision.
One of the first recorded incidents occurred on the road itself. On July 6, 1892 Rebbeca Cager (Hensin) was found dead by Dr. Hunt alongside "Whisky Bottom Road".
The earliest mention of carjacking occurred in 1959 with the abduction of two separate women at gunpoint ending at Whiskey Bottom Road.
The busy intersections of Whiskey Bottom Road with US Route 1 and Maryland 198 have a decades long history of prostitution. Over the years there have been regular efforts to reduce the problem, but it persists to present times. A one-day sweep for solicitation along Route 198 in 2009 resulted in 22 arrests. In 2-day prostitution stings
at the corner of US Route 1, 41 were arrested in 2009, and 27 were arrested in 2010.
and Victor McGlothin, the character Franchetta wound up in a small tick on the map called "Whiskey Bottom, Maryland" at the age of 18 hawking boxes of popcorn.
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
that traverses Anne Arundel
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
and Howard
Howard County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
Counties.
Route description
Whiskey Bottom Road runs through North Laurel, MarylandNorth Laurel, Maryland
North Laurel is a census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. The population was 20,468 at the 2000 census. It is located adjacent to the city of Laurel.right|thumb|North Laurel Community Center opening 3 June 2011-Geography:...
starting at Maryland Route 198
Maryland Route 198
Maryland Route 198 is an east–west state highway in the central part of the U.S. state of Maryland that connects Fort Meade at Maryland Route 32 to Maryland Route 28 and Maryland Route 650 near Spencerville.-Spencerville Road:...
in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
. The road continues westward across U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
and terminates at a dead end just prior to the I-95
Interstate 95 in Maryland
Interstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...
and Route 216
Maryland Route 216
Maryland Route 216 is a Maryland between Laurel and Highland, primarily within Howard County. The name for Route 216 is Scaggsville Road.-7th Street, Laurel:...
interchange in Howard County, Maryland
Howard County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
.
Disused or renamed sections
Martenet's 1860 Map of Howard County Maryland, and 1861 Map of Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
, from the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
, clearly depict the original road. Approximately 60% of that original has been renamed after being bisected by I-95, Maryland Route 198, and I-295.
Starting from the northwest to the southeast:
- Whiskey Bottom Road once started at the site of the lime kilns at the intersection of modern day Brown's Bridge Road and Lime Kiln Road in Howard County, Maryland.
- The original path continues on what is now labeled Scaggsville RoadMaryland Route 216Maryland Route 216 is a Maryland between Laurel and Highland, primarily within Howard County. The name for Route 216 is Scaggsville Road.-7th Street, Laurel:...
in Scaggsville, Maryland. - Crossing the Columbia Turnpike built in 1810, the road continues Southeast until it terminates at the present I-95 and Route 216 interchange.
- The section of road overlapping the interchange was removed for the construction of Interstate Highway I-95 in the mid 1960s. This is the former location of poet Sterling Allen BrownSterling Allen BrownSterling Allen Brown was an African-American professor, author of works on folklore, poet and literary critic. He was interested chiefly in black culture of the Southern United States.-Early life:...
's childhood farm. - In 2009 an additional section of road was removed for the building of Emerson One by Ryan DevelopmentNVR, Inc.NVR, Inc. is a United States real estate development company. The homebuilding unit sells and constructs homes under the Ryan Homes, NVHomes, Rymarc Homes and Fox Ridge Homes trade names.-Homebuilding:Ryan Homes...
. - In 2011 A Proposal that the remainder of Whiskey Botttom Road adjacent to I-195 and 64.664 acres of Howard County owned wooded open space is unusable by the public and should be given to the Emerson Development HOA LLC waiving bidding requirements.
Current road description
Whiskey Bottom Road maintains its original historical path and name until meeting with Maryland route 198 in Anne Arundel County. The path continues to the southeast under several different names.
- From Maryland Route 198 Southeastward the path takes on the name Old Annapolis Road running through Maryland CityMaryland City, MarylandMaryland City is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, a suburb of Washington, DC. The population was 6,814 at the 2000 census. It is located east of Laurel, just over the border with Prince George's County, and it has a Laurel zip code...
. - Old Annapolis merges with a section of Red Clay Road, which changes its name shortly afterward to Hillside Road and terminates just prior to I-295
- The path is bisected, starting again within the Patuxent Wildlife Research CenterPatuxent Wildlife Research CenterThe Patuxent Wildlife Research Center is a biological research center in Maryland. It is one of only 17 research centers in the United States run by the U.S. Geological Survey. This USGS research center is located on the U.S...
/ Fort Meade complex with an unpaved section named Columbus Road and Combat Road. - The last section of the path is a dirt road called Hill road. This wooded section was the location of "C.old Methodist Church", The J.H. Snowden FarmRichard SnowdenRichard Snowden is the grandson of Richard Snowden Sr , one of Maryland's early colonists, who arrived in 1658. Richard founded the Patuxent Iron Works, on the site of Maryland's oldest iron forge...
, and School House No.26 in 1861. - At what is now the intersection of Switchboard Road, the original Whiskey Bottom Road merged with the Historic Davidsonville Road that ran through DavidsonvilleDavidsonville, MarylandDavidsonville is an unincorporated community in central Anne Arundel County, Maryland, USA. It is a semi-rural community composed mostly of farms and suburban-like developments and is a good example of an "exurb." Davidsonville has relatively little commercial development and no high-density housing...
to AnnapolisAnnapolis, MarylandAnnapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
.
Intersections
| Intersection | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| North Laurel Road | 39°07′33"N 076°51′12"W | Extended across Whiskey Bottom in 2007 as part of the Emerson Corporate Commons project |
| Promise Court | 39°07′36"N 076°50′54"W | |
| Stephens Road | 39°07′37"N 076°50′45"W | Built between 1795 and 1860. Roundabout installed 2004. |
| Kings Grant Road | 39°07′33"N 076°50′40"W | |
| All Saints Road | 39°07′29"N 076°50′32"W | Former location of All Saints Church in 1861, Roundabout installed 2004 |
| Harmony Lane | 39°07′26"N 076°50′29"W | Was named Snells Road. First paved in 1996. Intersection moved North for Kings Arms development. |
| Moonshine Hollow | 39°07′26"N 076°50′29"W | Entrance to Whiskey Bottom town homes |
| Old Lantern Way | 39°07′20"N 076°50′23"W | Entrance to Whiskey Bottom town homes |
| Lilac Park Drive | 39°07′18"N 076°50′21"W | Lilac Park development Est. 1996 |
| Mellow Court | 39°07′15"N 076°50′19"W | |
| Manorwood Road | 39°07′14"N 076°50′18"W | |
| Glen Ridge Drive | 39°07′13"N 076°50′14"W | |
| Kings Post Court | 39°07′03"N 076°50′02"W | |
| Northgate Road | 39°07′08"N 076°50′07"W | Built in 1981 for the 76 home development Northgate. A loop road with two entrances. Opposite of the intersection is the main entrance to the North Laurel Community Center built in 2011. |
| Homestretch Court | 39°07′03"N 076°50′02"W | |
 U.S. Route 1U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between... |
39°06′58"N 076°49′53"W | Location of the Turf Motel and Edy's Grand Ice Cream Plant |
| Historic B&O Railroad (CSX) crossing. | 39°06′34"N 076°49′36"W | Railroad section built 1831–1835. Updated bridge built in 1990 |
| Laurel Racetrack Road | 39°06′34"N 076°49′34"W | Back entrance to Laurel Park Racecourse, Founded 1911 |
| Brock Bridge Road | 39°06′32"N 076°49′27"W | |
| Spring Road | 39°06′21"N 076°45′58"W | |
| Woodland Hills Way | 39°06′10"N 076°48′57"W | |
| Laurel View Court | 39°06′10"N 076°48′57"W | A horsehoe shaped road that has two entrances to Whiskey Bottom. |
| Yellow Flower Road | 39°06′06"N 076°48′57"W | |
| Old Camp Meade Road - Portland Road | 39°06′04"N 076°48′57"W | |
 Maryland Route 198Maryland Route 198 Maryland Route 198 is an east–west state highway in the central part of the U.S. state of Maryland that connects Fort Meade at Maryland Route 32 to Maryland Route 28 and Maryland Route 650 near Spencerville.-Spencerville Road:... |
39°06′01"N 076°48′58"W | Starting Gate Bar and Lounge, Starting Gate Service Center |
Origins
The North Laurel region has origins dating to 1650. In a passage from the book The founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland, the author cites letters describing the conflict between the Native Americans and the new settlers of the area...In 1681, Robert Proctor, from his town on the Severn, Thomas Francis, from South River and Colonel Samuel Lane, from the same section, all wrote urgent letters stating that the Indians had killed and wounded both Negroes and English men "at a plantation of Major Welsh's," and "had attempted to enter the houses of Mr. Mareen Duvall
Mareen Duvall
Mareen Duvall was a French Huguenot and an early American settler.-Background:He was born Marin duVal, at Nantes, France in 1625 and arrived in the Province of Maryland on August 28, 1650...
and Richard Snowden." The farms and their owners described are shown later as being along the original starting point of Whiskey Bottom Road.
A former owner of adjacent property placed signs listing the road's date as 1732.
The majority of the modern road falls within "Rutlands Purchase", land between Laurel
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
and Annapolis Junction
Annapolis Junction, Maryland
Annapolis Junction is an unincorporated community in Howard County, Maryland, United States.-Demographics:The ZIP Code for Annapolis Junction is 20701. 2000 Census for 20701*Population 40*Median age 31.5 years*Single family homes 6...
that was part of an accumulated 10500 acres (42.5 km²) inheritance of the Snowden family starting in 1669 with a 500 acres (2 km²) patent purchased in exchange for 1100 lb (499 kg) of tobacco.
The 1795 map of Anne Arundel County by Dennis Griffith, shows the unnamed path that is now known as Whiskey Bottom Road Starting at the Ridgley Farm in Highland, Maryland
Highland, Maryland
Highland is an unincorporated community in western Howard County, Maryland which uses the 20777 zip code. The community is located at the junction of Highland Road, Maryland Route 216 and Maryland Route 108, and is still heavily influenced by its agrarian history; farms and horse fields are common...
, passing south of Whites Mill in Savage, Maryland
Savage, Maryland
Savage is a historic town located in Howard County, Maryland, about south of Baltimore and north of Washington, D.C. It is situated close to the city of Laurel and to the planned community of Columbia.A rich vein of American industrial history lies in Savage...
and terminating at the Snowden Family Property in South Laurel. Martenet's 1861 Map of Prince George's County and 1860 Map of Howard County show the route in more detail. The Howard County – District 6, Guilford, Savage Factory, Annapolis Junction, Laurel City map published by G. M. Hopkins in 1878 referenced the dirt road as Old Annapolis Road, the expanded 1878 county map from the same publisher contradicted this name and listed it as Laurel Road. The date when the road obtained its name is not well published, Others have referenced the road as Sandy Bottom, and Rural Route No. 1. A large section of the original road is now called Scaggsville Road or Maryland Route 216
Maryland Route 216
Maryland Route 216 is a Maryland between Laurel and Highland, primarily within Howard County. The name for Route 216 is Scaggsville Road.-7th Street, Laurel:...
.
The 1600s
Prior to settlement by the English, the lands up and down the Patuxent river were occupied by various tribes of Algonquin speakingAlgonquin language
Algonquin is either a distinct Algonquian language closely related to the Ojibwe language or a particularly divergent Ojibwe dialect. It is spoken, alongside French and to some extent English, by the Algonquin First Nations of Quebec and Ontario...
native Americans. In the 1620s The Susquehannocks pushed tribes out to the Southeast to reduce competition.
In 1685 King Charles (via Lord Baltimore
Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore
Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, 1st Proprietor and 1st Proprietary Governor of Maryland, 9th Proprietary Governor of Newfoundland , was an English peer who was the first proprietor of the Province of Maryland. He received the proprietorship after the death of his father, George Calvert, the...
) granted Richard Snowden Sr. 1976 acres (8 km²) of land on the Patuxent river (Robinhood's Forest). The iron works would form the start of the road heading upriver to the northwest.
The 1700s
In 1736, roadside residents Richard Snowden III "Ironmaster" (1688–1763)Richard Snowden
Richard Snowden is the grandson of Richard Snowden Sr , one of Maryland's early colonists, who arrived in 1658. Richard founded the Patuxent Iron Works, on the site of Maryland's oldest iron forge...
, Joseph Cowman, and three other partners founded "Patuxent Iron Work Company", Maryland's first ironworks. The ironworks were built on the site of an even older forge that predated it by some time. From the 1760s to the 1780s the ironworks were managed by Samuel, John and Thomas Snowden, employing a workforce of about 45 slaves. The ironworks peaked with an annual output of 1200 tons. The owners dismantled the furnace in 1856 due to a lack of wood and ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
.
The 1800s
Most residents of Whiskey Bottom Road in this time were farmers. Typical crops that they would plant were butter beans and sugar corn, radishRadish
The radish is an edible root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family that was domesticated in Europe, in pre-Roman times. They are grown and consumed throughout the world. Radishes have numerous varieties, varying in size, color and duration of required cultivation time...
es, beet
Beet
The beet is a plant in the Chenopodiaceae family which is now included in Amaranthaceae family. It is best known in its numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is the purple root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet...
s, eggplant, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, and apple trees
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
.
Slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
was in common practice among the farmers along the road until emancipation
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
. Runaway slave ads were regularly placed by Whiskey Bottom residents in the Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
newspaper.
Born in Montgomery County
Montgomery County
Montgomery County may refer to:* Montgomery County, Tasmania or Montgomery Land District, Australia* Montgomery County, Alabama* Montgomery County, Arkansas* Montgomery County, Georgia* Montgomery County, Illinois* Montgomery County, Indiana...
, Gustuavas Ober owned several properties along Whiskey Bottom Road. The successful entrepreneur was married into, and partnered with, the Kettleman family with residences on nearby Gorman road. Together in 1856, they formed the successful Baltimore company G Ober and Sons, marketing "Kettlewell's Manipulated Guano".
The Bacontown community along the Anne Arundel portion of Whiskey Bottom Road was established by the freed slave Maria Bacon. A road sign proclaims "Bacontown EST. 1860". Approximately 3 dozen small homes were established along with a church and schoolhouse. The community consists of multi-generational families that have worked together to drive out crime and prevent redevelopment of a community that looks much the same as it did in 20th century. Bacontown was the last neighborhood along the road to link to city water and sewer service, in 1997. The Mount Zion United Methodist Church and Bacontown Park are the most visible landmarks.
In 1862, during the Civil War, Brig.-Gen. John C. Robinson commanded troops guarding the B&O railroad. The First Michigan Regiment was assigned to the section crossing Whiskey Bottom Road.
The 1900s
A 1 miles (1.6 km) dirt oval racetrack once operated in the early 20th century at the southeast corner of Whiskey Bottom and Brock Bridge Roads.After the great depression, many family farms were sold to pay back taxes and were subdivided into lots for owner-built homes. Construction of these homes peaked after World War II. Shortly after city water was provided to the Howard county residents in 1960s, Whiskey Bottom Road was designated a collector road
Collector road
A collector road or distributor road is a low to moderate-capacity road which serve to move traffic from local streets to arterial roads. Unlike arterials, collectors are also designed to provide access to residential properties...
. The majority of home construction from that point on has been in the form of developments on subdivided property managed by homeowners association
Homeowners association
A homeowner association is a corporation formed by a real estate developer for the purpose of marketing, managing, and selling of homes and lots in a residential subdivision...
s. Only one house on the historic road is listed in Howard County's Historic property inventory: The Joseph Travers House, a Folk Victorian dwelling built on land called "Sappington's Sweep" in 1890 over the site of an earlier 1862 house.
Between 1936 and 1940 the construction of the Patuxent Research Refuge
Patuxent Research Refuge
Established in 1936 by executive order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Patuxent Research Refuge is the only National Wildlife Refuge in the United States established to support wildlife research. With land surrounding the Patuxent and Little Patuxent Rivers between Washington, D.C...
displaced all residents along the southeast section of the road. The construction of I-295 cut off access to the road, and its remaining sections were renamed. The cut-off road sections were used to train troops and tank operators during WWII, and have been returned to the wildlife research center in 1991
In 1959, the plans for construction of the I-95 highway that eventually bisected Whiskey Bottom Road were met with protests.
On the northwest corner of U.S. Route 1 and Whiskey Bottom Road, Crickett's California Inn hosted live bands from the 1960s until its relocation in 2008. The bar hosted various formats, switching to country in the 1990s and karaoke in the first decade of the 21st century. The bar was previously known as Randy's California Inn, and The California Inn.
The Edy
Edy
Edy provided by bitWallet, Inc. in Japan is a prepaid rechargeable contactless smart card. It uses Sony's FeliCa technology, also used by the competing Suica/Pasmo cards by JR East. While the name derives from euro, dollar, and yen, it works with yen only.On April 18, 2006, Intel announced a five...
's Ice Cream plant on the northeast corner of U.S. Route 1 and Whiskey Bottom Road is the second-largest ice cream manufacturing facility in the world. A smaller plant was originally built by Clifford Y. Stephens at the site in 1961. The factory packaged goods for High's Dairy Stores. In 1987 the facility was acquired by Southland and later by Nestle
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
, which owns the Edy's and Dreyer's brands. In 2003 a $210 million expansion was built on land previously operated as Pfister's mobile home park. Seventy three families were moved out of the trailer park that had operated since World War II. Prior to that, the land was operated as a chicken farm. The adjoining office complex once occupied by High's management is now the Phillip's School for Contemporary Education.
In 1958 Melville W. Beardsley
Melville W. Beardsley
Melville Whitnel Beardsley was the American inventor and aeronautical engineer whose pioneering efforts may have contributed to the invention of the Hovercraft....
founded National Research Associates company and settled on Whiskey Bottom Road in 1961. NRA developed and tested over 30 air cushion vehicles, with the Air Gem Air cushion vehicle produced as their first product. NRA also sold Disney's Flying Saucers attraction under license. The Company went out of business in 1963.
In 1962, 47 acres (190,202.4 m²) were rezoned at the corner of Whiskey Bottom and All Saint's Road to form the Whiskey Bottom Apartments, the first development along the road.
The New Millennium
The 2001 Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. tornado outbreak brought an F3 Tornado on a direct path crossing Whiskey Bottom Road. The tornado lifted momentarily and set back down on the other side of the road. Nearby buildings just a few hundred feet North and South of the road showed significant tornado damage.In 2009, the primary entrance to the North Laurel Community Center was realigned to Whiskey Bottom Road. A 63000 sq ft (5,852.9 m²) Leed Silver certified
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
community center and park was built at the location and opened on 3 June 2011. It features amenities similar to the Glenwood Community Center in Northern Howard County. The funding and takeover of the various undeveloped properties through eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
was a multi-decade effort. The project has been supported by local leaders and community groups, with some criticism over the environmental impact, effect on adjoining properties, and the safety of the road entrance.
Namesake distillery
In the 1879 book History of Tama County, Iowa, the author states that after a prohibition vote in April 1855, the residents drank the first barrel of pure whiskey delivered by a man named Rouse
Rouse (surname)
Rouse is a surname, and may refer to* Alan Rouse, British climber* Alfred Rouse, British convicted murderer* Andy Rouse, British racing driver* Charlie Rouse, American jazz saxophonist* Christopher Rouse , American composer...
living on Whiskey Bottom Road. "The road was named from this circumstance". The Iowa Meskwaki
Meskwaki
The Meskwaki are a Native American people often known to outsiders as the Fox tribe. They have often been closely linked to the Sauk people. In their own language, the Meskwaki call themselves Meshkwahkihaki, which means "the Red-Earths." Historically their homelands were in the Great Lakes region...
Reservation shares an area with the uncommon Whiskey Bottom name. The Maryland road was named about the same time, under similar circumstances, and a family named Rouse also played an influential role in the area. Due to unflattering connotations, the Meskwaki reservation eventually changed its Whiskey Bottom Road name to "Battlefield Road".
Whiskey Bottom or Patuxent
Long-time residents associate the Whiskey Bottom name with a former whiskey distillery, a whiskey cart trail, and in later years with speakeasySpeakeasy
A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the period known as Prohibition...
s and stills that were hosted in various farmhouses along the road. For some, the perceived negative connotation of alcohol or alcoholism prompted attempts to hide, or change the road's name.
Name change efforts were publicized as far away as Florida in an Ocala
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
Star-Banner
Star-Banner
The Star-Banner is the daily newspaper in Ocala, Florida, United States and serves Marion County and the surrounding communities. Owned by the New York Times Company, the Star-Banner has a daily circulation of about 43,000, and is the 19th largest newspaper in the state of Florida.- History :The...
newspaper article from May 3, 1955, titled "Battle of Whiskey Bottom Road Rages".
In the 1950s, a Maryland Congressman Steele once petitioned to rename the street Patuxent Drive. A 1950 Washington Post article proclaimed that the new Patuxent Drive was now "dignified". In 1954 the matter was brought to the Maryland State Roads Commission. Markers for Patuxent Drive were placed at US Route 1.
In the ensuing battle of county vs. state rights, Howard County sided with the name of Whiskey Bottom.
Residents in this time would address their mail to both street names, but Patuxent Drive fell out of use over time.
Whiskey and school
Whiskey Bottom Road Elementary School opened in 1973 in the heart of a new Whiskey Bottom development. The school itself was on North Laurel Road, and the name was shortened to Whiskey Bottom Elementary School.In 1991 the name was changed because Whiskey Bottom was considered unsuitable. The new name for the school was Laurel Woods Elementary due to its proximity to the largest remaining stand of woods in Laurel. The majority of these woods were cleared in 2010 for the North Laurel Community Center.
Whiskey or Whisky
The road name has been spelled WhiskyWhisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
Bottom Road and more recently, Whiskey Bottom Road. Although both are valid spellings, the later name associates it with liquor distilled in America or Ireland rather than Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
or Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Scaggsville or Rocky Gorge
Western sections of the original road ran past the farm of the Scaggs family, in Scaggsville, MarylandScaggsville, Maryland
Scaggsville is an unincorporated community in Maryland. It is situated near the southeastern tip of Howard County, between Laurel and Fulton. The name Scaggsville appears on exits for Maryland Route 216 off Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 29. The town mainly consists of residences, with some...
, and have the name Scaggsville Road. Just like Whiskey Bottom, the name Scaggsville was considered distasteful enough to warrant a name change by some in 2002, but did not have enough public support to proceed.
Whiskey themes
The name "Whiskey Bottom Road" has inspired adjoining roads, schools, developments and businesses to adopt the whiskey theme or the entire name. The region is better known for producing a rye based Whiskey, "Maryland Rye", but that name has not been adopted in the neighborhoods. Nearby Bourbon street is based on another whiskey variation, BourbonBourbon whiskey
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
, that has a corn base.
A partial list of local items that have adopted the theme.
- Bourbon Street
- Moonshine Hollow
- Barrelhouse Road
- Whiskey Run Road
- Whiskey Bottom Liquors (All Saints Road)
- Whiskey Bottom Apartments (Renamed in 1995 to The Seasons Apartments)
- Whiskey Bottom West Condominiums Est.1980
- Whiskey Bottom Shopping Center (All Saints Road)
- Whiskey Bottom Road Elementary School (before renaming)
Although most of the Whiskey Bottom Road neighborhoods consist of single family homes fronting the street, the various developments of Canterbury Riding, The Seasons Apartments and Whiskey Bottom Town homes, form a well defined neighborhood frequently called Whiskey Bottom or the "Whiskey Bottom Area".
Traffic control
The heavily traveled Baltimore-Washington corridors that Whiskey Bottom Road crosses have been the site of fatal accidents since automobiles were introduced. The introduction of traffic lights improved safety, but increasing volume of traffic has kept the intersections on many "Most Dangerous" lists.The B&O Railroad crossing also was a frequent historical source of accidents with carts and pedestrians. A steep curving bridge was first built over the railroad tracks reducing train collisions, but occasionally creating its own hazardous driving conditions. In 1990, a long standing home pottery business was removed to regrade a modern bridge over the railroad. Pedestrians still travel along the tracks despite the improvements, with occasional accidents in the same place.
In 1950 Whiskey Bottom Road was straightened, widened, and paved.
By the end of the 20th century, the amount of transient traffic as well as local traffic from developments reached the point where residents of the street facing homes could not safely turn into and out of their driveways. The occasional auto accidents where vehicles struck houses became commonplace. Traffic surveys concluded that the majority of accidents were from vehicles striking turning vehicles from behind. The traffic engineering departments of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties took two different approaches to the issue. In 1993 the Anne Arundel section adopted a road widening approach, taking eminent domain of properties and adding a shared center left-hand turn lane down the middle of the road. This was partially funded by the pending Russett development as a condition of zoning approval. Howard County planned to follow suit in 2002 but opted to explore traffic calming
Traffic calming
Traffic calming is intended to slow or reduce motor-vehicle traffic in order to improve the living conditions for residents as well as to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Urban planners and traffic engineers have many strategies for traffic calming...
after 98% of roadside residents petitioned against widening the road. A series of narrow choking islands, and roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
s were placed along the roadway with the intention of physically restricting the maximum speed of a vehicle to the 30 mi/h limit. Transient drivers have objected to the obstacles. Howard County engineers defend their usefulness in controlling reckless driving without the need for increased traffic patrols.
Howard County Project J4229 plans to modify Whiskey Bottom Road from U.S. Route 1 to the Anne Arundel County Line in 2011 to prepare for future BRAC
Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
The preliminary 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It is the fifth Base Realignment and Closure proposal generated since the process was created in 1988. It recommends closing 33 major United States military bases and...
-related development traffic.
Development
The population of residents along the road has increased substantially. In 1939 the number of roadside houses totaled nine.Adjacent developed properties include:
- Emerson Corporate Commons http://emersoncommunity.com/pages/commercial-properties.php, Est. 2008
- Kings Woods http://www.kingswoods.us/
- Kings Arms, Est. 1999
- Whiskey Bottom Apartments, Est. 1962
- Lilac Park, Est. 1996
- Northgate, 76 homes Est. 1981 by Ryan Homes http://northgatewoods.org/
- Fieldstone, by Polm Companies, LTD http://www.polm.com/home/residential/fieldstone/, Est. 2009
- Laurel Highlands
- RussettRussett, MarylandRussett is an unincorporated planned community of near Laurel, Maryland in far-western Anne Arundel County, situated in a park-like setting complemented by of walking trails and a lake nature preserve....
, Est. 1992
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
Stadium at the crossroads of Whiskey Bottom Road and Brock Bridge Road. Citizens and clergy launched a successful effort that killed the proposal. A lack of sufficient parking space was a significant factor in the decision.
Crime
Crime along Whiskey Bottom Road is on par with the region and times. Newsworthy crime incidents provide a historical context of this quiet rural road's transition to a dense suburban thoroughfare.One of the first recorded incidents occurred on the road itself. On July 6, 1892 Rebbeca Cager (Hensin) was found dead by Dr. Hunt alongside "Whisky Bottom Road".
The earliest mention of carjacking occurred in 1959 with the abduction of two separate women at gunpoint ending at Whiskey Bottom Road.
The busy intersections of Whiskey Bottom Road with US Route 1 and Maryland 198 have a decades long history of prostitution. Over the years there have been regular efforts to reduce the problem, but it persists to present times. A one-day sweep for solicitation along Route 198 in 2009 resulted in 22 arrests. In 2-day prostitution stings
Sting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather...
at the corner of US Route 1, 41 were arrested in 2009, and 27 were arrested in 2010.
In fiction
In the 2006 fiction book, Borrow Trouble by Mary MonroeMary Monroe
Mary Monroe is a New York Times bestselling African-American fiction author. Her first novel, The Upper Room, was published by St. Martin's Press in 1985...
and Victor McGlothin, the character Franchetta wound up in a small tick on the map called "Whiskey Bottom, Maryland" at the age of 18 hawking boxes of popcorn.