Towson, Maryland
Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 51,793 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Baltimore County and the second-most populated unincorporated county seat in the United States (after Ellicott City, Maryland).
1600s
The first inhabitants of the Towson region were the Susquehannough people who hunted in the area. Though their region included all of Baltimore County, their primary settlement was along the mouth of the Susquehanna River.
1700s
Towson was settled in 1752 when two Pennsylvania brothers, William and Thomas Towson, began farming northeast of present-day York and Joppa Roads. William's son, Ezekial, started the Towson Hotel at York and Joppa Roads in 1768 to serve the increasing traffic of farmers bringing their produce and livestock to the port of Baltimore. The village became known as 'Towsontown'. Today a shopping mall is situated at the intersection of York Road and Joppa Road known as the 'Towson Town Center'--but this name more likely reflects its location, in Towson, rather than being an homage to the original village name.[citation needed]In 1790, Charles Ridgely completed the magnificent Hampton Mansion just north of Towsontown, the largest private house in America at the time. The Ridgelys lived there for six generations, until 1948. It is now preserved as the Hampton National Historic Site and open to the public.
1800s
On February 13, 1854, Towson became the county seat of Baltimore County by popular vote. The Court House, still in use, was designed by Dixon, Balbirnie and Dixon and completed within a year, constructed of limestone and marble donated by the Ridgely family, on land donated by Towson merchant Grafton Bosley. The Courthouse was subsequently enlarged in 1910 through designs for north and south wings by Baldwin and Pennington. Expansion in 1926, and 1958 created an H-shaped plan. The Baltimore County Jail was built in 1855.From 1850 to 1874, another notable land owner / Amos Matthews, had a farm of 150 acres (0.61 km2) that - with the exception of the 17-acre (69,000 m2) largely natural parcel where the Kelso Home for Girls (currently Towson YMCA), was later erected - was wholly developed into the neighborhoods of West Towson, Southland Hills and other subdivisions beginning in the middle 1920's.During the Civil War, Towson was the scene of two minor engagements. Many of Towson's citizens were sympathetic to the southern cause and so much so that Ady's Hotel, later the Towson Hotel and the current site of the Recher Theatre, flew a southern flag. The Union Army found it necessary to overtake the town by force on June 2, 1861. During the raid, the Union army seized weapons from citizens at Ady's Hotel. A local paper, in jest, referred to Towson as the “strongly fortified and almost impregnable city of Towsontown” and downplays the need for the attack, stating, “the distinguished Straw, with only two hundred and fifty men, has taken a whole city and nearly frightened two old women out of their wits.” The second engagement took place around July 12, 1864 between Union and Confederate forces. On July 10, 1864, a 135-man Confederate cavalry detachment attacked the Northern Central Railway in nearby Cockeysville, under orders from Gen. Bradley T. Johnson. The First and Second Maryland Cavalry, led by Baltimore County native and pre-war member of the Towson Horse Guards, Maj. Harry W. Gilmor, attacked strategic targets throughout Baltimore County and Harford County, including cutting telegraph wires along Harford Road, capturing two trains and a Union General, and destroying a railroad bridge in Joppa, Maryland. Following what became known as Gilmor's Raid, the cavalry encamped in Towson overnight at Ady's Hotel where his men rested and Gilmor met with friends. The next day, a large federal cavalry unit was dispatched from Baltimore to overtake Gilmor's forces. Though outnumbered by more than two to one, the Confederate cavalry attacked the federal unit, breaking the federal unit and chasing them down York Road to around current day Woodbourne Avenue within Baltimore City limits. Gilmor's forces traveled south along York Road as far south as Govans, before heading west to rejoin Gen. Johnson's main force. Following the war, Gilmor served as the Baltimore City Police Commissioner in the 1870s.The Towson fire of 1878 destroyed most of the 500 block along the York Turnpike causing an estimated $38,000 in damage.During the summer of 1894, the Towson Water Company laid wooden pipes and installed fire hydrants that were connected to an artesian well near Aigburth Vale. On November 2, 1894, Towson was supplied with electric service through connection with the Mount Washington Electric Light and Power Company.
1900s
At the beginning of the century, Towson remained largely a rural community. Land continued to be sold by the acre, rather than as home parcels. Most residences lay within Towson proper: no houses existed west of Central Avenue along Allegheny or Pennsylvania avenues, and there were only three homes along the West Chesapeake Avenue corridor.As the growth of Baltimore's suburbs became more pronounced after World War II, considerable office development took place in Towson's central core area. Many of the large Victorian and colonial-style residences in the vicinity of the Court House were demolished in the 1980s and 1990s for offices and parking.In 1839, Epsom Chapel became the first Christian house of worship in Towson, used by various denominations. As the population grew in the late 19th century and early 20th century, several churches were built to serve the community, such as Calvary Baptist Church, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Trinity Episcopal Church, First Methodist Church, and Towson Presbyterian Church. Epsom Chapel was demolished in 1950 when Goucher College sold a portion of its property for development of the Towson Plaza shopping center, now Towson Town Center. First Methodist Church moved in 1958 to land also acquired from Goucher College and is now Towson United Methodist Church.
Geography
Towson is located at 39°23′35″N 76°36′34″W / 39.39306°N 76.60944°W / 39.39306; -76.60944 (39.392980, -76.609562).According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 14.2 square miles (36.8 km²), of which, 14.0 square miles (36.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (1.06%) is water.The community is located immediately north of Baltimore City, inside the Beltway (I-695), east of I-83 and along York Road. Its census boundaries include Pikesville to the west, Lutherville-Timonium and Hampton to the north, Parkville to the east, and Baltimore to the south.Major neighborhoods in Towson include: Anneslie, Idlewylde, Greenbriar, Southland Hills, Rodgers Forge, Stoneleigh, Wiltondale, Towson Manor Village, Hampton, Hunt Crest Estates, Knollwood-Donnybrook, East Towson, and West Towson. Ruxton, which lies to the west, is sometimes considered a part of Towson. Eudowood is a Towson neighborhood named after Eudocia, the wife of Dr. John T. Stansbury - on whose former estate it is situated.
Climate
Lying north of the city of Baltimore, and at the southern edge of the Piedmont gives Towson an 'in-between' climate, lying in the northern portion of the Humid subtropical climate zone. Summers are hot and humid, with daytime highs reaching into the 90s in July and August. Spring and fall bring pleasant temperatures in the 60s and 70s with moderate rainfall. Winters are mild by American standards but can still include occasional snowfall and freezing rain, with typical January highs just above 40 degrees and lows just below freezing. Annual rainfall totals 45 inches (114 cm).
Government
The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services is headquartered at Suite 1000 at 300 East Joppa Road in the Towson CDP.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,793 people, 21,063 households, and 11,331 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,688.7 people per square mile (1,424.3/km²). There were 21,997 housing units at an average density of 1,566.6/sq mi (604.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.9% White, 7.53% African American, 0.10% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 1.9% Hispanic, and 0.0% Pacific Islander.There were 21,063 households out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.2% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.87.In the CDP the population was spread out with 17.4% under the age of 18, 17.5% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 82.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.The median income for a household in the CDP was $53,775, and the median income for a family was $75,832 (these figures had risen to $64,313 and $98,744 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $49,554 versus $38,172 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $32,502. About 2.5% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.
Roads
Major roads in Towson include:Allegheny Avenue
Charles Street(MD-139)
Chesapeake Avenue
Cromwell Bridge Road
Dulaney Valley Road(MD-146)
Fairmount Avenue
Goucher Boulevard
Joppa Road
Loch Raven Boulevard
Osler Drive
Pennsylvania Avenue
Providence Road
Putty Hill Avenue
Stevenson Lane
Towson Bypass
Towsontown Boulevard
Washington Avenue
York Road(MD-45)
Public transportation
The Towson area has several bus lines operated by the Maryland Transit Administration. These include:Route 3, which serves the Loch Raven Boulevard corridor, with selected trips along Joppa Road.
Route 8, which operates along York Road to Lutherville and downtown Baltimore (formerly the #8 streetcar line)
Route 11, which serves Towsontown Boulevard, the Charles Street corridor, andGBMChospital
Route 12, which operates along York and Dulaney Valley Roads toStella Maris Hospiceat the times needed for the facility's change of shift.
Route 48QuickBus, which operates between Towson Town Center and downtown Baltimore along the same route as #8, except with limited stops for a speedier trip
Route 55, which operates cross-county service to Parkville, Overlea, Rosedale, and Essex
Towson also has light rail service to downtown Baltimore and BWI Airport along its periphery via the Lutherville and Falls Road stops, though there are no stops actually in Towson.Towson University and Goucher College also operate bus services for their students, and the Collegetown Shuttle has several stops in the area.
'Ma and Pa' Railroad
Railroad service began to Towson on April 17, 1882, with construction of the Baltimore & Delta Railway Company, soon renamed the Baltimore & Lehigh Railroad and later reorganized as the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad. The 'Ma and Pa', as it was affectionately known locally, formerly operated between Baltimore and York, Pennsylvania, through Towson. Its passenger station was located just west of York Road on Susquehanna Avenue. Passenger service was discontinued on August 31, 1954, and the railroad line through Towson was finally abandoned altogether on June 11, 1958, leaving only the stone abutments where the tracks crossed York Road on a steel girder bridge. One passenger on the last passenger train recalled that many riders came from as far away as Boston and Washington, D.C., to participate in the historic event, along with members of the National Railway Historical Society. Historic Towson, a local group of history buffs, installed a bronze plaque on the west abutment in 1999, commemorating the defunct railroad's place in Towson's history.
Shopping and other attractions
Towson has some of Baltimore County's largest shopping areas. These include:
Towson Town Center
Towson Town Center is Baltimore County's largest indoor mall, with four stories of shops and a parking garage, which is also linked to some other shops across the street, including a Barnes and Noble, which structurally is beneath Joppa Road near the Towson Circle. Also nearby is Allegheny Avenue, the main street of downtown Towson, which offers a variety of local eateries.
Towson Commons
One block away from Towson Town Center is Towson Commons, a smaller mall that was once most notably home to Borders Books, but has since declined and now houses offices upstairs and a lone AMC movie theater.
The Shops at Kenilworth
The Shops at Kenilworth, formerly known as Kenilworth Park and also as Kenilworth Bazaar, is a small indoor mall located on Kenilworth Drive. The mall at one time was home to an express location of the Motor Vehicle Administration, which has since moved, and is now Sports Her Way.
Towson Marketplace
The Towson Marketplace is a major shopping area near Joppa Road, Goucher Boulevard, and Putty Hill Avenue. Built on the site of the Eudowood Sanatarium, the original Eudowood Plaza shopping center was an open mall anchored by Montgomery Ward. Renovated in the early 1980s to an indoor mall, the location has been converted into some big box stores and supermarkets, including a Wal-Mart, Target, Marshall's, Sports Authority, Superfresh, and Bed Bath & Beyond. Towson Marketplace is next to Calvert Hall College High School.
Recher Theatre
The Recher Theatre, located in downtown Towson, is a popular concert venue for popular local and national acts.
Towson Center & Unitas Stadium
Towson University's arena Towson Center and stadium Unitas Stadium are both main destinations for Towson Tiger athletics and other events.
Colleges and universities
Towson University is a public school in southern Towson. Towson University's student population is close to 20,000, making it the second largest institution in the University System of Maryland. TU is home to the largest Business School in the state of Maryland, with 2,500 students. It was founded in 1866 as the Maryland State Normal School for the training of teachers. North of downtown is a small private liberal arts school, Goucher College, which was founded in 1885 as The Woman's College of Baltimore.
Public schools
Towson is served by the Baltimore County Public Schools district, and the Baltimore County Board of Education headquarters is located here as well. There are three high schools. Towson High School was the first secondary school founded and is Towson's largest, while Loch Raven High School dates from 1972. The Carver Center for Arts and Technology is a local magnet school.Towson is served by five public elementary schools: Rodgers Forge, Stoneleigh, Riderwood, Hampton, and Towson West. All five of the schools are now over-capacity except Towson West, which opened in August 2010. Rodgers Forge, for example, had more than 600 children enrolled as of the end of the 2007–2008 school year, although its design capacity is 396.Also located in Towson is Ridge Ruxton School, a special education school serving other areas in Baltimore County as well, such as Reisterstown, Owings Mills, Cockeysville, and Hunt Valley. The school describes itself as offering 'programs for students from three to twenty-one years of age who have been identified as developmentally delayed, intellectually limited, autistic-like, and/or multi-handicapped'.
Private schools
The Towson area has a number of long-established private schools at the secondary school level, including Loyola Blakefield, Calvert Hall College High School, Baltimore Lutheran School, Notre Dame Preparatory School.
Notable residents and natives
Spiro Agnew(1918–1996),Vice President of the United States1969-1973
Carmelo Anthony(born 1984),National Basketball Associationplayer
Albert Cassell(1895–1969), architect
William Purington Cole, Jr.(1889–1957),U.S. CongressmanforMaryland's 2nd District, 1927–1929 and 1931-1942.
Mel Kiper, Jr.(born 1960),ESPNDraft Analyst.
Divine(1945–1988), actor, the drag persona of Harris Glen Milstead.
Jean Marie 'Jeff' Donnell(1921–1988), film and TV actress
F. Scott Fitzgerald(1896–1940), writer
Jane Frank(Jane Schenthal Frank) (1918–1986), artist
Dorothy Lamour(1914–1996), film actress
G. E. Lowman(1897–1965), radio evangelist
Gino Marchetti,Hall of FameNFLdefensive end (Dallas Texans,Baltimore Colts)
Anita Nall(born 1976),1992 Summer Olympicsgold medalist swimmer
Thomas W. Offutt (banker, land owner) president and director of the Second National Bank, Towson
Michael Phelps(born 1985),2004and2008 Summer Olympicsgold medalist swimmer
Charles Ridgely(1733–1790),Hampton estatefounder andironworksowner
Charles Carnan Ridgely(1760–1829), Governor of Maryland 1815-1818
Eliza RidgelyofHampton(1803–1867), 'The Lady with a Harp'
Don Shula(born 1930), Former Head Coach and Player with theBaltimore Colts. HoldsNFLrecord for most wins as a Head Coach.
Major-General Nathan Towson(1784–1854), distinguished officer of the War of 1812, former Paymaster of theUS Army, and namesake ofFort Towson,Oklahoma.
Johnny Unitas(1933–2002),Hall of FameNFLquarterback (Baltimore Colts,San Diego Chargers)
Ricky Van Veen, owner and co-founder ofCollegeHumorwebsite
In fiction, the character Elaine Benes, of the 1990s NBC sitcom Seinfeld, is from Towson. The character Sam Fisher in the Splinter Cell novels by Raymond Benson, resided in a townhouse in Towson. Tom Clancy's fictional CIA Analyst character Jack Ryan was born in Towson.
Medical Facilities
Greater Baltimore Medical Center
St. Joseph Medical Center
Sheppard Pratt Hospital
