BALTIMORE COUNTY, MARYLAND

HISTORICAL CHRONOLOGY

1659/60, Jan. 12. Baltimore County known to have been established by this date, when a writ was issued to county sheriff.

1661. County seat located at Old Baltimore on Bush River.

1674. Cecil County formed from parts of Baltimore and Kent Counties.

1691. County seat established at Gunpowder Town on east bank of Gunpowder River.

1712. Baltimore County seat set at Joppa.

1742. First Baptist church in Maryland established at Chestnut Ridge, Baltimore County.

1752, June 4. John Eager Howard (1752-1827), Governor of Maryland, born at “Belvedere” in Baltimore County.

1760, Dec. 6. Charles Ridgely (1760-1829), Governor of Maryland, born near Towson

1765. Mason-Dixon Line marked northern border with Pennsylvania.

1766. Sons of Liberty organized in Baltimore County.

1768. Baltimore County seat moved from Joppa to Baltimore Town.

1773. Harford County formed from eastern Baltimore County.

1791. Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806) of Baltimore County published almanac.

Hampton National Historic Site, Towson, Maryland, January 2002. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

1809. Union Manufacturing Company textile mills began operation at Oella.

1814, Sept. 12. British repulsed by local militia at Battle of North Point.

1816. Warren Manufacturing Company textile production started near Cockeysville.

1816. Construction begun on U.S. Arsenal at Pikesville.

1820. Joppa Iron Works opened.

1827. Baltimore & Ohio Railroad chartered.

1828. Baltimore & Susquehanna Railroad chartered.

1837. Carroll County created from Baltimore County.

1844. Locust Grove Iron Works started.

1849, Oct.-1850, Oct. Robert E. Lee supervised construction of Fort Carroll on Patapsco River.

1851, July 1. Baltimore City, as a governmental unit, separated from Baltimore County.

1851, Sept. 11. Edward Gorsuch of Baltimore County killed while trying to recapture fugitive slaves at Christiana, Pennsylvania.

1854, Feb. 13. Towson chosen as new county seat for Baltimore County.

1861, May 5. Union Gen. Benjamin F. Butler (1818-1893) occupied Relay with troops to guard Thomas Viaduct, only rail link from north to Washington, DC.

Historic Courthouse, 400 Washington Ave., Towson, Maryland, March 2001. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

1864, July 11. Governor Augustus W. Bradford's home at Towson burnt by Confederate troops.

1864, July. Union and Confederate troops skirmished at Govanstown.

1864, July 10. Confederate forces under Gen. Bradley T. Johnson entered Cockeysville.

1864, July 10. Confederate Gilmore's Raid at Towson.

Ishmael Day House historical marker, Sunshine Ave., near Kingsville (Baltimore County), Maryland, May 2015. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

1879. Timonium fair grounds opened.

1881. Loch Raven Dam constructed.

1885, July 12. Howard Cooper lynched at Towson.

1887. Pennsylvania Steel (Maryland Steel, 1891) built blast furnaces at Sparrows Point.

1887. Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., designed summer retreat, Sudbrook Park, near Pikesville.

1888. Baltimore City annexed land from Baltimore County.

1894. Maryland Hunt Cup, a steeplechase race, first run.

1898. Grand National Steeplechase first run.

1909, March 8. William Ramsey lynched at Rosedale.

1915. State Normal School (later Towson University) moved from Baltimore to Towson.

1916. Bethlehem Steel began to operate Sparrows Point.

1918. Baltimore City annexed land from Baltimore County.

1929. Glenn L. Martin Company moved aircraft plant from Ohio to Middle River, Baltimore County.

1935. State Normal School renamed Maryland State Teachers College at Towson.

1935, Nov. Pan American flew Martin M-130 flying boat, the China Clipper, on first scheduled air-mail flight to Orient.

1938. Oblate Sisters of Providence moved from Baltimore to Catonsville.

1938. Glenn L. Martin Company developed Mariner, most serviceable flying boat ever built.

1940, Nov. Martin B-26 Marauder bomber underwent first tests.

1941, April-Sept. Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard produced first Liberty Ship, Patrick Henry.

1955, Sept. Public school desegregation began in Baltimore County.

1956. I-83, Baltimore-Harrisburg Expressway opened.

Hoffberger Science Center, Goucher College, Towson, Maryland, August 2003. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

1956-1958. Michael J. Birmingham (Democrat), County Executive.

1957. Catonsville Junior College and Essex Junior College founded.

1958-1962. Christian H. Kahl (Democrat), County Executive.

1960. Social Security Administration opened offices at Woodlawn.

1962, July. Baltimore Beltway (I-695) opened through Baltimore County, encircling Baltimore City.

1962, Dec. - 1966, Dec. Spiro T. Agnew (Republican), County Executive.

1963. Maryland State Teachers College at Towson reformed as Towson State College.

1963, July 4 & 7. Black and white clergy led protests against segregation of Gwynn Oak Amusement Park, Baltimore County; some 283 persons arrested.

1963, Aug. 28. County Executive Spiro T. Agnew negotiated settlement with owners of Gwynn Oak Amusement Park to end segregation.

1966. University of Maryland campus at Baltimore County opened.

1966, Dec. - 1974. Dale Anderson (Democrat), County Executive.

1967, Jan. 25 - 1969, Jan. 7. Spiro T. Agnew (1918-1996) of Baltimore County served as Governor of Maryland.

1968, May 17. Catonsville Nine, protesting against war in Vietnam, destroyed draft records at Selective Service offices in Catonsville.

1969, Jan. 20 - 1973, Oct. 10. Spiro T. Agnew (1918-1996) of Baltimore County served as U.S. Vice-President; resigned and pleaded nolo contendere to criminal charges of tax evasion.

1969, Oct. 5. Maryland Public Television first broadcasted from Owings Mills (channel 67).

1971. Dundalk Community College opened.

1974. Frederick L. Dewberry (Democrat), Acting County Executive.

1974-1978. Theodore G. Venetoulis (Democrat), County Executive.

1975, Sept. 20. Martin State Airport opened at Middle River.

1976. Towson State College given university status.

1977, March. Francis Scott Key Bridge opened, spanning Patapsco River.

1978-1986. Donald P. Hutchinson (Democrat), County Executive.

1981. Whitemarsh Mall opened.

1982. Hunt Valley Mall opened.

Key Bridge over Patapsco River, Baltimore, Maryland, October 2000. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

1989. McCormick & Company moved from Baltimore to Hunt Valley.

1990-1994. Roger B. Hayden (Republican), County Executive.

1992. MTA Light Rail connected Timonium with Glen Burnie.

1994, Dec. 2 - 2002, Dec. 2. C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger III (Democrat), County Executive.

1997. MTA Light Rail extended to Hunt Valley.

1997. Towson State University renamed Towson University.

1998, Oct. Community College of Baltimore County organized to encompass community colleges at Catonsville, Dundalk, and Essex.

2002, Dec. 2 - 2010, Dec. 6. James T. Smith, Jr. (Democrat), County Executive.

2004, March 2. Electronic voting system used during primary elections at polling places and for absentee ballots in all counties and Baltimore City.

2008, Aug. Michael Phelps of Baltimore County won eight gold medals at Beijing Olympics.

2010, Dec. 6-. Kevin B. Kamenetz (Democrat), County Executive.

2012, June. At Sparrows Point (Baltimore County), steelmaking operations ended after RG Steel declared bankruptcy.

2012, Aug. Michael Phelps of Baltimore County became the most decorated athlete in the history of the modern Olympic Games.

Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
Maryland Departments
Maryland Independent Agencies
Maryland Executive Commissions, Committees, Task Forces, & Advisory Boards
Maryland Universities & Colleges
Maryland Counties
Maryland Municipalities
Maryland at a Glance

Maryland Manual On-Line

Search the Manual
e-mail: mdmanual@mdarchives.state.md.us

© Copyright Maryland State Archives