Ilchester, Maryland

Census-designated place in Maryland

Ilchester, Maryland

Census-designated place

Beechwood Road and Bonnie Branch Road in Ilchester

Ilchester

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Ilchester

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Coordinates: 39°15′03″N 76°45′53″W﻿ / ﻿39.25083°N 76.76472°W﻿ / 39.25083; -76.76472
Country|  United States
State|  Maryland
County| Howard
Settled| 1761
Named for| Ilchester
Area

[1]

• Total| 10.82 sq mi (28.02 km2)
• Land| 10.76 sq mi (27.86 km2)
• Water| 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2)
Elevation

| 100 ft (30 m)
Population

(2020)

• Total| 26,824
• Density| 2,494.10/sq mi (962.96/km2)
Time zone| UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)| UTC−4 (EDT)
FIPS code| 24-41475
GNIS feature ID| 588678

Ilchester is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,476 at the 2010 census.[2] It was named after the village of Ilchester in the English county of Somerset.[3]

## History[edit]

Mill at Old River Road (1936) Pegmatite dikes along the river at Ilchester (c. 1895)

In 1761, John Cornthwaite founded a wood grist mill called the Dismal Mill, located approximately 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Ellicott City on the western shore of the Patapsco River.[4] The Ellicott family (John, Andrew, and Joseph Ellicott) settled in the area in the late 18th century, buying a two-mile section of the Patapsco in 1772 that included Ilchester and Ellicott Mills.[5] The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was built up the Patapsco River valley through Ilchester in 1830 (see Old Main Line Subdivision), and George Ellicott, Jr. (grandson of Andrew) built a tavern and cooper shop along the railroad.[6] The Thistle Manufacturing Company built a factory in 1837. Ilchester did not become a major stop for the B&O due to its steep grades, and the tavern was unsuccessful.[7] In 1842, mail service was started with the station name "Illchester Mills".

Ellicott sold his tavern and 110 acres of land to a Redemptorist church order in 1866.[8] The church used the Ellicott estate to start a college, initially called Mount Saint Clemens when it opened in 1868. Several additions to the original building were made, and a chapel was constructed. In 1882 it was renamed Saint Mary's College. In 1893 the chapel was established as a parish church dedicated to "Our Lady of Perpetual Help". The parish moved the church to a new facility in 1958.[9] Enrollment at the college declined, and the college was closed in 1972. The State of Maryland purchased a portion of the campus in 1987 and added the land to adjacent Patapsco Valley State Park.[8]

In 1949, the Baltimore Council of the Girls Scouts purchased "Camp Ilchester", which has remained in operation to date as a girl scout camp.[10]

## Geography[edit]

Housing development in Ilchester, 2011

Ilchester is located at 39°15′03″N 76°45′53″W﻿ / ﻿39.25083°N 76.76472°W﻿ / 39.25083; -76.76472 (39.2509, −76.7647).[11] It is situated in Howard County, between Ellicott City to the northwest and Elkridge to the southeast. Columbia is to the southwest. The Patapsco River forms the northeast boundary of the community and serves as the county line, with Baltimore County and the community of Catonsville across the river.

The original mill community of Ilchester is located along the Patapsco River at the junction of Ilchester and Bonnie Branch Roads. However, the current CDP extends southwest to include the suburban terrain of Howard County outside of the Patapsco River valley. Maryland Route 103, Montgomery Road, is the main local road through the CDP. Maryland Route 100 is a freeway that runs through the southern part of Ilchester, serving the community at Exit 4 with Montgomery Road. To the south, Route 100 intersects with Interstate 95, which forms the southeastern boundary of the Ilchester CDP.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 10.8 square miles (28.0 km2), of which 10.7 square miles (27.8 km2) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.57%, is water.[12]

## Demographics[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

2020| 26,824| | —
U.S. Decennial Census[13]

## See also[edit]

* Ilchester Tunnel (B&O Railroad)

## References[edit]

1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
2. ^ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Ilchester CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
3. ^ Kenny, Hamill (1984). The Placenames of Maryland : their origin and meaning. Baltimore, Md.: Maryland Historical Society. p. 120\. ISBN 0-938420-28-3.
4. ^ Henry K. Sharp. The Patapsco River Valley. p. 6.
5. ^ Barbara Feaga. Howard's Roads to the Past. p. 50.
6. ^ "For Rent, The Ilchester Hotel". The Sun. May 17, 1839. p. 1.
7. ^ Howard County Historical Society. Images of America Howard County. p. 43.
8. ^ a b Michael Duck, "The Story Beneath The Ruins: A History of St. Mary's College in Ilchester", Archived 2004-02-14 at the Wayback Machine The View from Ellicott City Archived 2008-12-24 at the Wayback Machine (newspaper). October 19, 2000.
9. ^ "Our Lady of Perpetual Help". The Times. Ellicott City, Maryland. March 31, 1965.
10. ^ "Girl Scouts". The Times. Ellicott City, Maryland. March 31, 1965.
11. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
12. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Ilchester CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
13. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.

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Places adjacent to Ilchester, Maryland

| Ellicott City | Ellicott City | Oella

|
|

|  |
Columbia |

Ilchester

| Catonsville
|  |
Long Reach | West Elkridge | Elkridge

* v
* t
* e

Patapsco Valley

Towns|

Baltimore (Cherry Hill, Brooklyn)
Brooklyn Park
Pumphrey
Lansdowne
Linthicum
Elkridge
Relay
Ilchester
Catonsville
Ellicott City
Oella
Marriottsville
Woodstock
Sykesville
Woodbine

History|

1972 Hurricane Agnes flood
2016 Flood
2018 Flood
B & O Railroad
Belmont Estate
Bloede's Dam
Elkridge Furnace Inn
Elkridge Landing
Ellicott City station
Enchanted Forest
Hockley Forge and Mill
Lawyers Hill
Linnwood
National Road
Orange Grove Flour Mill
Patapsco Female Institute
Roxbury Mill
St. Mary's College
Thomas Viaduct

Institutions|

CCBC Catonsville
Howard County Conservancy
Howard County Courthouse
Guinness Brewery
Spring Grove Hospital Center
Taylor Manor
University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Parks|

Grist Mill Trail
Hugg-Thomas Wildlife Management Area
Liberty Reservoir
Patapsco River
Patapsco Valley State Park
Patapsco Swinging Bridge
Rockburn Branch Park
Trolley Line Number 9 Trail

People|

Benjamin Banneker
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Andrew Ellicott
John Ellicott
John Smith
Richard Caton
Ross Winans
Piscataway People

* v
* t
* e

Howard County, Maryland

* Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area
* Patapsco Valley

Administration|

* Howard County Fire Department
* Howard County Police Department
* Howard County Department of Corrections
* Howard County Housing and Community Development
* Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning

Landmarks|

| Attractions|

Clark's Elioak Farm
Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts
Dorsey Hall
Doughoregan Manor
Elkridge Furnace Inn
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Oakland Manor
The Mall in Columbia
Savage Mill
Thomas Viaduct
Toby's Dinner Theatre
Turf Valley
Waverley
Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods
Maryland Historical Trust properties

|

Historic districts|

Ellicott City (Official County)
Lawyers Hill (Official County)
Savage Mill (In Name Only)
Elkridge Landing (In Name Only)

Museums|

Howard County Center of African American Culture
Howard County Conservancy
Robinson Nature Center

Parks|

Belmont
Blandair
Columbia Lakefront
Elkhorn
Middle Patuxent
Patapsco Valley
Patuxent River
Centennial
Rockburn Branch
Troy Park
Wilde Lake

Education|

| Colleges|

* Columbia Gateway Educational Institutions
* Howard Community College
* Lincoln Technical Institute
* University of Phoenix

|

High schools|

* Howard County Public School System
* Atholton
* Centennial
* Glenelg
* Hammond
* Howard
* Long Reach
* Marriotts Ridge
* Mount Hebron
* Oakland Mills
* Reservoir
* River Hill
* Wilde Lake

Private schools|

* Glenelg Country School
* Phillips School
* Woodmont Academy

Transportation|

| Air|

* Glenair Airport
* Haysfield Airport

|

Public transit|

* MARC Train (Dorsey, Jessup, Savage, Laurel Race Track)
* MTA
* RTA
* Metrobus

Highways|

* US 29
* Route 32
* Route 100
* Interstate 70
* Interstate 95
* Harbor Tunnel Thruway

Roads|

* Baltimore National Pike
* Frederick Road
* Guilford Road
* Montgomery Road
* Old Frederick Road
* Ridge Road
* Roxbury Mills Road
* Route 108
* Route 175
* Route 216
* Washington Boulevard
* Waterloo Road
* Whiskey Bottom Road
* Woodbine Road
* Woodstock Road

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Howard County, Maryland, United States

County seat: Ellicott City

CDPs|

* Columbia
* Elkridge
* Ellicott City
* Fulton
* Highland
* Ilchester
* Jessup‡
* Lisbon
* North Laurel
* Savage
* Scaggsville

Villages|

* Columbia Town Center
* Dorsey's Search
* East Columbia
* Harper's Choice
* Hickory Ridge
* Kings Contrivance
* Long Reach
* Oakland Mills
* Owen Brown
* River Hill
* Wilde Lake

Unincorporated
communities|

* Annapolis Junction‡
* Alberton
* Alpha
* Atholton
* Benson
* Botterill
* Centre Village
* Clarkson
* Clarksville
* Cooksville
* Daisy
* Dayton
* Dorsey‡
* Dorseyville
* Elioak
* Elysville
* Florence
* Gary
* Glenelg
* Glenwood
* Gordon
* Guilford
* Hilton
* Hanover‡
* Henryton Heights
* High Ridge
* Hopewell
* Inwood
* Isaacsville
* Ivory
* Jonestown
* Linwood
* Maple Lawn
* Marriottsville‡
* Paternal Gift Farm
* Pfeiffers Corner
* Poplar Springs
* Simpsonville
* Snelltown
* Turf Valley
* Waterloo
* West Friendship
* Woodbine‡
* Woodstock‡

Ghost town|

* Daniels

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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* United States portal

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*[%±]: Percent change
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