Dublin, Maryland facts for kids

Dublin is a small, unincorporated community located in Harford County, Maryland, in the United States. It was founded in the early 1800s by George McCausland and a friend. They had moved from Dublin, Ireland, and decided to name their new home after their old one.

History of Dublin

Dublin first appeared in official records in the 1700s. At that time, the county was divided into voting areas, and Dublin was chosen as the voting spot for the Fifth district. An old map from 1878 shows that George McCausland built a house on one side of what is now Route 440. He also built a tavern or inn on the other side. This tavern was a tall, two-story building with porches on both levels. It was very close to the road.

In 1809, a group called the Mt. Ararat Lodge of Masons, Maryland moved their meetings to George McCausland's tavern in Dublin. They stayed there until 1826 before moving to Bel Air.

A roadside view in Dublin, showing Route 440.

On the corner of Routes 440 and 136, there was once a small log house. It had a unique circular staircase and a fireplace. This building was used as a school and was known as "the academy." Sadly, this school and several other old homes burned down in 1971.

By 1858, Dublin had ten houses and businesses. Some of the owners included families like McComas, Gallion, and Jones. Dublin got its own post office in 1878, which was one of the first in Harford County. At that time, the town also had two stores, a blacksmith shop, a wheel repair shop, a church, and two taverns. The Dublin school became part of the public school system in 1867. It was a one-room building located on present-day Route 136.

In 1800, Charles Beavers gave land for a Methodist church on Route 136. First, a log building was built, and later a clapboard one-room church was put up. This church served the community until 1939.

Dublin is also known for a famous local story called "The Headless Peddler." This event supposedly happened in 1763 on a farm near a stream called Rock Run. After the incident, the stream's name was changed to Peddler's Run. The story's mystery was finally solved in 1843. The road through Dublin, now Route 440, was once called Dublin-Stafford Road. It was the main path to Bel Air and the Susquehanna River, which were important for trade.

Dublin has two very old cemeteries. The South Cemetery is on Deerfield Road. A small church was once built there for enslaved people and Southern supporters. You can still see the church's foundation. The oldest tombstone there is from 1820, but there might be even older unmarked graves. The other cemetery is next to the Dublin United Methodist Church on Route 136.

When towns were first settled, people usually built a church, a school, and a jail. There are no records of a jail in Dublin. However, a local story says that if you weren't from Dublin, you needed to finish your business in town before dark. Otherwise, the locals would "send you packin'!"

Land and Early Growth

Dublin was originally part of a very large piece of land, about 4,735 acres (19 square kilometers). This land was given to Dr. Charles Carroll of Annapolis, Maryland, in 1721. It was known as "Arabia Petrea."

Dr. Carroll sold "Arabia Petrea" to Jacob Giles and Isaac Webster in 1733. They then sold parts of it to new settlers, including William Beaver and Walter Ashmore. William Beaver later left his land to his son, Charles Beaver.

In 1796, Charles Beaver asked the court to mark the exact borders of his land. The first stone marker was placed on November 8, 1796, with a "B" carved into it. This stone is still standing today at the northwest corner of The Evangelical Methodist Church of Dublin!

As Charles Beaver got older, he started selling parts of his 135-acre (0.55 square kilometer) farm. In 1794, he leased a lot to George McCausland on the corner of Route 136 and Route 440. In 1798, he sold 2 acres (8,100 square meters) to John Evatt.

In 1800, Charles sold about 0.77 acres (3,100 square meters) to five trustees so they could build a church. In 1802, he sold another lot to George McCausland, who built his tavern there. This spot also became the voting place for the Fifth district.

The first school in Dublin was set up in 1812 on a 1-acre (4,000 square meter) lot. The first public school in Dublin started in 1855. It was a quarter-acre lot next to the church. This building served as Dublin's public school until 1915, when a new school was built across the road.

By 1878, Dublin had grown quite a bit. It had two stores, a blacksmith shop, a wheel repair shop, a hoop maker, a tailor shop, one school, and two churches. Some of the people living in Dublin in 1878 included families like McCausland, Hooper, and Jones.

Dublin Methodist Church

In 1772, Bishop Frances Asbury visited the area, preaching and helping people. He later sent a deacon to start a church in the area. A foundation was laid in a populated area called Greenstone, but for some reason, the church was never finished there.

In 1800, Charles Beaver in Dublin gave 0.9 acres (3,600 square meters) of land to five trustees. His goal was for them to build a church for the Methodist Episcopal Church members. Around 1860, a one-room church made of clapboard was built. This church served the community for 80 years.

In 1939, workers were taking down the old clapboard church to build a new one made of stone. They found the date "1860" carved into one of the roof beams of the old church. The new church was built with local materials, including stone from Port Deposit and slate from Slateville. It also has ten beautiful stained glass windows, which were given by church members. Thanks to many hours of donated work, the new church only cost $14,053 to build!

In 1963, a two-story education wing was added to the church building. Over the years, other parts of the church have also been updated.

In 1870, David and Driscilla Riley sold 3 acres (12,000 square meters) of land and a house to the church for $13,000. This building became the parsonage, which is the home for the church's minister. It was a two-story log building located west of the Dublin Market on Route 440. Sadly, it burned down in 1977.

Many people remember an old building where the current parsonage on Route 136 now stands. This was the original Dublin School. It had three rooms and was used for grades 1 through 11 until 1915. After a new school was built, the old schoolhouse was given to the church. It was used as a meeting place for Boy Scouts until it was taken down to make way for the current parsonage.

Today, the Dublin United Methodist Church is one of the oldest Methodist churches in the New World. In the spring of 2000, the church celebrated 200 years of worship!

Schools in Dublin

Dublin Elementary School

The mascot for Dublin Elementary School is the dragon. Their motto is "Make Dublin Proud!" This school is located in the countryside of Harford County. It serves about 250 students from pre-kindergarten up to fifth grade.

Harford Christian School

The mascot for Harford Christian School is the eagle. This school teaches students from preschool all the way to grade 12. Harford Christian School was founded in 1966. In 2008, it had 488 students from kindergarten to 12th grade. Students come from Harford, Cecil, and Baltimore Counties in Maryland. They also come from York and Lancaster Counties in Pennsylvania. Harford Christian School is part of the Reformation Bible Church.

Harford Christian's Envirothon team won first place in the Maryland State competition in both 2012 and 2013. This competition included both public and private schools!