Elysville, Maryland facts for kids

Elysville is a small, unincorporated community in Howard County, Maryland, in the United States. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place with a shared identity but no official local government like a town or city. This area once had a postal stop for mail delivery. It operated for about 20 years, from 1834 to 1854.

Early Industries in Elysville

Elysville was an important place for industry, especially for making things.

Quarry and Early Mills

In the late 1700s, a quarry was built on the north side of the Patapsco River. A quarry is a place where stone is dug out of the ground. This one was in an area known as "Limestone Valley." Around the same time, Joseph Evans and Anne Ellicott settled here. They built a small mill, which is a building where raw materials are processed, often using water power.

The Elysville Manufacturing Company

In 1829, a new company called the Elysville Manufacturing Company was started. It was created by a man named Thomas Ely. The company's main goal was to make cotton textiles, which are fabrics like cloth. They built a large mill on the northern side of the Patapsco River, near a stream called Ben's Branch.

Around 1831, construction began on the B&O Railroad through this area. This was a big deal for transportation. In 1833, Thomas Ely bought the property owned by Joseph Evans. This gave him land on the southern side of the river too.

The mill needed a lot of money to be built. About $25,000 was raised by selling shares of the company in 1845. The mill was then built between August 1845 and the spring of 1846.

Changes in Mill Ownership

Over the years, the mill in Elysville changed owners several times.

• First, it was owned by the Okisko Company.
• Then, in 1853, the Alberton Manufacturing Company bought it. At this time, the mill village had 106 people. The village itself became known as Alberton and kept that name for many years.
• Later, the mill's name changed again to the Sagoman Manufacturing Company.
• In 1860, James S. Gary took over the mill. He started a new company that ran the mill for a long time, until the 1940s.
• Finally, the C.R. Daniels Company took control of the mill.

Transportation in Elysville

Elysville also played a role in the history of transportation.

Rail and Stagecoach Lines

In 1853, there was a plan for a new railroad line. It was called the Elysville and Canton railroad. This line was proposed to run through the river valley.

Later, in 1877, a stagecoach line began operating. A stagecoach is a large, horse-drawn carriage that carries passengers and mail. This stagecoach offered trips to Baltimore once a day. It cost one dollar to ride. This was cheaper than the train service, which charged $1.50 for a trip to Baltimore. The stagecoach line was trying to compete with the railroad.