Gary, Maryland facts for kids

Gary is a small, quiet place in Howard County, Maryland, Maryland, United States. It's known as an "unincorporated community." This means it's not an official town or city with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county.

Gary, Maryland

Gary is a historic spot located where Sharp Road and Tridelphia Road meet. This area is quite close to the modern town of Woodbine, Maryland. Even though it's not a big city, Gary has an interesting past.

What is an Unincorporated Community?

An unincorporated community is a group of homes or buildings that don't have their own separate government. They are usually part of a larger county or region. People living in these areas get their services, like police and fire protection, from the county. It's different from a city or town, which has its own mayor and council.

A Bit of History

Gary might be small, but it played a role in connecting people in the past. It once had its own postal stop, which was like a small post office.

The Post Office Years

The postal stop in Gary was open for many years. It started on February 2, 1892. This was an important place for people to send and receive letters and packages. The postal stop closed on June 13, 1918.

The Name Confusion

Did you know there's a much bigger city named Gary in Indiana? Back in 1898, a very important person named Elbert Henry Gary almost changed the name of Gary, Indiana. He wanted to do this to avoid confusion with the smaller community of Gary in Maryland. Luckily, he didn't, so both places kept their names!