Take a Tour

Thomas Isaac Log Cabin

Originally located on Merryman Street, the circa 1780, building known as the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin was donated to Historic Ellicott City, Inc. by the Stanton family, in the interest of preserving it. The cabin was dismantled in 1980, stored by the County at Centennial Park and reassembled on its new site at the corner of Main Street and Ellicott Mills Drive in 1987. The group dedicated the cabin in its new location on July16, 1988, and at that time transferred ownership to Howard County. Historic Ellicott City, Inc. continued to lease the building for historic and educational programming until 2003, when the County took over. Today it is the headquarters of the County's Ellicott City Historic Sites Consortium. Click here to take a pictorial tour.

The George Ellicott House

The George Ellicott House was built in 1789 by the fourth son of Andrew and Elizabeth Ellicott. After the neighboring Jonathan Ellicott House was destroyed by Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972, preservationists looked for ways to spare the George Ellicott House the same fate. In 1989, a partnership including Historic Ellicott City, Inc., Charles Wagandt's Oella Company, Judge John L. Clark and Senator James Clark undertook the ambitious project of moving the house across Frederick Road to higher ground. Today, after a beautiful restoration, it continues in use as office space. Click here to take a pictorial tour.

The Ellicott City B&O Railroad Station Museum

In 1968, the Ellicott City B&O Railroad Station was named to the National Register of Historic Places, as the First Terminus of the first railroad in America. Built in 1831, it was the reason Ellicott City became a prominent place in the nineteenth century. In 1972, Tropical Storm Agnes severely damaged the town and threatened the existence of the station. Historic Ellicott City, Inc. formed in 1974, to save the building, and for over thirty years was its custodian, shepherding the facility through two major restorations, acquiring and restoring a caboose, a gang trailer, a speeder car and a handcar. The facility became well known for its living history exhibits featuring volunteer reenactors, including “The Civil War: A Maryland Story,” “Roads to Rails,” “World War II, the Home Front,” and the annual Holiday Model Train Exhibit. In January 2006, Historic Ellicott City, Inc. turned over operation of the facility to the Howard County Government Department of Recreation and Parks. Click here to take a pictorial tour.

Heritage Orientation Center

Directly behind the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin, at the corner of Main Street and Ellicott Mills Drive, is a small stone building, which once served as Ellicott City's first courthouse. On August 21, 1998, Historic Ellicott City, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of a special exhibit we created in the building, now called the Heritage Orientation Center. This small building holds a wealth of information about the fires, floods and Ellicott family that all shaped the town we know today. Displays include photographs, a diorama and a time line. This building is an especially appropriate place to begin a tour of the historic sites of the Historic District. Click here to take a pictorial tour.