The War Came By Train

As somewhat of a recreational history buff of the Civil War, I feel fortunate to be able to live in place that was in the thick of that conflict. The history literally surrounds us. Yesterday the commencement of the loco sesquicentennial commemoration was marked by the anniversary of the Baltimore Riot of 1861. The union soldiers escaped the mobs that day by boarding a train in Baltimore for Washington, DC. That train crossed over into HoCo via the Thomas Viaduct in Elkridge. I imagine they had pretty much stopped hyperventilating by then.

Later in the war, union troops occupied Ellicott City, at one time encamped on the grounds of the Patapsco Female Institute. It has also been reported that Confederate General Robert E. Lee was a house guest at Lilburn.

For the next five years, the B&O Railroad Museum in Ellicott City will host a satellite exhibit called "The War Came By Train." The main exhibit will be at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore. As described on the museums website, “The National Landmark Roundhouse will exhibit the largest assemblage of Civil War railroad equipment in the world featuring locomotives and rail cars that served during the war, significant military and personal artifacts that will change annually to portray each year of the war (some artifacts never before on public display), and a narrated train ride to the original site of Camp Carroll, the largest Union encampment in Baltimore.”

The Ellicott City Museum is open Wednesday thru Sunday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.