B&O Railroad Museum in Ellicott City to mark 197th birthday | MOSTLY MAIN STREET

Molly Fellin Spence, Baltimore Sun
·3 min read

This year marks the 197th birthday of the B&O Railroad.

Do you remember the 175th? It was made memorable when a heavy snow storm collapsed the roof of the roundhouse in Baltimore, effectively canceling a long-planned celebration there, and significantly reducing the accompanying celebration here in Ellicott City. Hopefully that won’t happen this year and you will be able to visit the B&O Railroad Museum, Ellicott City Station, this weekend to join in the commemoration. On Saturday, a special guided tour of the oldest railroad terminal in America will be offered, honoring the fact that the first trip by rail in the United States started in Baltimore and ended here. The tour starts at 2 p.m. and the cost is $15. Call 410-313-1945 for more information. Also, remember that general admission is free, if you want to skip the tour and visit on your own.

When you visit lower Main Street in the next few months, keep in mind that parking is restricted along Maryland Avenue next to The Phoenix Emporium building, and a section of Tiber Alley will also be closed from the pedestrian bridge to Maryland Avenue. Eventually the will become an extended Tiber Park. To learn more visit https://www.howardcountymd.gov/county-executive/ellicott-city-safe-and-sound.

Calling all artists! Contact the Howard County Arts Council through April 15 if you would like to participate in “Paint It Ellicott City,” the annual plein air art event, taking place this year June 6-9. Juried artists will paint in the historic district of Ellicott City for three days, creating original artwork that will be shown in a six-week exhibit at the Howard County Center for the Arts. Artists who are not juried into the exhibit may still participate in the Open Paint portion of the event. Registration for the non-juried Open Paint portion will be available in May. Find more information at hocoarts.org.

Love is in the air, especially at Turf Valley Resort this weekend. Their annual Wedding Showcase is scheduled for Friday, 5-8 p.m. This is the place to go to explore a variety of specialty wedding vendors, sample food and drink, and have a lovely time planning your special day. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at eventbrite.com/e/turf-valley-resorts-wedding-planning-experience-tickets.

Backwater Books, located at 8156 Main St., has a bar upstairs called Bibliopub. That’s one of my favorite place names in a long time. On Feb. 29, 7-9 p.m., the pub will host an authors’ night featuring six local authors who will be available to sign books and answer questions. Participating authors are Jay O’Keefe, K.C. Smith, Edward Belfar, Mary Tilghman, Cristi Barth and Paul Hylenski. To learn more, call 410-696-2482.

The Howard County Historical Society has its next Lunch Date with History on March 1 at the Museum of Howard County History on Courthouse Drive. Author Jan Lowers will speak about Edith Clarke, the nation’s first female electrical engineer who was named to the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The doors open at noon. Tickets are $5, or free for Historical Society members. To register, call 410-480-3250.

You are probably ready to get back to outdoor activities now that winter is winding down. One good choice is a visit to the Howard County Conservancy, at 10520 Old Frederick Road. They have easy walking trails where you can hike and explore nature on your own. Also, they offer a variety of programs to help you learn about what you are seeing. Bird walks for beginners are scheduled for March 4 and 9, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Join guides from the Howard County Bird Club, including Woody Merkle, Terri Berkheimer and Val Swan. The event is free, but registration is required. Contact Swan via email at valnjeff55@gmail.com.

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