B & O railroad sheet music 1828 and Carrollton Viaduct

On July 4, 1828, Charles Carroll of Carrollton laid the 'cornerstone' for the start of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad between the planned Carrollton Viaduct and Mount Clare. The original stone is in the B&O Museum in Baltimore. Two songs were written for the occasion - Carrollton March and the Rail Road March.


The first passenger railroad in America was the B & O line from Baltimore's Mount Clare Station to Ellicott Mills, completed in 1830.  The 1831 railroad station in Ellicott City is now a museum on Main Street.

Although the Rail Road March, dedicated to the directors of the B & O in 1828 depicted a steam engine, the first trains were pulled by horses.  The horses were changed at Relay, Md, midway in the eleven mile route.

An early sketch of the Carrollton Viaduct -

Not the B & O, but The Alsacian Rail Road Gallops of 1845 has marvelous visuals and music.  You can almost hear the chug chug chug -

Rail Road March. For the Fourth of July.  Meineke, C. (Christopher), 1782-1850 · c1828

Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.

The four stone viaducts built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 1829-1836 - Carrollton Viaduct HERE; Thomas Viaduct HERE, Patterson Viaduct HERE and Oliver Viaduct HERE

More posts on the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road - B&O HERE

©2016 Patricia Bixler Reber
Noteworthy women and historic homes of Ellicott City and Howard County, Md. HOME