Lime kilns at Marriottsville

Two kilns remain in the woods to the west of Marriottsville Road between the B&O railroad and the bridge over the Patapsco. The front wall of the one on the left had collapsed, but the 20 foot tall kiln to the right (west) is fairly intact and part of Patapsco Park.  The limestone was quarried nearby. During the colonial and federal period, lime was used with sand to make mortar and plaster, whitewash, and as a fertilizer. A lime kiln can be seen on Browns Bridge Road, Highland

“In early 1808 Eli Rowles (Rolls) of Anne Arundel County [includes present day Howard County] purchased a 77-acre tract of land… for only $250” then in 1813 sold to his son the land except the saw mill, limestone quarries and the lime kiln.  The quarries and some type of kilns continued until at least 1900 when William Davis sold the town, two farms, store, "improved by two large kilns, capacity about 1500 bushels…contains a large and valuable deposit of limestone…”  Eventually  Bennett Gates bought the land and kilns in 1930, but died two years later.  In 1956 his widow sold land and the “abandoned lime kiln” to the state for Patapsco Park. [MHIP]

The square opening is 6'9' and extends 7'3" at the bottom of the 20 foot wall. The 'poking hole' in the back is where the finished lime was pulled out.

From the top the limestone and fuel (coal) were dumped in layers into the round hole.

The interior of a round kiln

1803 sketch by British artist Pyne with smoke coming out the top of a kiln which looks similar to the Marriottsville kiln.

Childs' Lime Kiln at 7825 Browns Bridge Road

Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties (MIHP) Marriottsville HERE and Child's Lime Kiln, Highland MD HERE
 
©2017 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD