HoCo 250

In 2022 Ellicott City celebrated EC250 - 250 years of its founding in 1772, blog post HERE and now with the country, Howard County is celebrating 250 years since 1776 in 2026. HoCo 250. Open houses, talks and other activities. Below are some links to calendars of events.

14 buildings! - Museums, businesses, homes and even the Odd Fellows - are participating in an Open House Day on Sat. May 16. Another open house will be held on Oct 17.

Waverly Mansion of Col/Gov John Eager Howard, then his son Gov. George Howard.


Oct 17 An Open House Day in Old Town Ellicott City.
Organized by Maryland History Tours. Free. See below for full May list.HERE

Mt. Ida on east side of large parking lot above the old courthouse

HoCo250 Events Calendar
Locations and info HERE
May 14 Howard County Veterans Monument Unveiling 11:00
May 14 Waverly Open House 11-5
May 16 An Open House Day in Old Town Ellicott City. 9-5 varies
May 28 Open House at The Inn at Mt. Ida 11-5
June 6 Columbia, Maryland: Building Hope For the Next American City 2:00
Jun 13 Cool Deliberate Courage: John Eager Howard in the America Revolution 2:00 at Waverly
Jun 19 Celebrate Black Culture and Community this Juneteenth in Howard County 2-8
Jun 20 Savage Mill Bluegrass Festival 2-5 Jun 28 Reflections on Independence: Then and Now 2-4
Jul 4   4th of July Celebration at the Lakefront 5-10
Jul 22 Voices of the Maryland 400: Maryland's Revolutionary War Soldiers at the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776, Waverly 6-8
Se 12    25 Artifacts for 250 years of Howard County History 1-2
Oct 17 An Open House Day in Old Town Ellicott City. Organized by Maryland History Tours. Free. Nov 8 Howard County Veterans Day Parade 9:30-12

Howard County Historical Society 8328 Court Ave. Friday Noon. Talks. Free. HERE, TAPES HERE
May 1 Banneker Historic Park
Jun 5 Tubman Center
Aug 7 Elkridge Heritage Society
Se 4 B&O Train Station Museum
Oct 2 Granite Historical Society
Nov 6 Columbia Archives

Ho Co Recreation & Parks. HERE. TAPES maybe HERE
May 16 1:30-2:30 The Patapsco Valley: A Microcosm of Colonial America. Dr. Mark Stout. Harriett Tubman Center

Howard County Libraries HERE
June 30 Tue 11-12 History Relived: 250th through Movies Glenwood branch HERE
July 18 Sat 12-2:45 Hamilton Movie Screening Central branch. HERE

Historic Ellicott City, Inc. HERE.
June 18 11:30-1 Mill Town Tea - History of Showhouses.

Patapsco Heritage Greenway. Events. HERE TAPES maybe HERE
June 11 6:30 How Old is That? A brief introduction to archaeological dating methods. Dr. Kyla Cools
June 15 7 Charles L. Wagandt II Memorial Lecture – Daniels: A Textile Mill Village Remembered. Lisa Jensen & Michelle Carras in the old Gary Memorial Church 2029 Daniels Rd.
June 28 12-4 3rd Annual PHG-Nike Missile Site BA-79 Open House
June 13, 20 Clean up days

Ellicott City Partnership HERE. Community Calendar HERE
June 6 OEC Pride
Sep 19 Main St Music Festival
Oct 3 Wizarding Weekend
Oct 31 Trick or Treat on Main St
Nov 28 Small Business Saturday
Dec 4 Midnight Madness 6pm

Elkridge Heritage Society . Brumbaugh House, 5825 Main Street, Elkridge HERE
Jun 13 10-4 EHS Open House & yard sale
Jul 18 10-2 3rd Sat. Open House

Patch. Events and Things to Do in Ellicott City, MD HERE

MD Two Fifty HERE

Sail 250 Maryland and Air Show Baltimore June 24-30. "...global gathering of international tall ships, military ships, and aircraft celebrating the 250th..." HERE

200 Years of American Rail 1828 HERE

Historic Annapolis. Calendar of Events HERE
June 6 11-3 Linen and Liberty: Meet Catharine Futier. "a free Black woman who earns her living as a laundress and seamstress". inperson demo
[Washerwomen of Baltimore. Dr. Papenfuse's talk, tape HERE
June 9 7:30-9 Citizen Science in the Chesapeake on the Eve of the American Revolution zoom talk HERE

Nike Missile Site BA-79 (just north of HoCo near Granite, MD) this Cold War base was operational 1956-1974, restored and is now open for tours on the last Sunday afternoon (Apr-Se) by the Civil Air Patrol Maryland Wing (which is headquartered on the base). Set of stairs. HERE


May 16 An Open House Day in Old Town Ellicott City. & Oct 17
Organized by Maryland History Tours. Free. HERE

Main St.
Centre Lodge #40 IOOF - Independent Order of Odd Fellows, bought in 1863 and still used for meetings! - 8134 Main St. - Open 9 to 1

B & O Railroad Museum Ellicott City Station – 3711 Maryland Ave./Main St. - Oldest in America! - Open 10am to 5pm
Howard County Welcome Center – 8267 Main St. - Open 10am to 5pm
Artists’ Gallery – 8197 Main St. - Open 11am to 6pm
Jackie’s Dollhouses & Miniatures – 8098 Main St. Patapsco National Bank Building 3 1905. Open Noon to 5pm
Ellicott City Firehouse Museum – 3829 Church Rd./Main St - Open 1pm to 4pm
Merryman Street Log Home – 8394 Main St. - Open 1pm to 4pm
Ellicott City Colored School Restored – 8683 Frederick Rd. (W Main St) - Open 1pm to 4pm
The Bridge Market – 8000 Main Street, stone building river side of RR bridge – Open 1pm to 5pm

On Hill above Main St
Capitoline Center [Old Courthouse] – 8360 Court Ave. - Open 10am to 4pm
Mt. Ida - 3691 Sarah’s Lane – Open Noon to 4pm
Museum of Howard County History - 8328 Court Ave. [old Presbyterian Church - Historical Society of Howard County HCHS - next to courthouse] - Open 1pm to 5pm
Ellicott Mills Children’s Museum - 3725 Park Ave. [next to HCHS] - Open 1pm to 5pm
Patapsco Female Institute - 3655 Church Rd. - Open 1pm to 4pm


Blog posts
North side of Main St 'online tour' with info and picture of each building HERE
South side of Main St 'online tour' with info and picture of each building HERE
Firehouses (4) blog post HERE.
Art on Main Street blog post HERE.
Main St blog posts HERE
Floods blog posts HERE

©2026 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD