Maryland, Baltimore County, Cockeysville
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Phoenix, one of the many mill towns of the 1800s in Baltimore County, survives today as a secluded little village beside the Gunpowder River and the Northern Central Railroad 15 miles north of Baltimore. Today's Phoenix, with its big Victorian houses with their characteristic gingerbread trim, developed in the 1890s as a suburb of Phoenix Mill and its company located a half mile to its north.
The first industry at what eventually became Phoenix, was a gristmill started in 1793 by Elijah Merryman and known as "Gunpowder Mills". A saw mill and a woolen mill soon followed. In 1848, Baltimore mill owner Thomas H. Fulton founded Phoenix Cotton Mill. When he died shortly after 1851, the property was sold at public auction. The auction notice listed a "factory house" 100 by 36 feet with an iron water wheel, a stone dam with 9 feet of waterfall, plus a town with 21 brick and log houses, a store, and a 2-story house. The property sold for $28,550. For the next few years the mill had a variety of owners. In 1875, the property was obtained by the Garrett family, noted Baltimore investment bankers. With improvements including a 54 inch turbine wheel and a 175 HP reserve steam engine, the mill was placed back in production in 1881. At this time the mill town had grown to 68 dwellings, the worker force numbered over 200, and 6,000 spindles were being used to manufacture twill and sheeting goods.
In 1903, the U.S. Cotton Duck Corporation, which now owned the mill, ceased its operations at Phoenix to take advantage of lower manufacturing costs in Alabama. By 1911, the town was nearly deserted as the area was expected to be flooded by the expansion of the Loch Raven Reservoir project. The final design of the Loch Raven high dam brought back the waters of the reservoir to the very walls of the mill. In 1922, Baltimore City obtained Phoenix, along with Warren Mill further downstream, for $1,000,000. Warren Mill was drowned by the reservoir expansion and Phoenix, with its 4-story mill of Beaver Dam marble, was demolished.
Today only a roadside pond, the remains of the millraces, some fragments of a rail spur, and a few stone foundations mark the location of the once prosperous cotton duck industry that created the original village of Phoenix.
The Baltimore County Union, Dec. 13, 1873
"Phoenix is a cotton manufacturing town of considerable importance on the Northern Central Railway .... containing a population of 350. Its commercial interests consist of a very extensive cotton mill recently erected to take the lace of an old one of less capacity. Also included in the town are 30 of the best and most convenient dwelling houses for the use of the operatives".
(Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
Phoenix, one of the many mill towns of the 1800s in Baltimore County, survives today as a secluded little village beside the Gunpowder River and the Northern Central Railroad 15 miles north of Baltimore. Today's Phoenix, with its big Victorian houses with their characteristic gingerbread trim, developed in the 1890s as a suburb of Phoenix Mill and its company located a half mile to its north.The first industry at what eventually became Phoenix, was a gristmill started in 1793 by Elijah Merryman and known as "Gunpowder Mills". A saw mill and a woolen mill soon followed. In 1848, Baltimore mill owner Thomas H. Fulton founded Phoenix Cotton Mill. When he died shortly after 1851, the property was sold at public auction. The auction notice listed a "factory house" 100 by 36 feet with an iron water wheel, a stone dam with 9 feet of waterfall, plus a town with 21 brick and log houses, a store, and a 2-story house. The property sold for $28,550. For the next few years the mill had a variety of owners. In 1875, the property was obtained by the Garrett family, noted Baltimore investment bankers. With improvements including a 54 inch turbine wheel and a 175 HP reserve steam engine, the mill was placed back in production in 1881. At this time the mill town had grown to 68 dwellings, the worker force numbered over 200, and 6,000 spindles were being used to manufacture twill and sheeting goods.
In 1903, the U.S. Cotton Duck Corporation, which now owned the mill, ceased its operations at Phoenix to take advantage of lower manufacturing costs in Alabama. By 1911, the town was nearly deserted as the area was expected to be flooded by the expansion of the Loch Raven Reservoir project. The final design of the Loch Raven high dam brought back the waters of the reservoir to the very walls of the mill. In 1922, Baltimore City obtained Phoenix, along with Warren Mill further downstream, for $1,000,000. Warren Mill was drowned by the reservoir expansion and Phoenix, with its 4-story mill of Beaver Dam marble, was demolished.
Today only a roadside pond, the remains of the millraces, some fragments of a rail spur, and a few stone foundations mark the location of the once prosperous cotton duck industry that created the original village of Phoenix.
The Baltimore County Union, Dec. 13, 1873
"Phoenix is a cotton manufacturing town of considerable importance on the Northern Central Railway .... containing a population of 350. Its commercial interests consist of a very extensive cotton mill recently erected to take the lace of an old one of less capacity. Also included in the town are 30 of the best and most convenient dwelling houses for the use of the operatives".
(Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
The original Red Front Blacksmith Shop was located directly across the street from this mural. The workers pictured represent many local ranching families. The images in the ovals next to the buildings show scenes from Tehachapi's ranching history.
The Tehchapi Loop put Tehachapi on the map when it was completed in 1876. Before that time there was no rail access across the Tehachapi Mountains. The historic Loop is pictured here, circa 1952, with a trompe l'oeil effect showing damage to the building due to the historic 1952 earthquake. The wall upon which the mural is painted appears to be cracking open from the force of the earthquake. The Loop is pictured in late summer colors, rather than the usual greens that are only seen for a short time in the spring.
On this site, the first frame building in Tehachapi was built by Mary and Bernard Kessing. They replaced the original wooden building in 1905 with a beautiful brick building named the Kessing Building, which was destroyed in the 1952 earthquake. A stone plaque above the doorway on the corner commemorated the name and completion date of the building.
A street dance held in 1915 commemorated the first electric streetlights installed in Tehachapi. The site of the dance was the corner of Green and F Street. The building there housed the Masonic Lodge and Post Office in 1915, and the mural shows the type of streetlight actually installed in 1915. Faces of current local residents, and those from the history of Tehachapi, were chosen to incorporate into the scene. The faces represent five former mayors and other old-time residents, as well as current residents, one child and a dog. The fire hydrant with a straw hat tossed casually on top is from the original photo.
1822 - 1976
This building, built for the Woman's Club of Madison, is significant for its association with the national Woman's Club movement and to the cultural and social history of Madison. Participation in Woman's Clubs was a catalyst for influencing civic affairs in an era when women were denied the right to vote. Madison's club formed in 1893 and through civic involvement became a powerful force for change. Local initiatives included educational reform and broadening on healthcare services. Cultural programs addressed politics, education, social action, art, history, music and literature.
The Neoclassical Revival style former depot was designed by Frost and Granger of Chicago, regionally prominent designers of train depots. It is locally significant, representing the national dominance of rail for the transport of goods and people. Rail was vital to the economic growth of Madison, providing affordable transportation through the first half of the nineteenth century. Significant features include the long covered passenger platform with its prominent brick and limestone gateway, and the passenger and baggage depot buildings with arched window and door openings.
This area served as Picatinny’s rocket engine test facility where functional and performance tests were conducted. The following rockets were tested here: Redstone, Honest John (first U.S. tactical nuclear weapon), Loki, Nike Ajax, Shillelagh, Pershing I and the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment). Construction dates for the buildings span the Cold War era when a perceived Soviet military threat influenced objectives and policy in the U.S. In response, one of Picatinny’s primary functions was the development of rockets and missile systems.
The Naval Air Rocket Test Station (NARTS) was grouped into eight (8) test area located along Snake Hill and Lake Denmark Roads. Utilized by both the Navy and a private company, Reaction Motors, Inc., these areas were considered to be the Navy’s premier rocket-engine test facilities. Area D tested the Bell X-1 (XLR-11) rocket engine in which Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier on October 14, 1947; Area E tested the X-15 (XLR-99) rocket engine and was one of the largest static test stands on the east coast.
Distiller's house rebuilt from materials of the 1779 House and Distillery, which burned in 1802. Only Distiller's house in Forsyth County.
The oldest brick house in Forsyth County. Built by Johannes Schaub, Jr., as a Home and Dyer Shop. Sold to Gottlob Krause for home and pottery in 1789. John Butner purchased Home and Pottery in 1802.
The only known well-documented Colonial Community Garden and the earliest known well-documented Colonial Medical Garden in the United States.
