Bright lights, big city: Ellicott City is only minutes from Baltimore's trendy Inner Harbor.
Ellicott City, the county seat of Howard County, Md., is growing. According to the 2006-08 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimate, Ellicott City – with a population of 65,659 – has grown by almost 10,000 residents in less than a decade.
That factoid speaks to the city’s ability to attract residents and should lend further encouragement to anyone looking for apartments in the area. In fact, the folks at CNNMoney.com ranked Ellicott City eighth (alongside nearby Columbia) on their “Best Places to Live” list of 2008.
But Columbia and Ellicott City are special in very different ways. Where Columbia is a young, planned community, Ellicott City has been around forever. Well, almost. Ellicott City traces its roots all the way back to 1772, when the Ellicott brothers from Bucks County, Pa., built a flour mill here; it would become known as Ellicott’s Mill.
Today, the people at Historic Ellicott City, Inc., help to make sure the city keeps its old charm and character. Among other achievements, they programmed and maintained the Ellicott City B&O Railroad Station Museum for 30 years (they recently relinquished stewardship). Completed in 1831, it’s the nation’s oldest railroad station and makes an appearance on the National Register of Historic Places. They also restored the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin. Built circa 1780, it’s the oldest building in the town’s historic district.
Ellicott City is a fun place to hang out for 20-30-somethings, with a very scenic atmosphere marked by antique shops and unique stores, plus cozy restaurants and bars like Portalli’s, Ellicott Mills Brewing Company and the Phoenix Emporium pub, the latter of which I’ve been to. Nice place. For the Baltimore-area hipster or just the regular Joe, it’s a good alternative night-on-the-town away from the big city.
Ellicott City is close enough to the Mall in Columbia for serious shopping, and it has enough grocery stores and small shopping centers to get you by until your next mall trip. It’s also only 10 miles from the heart of Baltimore and about 30 miles from Washington, D.C., so commuting to either is possible. Ellicott City boasts three high schools, including the much-decorated Centennial High School, which last year ranked #247 in Newsweek’s list of the top 1,500 high schools in the nation. There are also two major parks in town: Centennial Park and Rockburn Branch Park.
Yes, Ellicott City is relatively affluent, but if you can afford the rent, this charming, classy town is worth a look. Add it up anyway you want, Ellicott City is a fabulous place to live.
