Maryland Has A Lost Town Most People Don’t Know About
By Beth|Published October 08, 2018
×
Beth
Author
A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Charlottesville. She holds a degree in English Literature and one of her short stories has been featured in the Shenandoah Review. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains.
As one of the thirteen original colonies, Maryland has an extensive history that could impress just about anyone. Yet few people know about the lost town of Daniels. The few remnants of this early settlement are eerily beautiful, and tell the tale of tragedies past. Here’s a closer look at the this lost city hiding in the woods near the Patapsco River.
The year was 1810. A man by the name of Thomas Ely established a textile mill on the banks of the beautiful Patapsco River in present-day Howard County, Maryland.
The area established around the mill changed names throughout the years, first called Elysville, then renamed as Alberton and finally established as Daniels when the factory was purchased by the Daniel family.
The town included a railroad track, a few churches, such as the Pentecostal Holiness Church photographed below, and a few stores. By the late 1960s, the area was home to over 90 families.
Further adding to the tragedy was the tropical storm that nearly destroyed all remaining structures in 1972. Visit the town today, though, and you'll notice remnants of this town's history.