Ellicott City Station Museum Receives 2 Grants For Updates

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — Two displays at the Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum are getting an update. Thanks to a pair of grants from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, Howard County will be able to refresh its offerings at the museum on Maryland Avenue.

The station is the oldest passenger train station still around, dating back to 1830, when it was a train depot.

It became a museum in 1972, and Howard County Recreation & Parks has been managing it since 2017.

“For nearly two centuries, the B&O Station has played an important part in the history of Howard County and Ellicott City in particular,” Howard County Executive Allan H. Kittleman said in a statement about the grants on Tuesday. “Thanks to these two grants, the county will be able to restore parts of the station’s history, allowing the museum to continue service as a historical teaching tool for future generations.”

The grants from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority will enable the museum to restore its iconic C-2149 caboose and update the diorama in its freight room, according to a statement from Howard County government that outlined the funds as follows:

• $65,685 grant: The Ellicott City Station Museum’s I-5D model caboose will be restored completely. Built in 1927 at the B&O shops in Washington, Indiana, the caboose will be sent to the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore for restoration using historically accurate materials and interpretive signage.
• $15,000 grant: The freight room diorama, which was originally constructed during Ellicott City’s bicentennial celebration to showcase the origins and importance of the station, will be updated to be more accessible and engaging.

“The Station is a significant part of the heritage of Ellicott City and the Patapsco Valley. With these grants, the museum’s major exhibits will continue to engage our visitors,” Recreation & Parks Director John Byrd said in a statement. “We’re grateful for the support from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. The museum is one of six historic sites in downtown Ellicott City that help preserve the history of the area.”

The B&O Ellicott City Station Museum is located at 3711 Maryland Avenue, Ellicott City, MD 21043.

The museum is free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

RELATED: Ellicott City B&O Railroad Station Museum Reopens

Main photo of the museum courtesy of Howard County Government.