Historic East Towson

Imagine a neighborhood that's like a super old, super special club! That's Historic East Towson. It's the very first community in Baltimore County, Maryland, made by African Americans. It started a long, long time ago, even before your grandparents were born! People worked together to build homes, shops, and a school, making it a place they could call their own.

This amazing place began with a big change. In 1829, a governor named Charles Carnan Ridgely passed away. His will said that over 350 people who were enslaved could be free! Some of these brave people decided to move to East Towson. By the 1850s, they had already built a whole community with houses and places to buy things. It was like building a brand new world!

East Towson is super important because it shows how strong and determined people can be. Even after facing tough times, they created a place to live, learn, and grow. Today, families who are descendants of those first people still live there! They are like living history books, sharing stories so everyone remembers this special place and its amazing beginnings.

Even though East Towson has gotten a little smaller over the years because of new buildings, its story is HUGE! People who live there now, along with colleges and groups who care about history, are working hard. They share stories and information to make sure everyone knows about East Towson and respects its past. It’s like a treasure chest of memories!