Book Review: Hidden History of Howard County by Nathan S. Davis and Wayne S. Davis

Hidden History of Howard County by Nathan S. Davis and Wayne S. Davis

Located in central Maryland, the Howard County area was settled as land grants for British colonists expanded from the Chesapeake Bay. Many people were farmers but the local natural resources inspired many mills along the Patuxent and Patapsco Rivers and many quarries scattered over the landscape. A main rail line was built between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, with spurs going west along the rivers providing a way to ship goods economically. Being south of the Mason Dixon line, the area was home to many enslaved African Americans, some of whom were freed and did not leave the area for a variety of reasons. After the American Civil War, businesses still boomed into the twentieth century. A big change for Howard County happened in the 1960s when a planned community (Columbia) was established right in the middle of the county, causing a lot of economic and cultural shifts.

The authors live in Guilford, one of the neighborhoods of Columbia (it was originally its own town before the corporation started developing areas in the 1960s). Their focus is mostly on Guilford, painting it in a very positive light, as opposed to towns like Savage, which was a mill town with all the good and bad that comes with that, and Columbia, which bulldozed a lot of historical sites for highways, new industry, and residences. Even with their bias, the book has a lot of interesting information and anecdotes that locals (like me) will find enjoyable.

The is not written in an academic style but does have tons of footnotes (so it is well researched) and provides an appendix where readers get tips on how to do their own research in local and state resources.

Mildly recommended--you probably have to live here (or have lived here) to appreciate it.