Today I went to historic Ellicott City, located 18 miles west just off the 695 Beltway. Founded in 1792, downtown Ellicott City's downtown district is a very popular destination for antique shoppers, with restaurants, eclectic boutiques, and coffee shops. Ellicott City is located in Howard County, noted as the 3rd wealthiest county in the United States. Since 2005 Ellicott City has been named 4 times among the top "20 Best Places To Live In The United States."
In 1772, 3 Quaker brothers from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, John, Andrew and Joseph Ellicott, chose this picturesque wilderness to establish a flour mill. The site was called Ellicott Mills, and it became one of the largest milling and manufacturing towns in the East.
In 1972 much of the historic downtown was flooded by Hurricane Agnes, and twice, in 1984 and 1999, fire destroyed many of the buildings. Ellicott City was home to the fairy tale themed amusement park Enchanted Forest which was featured in the John Waters directed film Cry-Baby starring Johnny Depp. The park closed in the early 1990's. Ellicott City is also known as one of the most haunted small towns on the East coast. Like Rome, Ellicott City is said to be built on seven hills.
I enjoyed an amazing lunch (Legumes - spinach, beet risotto, creamed cabbage, Asian pears, brussel sprout salad, artichoke hearts, rye risotto, green beans, and Shittake mushrooms - a work of culinary art) at the French restaurant Tersiguel's, located in a 19th century home on Main Street.
